The Veil's Mistresses

The day was warm, almost hot, as I stood under the shelter of a willow tree, grateful for the shade it provided.

It was midmorning, and Jekia was in a meeting with some of the town leaders.

After we had breakfast together, he left me to my own devices while he attended to his duties, promising that he would devote the rest of his day to me.

I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, especially considering the events of the previous night.

I had to admit, I was still upset about some of what had happened. I thought I had come to terms with my place here, but it felt like he had crossed a line.

He had not only told me to my face that I was nothing more than an object to him, but he had also threatened me to get me to comply with his wishes.

I had to fight back tears as I sat down on the soft ground. The images that filled my mind when I thought of his threat were too much to bear.

It was bad enough that Jekia insisted on our sexual encounters. But to threaten to force me to have one in front of someone else, especially that beautiful fox, was more than I could handle.

After a few minutes, I managed to pull myself together, looking and listening to my surroundings.

The meetings had started less than an hour ago, which meant I had some time if I wanted to try to escape. The problem was finding the gateway I had come through.

With the wild creatures in the forest, would I even have a chance of success without knowing where the gateway was?

But my worries didn’t stop there. I didn’t know what I would do if I managed to get back to my world. I knew I couldn’t go home.

My parents would reject me, and the count might throw me in a dungeon for what he would see as running away.

Maybe there’s another way, I thought, looking down at the dress I was wearing.

It was similar to the one I had been given the day before, with a plunging neckline and a skirt that barely reached my knees.

But it was made of what looked like fine white silk, and it had beautiful pearls embedded in the front. Maybe I could sell this dress for some money.

Then I could leave Romania and start a new life.

Anything would be better than the life I was living now.

Even if I admitted to myself that I had started to enjoy our encounters and felt a strong attraction to Jekia, I had to put an end to it now and reclaim my dignity.

I slowly stood up, peeking out from the willow tree’s leaves. The courtyard was quiet, and I saw no one else around. Maybe this was my chance to slip away.

I hurried across the courtyard, finally reaching the gateway that led to the forest. I hesitated for a moment as I stood in front of it, glancing back at the palace in the distance.

I felt a pang of guilt as I thought of the creature inside, but I pushed it aside.

No, I shouldn’t feel guilty. He was only using me for his own gain. He would never truly care for me.

The gateway vibrated as I stepped through it, and I found myself on the other side of the forest. I looked around cautiously, then started to run.

The only good thing about this skirt was that it made running easier, faster. Even though my lungs were starting to burn, I forced myself to keep going.

I couldn’t afford to hesitate.

The forest was vibrant and alive around me, strange calls echoing in the distance. I had to stop to catch my breath, bending over with my hands on my knees.

My lungs ached, and my heart pounded from the exertion. Was I even close to where I needed to be?

Fear gripped me as I looked around. I didn’t recognize anything. The tall trees, the grass, the underbrush—they all looked the same.

Oh no, I thought, ~I’m lost!~

I straightened up, trying to figure out which way to go. Going forward seemed like the best option.

Even if I couldn’t find the gateway, maybe I would come across a town.

Someone there might be able to guide me to the gateway I was looking for if I played the part of a lost, helpless human girl.

I walked quickly, constantly on the lookout for danger.

I saw various creatures in the distance, but none of them seemed threatening.

Without realizing it, I started rubbing my arms, trying to calm the fear that was growing inside me.

But then I noticed the ring I was still wearing. It made me stop in my tracks, and I stared at it as it sparkled in the sunlight filtering through the trees.

I remembered when Jekia had given me this ring. It was the day after we met, when he was showing me the small town.

He had looked so pleased as he slid the ring onto my finger. His words after our encounter in the hidden briars later that day echoed in my mind.

“You are my beta, and forever mine.”

The memory stirred up feelings of guilt. Maybe I was making a mistake. What if I was misunderstanding our relationship?

A howl cut through the forest, making me jump. I spun around, looking everywhere, but I couldn’t see who had made the sound.

A sense of impending doom washed over me. I knew I was in danger. I had to run.

I took off, sprinting through the trees and underbrush. I didn’t know where I was going, only that I had to get away.

My lungs started to burn again, and I could feel the thorns from the underbrush cutting into my legs, but I didn’t stop. Stopping would mean certain doom.

I finally reached a clearing, but it offered no help. A cliff stood in front of me, dropping steeply down to a river far below.

I skidded to a stop just a foot from the edge, watching as rocks tumbled into the chasm. I was panting heavily as I looked over the edge and then to either side.

It was no use. The cliff stretched far in both directions, and there was no way across.

A howl sliced through the quiet, and I realized the world around me had gone silent. That was never a good sign. Some predator was on its way, causing everything else to hide in fear.

