Chapter Five

I sat on the window ledge looking out into the distance, what seemed to be like such a lovely day was mocking me in a sense. I wanted nothing more than to leave this stuffy room and feel the warm sun on my skin, but I also want nothing more than to eat something and especially, have something to drink.

I turn my head back to bed where the plate of food still sat, the glass of water on the beside table seemed to mock me in a sense too. I can’t allow Asher to see how much I really needed that; the wall of residence has to stay up. But the mouthwatering food looking back at me was causing that stance to be hard, perhaps a tiny unnoticeable bite wouldn’t hurt.

I was about to climb from the window seat when I heard the key being placed into the door, I snap out of my trance and put my legs back up on the windowsill and turn my head to look out into the distance. After a few short seconds, I hear the door open where I turn my head once again. But to my shock and slight disappointment, it wasn’t Asher which was walking in but a young girl with the reddest of red hair.

“Good morning, Asher sent me up to keep you company while he works.” The girl smiles with a kind expression, I was a little stand offish at first while she closes the door behind her and walks deeper into the room. “I see you haven’t touched your breakfast either.” She says walking over to the bed picking up the food in her hands, my body begging for me to walk over and take the food right out of her hands.

“And I don’t intend on doing so.” Is all I say dismissing the hunger I felt before turning to look out of the window again, I knew if I continued to stare at the food, I would break and eat it all within a few seconds.

“I understand how you may be feeling, I had the same feelings when I first arrived here.” She confesses coming to a stop right beside me, when I turn my head to look at her, the plate of food was eye level with me.

“Don’t tell me, you were kidnapped too.” I say in the most sarcastic voice I could, I’m not that gullible to believe she was also taken against her own will, Asher more than likely sent her here to trick me into bending to his will!

“Not in that way no, but when I met my mat-partner, I had no other choice to come here even though I wanted to stay with my own family.” She explains pushing my legs to the side slightly and sitting at the other end of the windowsill, I send her a confused look as she placed the food on her knees right in front of me. “I won’t deny that I was terrified at first, I had been to a place such as this before but never without a close friend or family member, but now I had to brave it on my own with a man I had just met.” She continues the same kind smile on her lips, but I shake my head not enjoying the long-winded story I was being told.

“Is there a point to this story?” I ask with a raised eyebrow still putting on the same act I do around Asher, but she only lets out a laugh seeming to look right through what I was attempting to do.

“I gave this all a chance, I wanted to hide myself away from the world and anyone here, but I knew it wouldn’t help. So, I allowed my walls down towards Cameron and everyone I encountered, and little by little, the worried feelings or feelings of apprehension disappeared and now I love the life I live.” She explains with another smile, hovering the food right near my face. “Let the walls down, I know none of this is making any sort of sense to you right now, but it will in the end. All you need to do is trust Asher, he only wants what is best for you.” She smiles now the food being placed on my own legs, which was causing the pain in my stomach to grow worse now the food was right in front of me.

“Why do I feel like I have been dumped in a type of cult?” I ask forcing my eyes away from the food to look at her, where she laughs shaking her head at me.

“This place isn’t a cult, but you won’t learn what is really going on if you die from hunger.” She says holding up a fork with the same expression on her face, I knew what she was doing and quite frankly, my body didn’t have the willpower to stop it due to starvation.

I stare at the fork like it was some kind of trap, my mind was telling me they could have very well tampered with my food which could explain their willingness for me to eat. But my stomach was yelling who cares and we can deal with that issue after!

“If I eat, this doesn’t mean I’m accepting whatever is going on here and the fight will only continue, on a worse scale.” I say laying down the law before I even dare take the first step, this once again makes her laugh holding the fork even closer to my face.

“Trust me, everyone knows the kind of fight we have ahead of us with you, eating is just something we all must do to survive, no one is going to think you’re weak for doing that.” She says placing the fork in my hand when I didn’t go to grasp it, now the utensil was in my hand to allow me to eat, the only block was myself.

“Honestly, maybe you should consider a negotiator type job, you’d convince anyone to do whatever you wanted.” I say sending her the first smile from me, where she nods her head as though she already knew what I was saying was correct.

