by Eva Harper
The Enforcer knocked on the door once and then entered, walking over to sit beside the tub on a small stool. I kept my gaze on the bubbled water until I felt his hands touch my hair. I lurched forward, leaning over so that I was hunched over my knees.
“Margo, please, I’m not going to hurt to you,” he said gently, resting his hands on the edge of the tub. “Let me take care of you, that’s all I want.” I didn’t dare move.
He grabbed a soft sponge and dipped in the water and began to run it down my spine, brushing my hair aside to reach my shoulder. He continued to do this until he was satisfied and then moved his stool, so he could wash my hands and arms. He continued to wash my fingers, gently scrubbing the dirt from beneath my fingernails, and then moved to the end of the bathtub to do the same to my feet. My leg emerged from the water, only up to the knee. He cleaned my toes from the dirt and a few cuts I got from running outside.
With his hands on me, it was hard to focus on anything other than the claws that lurked on the other side of his skin.
Once my body was clean, he came behind me once more and washed my hair. I closed my eyes and tried to relax, but it was difficult. Under his touch, I would surely perish, why should I allow him to bring me comfort before? I was completely clean, my skin soft and warm from the bath. He left the room for a moment, so I could change into the clothes he brought me: a pair of gray sweatpants and a black shirt. The clothes were large on my frame, but they were warm and modest.
I stepped out from the bathroom, finding Theo sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for me. He stood up quickly, coming to meet me as I stumbled in his clothes like a fawn. He bent down and started folding the sweatpants up, so my feet were exposed. When he was finished, he stood up again and looked over me.
“Would you like to sleep? You didn’t at all on the drive. You must be exhausted.”
I shook my head no, not wanting to have my guard down around him.
“No one will hurt you, I’ll make sure of it,” he promised adamantly.
“It’s not everyone else I’m worried about,” I said quietly but with strength against him. He looked sad again and began shaking his head.
“Margo, I won’t ever hurt you.”
I held my wrist up, showing him the bruise he left on me earlier. The one on my upper arm hurt as well as the one on my ankle.
“Little one,” he all but whimpered.
“Don’t call me that,” I said softly.
“Margo,” he tried again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how fragile you were before. I didn’t mean to hurt you, I promise. I will do better.”
“I’m not fragile,” I hissed. He went and sat against the bed again.
“You are, Margo,” he insisted. “Come sleep. I won’t touch you.”
I waited a few moments, allowing my tired muscles and eyes to persuade me into sleep. I went and stood on the other side of the bed. Theo reached over and pulled the cover back, revealing soft, silky sheets. I climbed in slowly and laid on my side, away from him. He pulled the covers farther over me and pushed my hair back before leaving the room. Though the sun streamed through the room, I fell fast asleep, allowing it to heal my body and mind.
Confinement
When I woke up, it was darker outside, maybe late afternoon. I stretched, rolling my aching shoulders, and threw my legs off the bed. I stood up and looked around, wandering around the room to see if the Enforcer was lurking somewhere. He wasn’t. I went to the bathroom and looked in the drawers, to the closet to look behind his clothes, in his nightstand, trying to find any secret of his.
I found nothing, despite my intrigue, and sat on the edge of the bed. Minutes passed, maybe twenty of them before I decided to leave the room. The cold wood touched my feet, and I wished Theo had left me socks as well. I followed the same path to the stairs and descended slowly.
There were fewer people downstairs; now, I only noticed Theo sitting at the glass table with his two male friends. Theo noticed me first, his eyes lit up, and he stood up as I finished the last four steps. The other men turned to face me, watching as their friend met me at the bottom.
“Did you sleep well?” Theo asked. I nodded and looked at my hands, stationary at my stomach. He placed a hand on my back and walked me over to the table, pulled out a chair, and waited until I sat down in the seat next to his. I sat cautiously, looking at the other men who were confused as well. “I’m going to go get you something to eat; I’ll be right back.” And he disappeared out of the room.
I turned and faced the two men, both around the Enforcer’s age, who wore deep smirks seeded in confusion.
“So,” the blond one spoke. “You’re human.”
“Yes,” I said blankly, sliding down into the chair.
“Are you really Theo’s mate?” he asked, his nose scrunching up in disbelief.
“I guess,” I said stiffly, looking over my shoulder, wondering where Theo had gone. “Who are you?”
“His friends,” the other one said.
“His best friends,” the blond one spoke again, a little boastful.
“Do either of you have a phone?” I asked softly. They cocked their heads back, and the one on the right pulled out a phone from his pocket. He slid it over to me across the table, and I reached for it greedily, wanting to call Caddy.
As I picked up the small device, Theo’s hand reached over my head and plucked it from my fingers. He threw it back at his friend and set a plate of pasta in front of me. He shook his head and slumped into the chair next to me, scolding his friend. “Not until we have a talk,” he told me, staring at me until I picked up the fork and took a bite.
“Why?” I asked, chewing a piece of tomato. “I should call Caddy.”
“Your friend?” I nodded. “You can call him after we talk. There are certain things you need to know. Security matters. You can’t go around telling everyone that you’re my mate until I make arrangements.”