“Jekia, please,” I whispered, pleading for help.

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the nearby forest. I was rooted to the spot, my eyes wide with terror as a creature slowly emerged.

He was a terrifying sight, a blend of man and wolf. His dark, piercing eyes were fixed on me as he advanced, his lips pulled back in a snarl to reveal sharp, canine teeth.

His hair was a stark gray, matching the tail that swung behind him, and his clothes were stained with dried blood.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and my legs gave way, dropping me to my knees. I’d never known fear like this.

My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst from my chest, and I regretted my decision to run away.

I should’ve stayed at the palace. I should’ve never tried to escape from the one who was keeping me.

The wolf was now less than two feet away, his dark eyes flashing as he took in the sight of my trembling form. His nails were claws, curled inward at his sides.

A low, guttural laugh rumbled from his throat, and before I knew it, I was thrown back onto the ground, a searing pain tearing through my right shoulder.

“Well, would you look what I have found,” the wolf growled, looming over me. I cried out as he lifted me by the back of my neck.

He held me up in front of him, my hair falling around my face, obscuring my view. “It’s a pretty little human girl.”

“Please, let me go!” I choked out between sobs of pain. I could feel his claws digging into my neck, the warmth of my blood trickling down my shoulders and arm.

“Now why would I do that? I have found a perfectly beautiful human girl here,” the wolf cackled.

Then he stopped abruptly, and I could hear him sniffing, his breath stirring my hair. “What is this? What an enticing smell. You are a beta too?”

Oh no! I thought in panic.

“Please, do not…,” I managed to beg as he held me tight.

He ignored my pleas. “Ah, yes. This is the wonderful smell of a beta,” the wolf cooed.

“Do not…please, do not hurt me…anymore…,” I pleaded.

“This smell of you is divine. But wait…” He sniffed me again, a growl of anger escaping him.

“That other smell. It is him!” He flung me to the ground again, and I gasped for breath as pain coursed through me. The wolf remained in front of me as I lay there crying.

“So, he did claim a beta recently. But how lucky am I? You are alone, so I can tear you apart and leave your remains for him to cry over for the rest of his worthless life!”

I closed my eyes, the pain and fear overwhelming me. This was it. I was going to die. I was sure of it.

But just as I braced myself for more pain, a gust of wind swept over me, and the wolf howled again. But this howl was not one of a predator. It was one of immense pain.

“How dare you! You think I would not destroy you simply for touching what is mine?!” Jekia’s voice boomed.

I managed to open my eyes, seeing through the curtain of hair that he was now standing in front of me.

The wolf was several feet away, clutching his bleeding face where Jekia had slashed him.

He snarled in anger but didn’t attempt to fight, instead turning and disappearing into the forest.

“Damned coward!” Jekia huffed, not bothering to chase after him.

I looked up at him, tears streaming down my face. I could feel the wetness of my own blood where the wolf had clawed me.

The pain was so intense now that I couldn’t move, and even breathing hurt.

“Please…,” I gasped.

Jekia looked down at me, his face hard.

“How dare you attempt to run away from me! Do you now realize that you would be defiled and dead if I had chosen not to come after you?!” he berated me.

“Are you…are you…leaving me…for dead now?” I managed to ask.

“I should for such a betrayal!” Jekia snarled. But slowly, his anger seemed to fade. “But be that as it may, you still belong to me, and I have no intention of losing you, especially like this.”

Pain surged through me as he knelt and picked me up, but I was too weak to cry out. My mind was slipping in and out of consciousness, and my body felt so weak that I couldn’t move.

By the time he began running back through the forest with me, I couldn’t hold on any longer, and my mind slipped into darkness.

I had no idea how long I was unconscious, but eventually the darkness began to lift, and I started to wake up. My eyes slowly opened, and I blinked a few times to clear the haze.

The ceiling of the room came into view, and I slowly turned my head to the right, taking in the sight of the open windows and the darkness outside.

A soft light barely illuminated the room, but I knew exactly where I was.

I was in Jekia’s bedroom.

I tried to sit up, but the pain was too much, and a cry of agony escaped my lips. I’d never felt such pain before. It was centered in my right shoulder and chest, burning like fire.

“Please, be still my lady,” Edifel’s voice urged me.

She was beside me now, and through my tear-filled eyes, I could see the concern on her face.

“Edifel…,” I whimpered.

“Now, now. Be still,” she urged me, gently wiping the tears from my eyes with a white cloth. “You are still recovering, and you do not want to break open those wounds again.”

Memories flooded back to me. I had tried to escape, to find my way back to the portal to my world, but I got lost and started doubting myself.

Then, the wolf creature attacked me, intending to kill me, but Jekia saved me.

