Chapter 17: _The Lion’s Den

Chapter 17: _The Lion's Den Odessa's POV ***** My mind was an ocean of thoughts as Beta Marcellus' assistant drove us back to the Alpha mansion. I stared out of the window, my hand on my jaw as I thought about everything that's happened within the span of a day. Scratch that... It all happened within the span of a couple of hours, give or take. From my interaction with Celine and her mother to the altercation with that bitter tomato vendor at the marker, and then finally, the Beta telling me about 'trials' I'll have to prepare for. What trials? No one told me about any trials. "Beta Marcellus?" I couldn't take the silence and called his attention with a somber tone. He glanced back briefly before he placed his attention back on something on his iPad. "Yes, Dessa. Anything you have in mind?" He asked. Dessa? That's... A name I only allowed my friends to call me. It was supposed to be the short form of Odessa and I was certain I had never told the Beta about it. I squinted my eyes, getting a little suspicious and forgetting what I wanted to ask in the first place. "I never told you you could call me that," I remarked. The Beta remained oddly quiet until he finally turned around from where he sat in the front passenger seat, causing my heart to skip a beat. His piercing green eyes seemed like they were peering into my soul, but unlike the terror and uncertainty I felt with Kaelos whenever I stared into his silver eyes, Marcellus was... Calmer. Like ocean waters settling during a cool night at the beach. Anyway, after staring at me for a while, he chuckled, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Loosen up, hon. I thought by now we would be friends. I mean, that's bound to happen since I'm your guide around the pack and it's politics." He remarked casually. Friends? I parted my lips, thinking I was going to say something... But nothing came out. Have I ever had friends? Everyone back at my coven saw me as an outcast, the lowest of the food chain, and the humans in our territory couldn't be bothered enough to mingle with a powerless Witch. Well, there was one human... But I didn't like remembering him... In conclusion, the idea of having a friend was both heartwarming and daunting. "Uhh... Odessa?" Beta Marcellus' voice snapped me out of my thoughts, causing me to shake my head and focus my gaze on his face again. "You spaced out there." My face heated up with a blush as I looked away, fiddling with my fingers. Gosh, why was I blushing like a love-deprived teenager? 'Probably because I AM a love-deprived teen. Or, at least, I was.' I thought to myself, subconsciously parting some strands of my hair behind my ear as Marcellus moved his gaze away from me. Meanwhile, Caroline, my maid who'd been silent all this while, sighed lightly, causing me to turn my gaze to her with an arched eyebrow. She stared at me, her eyelids fluttering as she coughed awkwardly. "I– I was just thinking about something." She was quick to explain. Jeez, I don't bite... Plastering a smile on my face, I raised my hands in a mock show of defeat. "You don't have to be scared around me, Caroline. Trust me, I couldn't even hurt a fly if I tried. Not because I don't want to... But I simply can't." That was the best way I could find to explain how powerless I felt. It seemed Caroline got it as she nodded slowly in understanding. "I believe you..." she said. Suddenly, the car stopped, causing me to stare out of the window again. "We're here." Cullen, Marcellus' assistant, announced with a bored voice, earning an awkward glance from the latter. The Alpha King's mansion... That was quick. Drawing in a deep breath, I stepped out of the car, arranging my dress which was still stained from all the tomatoes. Ugh, I'll need a long bath and a change of clothes if I don't want to draw any more unwanted attention my way. "All right, Dessa. I hope you enjoyed the tour despite the little..." Beta Marcellus spoke when he stepped down from the car but then paused, eyeing me from head to toe with a sorry expression. "... Hiccup along the way. I'm certain the pack's people will get used to you in no time." Yeah, right... I'll believe that when it rains unicorns and gold. Regardless, I bowed respectfully in front of the Beta. "I don't know about that last part, but thank you, good sir," I said with a smile. He tilted his head, an amused expression on his face. However, before he could say anything, his phone began ringing, causing his eyebrows to furrow into a frown. He brought out the phone and quickly answered the call. "Oh, hello, Alpha King. I was just about to–" My heart began thumping against my chest when I heard those words come out of his mouth. Kaelos?! Argh, what does he want? "Now? But she–" Beta Marcellus asked my so-called husband, his frown deepening further. But then his facial expression soon relaxed as he nodded profusely despite Kaelos not being there to see him. "I understand. I'll tell her right away." He stated resolutely but then paused, rolling his eyes. "Would you relax? I'll send her to you, don't worry." With that, the call ended and the Beta dropped his phone into his pocket. He fixed his gaze on me and had a cheery smile on his face despite my wary expression. "Your husband demands your presence in his office." He told me casually as if that was such great news. What the fuck does that brute want me in his office for? Also, more questions stuck out like a sore thumb that I wanted to ask, including... "Uhh..." I gestured at my body, blinking awkwardly at the Beta. "You'll have to tell your buddy, the Alpha king, that I'll need a bath before–" "You don't want to ignore Kaelos' orders. Trust me." Marcellus suddenly said, his tone a bit more stern. "Just follow me. I'll lead you to his office." I parted my lips but couldn't say anything as I watched him give Cullen a look before he turned his back to me and made his way into the compound. I glanced at Caroline who had a clueless expression on her face, causing me to groan silently in frustration before I followed after Marcellus. Time to go to the lion's den again... (Author's Note: Hi, lovelies! If you've reached this far, I want to just say THANK YOU. You're the real MVPs. Anyway, please, pardon if the story is too slow paced for your tastes. I promise, there are a lot of action packed and steamy moments moving forward. Stay tuned, keep on voting and supporting and happy reading!)