“You told them,” I pointed out, sticking my fork in their direction.
“They’re my friends,” he answered. “They won’t do anything that compromises either of our safety.”
“Caddy wouldn’t say anything.”
“You can talk to him later,” he promised, a tone of finality settling over us. I finished eating quickly and slid the plate a few inches in front of me. The two men left, leaving me alone with Theo and whatever guards were stationed outside of the house. I stayed sitting until the Enforcer came back into the room.
“How about we talk, Margo,” he offered. I nodded softly. He sat down on the gray couch where his suit coat once laid, and I followed him. I sat gingerly on the edge of a soft chair, uncomfortably full and curious. “You have questions,” he stated, leaving the conversation up to me.
“How?” I whispered.
“How what?”
“How is this even possible? If it is even possible. Is there some kind of mistake?”
Theo stayed quiet for a few moments, processing my question. “This isn’t a mistake, Margo. A wolf only gets one mate; there are no substitutes or mistakes that occur in that process.”
“But why me?” I asked, pulling at the hem of the shirt I was wearing.
“Every mated pair is chosen carefully.” He reached his hand out to touch mine, but I pulled it away nervously.
“By the ‘moon goddess?’” I fought not to roll my eyes.
“Something like that,” he clenched his jaw. “We were meant to be together. We fit for some reason. We make each other better, stronger. That’s what mates do. They challenge you, protect you, love you, strengthen you. Margo, I promise you, this is going to be the best thing that will ever happen to us. You just have to give it some time; you have to adjust.”
“You don’t know that,” I whimpered. “You took me away from Caddy, he’s my family, he’s the only person I have, and you took me from him.”
He slid off the couch onto his knees in front of me, placing his hands on the armrests of the chair. I sat back further in my chair
to put distance between us.
“I’m sorry that the way we met was so…rough. But I don’t regret meeting you. Many shifters don’t meet their mates, and I’ve been blessed with you. I understand your frustration, your anger, your skepticism, but you will make friends here. I will care for you. I will love you. I will take care of you. You are my world now, Margo. You will never be safer than you are with me; you will be treated like a queen.”
I shook from the proximity, nodding my head to appease him.
“Margo, I don’t want you to be afraid of me. I might be stern around others, but it’s only to keep you safe. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“So that’s what you were doing yesterday when you yelled at me and bruised me in front of the whole pack, you were keeping me safe?” My voice was thick with emotion, the back of my throat beginning to burn with the raw, rough scream that was building under the surface.
“Yes,” he pressed on. “If I could go back and do it differently, maybe I would, but it’s the only way I saw us getting out of there without anyone knowing you’re my mate.”
“What is so bad about that?” Tears began collecting in my eyes. “You said I was a gift, that I’m your world. Why does it matter if other people know?”
“I’m an Enforcer, Margo,” he slumped tiredly on his knees. “The only one on this entire continent and I worked really hard to get this position, but that doesn’t mean it comes without threats. There are a lot of people that want this job; it comes with a lot of power. That’s why I have those guards standing outside. That’s why no one can know about you until I make sure you are absolutely safe. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if you got hurt because someone was trying to hurt me.”
His words sunk into my skin like a lullaby, and I nodded understandingly. He was only trying to make sure I was safe, and there was nothing to fault him for. I studied his face as he knelt before me, his thick, dark hair, the tan skin that sat with two wrinkles between his gunmetal, blue eyes as he stared at me anxiously. Soft pink lips tilted in a frown, two freckles that sat on his right cheekbone, all of which melted into the humble man who sat on the ground in front of me.
When I stayed quiet, he left for a while, going upstairs and closing a door. I wandered around the first floor, finding a stainless-steel kitchen, a small den that looked like the Enforcer’s office, a few large bedrooms, another office, a few storage rooms, and then I found myself back in the large open space near the front door. His house was open, and the floor plan didn’t allow many places to hide, which I suppose was the point of it.
I found a space near the wall of windows and curled up in the closest chair, watching the world around me. The men near the door never moved, constantly watching for signs of an intruder. There was a small space of grass around the house, and then the tree line started about one hundred feet away.
In the distance, a squirrel ran up a tree. I never thought I would be jealous of a squirrel, sitting on the other side of the glass like a caged animal. I sighed and turned my attention back to the interior of the house. It was beautiful, designed with quality and masculine, refined taste, but it was a cage around me.
“Margo,” the Enforcer greeted as he came downstairs again. I looked over apprehensively. “Would you come upstairs with me? I want to show you something.” I untangled my legs from the seat and trailed after him. A few doors before his bedroom, he opened a door.
There was nothing inside.
“You wanted to show me an empty room?” I wondered, stepping inside a little.
“I cleared it out. It used to be a guest room. I thought you might like it, and you can turn it into whatever you’d like. I’ll help you.”
“So, this could be my bedroom,” I thought softly.
“We will be sharing the bedroom. I can’t have you sleeping in another room, but you can turn this into a library, a craft room, an art studio, wardrobe, a place where you hang your hate mail towards me,” he chuckled.