“Is Lord Jekia here?” I asked in a whisper.

“Yes, he is. He hasn’t left your side since you’ve been recovering. But he’s also quite upset with you. I can’t say I understand why.

“Why would you want to run away? He treats you well, doesn’t he?” Edifel asked, taking a seat next to me.

“I’m so sorry,” I apologized. “I just…I wanted to go home. I still don’t feel like I belong here, and I made a terrible decision.

“I feel terrible, not just for what happened to me, but for what I put you and Lord Jekia through.”

Edifel was sympathetic, placing her hand over mine in a comforting gesture.

“It’s not my place to judge your feelings, and I can understand them. It’s not easy for a human to adjust to this world, no matter how well they’re treated.

“Yes, it was reckless of you to try to escape, but I’m sure you felt you had no other choice if you wanted to return home.”

“No, her actions were nothing but foolish.”

I tensed at the sound of Jekia’s voice. He sounded angry. That was never a good sign.

Edifel immediately stood, bowing her head in his direction. I could see him now, standing at the entrance of our room, arms crossed and tail lashing around his legs in anger.

“My apologies, my lord. I didn’t realize you were returning so soon. Would you like me to leave?” she offered.

“Yes. Attend to your duties. I’ll ensure she rests and recovers,” Jekia commanded.

I tried not to tremble as Edifel left the room. Jekia’s steady footsteps approached the bed, and he stopped next to where I lay.

His golden eyes were ablaze with anger as he looked at me.

“You truly are a foolish woman, trying to return to a world that would have destroyed you when I’ve given you everything here!” he growled.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t belong in this world,” I replied softly.

“You belong to me. Don’t you understand? I claimed you, so you’re mine. Even if you had returned to your world, I would have the right to bring you back here.

“You’ll never escape your connection to me,” Jekia declared.

Tears welled up in my eyes again. His words were harsh, cutting deep into my soul. I was not only his beta but his prisoner.

“I would rather have died then! You should have left me out there to do so!” I sobbed.

“Have you lost your mind? You don’t even value your own life?” he retorted.

“Why should I?!” I shouted. “You say you give me everything here, yet you keep me as a prisoner!

“I’m stuck in this lonely palace while you’re away, and I have to submit to your desires regardless of what I want! You don’t even consider my feelings with the things you say to me!

“You may call me your beta, but you’re often just cruel!”

Jekia looked shocked at my words, as if he couldn’t believe I’d say such things.

“You think I’m cruel just because of words spoken?”

“Of course I do. Don’t you understand their impact?

“Are you so cold that you never learned to care even a little for another, even the one you’ve chosen for your bed?”

His anger flared again. “Haven’t I shown you care?! I could have left you to die both times out there, and I’ve given you more than you would ever have in your world!

“All I’ve ever asked of you in return is your obedience!” he roared.

“And you took my virginity without showing much care for me at all!” I shot back. I turned my head as tears streamed down my cheeks, unable to look at him.

“Having everything means nothing if I feel like nothing more than an object to be used.

“But you’re right. I can’t escape now, so do whatever you want to punish me for being so foolish. I have no fight left in me.”

I braced myself for him to yell more, or even to hit me for what I’d done. I knew many men who disciplined their women that way to keep them in line.

As terrible as it was, it was the way of our world. We women were nothing compared to men.

Jekia was silent for a few long moments. I wondered if he was going to storm out of the room in anger. Then, I felt the bed shift slightly as he climbed onto it, moving over me.

He nuzzled my ear before whispering into it.

“If I punished you now, wouldn’t that just reinforce your belief that you’re an object for me to use?”

“Would it matter?” I whispered back, not turning to face him.

“Don’t act so defeated. It’s been a long two days with you in this state, and your resentment of me only adds to it.”

It was strange. I’d never heard Jekia sound so subdued. Was he just pretending to placate me?

“Are you really this upset?” I asked.

“Please, just look at me,” Jekia requested.

I reluctantly did as he asked, but I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. His anger was completely gone, replaced with eyes that reflected regret.

“You’re…being serious?” I stammered.

“I wouldn’t say such things lightly, especially considering you dislike me so much that you wanted to leave so soon after arriving,” Jekia replied.

He gently kissed the space between my eyes. “I don’t want you to feel like a prisoner here. That was never my intention.”

“You realize you haven’t been very kind to me since you brought me here.

“You give me all the material things I need, but you also use me. You demand that I satisfy your every whim, whenever you want.

“You even threatened to violate me in front of someone else because you weren’t getting your way. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?” I asked him.

“I can’t say that I do,” Jekia admitted. “I wasn’t born to be gentle, and my position doesn’t exactly encourage it.

