SLAVE TO THE MATE BOND

CHAPTER 5*ALPHA KEIZER*

||*KEIZER*||

My nose had caught a whiff of her scent the minute she walked through the gates of my home. At first I couldn't tell what the smell was, but it made my sleeping wolf stir and my skin danced with an unknown tingly sensation and as the scent got closer I knew what it was. Peppermint, that must have been the reason why my skin tingled and I caught another smell. Lilies, not just any lily but the scent of the ones found in the valley. They are rare and have a very delicate and stimulating scent.

I never knew someone could have such scents, a combination of delicate, stimulating and the tingle of peppermint. It was driving me crazy, yet I had to keep my cool, and pretend like it was nothing. The only reason I could pretend to be so good was thanks to my sleeping wolf. It would've probably been a different issue if he wasn't.

I was so keen on ignoring her existence, until I heard that gasp from her and my head snapped in her direction without my consent. Our eyes met, and she froze.

F*ck! I cursed, hating the fact that this was happening right now. I just want peace and calm in my life and this is nothing like what I want.

I growled lowly, breaking eye contact with her, and I gave my last command. It was unnecessary, but I needed her to see that I was not good for her, to see that I am scary as the rumours about me portray me to be. I turned away from the culprit, tracing my steps back to the house, and my friend followed.

"Do you think cutting his fingers was necessary?" Tane said as we walked through the large entrance door of the house.

"He became a dead man the minute he fed berries to my daughter."

"Why didn't you just kill him instead?" Tane questioned.

I turned to him with a grin, "Where is the fun in that? That would've taught him nothing. He is a scapegoat to others like him who dare to disobey my command. Now do you want to keep questioning me or do you have newsworthy information for me?" I asked before continuing on my journey through the large corridors of the building.

"Asking you questions sometimes is pointless, so far there's nothing newsworthy from the scout." Tane responded and I halted.

"No sighting of her anywhere? She can't be among her people, she's an outcast to them. She has to be somewhere, hiding somewhere close, and I need her found." I seethed, clenching my fist.

"Man, it's scary when you talk with such a meek voice, yet there's murder in your eyes and your aura." Tane grumbled. "We'll find her, the spies are doing their best, we both know they have to be careful. If she knows you're looking for her, it won't end well." Tane added and I sighed.

"I know, but my daughter deserves better." I gritted out.

Tane nodded, " Yes she does, and you need to start showing that in your actions also. You barely have time for her, yet you're ready to kill the first person that hurts her." Tane said.

"Mind your business." I snapped, turning the corner to my daughter's room.

"You always said that to avoid the truth." Tane yelled after me and I ignored him, opening the door to her room. He's lucky that he is my friend, for yelling like that.

"How is she now?" I asked the healer, as I walked in.

"She's stable. I was able to give her something for the heartburn. Then the vomiting also stopped and her heartbeat returned to normal, thankfully her skin didn't get rashes." The healer informed me.

"Thank you, iye. Will she be better before nightfall?" I asked, going to sit beside my sleeping daughter, petting her hair gently.

"She should be awake before her, let her caretaker keep an eye on her. She might wake up feeling irritated with the need to use the loo or vomit. If anything else beyond that happens please call me, and also a cold bath would be great for her when she wakes up." The healer answered and I nodded.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to keep thanking me Alpha supreme, we all love Amaia and she's priority, even to me." The healer responded, bowing curtly before packing up her things. I smiled at her as she bowed one more time before leaving the room.

"Get her caretaker for me." I told Tane.

"She's serving punishment for letting Ama wander around." Tane responded in a sassy tone.

I raised my head to glare at him, "I know that, I said call her for me, I didn't ask you what she was doing." I responded.

"I thought you forgot and needed a reminder. I wonder if she stinks. She's only been there for a few hours." Tane murmurs, walking towards the door.

"Tell her to wash up, goddammit, and tell my beta to wait for me in my office." I snapped at him, and he chuckled as he stepped out of the room.

I sighed, shifting close to my daughter to kiss her forehead. I know I am lacking in so many areas, and I wish I could do better, but it's hard when she looks so much like her mom. Everytime I want to pull her close, her laugh, face and everything reminds me of her mother, and I hate it. So much, because it only refreshes the pain.

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"My lord." I turned to the door, at the caretaker's voice and I hissed.

"Do you enjoy getting punished?" I asked, eyeing her as she stood by the door with her head bowed.

"No, my lord."