“Trust me I know, it’s probably for everyone’s safety I don’t go into that line of work, it could turn dangerous.” She joked which I had to admit made me chuckle a little whilst looking down at the food, I still hadn’t moved a single muscle to eat it though. “It’s Becky by the way, I realise we had a whole conversation and never specified what each others names were.” She smiles which did cause me to look away from the food, by the look on her face I knew she was waiting for me to tell her my name, but I was still very unsure about that.

The one thing I have over Asher, is the fact he doesn’t know what my name is. Becky isn’t Asher but I’m not dumb, I know as soon as I tell her what my name is she’ll go straight to Asher. But it is rude that she’s being so upfront with me and here I am not even telling her my name! I sigh a little taking a look at the food.

“You can call me Liv.” I say finally, giving in to the whole name thing which did make her eyes light up. “Don’t get too excited, that’s only a nickname everybody calls me, it actually doesn’t sound anything like what my real name is. When I met one of my close friends, he told me I looked like a Liv and the name sort of stuck.” I explain with a tiny smile recalling the memory, Bradley can be so weird and definitely, is terrible at guessing what peoples names are.

I met Bradley over ten years ago, he was close friends with John, so when Tanya and John started to see each other, we all spent time together. Bradley and I clicked easily where he played a game to guess my name, the first name was Liv, and he wouldn’t have any of it when I told him that wasn’t anywhere close to my name. He wouldn’t accept it and told me he’d only call me Liv, now it’s strange whenever someone calls me by my real name.

“Well Liv, I’m glad you let your walls down a tiny bit, so I know how to address you.” Becky smiles snapping me from my thoughts, I send her a tiny smile before my eyes drop down to the food. “I will go and fetch you a fresh glass of water, the one on the counter has been collecting some bugs, I won’t be long.” She smiles politely before getting up from the window and heading over to the beside table, with the glass of water in hand she walks over to the bedroom door and leaves.

I sat by the window waiting for the lock sounds from the door to fill the room, but with the seconds which ticked by, I heard nothing. She hasn’t locked me in here. I waited a couple more seconds in case she was scrambling with the keys, but still silence engulfed the room.

I place the food on the windowsill before getting to my feet, my body was begging me for me to head back to the food to eat but I couldn’t, this could be the chance of escape which I’ve been waiting for. I soon reach the door and place my hand on the cold door handle, to my surprise it turns with ease and the door opens.

My eyes go wide from shock and surprise, could this really be my opportunity to escape? I pull the door open a little wider to see the very elegant looking hallway, but this time I could hear noise from people going about their normal lives downstairs.

Without a second thought, I fully open up the door and leave the room nonchalantly to not raise any suspicions. I begin to replay the moment Asher brought me here on his shoulder, that way I could work out how to get out of here. I walk with haste closer to the wall in hopes to sort of blend in, when the first person walked by, I kept my head down and they passed me with ease.

Without difficulty, I reach the top of the staircase from before but this time, the elegant hotel type area was filled with people. All walking up and down getting on with their daily routine, none of them taking any notice to little old me at the top of the stairs. Could escaping really be this easy?

I begin to make my way down the stairs, my heart in my mouth in worry one person would look over and alert everyone else. But when I still hadn’t been noticed at the bottom of the stairs, a smile fills my lips. I use this as my opportunity to head towards the door, even walking through the huge crowd of people nobody even gave me a second glance. This only proving if you act as though your belong there, no one suspects you aren’t.

A tall man walks through the door and looks at me, in this moment I thought he would catch onto me trying to leave and stop me. But when he sends me a smile and holds up the door for me, I stand there shocked for a split second. But I do send him a smile as a thank you and easily, walk through the door and out into the fresh air.

The sun soon hits my skin where a smile plays on my lips, oh haven’t I missed this feeling. But I also knew I couldn’t stand around, if I stand here for any longer, Asher might catch me, and I’ll be back to square one. Once the realisation hit, I race down the steps of the huge building and head towards the built-up town part. Still remaining undetected, after no time at all, I had reached the wooded part of this place where I was immediately, hidden by the trees and other wildlife.

It couldn’t have been this easy.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Becky happily walks down the hallway with Liv’s water in her hand. She was glad she was able to get through to Liv and perhaps, calm her nerves down a little. She was also hopeful that Asher would accept her more, it’s no secret whenever she is in a room with him and Cameron, Asher’s demeanour changes to such an annoyed one. Cameron constantly reminds her that it is only due to him finding it difficult to find his own mate, while Cameron was easily able to find her.