“I also can’t say I’ve ever been in this kind of situation before.

“I’ve always understood the physical pleasures of being with a woman, but the emotional connection has always been a mystery to me. Maybe I could learn more about it, if you’re willing to teach me.”

It was kind of adorable to see his ears flatten as he spoke, like he was genuinely sorry for how things had gone so far. I wondered if anyone else had ever seen this side of him.

Probably not. As a leader and a born alpha, Jekia likely never allowed himself to show any signs of weakness. Maybe he hadn’t even been capable of it until now.

I slowly reached up with my good arm to touch his cheek. “I wonder if we’ve both been going about this the wrong way,” I said.

“Do you think so?” he asked.

“Yes.” I traced my fingers over his cheek.

“I’ve never been loved by anyone before, and maybe my ideas of love and romance are a little skewed from the stories I’ve heard growing up.

“You’ve also never had to care for anyone before. Could we try to understand each other better?

“Maybe it would make us happier to be together like this.”

“You want to try starting over, in a way?” Jekia guessed.

I nodded. “I’m not opposed to it. Don’t get me wrong, Jekia. I don’t hate you. I just want to feel like you see me as more than a convenient woman for you.”

“You really think I see you as just that?”

“That’s the impression you’ve given me.”

He let out a bitter laugh, resting his head on my good shoulder. “Alright then. I’ll rethink my approach. But don’t run away again. I might not save you next time if you do.”

“I understand, and I swear on my life that I won’t.”

“Good.” Jekia moved up again, kissing me deeply. I melted into it. Oh, I could never resist him, no matter how much I might have wanted to.

He stroked my hair as he pulled away. “You need to rest now, and I’ll join you soon. It’s late, and I’m tired too.

“Maybe we can help you move around more in the morning.”

I agreed, closing my eyes as he kissed my forehead and got up. This conversation made me feel a little better about being brought back here.

Maybe things could work out between us. It might take time, but it was worth a shot.

I fell asleep quickly after he left, my body still aching and needing rest. When I woke up again, the sun was just starting to rise.

The pain had lessened quite a bit, and I felt like I could move now without it hurting too much.

It took some effort to sit up, and I did it carefully so I wouldn’t wake Jekia, who was sleeping next to me.

My ribs ached as I moved, and when I turned my head to the right, I saw bandages on my shoulder.

Oh, this must be where that wolf had clawed me. There were also bandages on the back of my neck. I wondered how bad the wounds underneath were.

Slowly sliding to the edge of the round bed, I took a deep breath and tried to stand up. But my legs were too weak, and I immediately started falling back onto the bed.

Strong arms caught me from behind before I hit the mattress.

“Don’t be stupid! You’re still recovering, you can’t do things like this on your own yet!” Jekia scolded me.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to move a little,” I apologized.

Jekia let out a frustrated sigh, getting out of bed and moving in front of me without bothering to get dressed.

“If you’re so determined, then I can at least help you stand for a bit. But then you need to sit down and behave,” he told me.

I managed to nod, my eyes fixed on his naked body in the soft morning light. Yes, even after all this trouble, I couldn’t stop being attracted to him.

Even now, I was tempted to reach out and touch his amazing body.

He held my hands, helping me up onto my feet. My legs shook a little as I held onto his biceps, but I managed to stand this time.

“I never thought it would be hard for me to stand,” I admitted.

“It’s just the weakness from your body needing time to heal, but it’s a good sign. The medicine that Emelio brought back for you is working,” Jekia said.

“Now, back in bed. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

I let him lay me back down on the bed, and he crawled over me. As I expected, he leaned down and kissed me.

I closed my eyes, savoring the slow, sensual kiss as my fingers tangled in his soft hair.

It was so wonderfully familiar, and I opened my mouth as his tongue brushed against my lips, letting it explore my own.

“You need to get better quickly. I’m going to be really frustrated if you take too long,” Jekia whispered as he ended our kiss.

“I understand, and once I’m recovered enough, I’ll make it up to you by letting you have me however you want,” I offered.

Jekia chuckled. “You know I’m going to hold you to that promise.”

“Yes, but I hope it won’t be too degrading for me.”

“Not at all.”

We shared a few more slow kisses, his body gently pressing against mine so he wouldn’t hurt me. At least we had this for now, and I could find some pleasure in it.

“Promise me you won’t run away again,” Jekia said, his gaze locked onto mine.

“I promise,” I replied. “No matter what happens, I’ll stay with you.”

Back then, I had accepted my fate. My attempts to escape had only led to pain and brushes with death. But Jekia, this alpha, had been kind enough to rescue me, to claim me as his own.

Even if he never really learned to love me, this was my life now. All I could do was make the most of it.