"You say no, yet you slip up all the time. Have I been treating you so well that you suddenly forget your purpose in this household?" I questioned, folding my hand and she shook her head.

"No, my lord. I apologise for my negligence. It will never happen again. I swear on my life." She fell to her hand, pleading in between sobs, and I sighed, standing up from the bedside.

"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead the second day they brought you here. Stay by her side and call me if she shows any signs of discomfort. I'll leave a guard by the door." I instructed, walking to the door.

"Stand up, and also send someone to the cook to serve you breakfast." I whispered, before opening the door and I stepped, almost walking right into my Beta.

"Look where you're going." Dextra chirps, taking a step back.

"You walked into me, were you walking with your eyes under your feet?" I grunted, shutting the door and I walked away from it.

"I wasn't." She grumbled, rushing to my side as we walked down the corridor and I signalled for a guard to stand by my daughter's door.

"That wasn't a question that needed an answer. Where is Tane? I told him to get you." We turned a corner, exiting that wing of the house before walking up the stairs.

"He said he needed to check up on his men for morning training. What do you need me for?" Dextra asked.

"I need updates on the girls, how many packs paid for freedom and how many packs gave up their girls." I opened the door to my office and we stepped in together.

"You usually don't interest yourself in this, you just tell me to handle it, what changed this year?" Dextra asked, taking her seat, while I walked up to the shelf to grab some paper.

"None of your business. Answer my questions and give me what I need to know. You're my Beta, not my wife." I responded and I heard Dextra smacking her lips. She does that whenever I do something to piss her.

"All the packs came through, freedom was bought for twenty girls. With the last arrival this morning, we have a total of one-twenty-five girls." Dextra informed me, and I bit my jaw.

That's a lot, compared to last year. Are they all so eager to let their omegas go this year, or are they just tired of feeding them?

"The girls from this morning. What pack are they from? Also, look into why they were late."

"From Kasa Pack, only ten were sent this year. Five girls were bought back by their family." If the families are nice to them, I guess that should be a good thing.

"Are they all omegas?" I asked.

I needed to know, because I couldn't sense her wolf earlier and that seemed off. If she was not an omega wolf, she'd probably be a beta, because they're the ones whose wolves are hard to detect. But why would any pack or family put up a beta wolf?

"I was on my way to them when I saw Tane. I heard there's a halfbreed amongst them. I was told by the guard who briefed me that she limps on one leg and her hair is very large. Since she might not want to say anything. I heard she's also beautiful, very beautiful, her skin glows and her eyes are....." I growled lowly, glaring daggers at Dextra.

"I asked you if they're all omega. I didn't ask you to promote them to me." I gritted out, reclining into my seat.

"Well, I thought you'd want to know. Why are you being extra snappy today?" Dextra scoffs.

"I'd ask if I wanted to know. Perhaps if you give me direct answers, I won't be so snappy. Go back to what you need to do. Remember two girls must be assigned here. I want competent and reliable ones. Do not bring me fools. Also, I need a report on the Forest Night pack before sunset." I told her, bending down to pick up a bundle of sheets.

"Okay, anything else?" Dextra asked, standing to her feet.

"That will be all." She bowed curtly before walking out of my office, and I rested my head on the heap of sheets on the table.

She's a half-breed omega? Another weakling for a mate. I have enough sh!ts to deal with rather than worry over protecting a mate. Even if she was an Alpha, it would still be a no from me. I actually thought this time I'd just need to focus on my enemies and also find that wench. Now I have to deal with this.

I didn't even know she limped, but even from afar I could tell she was a beauty. Would've been so different if I wasn't webbed in this mess. I should've told Dexter to get her group far away from me, but that would arouse questions from Dexter and she is always keen to know what goes on in my life. She knows when I'm lying and when I'm not.

Sometimes I wish I had chosen a guy as my Beta, and someone who wasn't close to me. Dexter is the sister of Amaia's mother; she'd proven herself worthy to be my beta even in the sparring match. She proved herself even though she didn't make it to the final round.

If she knew that one of those slave girls was my mate, Dexter would get ahead of herself. No one should know about her being my mate. I would keep it from my wolf likewise if I could.

A mate isn't what I need right now. I can't reject her even if I want to, but I can't be with her either. I just have to keep her away from me. Very very far away from me, because I can't have a mate and I also need to think of a way to keep Ghost from knowing about her. This is the one time I wished he would remain in his slumber state for as long as he could and just let me enjoy my pretentious peace.