But now he has Liv and Becky was able to help, she knew this would mean he would have no choice but feel a little thankful to Becky for helping.

She turns the corner of the hallway with Liv’s bedroom, but when she reaches the door to find it wide open, she nearly drops the glass onto the floor. She rushes into the room hoping to see Liv sat there eating, but when she discovers the room was empty, panic runs through her brain as she places the cup down and starts to pace at a lost on what she was going to do.

“Cameron, I’ve messed up really bad.” She mind-links her mate in hopes he would be able to aid her, but even he wouldn’t be able to protect her from the wrath of Asher.

“What’s happened, come down to Asher’s office and see me, he’s just stepped out to talk with the guards.” Cameron soon responds feeling how worried she was through the mate bond.

Becky wastes no time and bolts out of the bedroom and down the huge staircase. On her journey, she scans her surroundings in hopes she is able to catch a glimpse of Liv exploring the pack house, but she didn’t catch sight of her for even a second. She races into the office without even knocking which to her relief, Asher hadn’t returned yet and it was only Cameron who looks over at her worried.

“What’s happened?” Cameron asks walking over to his worried mate and taking her hands, while Becky was on the brink of hyperventilating due to the stress of everything.

“Liv is gone! I had persuaded her to eat but her water was dirty, so I left the room to get her some but forgot to lock the door, she’s gone!” She manages to ramble while her thoughts were going at a million miles an hour, but Cameron, was confused at who she was talking about but also, Becky was talking rather quickly.

“Wait whose Liv?” He asks sending her a worried but also, confused look, she almost cries and looks down annoyed in a sense that her mate wasn’t understanding quick enough.

“Asher’s mate! I was able to make her tell me her nickname but that doesn’t matter, she isn’t there!” Becky exclaims which cause Cameron’s expression to fill with shock and also worry for his mate.

But before he could comfort his mate, the door to the side of the office opens and in walks Asher. He had heard the ending of their conversation and was growing increasingly confused.

“Who is not there?” He asks sending a raised eyebrow to the two in front of him, where Becky’s heart immediately, sinks and Cameron begins to try and think of the appropriate sentence to leave his lips.

“Liv has gone Asher.” Is all he could think to say, whilst moving in front of his mate to protect her from the Alpha who may start to grow angrier as the conversation continues.

“Whose Liv?” Asher asks crossing his arms over his chest, he didn’t understand why people were discussing this Liv individual, whom he probably doesn’t even care about.

“Your mate, Becky was able to pursued her to eat and even allow her to tell us what her nickname is, let’s all remember that as we continue. But when Becky left to get Liv some water, she forgot to lock the door behind her and when she was returned, Liv was gone.” Cameron says breaking the news so his mate wouldn’t have to, but they both were aware of the anger that was soon to exploded from Asher.

Asher stood there for a split second, his fists clenching so tight, his knuckles turn white as he looked at the two in front of him. But his eyes dart to Becky, who now was facing the floor, her entire body shaking from fear.

“You mean to tell me, I trusted you to watch over my mate while I get some important work done and your incompetence, led to her leaving!” Asher shouts with such power that the entire room shook, the anger which dripped through each word was deadly by itself.

“Yes, but you know how great the guards are, she won’t be able to leave the territory.” Cameron interjects in hopes to calm Asher down, but his comment had little to no effect.

“She is missing in the largest pack in the country, there are many places within the woods of this pack which could lead to her injuring herself!” Asher growls out taking a dangerous step closer to the pair, if anything were to happen to his mate due to Becky’s incompetence, he would make sure she had the same fate.

“We all understand what happened but the longer you stand there and shout at my mate, the further away your mate is getting and the more danger she is putting herself in!” Cameron shouts attempting to match the intensity of Asher’s voice, but it was impossible for a Beta to reach the same as an Alpha.

“Very well, but mark my words, if any harm has come to my mate, you will be receiving the same fate.” Asher snarls looking right at Becky, who looked back at him with utter fear in her expression. “Let’s go!” Asher shouts striding past the two and throwing the door open with such force it nearly ripped from the hinges.

Cameron takes a look back to his mate before having to follow the angry Alpha, whilst Becky stood in the middle of the office in floods of tears.