“I don’t have anything,” I realized, the weight of that sentiment pushing down on my shoulders. “I have nothing with me.”
“I will get you whatever you want, anything, everything,” he promised, tucking his thumbs into the pockets of his pants. “This job does have some perks, we, uh, have plenty of resources.”
I looked around the room. It had one wall of stone, and the rest were a smooth, chestnut color wood. The far wall, just like the bedroom, was made of windows, and thick grey curtains draped the sides.
“I want this to be your home too,” he said softly, shrugging his shoulders, hands still tucked in his pockets, eyes following me as I trailed along the spacious room.
“Okay,” I agreed half-heartedly.
His smile grew, and he nodded his head, trying to contain his excitement. He slowly walked out of the room, muttering a soft, “yes,” under his breath as he walked down the echoing hallway.
Lineage
In the evening, Theo put an old movie on the television and sat on his couch, eating a hearty meal of braised beef and sliced potatoes. He ate his quickly; his plate was empty within minutes. I was used to eating lighter foods, fruits, and vegetables since the meat and large things were reserved for the wolves. The food Theo gave me was filling, and I struggled to finish even half.
“Do you not like it?” he asked when he noticed I hadn’t eaten much.
“It’s not that, it’s good, I’m just not used to eating so much meat,” I tried to keep my voice soft. I realized when people raised their voices, Theo raised his, and I didn’t want to anger him.
He got up from his seat and went to the kitchen, banging around in his fridge and cupboards until I called out, “This is fine! I’m sorry.”
“How do I not have any fruits or vegetables in this house,” he said dumbfounded. “I’m sorry, Margo, we can go into town tomorrow, and we can get things you like as well.”
“We can go into town?” I asked, hopefully.
“Of course.” His eyebrows tugged together. “You aren’t a prisoner here. I hope you know that.” I looked down, shamefully, and he sighed loudly. “Margo, I’m not going to lock you inside all day. We can go out; I don’t want you to think of this as your cage or your cell.”
I continued eating, watching the black and white film on his television. Outside, it grew dark, and the trees began to look like people. I had never liked the dark; something about it made me weary. Wolves could see in the dark, unlike me, and it scared me that I had even more of a disadvantage.
I looked over at Theo, who was staring outside as well, looking farther in the distance. He stiffened, sat up straighter, and then relaxed in his seat again. I looked at him in confusion.
“Deer,” he stated, picking up the remote to turn the volume up. We sat there for most of the night, not saying anything to each other, and somewhere around eleven o’clock, I found myself dozing off on the plush couch.
I was almost asleep when Theo shifted his weight on the couch, and I jolted awake. He apologetically grinned as I sat up and stretched.
“Do you want to go to bed?” he asked. I nodded, standing, and following him upstairs. He gave me another change of clothes to sleep in and waited for me to change in the bathroom. The covers were pulled back when I came back, and he was taking a pillow from his side of the bed and throwing it on the ground next to the bed.
I crawled into my side of the bed, and he pulled the covers up around my chin, tucked me in, adjusted my pillows, and then sat on the edge of the bed. He brushed my hair back, like he always seemed to, and touched my forehead with his thumb. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t. Instead, he took a blanket from the edge of the bed and slid down to the floor, curling under the blanket and resting his head on the pillow.
I perked my head up and looked around, peeking over the side of the bed, still hidden by the covers. Theo laid on the ground, looking positively uncomfortable as he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.
“I can feel you looking
at me, little one,” he said smiling, eyes still shut. I shot back to my position and closed my eyes.
✽✽✽
In the morning, I woke before Theo and crept quietly to the bathroom, where I washed my face and used the toilet. When I flushed, I heard Theo groan outside.
He sat up on his elbows when I opened the bathroom door, stretching and groaning loudly before he stood up and trudged over to the closet. As he walked, he looked at me, sizing me up. I waited in the doorway to the closet as he rifled through some pants, finding a pair of athletic, black sweatpants, and a worn, blue, crewneck sweatshirt with a town name on it.
“These are the smallest things I’ve got,” he said regretfully, holding them out for me. I nodded and took them, changed in the bathroom, and came out to the side of the bed to roll the pants and arms of the clothes up so they didn’t trip me. “I thought we could go into town for some breakfast, and then we could go shopping,” he offered. I nodded, okay, and he smiled, grabbing a pair of socks and slippers. “We can buy you more things while we’re out. I’m sure you don’t want to wear my clothes forever.”
I nodded again, sliding the slippers on my feet; they slipped off my heels as I walked, and I almost tripped over my foot. Theo put a steadying hand on my shoulders, leading me downstairs, where he grabbed two coats, a scarf, and a pair of gloves.
“It’s a lot colder here,” he said, wrapping the scarf around my neck several times despite my grimace. “I don’t want you to get cold.”
We walked outside, nodded to the guards, and climbed in the back of a large SUV. We traveled for about fifteen minutes before we reached the small town. It was quaint, small shops with a few people walking down the street. They stopped and stared as the stream of black cars passed them.