"6"

"You shouldn't smoke, you're too young. I mean… how old are you, twenty two or twenty three?" Ahbaya asked as I lit the black cigarette.

"From a quick fuck to a concerned mother." I answered her with a crude smile on my face. Maybe I sounded utterly ridiculous that she suddenly laughed. “You sure take a lot of roles in my life, my Queen.”

"I told you to stop calling me ‘my Queen’ too. I prefer if you call me by my name, you sure don't listen well."

"Well, you…" I stopped and suddenly grinned. The devil in me wants to come out. "...you didn’t listen when I told you I don’t want to have sex with you…” I paused when I noticed how tense she was. With that small gesture, I felt like I won something. “...yet here we are.”

I heard her take a deep breath as if she’s holding out her temper. "You will never stop, will you?"

“Nope.” I said, then gave her a wide smile. Since I had her attention, and clearly she’s starting to get pissed off. I might as well stir into the skid, right? Why not grab the opportunity now. I told Sow even though he kept barking orders for me to shut up. “But maybe I’ll stop calling you ‘my Queen or even Your Highness’ if you answer my question.”

“And what question is that?”

I inhaled from the butt of the cigarette, then blew the smoke off gently. “Those secret rooms, are we all Omegas?”

She looked at me for a moment and smiled. “And why are you suddenly so interested?”

“Do you always choose… you know an Omega like me, as a subject for your lust? I mean, there’s a lot of men out there willing to get paid just to fuck you. Some Betas even be willing to offer themselves for free.”

The question seemed to come out humorous as I expected. Ahbaya began to laugh like a maniac. “I’m serious!”

Her laughter slowly simmered down, then Ahabya pursed her lips. “I know.” She answered, a smile slowly crawling up on her lips. “You’re the only Omega.”

"No shit." I whispered to myself. “Liar.” But she obviously heard it which is why she’s laughing like a hyena. Again. I inhaled from my cigarette before I laughed along with her. Her laugh sounds so ridiculous, anyone could be infected.

"You’re the one asking me, and now I’m the liar?" She asked me, the smile on her lips remained. "You’re seriously ridiculous. Now stop smoking and pack your things."

I rolled my eyes at her and was about to inhale from my cigarette again. But then I noticed that the stick had already turned to ash. Clicking my tongue in annoyance, I threw the butt, not caring where it landed.

I was about to grab another stick from my bag and light up another one, but then I noticed her dismayed look.

"You may own me legally now, but what I do during my free time should be none of your business." I teased her, then she pinched my nipple and twisted it.

“Ouch!”

“Whatever. Just hurry it up, Osos.”

Not minding her stares, I successfully lit a cigarette and exhaled the smoke. If I can’t get the answers I want from her, I might as well have some quiet time of my own.

"Study shows, a smoker tends to have a small penis. If you don’t stop, yours is going to shrink." She said it with such a serious and concerned tone that I coughed up the smoke that I had just inhaled.

Tears were forming on both sides of my eyes and all I could hear was her loud laughter.

“That was totally inappropriate!” I yelled at her as I coughed then pushed her a little bit.

“You really are one of a kind, Ahbaya. Seriously, you’re vulgar.”

Ahbaya snorted and her piercing stare was directed at me. “You call me vulgar, yet you licked every inch of me. You even asked if it felt good.” Ahbaya paused only to look at me and smile. “Now… who’s the vulgar one? Hm?”

The only thing that I could do was applaud her. Seriously, I was left speechless. “Damn…”

I could really not believe her. Really. It’s like this woman has a split personality. Well, I can’t blame her though, she’s a hybrid after all. Her brain must be filled with bears and dogs and much more. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?!"

Ahbaya’s brows raised and smiled at me again. The same sinister smile that I knew contained nothing but complete and utter bullshit. "You should know why my mouth is dirty, I sucked your dick, remember? Next time, remember to shower first."

I just kept quiet and told myself to keep my mouth shut and my thoughts to myself. Telling myself that I will not win an argument against her even if I tried.

But somehow, a part of me itches and wanted to know so much more about her. Her presence and existence had always intrigued me.

The question almost came out of my mouth — but then the sound of three consecutive knocks on my door knocked the question out of me.

“Yael? Open the door — I can fucking smell you!”

Fuck! I looked at Ahbaya and her eyes were as wide as mine. “It’s Dane.” I whispered.

And as expected Ahbaya knows of her. “Make sure to cover my tracks. If she finds out about this, you’re dead. Got it?”

Was what she said before she shifted into a bear, jumped out of my window and broke the glass. Shit. There goes my security deposit. And just like that, Ahbaya Bloodmoon disappeared into the night.

Three minutes till midnight, and Dane is banging on my door like she’s about to break and enter my home.

"Yael, fucking open the door — I forgot the Keys to apartment. Let me crash at your place!" She screamed, and from the ruckus she’s creating I’m left with no choice. But before I let her in, I arched my neck and inhaled to check if there’s a trace of Ahbaya’s scent.

“Hold on. I need to clean up first.”

And that was the code word Dane and I shared to each other. Which means I just fucked someone and need to clean the place up. Something that she’s used to, since some of the clients from the brothel usually extend their time with me.

I took the bucket containing a diffuser and a mop and began to clean. I was about to begin cleaning when I heard Dane say something that almost gave me a heart attack.

"Did the Queen pass by somewhere near here? I swear I can catch her scent."

FUCK!

I shook my head and began to clean. Damn Dane and her amazing senses. "You know what, I think she did… a few hours ago with a few betas.”

‘Liar! What a fucking liar!’ Sow screamed in my mind.

Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to tell Dane the truth. But I couldn’t. If she knew about the deal I made with the Ahbaya, the Queen could wipe Dane’s existence in a snap of a finger, and I don’t want that. She worked so hard to obtain her position.

Not only that, but I don’t want her to face the consequences of my actions. She’s my only family after all. The moment Yanzy married off to Gauge, she avoided me like a plague. Plus Dane might be nuts but she is far from being stupid.

“Are you done?! I really need to pee!” She screamed from the other side of the door.

I rolled my eyes and lit up the scent diffuser candle. “Can’t you shift into a wolf and pee somewhere?”

“Hell like I would!”

After all the shenanigans, I let Dane in my apartment. I laughed with her, memorized her face and smiled at the sound of her voice.

I asked myself the stupid question. Not even realizing that I had already wrapped my arms around my best friend. ‘This is the last time I’m going to see that smile.’ I told myself as I inhaled her scent and imprinted it on my mind.

I wanted to take it back. I wanted to run back to the Castle and tell her to fuck off and tear off the scroll in front of that smug face of hers. I wanted to tell her that I prefer living like a rat rather than be her slave.

I wanted to do all these things, just to make myself feel better.

But how could I, when I agreed and gave her consent to be nothing but a subject of her pleasure. A hot body that would be there to fuck her in exchange for her money.

I did this to myself.

And so I just mumble incoherent words to Dane and she comforts me even though she has no idea what was going on. I didn’t even realize that I was on the verge of tears. That was I tearing up, and I only realized it when Dane placed her hands on my shoulder, shaking me and asked what was wrong.

"Did some crazy old hag harrass you again, huh?! Tell me and I'll break her neck, I swear!"

I couldn’t tell her what happened. How could I? What do I even say?

Everything… was simply too late, because the wound on my hand implies that I had already agreed. And Ahbaya owns me, in exchange for money, status and luxury.