Chapter 7

Kamari's Point of View

"Do you trust him?" My dad had asked me this several times already. Kept hammering on the fact that I didn't know Zayan. But my dad knew his father from before he was exiled. Knew him to be a good enough Alpha that cared greatly for his people.

But my dad wanted me to make up my own mind about Zayan. Just because he grew up with the old Alpha, didn't mean Zayan was to be trusted.

"Yes. I do. And even if I didn't, what is the worst that could happen to me if he paid for my release? I leave this place and never look back? Sign me up then." I replied and slammed the door shut behind me.

The sun was barely out behind the mountains. The world was still asleep and silent. But I had to be at work and my dad wanted to get this conversation with Arik over and done with. 

My dad only shrugged and squinted in my direction. Stopped a good few feet in front of the pack house. He looked older in this light. More worn out. The days of being stuck here had started to show. He was well past his prime but remained in the warrior role. It was the only work he could secure. The only one he was qualified enough to do. But it was eating at him and I hated it. 

"I just want to make sure you are doing this out of your own free will. Not because he promised you things. No one can tell you what to do, Kam, but as your father, I want to make sure you are comfortable enough in yourself to know when someone is crossing one of your boundaries." 

I told him everything. From start to finish. He had listened intently and nodded along. No detail was skipped. Not even the part where I had to sleep with Arik at the end of all of it. If Zayan had his way, my dad would be kept in the dark. That was never an option. 

"I am doing this out of my own, daddy, I promise. You don't have to worry about me." I replied again and shrugged my work bag over my shoulder. It sat uncomfortably on my shoulder but that was because I loaded in an extra pair of clothes or two. What Zayan had said about my appearance and smell stuck with me. I couldn't help it.

Nodding, Gaelan smiled brightly at me. "Then I will go in there and demand the asking price be only one dollar. If this helps you find yourself, my love, then I will do it every single time. Just do the old man one favor? Once he pays up and this is done for, focus on yourself. Go to college. Get a degree. Make it big in the world. Because you are too special for a place like Crescent Shine to press you down." 

I beamed back at him. "I promise I will." 

***

Arik made my father wait for an hour. Not that he had done anything important at that time. Oh no. He only made him wait because Eris needed some 'special attention'. Of which I heard most. Her vocal approval of cut into my chest like knives. Brought tears to my eyes several times.

It was the worst fifteen minutes of my life.

"Kamari! The room needs to be cleaned and the sheets washed. Be a dear and tend to them immediately." Eris called for me from their bedroom door. I turned just in time to catch a glimpse of Arik leaving. Saw the smirk on his face when our eyes met. 

"Right away, Luna apparent," I spoke calmly whilst my heart wanted to leap out of my chest. Wanted to burst from the agony they had just caused me. 

"Leave her be, for now, Eris. She is needed downstairs. Her father has asked for an audience and I can't very well host him in an unclean living room." Arik said and trudged downstairs. 

One look at Eris' face told me enough. She was highly displeased with this outcome. Had planned on humiliating me the moment I stepped into that room. Maybe they had left such a large mess that I would have been too in shock to do anything other than run for the hills.

Smiling sheepishly at her, I walked after Arik. Noticed my father standing at the bottom of the steps when I came down. The old man was smiling ear to ear as he shook Arik's hand. The two had always been slightly more civil with each other.

Maybe it had to do with the fact that my father was still technically an Alpha.

"Gaelan, good to see you. What brings you to this neck of the woods so early in the morning?" Arik asked.

Both turned and headed for the living room, which I also knew was pristinely clean, seeing as I cleaned it last night before I left.

"I am here on a family matter," My dad started and glanced behind him to where I walked. The air thickened a bit. Arik paused his walking when he reached the living room. Several pack members sat there. All young and foolish.

"Can I have the room?" Was all the Alpha said to make the rest of the people scatter to the wind. "You have my undivided attention but if you are here to plead your daughter's case regarding my rejection, I must save you your breath. You and I both know that I can never allow a black wolf to become my Luna, Gaelan. It would just be unbecoming." 

"I do understand why you decided to reject her, Arik, and I give you no fault. I am not here to discuss such matters, as I fear that is between you and my daughter. What I do want to discuss is her release." 

The air took on a hotter temperature the moment my father uttered those words. Arik stopped in the middle of the living room. Turned slowly to face my father. Gaelan had already squared his shoulders. Took up a larger stance. 

Whilst I moved to the outskirts of the room to try and find a speck of dust to clean instead of gawking at the two.

Arik had summoned me to this room with them because he thought my father was going to plead my case for me. Beg him to take me as his bride because Gaelan was fed up with me at home. 

Arik had hoped to humiliate me.

Now, here my father was, rather pleading for my freedom instead. It must have been shocking.

"Has Rachel asked for her?" It was a blunt question from Arik. But my mother would never ask for me back. Both my dad and I knew that. Gaelan shook his head. "Then why the sudden urgency, Gaelan? You know that if she didn't ask for Kamari, there will be a price for her release. A hefty one, considering she is my mate as well." 

"Her being your mate has nothing to do with this, seeing as you rejected her. I only think it is fair that you now release her to cause her less misery." 

"Her being my mate has everything to do with the decision! Just because I rejected her doesn't mean I don't want her around! It just means that I cannot take her as my bride!" Arik let his temper slip. Let his voice go up a few too many notches. 

My dad scowled back at the Alpha. Sized him up before settling on the fact that he can't outman him. Couldn't challenge him. Gaelan was just too old to be able to win against someone still in his prime.

"So you are saying that you won't accept my daughter in public but in private you will covet her? That is low, Arik. But I still ask that you at least give me a price for her release." 

"You come into my home and demand such things of me? Why Gaelan, it seems you have forgotten I am the Alpha in this room, not you. Because of your outburst and disrespect, along with Kamari being an integral part of my household when it concerns cleaning and other chores, I will set the price at 500 thousand dollars. I only think it is fair," Arik said and smirked. His eyes glanced toward where I was. 

My mouth nearly hit the floor. Our eyes met and I couldn't help the butterflies flying around in my stomach. No matter how much I hated him at that moment. It was an obscene amount of money. Zayan would never agree to pay it.

And for a moment, I had seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Believed I would be free of this pack house. Be free of Arik Knox.

"I will let you know if I accept the offer." Was all my dad could mumble before turning and exiting the room, leaving only Arik and me.

There was a stifling silence filling the room. Arik continued to look at me whilst I wanted to run after my dad. Beg him to challenge Arik for the title of Alpha and rid me of this place. Rid the pack of this asshole. But I couldn't for various reasons. 

"You want to leave me? Fine. I'll make it fucking impossible for you to do it. I might have rejected you but that doesn't mean you don't belong to me. Make peace with that fact because it won't change anytime soon."