Alpha’s Black Furred Slave Mate
Chapter 69

"Deonna?" Kamala said, standing at the doorway of my bedroom.

She kept her voice hushed because Mateo was still asleep across the hall. It was nearing morning; We could see the faint sunlight rising through the distance between the fabrics that blocked the window. I hadn't been able to sleep since we arrived at the village a few months ago, so it wasn't odd that she knew I was awake.

I was holding one of the books that Marlon had given me during my time at the manor; this was the third time I read this book. I still couldn't put it down. My tear-stained features looked up from the book and at Kamala who was looking at me with such concern in her eyes,

She was beginning to adapt well to the village. She began working at one of the clothing markets. She made a couple of good friends. I could also see her life returning to her; it was a good look for her, and I couldn't be happier. However, I was having trouble adapting, as was Mateo.

"You've been acting weird since we got here," Kamala said as she closed the door behind her. "Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine," I told her, sitting up in bed.

It was a lie though; I wasn't sure what was going on with me. I just wasn't happy being here. Something was missing and I think my wolf was telling me exactly what it was.

"You miss him, don't you?" Kamala asked softly; she looked concerned, and I felt bad she was feeling that way.

I wasn't sure how to answer that question; I afraid she wouldn't like any answer I gave her.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Maybe."

"What happened while you were there? You never did explain to me how you two became a thing..." Kamala asked, sitting on the bed next to me.

I sighed; I have been avoiding this conversation because reliving it and thinking about it was painful when I knew I couldn't see Marlon anymore. But Kamala deserved to know the truth to know what happened since I saw her.

"I started as a slave helping the maids in the rose garden," I began. "I was physically abused by the gardener and verbally abused by Bob and Alex Roessler, Marlon's sons. Bob Roessler wanted me to help him cheat in his studies because he figured out, I knew Latin and was kind of smart. He snuck me into the manor. As I stayed in a hidden room, near the kitchen, I grew hungry and snuck into the kitchen..."

Kamala gasped.

"You were going to steal food?" Kamala asked, shocked.

On the farm, we would never be caught dead stealing or else we would be beaten and tortured until we died.

"Yes," I admitted, sheepishly. "I found a plate on the counter and ate from it. I didn't know it was drugged though. It made me feel hot and lustful. Marlon was nearby and he had also eaten from the place; from there we ended up having s*x. He took me back to his room and..."

"Oh my god," Kamala whispered, her eyes wide as she listened to every word I spoke.

"Yeah. We both felt weird after. I thought he was going to kill me but he just wanted to give me birth control. It didn't work though..." my voice trailed off.

"You got pregnant with Mateo?" Kamala asked.

I nodded once.

"After that, everything just felt different. My wolf was excited whenever Marlon was near; she wanted to be with him. She kept tugging me closer to him and telling me that he was my mate and confusing my brain," I explained in a breath. "Your mate?" Kamala gasped. "Is he really your mate?"

"I don't really know," I admitted. "I can't explain the feeling. But it's a sensation I have never felt before. We couldn't get enough of each other. He wanted me to sleep in his room at one point. He'd mainly have me sleep in the guest room nearby him, so he'd have quick and easy access to me. We'd have s*x all the time. He would let me go to school and provide me with books. He'd take care of me and Mateo whenever we fell sick..." my voice trailed off as I thought of those memories.

I could feel the tears forming in the back of my eyes.

"I stood up for me when it counted..." I added, thinking about how he got me out of the king's castle.

Kamala was silent for a long while before she let out an exaggerated sigh.

"He freed those slaves for you," Kamala said; it wasn't a question. "He nearly destroyed the kingdom to protect you."

"I know," I told her. "As I said, I can't explain it. We had this connection like no other. I tried hard to hide it and to not feel anything, but when it came down to it..."

"You loved him," she finished my thought for me.

I nodded slowly.

"And I think he loved me too..."

"What about Mateo? Did they have a good relationship too?" Kamala asked.

I grew sadder at the thought of ripping Mateo away from his father. I blinked away the stray tears that managed to escape from my eyes.

"They did," I admitted. "Mateo loved him too. It was Marlon that got him that stuffed wolf he sleeps with."

Mateo hardly puts that wolf down.

"Leaving must have been really hard for you," Kamala said, remembering the day they had to leave and how broken Deonna was saying goodbye.

"It was the right thing to do," I told her, wiping my face from any leftover tears. "I had to do what was best for Mateo. It wasn't safe there."

