Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Derrek

Apparently, it is possible for Azalea to tire of taunting me. After another couple hours of her droning, she stands up suddenly and announces she'll be back later.

I stopped really paying attention ages ago and have been trying to sleep, so the silence is quite welcome. When I hear the door shut I crack an eyelid open to peek, and sure enough there's no sign of her anywhere.

With a sigh, I stretch out on the cement floor, figuring laying on my back will be the most comfortable option. Even on the street I had blankets and something to use for a pillow. But I know the peace can't last forever, so I'd best make do.

Voices outside the door wake me from my nap, but I'm still far too tired to care, and try my best to go back to sleep.

Unfortunately, it appears I have another visitor.

The door opens and Avery Nielsen's deep voice sounds remarkably jolly. "Well, I'd say you look pretty comfortable. Who says concrete doesn't make a good bed?"

I ignore him, uninterested in his taunting.

That was apparently not the desired response.

The light tone disappears from his voice. "I'm talking to you, son. The least you can do is answer."

"My apologies. It didn't sound like you were expecting a response. I thought it was a rhetorical question." I don't bother sitting up, preferring to answer without opening my eyes.

"A smart alec, I see. Well, I'm glad that the money our pack spent on your education wasn't completely wasted. Even if you did run off to live on the street like some mongrel."

"Indeed."

"I'm here to talk to you, boy."

"I'm listening."

His tone shifts from annoyed to thunderous in an instant. "You'll sit up and call me sir. Do you understand me?"

The reverberation in his voice rips through my body, squeezing my guts and making me gasp. I have no choice but to push myself into a sitting position, but I can still glare at him with every ounce of loathing I can muster. "Yes, sir ."

"Now, that's better."

Ah, suddenly jolly again. So he's the kind of man who's nice as long as he's getting his way.

"How was your night, son?"

My jaw clenches. "Long, sir . Didn't get much sleep with my cousin hanging around. Finally managed to doze off when you arrived."

"Well, I apologize for that. You know how women are. She needed you to know how proud of herself she was. But I don't expect she'll be back for a while."

"Good to know, sir ."

The malicious compliance is testing his patience, but it's not enough to piss him off yet.

"Have you had anything to eat? I'm sure you must be hungry. Maybe something to drink?"

"Can't say I've had either since I got here, sir ."

"Well now, that won't do. Billy!" He shouts the name, and a man immediately appears in the doorway. "Fetch my son some food, will you? And bring him some water. Don't be stingy."

"Yes, Alpha." Billy hastens out the door to carry out Nielsen's bidding.

"There, Billy'll get you set up. My apologies you've gone this long. Usually, our hospitality is better than that."

"Thank you, sir ."

His eye twitches, but he continues on. "I bet you're wondering why I came and got you like that last night."

The thought had crossed my mind, sir ."

"Yes, well, you should know I didn't know you were my son until a coupla nights ago. Your cousin was doing a… well, she did some spell, and she figured it out somehow. Can't say I understand how it works, magic and all. But then I remembered your mom and I had a bit of a fling, back in the day, and realized it was possible."

"I see, sir ."

"‘Course you understand once I knew I had a son, I had to find you right away. My mate passed before we had any children, and it was such a blessing to find out I've had a son this whole time."

"I imagine it was, sir . Bit odd you forced me to leave with you."

"Well, I hope you don't take that to heart. Since you didn't know who I was, I figured I ought to make it easier on everybody until we could have a chat. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Since I've never been under alpha compulsion before, sir , I'd say it was pretty upsetting."

"And I apologize for that. When it's just part of your everyday life, you don't quite remember what it was like without it."

Billy chose that moment to make his reappearance, carrying a tray laden with food and several bottles of water.

"Wonderful, thank you, Billy. Azalea said you can just pass that right through the barrier, it'll allow stuff to go in but not come back out. Just push it through the slot there. Why don't you grab hold of that when it comes through, Leaf?"

"Yes, sir ." I accept the tray as it slides through the slot in the metal bars. A faint line of energy crackles around it, but otherwise it arrives safely in my hands.

Even though the food—and especially the water—is tempting, I glance up at Nielsen suspiciously.

"Go on and eat, son. No tricks, I promise. I have no reason to want to hurt you."

I consider for a long minute, but eventually decide the wise move is to accept what I'm given for now. It won't do me much good to die of dehydration in a few days, and I need to keep up my strength in case I get a chance to run.

I crack the top on one bottle and swallow down half of it before coming up for air.

"There you go, you enjoy. I think I'll head out for now. Let you get some rest. Billy! Get him some blankets and a pillow, will you?"

Billy's head ducks through the doorway, bobs, and disappears in a matter of seconds.

"If you're really interested in having a relationship with me, it'd probably be a good move to let me out of this prison."

Nielsen turns and smiles down at me. "Well, until I know I can trust you, I'm afraid I can't do that. We need to make sure we'agree about a few things first. But don't you worry, we'll have another chat. I'll see you soon, son. Real soon."