Chapter 15
LAKE:
“And why are you avoiding Jessika, Lake?”
I rolled my eyes and looked away from my laptop screen. I caressed the top of the champagne flute in my right hand with my fingers, while I looked up at her. She stomped into my office with all her authority, and she had every right to.
“I neither want nor need a woman, ma. What’s the point? I can’t have kids with them.” I was plain and blunt.
“Keep trying! You have to keep trying, Lake. Don’t give up so easily, think about me. Almost every high-ranked wolf in the kingdom has something to say about this, they’re calling you an incompetent Alpha behind your back. You have to take away this shame.” She settled into a chair across my large mahogany table. I leaned out of my chair.
“You know me maa, you know small talk never bothers me. I won’t be seeing anyone anymore, and that’s my decision. I apologize if it breaks your heart.”
Granny rose up and stomped out of my office, nothing short of enraged.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
Neil walked in at midday, a pile of documents in his hands.
He greeted me with courtesy, and I urged him to continue.
“JoJo Wyatt, the special recruit, she’ll be arriving today. We just paid off her debt of 7. 8 million and also, as you requested, paid in another 250, 000 dollars for her mother’s surgery and overall treatment. They would be moving her to a VIP ward. The doctor assured us of a successful surgery procedure.” He stated.
Good. It would ease her pain after the rejection. Not that I cared. This was just me being… philanthropic.
“Good. She should be comfortable when she arrives. You can leave.” I ended the conversation and watched him exit my office.
I leaned against my chair, my mind wandered to my grandmother. The only woman who I wanted to keep in my life, the one who had stood by me and protected me. I had annoyed her. I didn’t miss the anger and hurt in her eyes as she spoke. I needed to make up for that.
I phoned Neil immediately.
“Send some flowers to my grandmother. Some grapes, too. She is beginning to like those.” I instructed.
JOJO:
Leaving my sister was the hardest of it all. But, I promised to call every day. I was sure she was in safe hands, that was all that mattered.
This time, as I dragged my pink suitcase on the floor, it was harder to look up. Especially in my faded white shirt and pink denim shorts.
The receptionist recognized me as soon as he caught sight of me. I was directed to Bentley’s office.
This time, she welcomed me with a smile.
I managed to smile back, and a gentle wave.
“Hold on, I’ll call someone to take you to your quarters.”
I waited patiently as she dialed a number on her phone.
She dropped the phone and looked over at me. Drinking in my sorry excuse for clothing. I felt my stomach tighten.
“You’ll be getting new clothes today. A full change of your wardrobe.”
I heard the silent “we can’t have you here walking around in these.” Even though she didn’t say it out loud.
“Uhm. How would you be able to know what size I wear?” It was a question I needed to ask.
“We know everything about you, JoJo. Your size included.” She spoke casually, but it unnerved me. Made me feel like I had been stalked all my life.
Soon, I was alone in an elevator with a guard, heading to “my quarters” as he had called it. I knocked twice, on the high metal door. It creaked open at my second knock.
I wasn’t ready for the sight before me. Or the smell of cigarette smoke that greeted my nostrils. I sneezed violently, raising my head to find a lady staring down at me, with brows arched.
Speechless, I took my time to examine her. She had numerous tattoos on her skin, creeping to her neck. They were colorful and contained random drawings and writings, her hair was black and short, lashes longer than any I had ever seen. She had one cute piercing on her lower lip. She was busty and slender with barely any hips or bum. Yet, her confidence could put the queen to shame.
The door slammed shut in my face. I blinked twice, in shock, then confusion. I had just made a fist to knock again when the door creaked open once more. A different girl stood at the entrance now.
“Hey! New girl?”
I took ample time to scrutinize her. Unlike the first one, she had no tattoos but possessed one nose piercing. She was curvy, almost like a mannequin.
I cleared my throat.
“Hi. I’m Jojo. Yes, I was directed to this room.”
She flashed me a smile.
“Come on in.”
I stepped into the room, she closed the door behind me.
There were three more girls in the large room filled with more than five beds, dressed in flimsy clothing, barely dressed at all! I gulped hard. Was I ready for this?
“My name is Ashley, but they call me Ash around here. That’s Brandy, that’s Zelda, Hadley, and Zita lowe.” She pointed at all the girls. Their eyes were fixed on me.
” Girls, this is JoJo. She’s new.” She called out.
I realized it was Brandy who had opened the door and later slammed it in my face. They all seemed nice, even offered curt smiles, everyone except Zita Lowe.
She walked towards me, swaying her hips, and stood in front of me. Ashley tugged at my arm, I looked straight on, into Zita’s eyes. She took a long drag of smoke and exhaled in front of my face. I blocked my nose to stop myself from wheezing or choking.
“For fuck sake Zee!” Ashley barked, a deep frown on her face…
“For orientation. Or you don’t get that, too? Didn’t you hear? She’s a special recruit. Orders from the Alpha himself.” Zita bit back.
My eyes danced between the both of them. What was going on?
“You’re a special recruit?” Ashley asked. I shook my head vehemently, a sign for no.
“No. No, I swear, I applied the same way everyone did and I even came for an interview.”I tried to make them understand, but Zita scoffed.
“I bet you came to the interview looking like this, too. All ragged up and shit.”
Her words were sharp enough to dig holes in my “rags”. I stayed quiet. I didn’t know what to say, and I didn’t need trouble.
“Zee, leave her the fuck alone.” The girl called Zelda yelled from where she sat.
“I’m not doing anything. I’m just wondering how good she was in bed, to make the Alpha declare her a special recruit. She even has intensive training with Bentley herself.” The mean girl spoke again. By the goddess, I wanted to dissolve into the ground and disappear. She hated me before I had even said a word.
Hadley climbed down from her bed and moved towards me.
“Well, I like her. Perhaps, you should meet her for alpha capturing lessons, since you suck at it.” Her comeback was epic, even for me. She patted my shoulder gently with a small smile.
“Don’t worry, I got your back.”
“Whatever. You all can suck on her dick for all I care. She wouldn’t last a day in here, she doesn’t have the guts.” As Zita spoke, she stared me dead in the eyes. Making sure I understood and took in every word that she said. It was an open challenge, even though she didn’t say so.
“Bitch, bye.” Ashley retorted, pulling me by my wrist. My gaze flickered towards her, grateful to see that someone was nice to me.
“Here.” She pointed at the mattress in front of me.
“Your bed’s besides mine.”
I returned her curt smile and settled into it.
Then, I looked around the room properly for the first time. Large, luxuriously furnished, and polished with sky blue paint. Ashley later said we would be staying here until our training was over, then we could be assigned to our various rooms in the building.
As I lay my back down against the soft mattress, my thoughts drifted off to Valerie. She would have loved this bed, and sky blue was her favorite color. But, I was here to work hard for her, to give her the life she deserved.