"But you left the one you loved. Your mate..." she whispered, staring down at her hands. "I don't know if I could be as strong as you."

"When you're a mom, you have to do what's right for your child. I would do anything for Mateo if it meant protecting him. I left for that reason and that reason alone," I told her.

"Are you sure you didn't leave because you were scared? Scared of feeling something for someone like Marlon Roessler?" Kamala asked, eyeing me carefully.

I felt my face growing red the more she stared at me. I couldn't believe she was insinuating that I left due to fear and not because I wanted to protect my son.

"Kamala, it was dangerous there..." I tried to explain.

"From what I saw, you have dealt with a lot crap while there. You survived a war and were being imprisoned by the king himself. You don't even know if the king was going to bother coming after you..." "Of course, he was," I shot back.

There was no way the king wouldn't come looking for us once he realized he escaped.

"The queen told us not to worry about him, remember?" Kamala reminded me. "She said he was going to deal with him and that we would be safe once we got out of the castle. We didn't need to run from him." "Are you telling me you weren't afraid of staying there?" I asked, eyeing her; more tears began flooding out of my eyes. "You weren't afraid of the manor? Or Marlon?"

"Of course, I was, Deonna. Just as you were when you first arrived on the manor territory. But if you adapted, I could have adapted too. I survived a lot worse," she told me.

"You would have stayed if I wanted to stay? I asked, my voice sounding distant.

She sighed and thought longer about it before answering.

"I will go back if you want to go back," she answered.

My eyes widened.

Go back? She was actually suggesting leaving this village to go back to the manor? Was she crazy?

"I could never ask..." I tried to say, but my voice weakened and drifted off.

"I know you would never ask," Kamala said gently. "But you are my best friend. You are my pack. I will go wherever you want to go. If you want to go back to the manor, then we can." I stared at her in disbelief.

"Even if I wanted to, Marlon doesn't want me to return. You heard him when we left; he thinks us leaving is the best thing..." I told her softly, shifting my gaze downward in defeat.

She placed her hand over mine and brought caught a glimpse of my gaze.

"No, I heard him saying that he wants you to stay because he loves you. But thinks you'd be better off without him. You agreed with him and left. He didn't ask, he gave you the choice..." she reminded me.

She was right; he didn't ask for me to leave; he gave me the choice and I chose to go. I told him it was for Mateo, but I'm starting to think maybe it was more than that.

I could feel my wolf stirring within me the more I thought about it.

"I guarantee that if we got back, he's going to be thrilled to see you," Kamala added, a twinkle of humor in her eyes.

"Probably only him," I told her. "Everyone else, not so much."

I thought about Winston, Beatrice, Bob, and the rest of the workers. They would be anything but thrilled to see me. They must be so happy since I've been gone these last few months. I don't even know if Marlon missed me; I'm sure he did at first, but it's been so long that he was probably over me. He was probably better off himself without me.

"I think we should go," Kamala said, standing to her feet, excitedly. "I want to go."

I could tell she was lying to appease me.

"What about your job and friends?" I asked.

"I'm a wolf; I could come back in minutes if I wanted to. My friends aren't going anywhere, and I can find work somewhere else outside the kingdom. As I said, you are my pack and wherever you go, I'm going to. I traveled a long time alone. I don't want to travel alone anymore," she said with a faint smile on her lips.

I thought about it for a long while; I could hear Mateo beginning to cry in his room as he woke up. I slipped out of bed and went across the hall to his room. He was still holding onto his stuffed wolf. I was surprised that he was actually still sleeping; he was having a nightmare.

Tears came escaped his little eyes and washed over his flushed features. My heart broke seeing him like this; Kamala stood at the door, frowning as she felt terrible as well. "Dadda..." Mateo murmured in his sleep.

We both gasped and stared at each other. It was his first word; this was the first time he's ever spoken.

"Dadda..." he murmured again.

My heart shattered in my chest knowing he was dreaming about Marlon; he missed his father. He said his first words and Marlon wasn't here to see it. I burst into tears which woke Mateo up; he stared up at me confused, but sadness still lingered in his eyes. I scooped him into my arms and held him close to my chest; I kissed the top of his head and told him it was going to be okay.

"Dadda..." Mateo said again softly as he snuggled against me.

"I know baby boy. You miss him too..." I whispered; I looked over at Kamala who also had tears in her eyes as she watched us. "Let's go home..."