NovelBarChapter 48
Emery
I'm on edge by the time he leaves. He even had the audac- ity to come over and lift my chin so he could kiss me on the mouth,
"I'll be sending in some females to take you into the bathroom and bathe. You will be able to roam free on a longer chain once
they are done but don't get any ideas, your door is well guarded and there are wards up all around."
I scoff, "It's not like I can do much with this honking thing on anyway," I point to the collar, "How long will I have to wear this
thing?"
"For as long as it takes you to realize that you are mine now." He caresses my cheek, and it takes all that I have not to show a
negative response. His eyes sweep my nakedness, and he licks his lips before turning around and heading towards the door,
"Be a good girl for the women and I will reward you later, Emery."
Four women walk through the door when he opens it and then he takes his leave. None of the females make eye contact with
me, and I don't understand what I have done to deserve such rudeness. It isn't until I've sunk down in the deep tub and they
begin to scrub me with a hard bristled brush that I finally lose my shit.
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME NOW!" I'm panting so hard from the built-up rage over first my uncle, and now their
treatment of me, "I don't know what my uncle has told you
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about me but I'm NOT the enemy here!"
All four women gasp and back away just a little and only then does one of them speak, "Uncle?"
"Yes. Colin is my uncle; he and my father are half-broth- ers." I explain annoyed.
"Who is your father?" Another female asks hesitantly.
"My father is Ledger Hastings."
Another loud gasp.
"Y-Your father is the true leader of the Shikari!" a quiet voice chimes in, "Only, the council has listed him as a traitor, so the title
passed down to Colin, the bastard! He wants to mate with his niece?" Her face scrunches up in disgust.
"My thoughts exactly." I sigh, "I don't know why he thinks it's okay, besides, I already have three fated mates."
"Pfft, Colin has always done whatever he wanted with no questions asked. He's a spoiled arsehole just like his spiteful mum!"
Another woman sneers.
It's apparent that both Colin and his mother aren't fa- vored here, but they are feared because of their power. I'm not sure I would
be able to get any help from these women, so I don't mention that I plan to escape. Who knows, this could all just be an
elaborate plan for Colin to find out what I'm planning. Instead of talking about escaping, I once again be- come an actress and
make them think that I'm resigning my-
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self to being Colin's mate.
Sighing heavily, I give them a downcast look, "There is no way that my mates will ever be able to rescue me. My only hope is
that my mates are able to move on without me, you know, find someone new to take my place. I don't want my uncle hurting
them, so the best thing I can do is give Colin what he wants."
They begin washing me again, but this time it's with a loofah and not the hard brush, "We are so sorry, miss. I wish there was
something we could do to help, but we are mere women here."
I give the woman a sad smile, "It's okay, but may I ask, why do you say it that way, 'mere women'?"
Another one scoffs, "You really don't know too much about the Shikari men, do you?"
I shake my head, "My father wanted to forget this part of his life. I mean, he hasn't completely dropped it, but there are groups of
Shikari who no longer follow the old ways. They want peace amongst all species, unlike the hunters here."
The women all agree, "I wish I could get out. I'm tired of being treated like cattle all because I wasn't born with a knob between
my legs!".
I chuckle at her expression, "Why do they treat you like that, and why don't you just walk away? You're all over eigh- teen, are
you not?"
"Yes, but you see, we are the sisters of Colin's guards. Our brothers have given us to Colin in hopes of climbing up the ranks."
My gut turns, "How long have you been with Colin?"
"We are given to him at the age of seventeen. That's when we are considered adults here among the Shikari."
"You all were still just kids!" I think back to some of the things my father has told me, "Wait a minute, you all have magic as well;
why don't you use it against them?"
offspring are. If we were to use our powers at all, then they will be syphoned. It's bad enough Colin syphons a por- tion of it each
month, so we don't have a build-up of un- leashed magic that will cause us pain. He says that we will be tempted to use it if that's
the case."
"That's how he is so powerful, by syphoning the powers of his harem." The quiet one informs me.
"Exactly, how many females does my uncle have in his harem?" I ask, afraid to hear the answer.
"Last I counted, there are fifty-two of us." The woman that seems to be in charge here, answers my question.
"Oh Goddess! Why does he want me then?" I mean, fifty- two women is way more than one person can handle.
"You're part of the Power of Four, so your magic is the most powerful." One of them states and I throw my head back and laugh.
"Did Colin's mom drop him on his head when he was a child? He does know that I'm only as powerful as my fated mates allow
me to be. It's with them where my power lies, not
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on my own. I am nothing but half shifter and half Shikari on my own. If he takes me from my mates, I won't even have the Dire
wolf side to me any longer."
"Oh dear," the quiet one states, "Don't let him hear you say this. If he finds out that you won't be powerful without your mates, he
will either kill you on the spot or he will take your mates and keep them in the cells here, so you will always be close to them."
"He wouldn't?" I gasp, "I mean about my mates."
All four of them nod their heads, and now I'm regretting telling them this little bit of information. Will they go and tell him? Are they
jealous that he has brought in yet another woman to join his harem and now I just gave them the power to get rid of me? I'm not
sure what expression I'm given off, but they chuckle at me.
"We will not utter a word of this to Colin; you have our word. We are not gaga over him like most of the other fe- males, and the
fact that he is doing this to his own niece, it's unforgivable! Please, don't think badly of all of us; we really have no choice in this
way of life."
They finish up with my bath and then they attach my col- lar to another chain just like my uncle said they would. They apologize
continuously for having to do so, and even though I see the sincerity behind their words, I still don't allow myself to trust them.
"What time is it?" I ask before they leave.
The lead female glances at her watch, "It's quarter past eight in the evening. Colin said that he would be here around
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eleven thirty, so maybe get a little nap in before he gets here." She gives me a small sympathetic smile before closing the door
behind her.
"Eight-fifteen..." I mumble, I still have a few more hours before the peak, but will I be able to hold my uncle off until it's time for my
escape?
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