CHAPTER 11
A Kiss With The Alpha King
CHAPTER 11 A POSITIVE RESPONSE
VENUS
“Leave and don’t ever show your face here again!” Mr Banks, a robust, middleaged man yelled from behind me.
I stumbled out of a store, the receptionist staring at me with pity in her eyes. It was my third day in Plum Paradise and my fifth rejection. Mr Banks, the store manager had been fascinated by my intelligence but immediately I told him that I was not from their pack, his friendliness expired. He stopped listening to anything I was saying and I lost my temper.
Plum Paradise was modern, up–to–date and it was the capital of the werewolf kingdom. It was the center of commerce and Clawride Pack had nothing compared to them. Yet, I could not seem to get a single job. Their reasons were numerous. Some said I was not strong enough for the type of job they were offering. A woman even said I was odd, too socially awkward for the job of a secretary.
I was hungry and tired, with no money on me. Drew was hidden in a trash can nearby because I could not take him in with me. He had made me lose my first job interview, jumping out from under the table and scared the female manager. I was thrown out without a second thought and since then, I would leave him behind. Yet, my job hunt had still been unsuccessful.
It was times like that that I missed Bly. Without her, I was almost human and I had all their disadvantages. I was no longer as strong as I used to be and I was nowhere close to finding my second chance mate. The possibility was seeming smaller as the days went by. However, I remembered my vow to stop feeling sorry for myself. I had to move on and return to the lively, optimistic person I used to be.
Drew was happy to see me, leaping Into my arms. He had been digging in the trash and his fur was dirty but at least he got something to eat. I on the other hand was praying for a miracle. I sat under a tree, watching the people come and go. When my eyes lingered on anyone for too long, they got the wrong idea and walked even faster. I just wanted something to eat, my eyes heavy from lack of proper sleep.
I had found an abandoned cabin in the forest and crashed there after a day of idle wandering. It did not have a bed or a chair but it was better than sleeping out in the open. However, the floor was too hard and had some nails poking out of the rotten wet wood. I slept with the constant fear on rolling onto one and so, I rarely kept my eyes shut for five minutes. It was a miserable existence and it was all I
had.
Suddenly, Drew barked from beside me, his cars on alert and his nose sniffing the air. He was an excellent tracker and something must have caught his attention. He looked up at the tree and released another loud bark. I followed his line of sight and up there was a cat stuck in the tree. It was scared and hanging off a branch. My first thought was to save it but then, it could be a wild cat. I didn’t need to add injuries to my hunger.
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CHAPTER 11 A POSITIVE RESPONSE
“Okay, Kitty,” I beckoned to the cat, stretching out my hands. “Let’s try to work together here. Come on, jump.”
The cat scratched its orange fur, trying to decide whether to trust me or not. When it brought its head up a bit and peeped down at me, I noticed it was staring at Drew. Right, cats were afraid of dogs or was it hatred?
“Drew is harmless, Kitty,” I assured it as if it could hear me. I went closer to the end of the branch, hoping it would encourage it to jump. Finally, it untangled itself and came obediently. Once it was safe in my arms, Drew was curious to have a closer look and the cat shivered in fear. She was wearing a beautiful red collar with a golden medallion in front.
“Here, Esme!” a man called and the cat sat up at attention. The man was no ordinary perso
person, his navy blue uniform identifying him as a guard. His hair was cut very low to his scalp and he was young but probably older than me. His eyes were searching around for something and it had to be the cat in my hands. I kept Drew behind me and approached the man, unsure of what to say.
He glanced at me quickly from my untidy hair to my dirty toes, anxious to continue with his search.
“Sorry to bother you but I found this cat and I was wondering if you knew whom it belonged to.”
He lowered his glance to the animal lying comfortably in my bosom. His worried expression dissolved into relief and when he smiled, he looked more handsome. The cat noticed that it was the center of attention and sat up again.
“There you are, Esme!” he cried, reaching for the small animal. It crawled into his waiting arms, no longer afraid. “But where did you find her?” he asked, placing Esme against his shoulders,
“She was up the tree,” I pointed at the tree I had been taking shelter under, “and it was actually my dog, Drew that found her. I only brought her down.”
Drew barked sharply as a means of introducing himself. The guard went down on a knee and dragged his fingers through Drew’s fur. The cat stayed out of reach, not still trusting the old dog.
“Thank you, Drew and thank you….” he paused, waiting for me to say my name. Was it safe to tell me my real name?
“I’m Vee, short for Venus,” I replied, deciding to go with the truth.
“Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Suits you. I’m Dan and I am a royal guard.”
That explained the smart uniform and had he been complimenting me before? I knew I was not looking my best so maybe he was just trying to be nice.
“Nice to meet you, Dan.”
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CHAPTER 11 A POSITIVE RESPONSE
“The pleasure is all mine. I owe you big time. I was taking Esme for a walk by order of her owner. When I stopped to buy a doughnut, she got chased by a dog and snapped her leash off. If I had not found her, I would have gotten in trouble with Mistress Lana.”
He held up the broken leash, his smile driven away by worry again.
“Maybe I can help.” I tugged the Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
around Esme’s neck. My hair fell in wg off my hair and used it to reattach the leash to the collar
waves, already growing out. Once done, Dan examined my job
and pulled on the leash to make sure it would not give way.
“It is only temporary, I’m afraid until you can find a lasting solution.”
“Now I owe you two favours, Vee. You look tired and you must need something. How can I be of help?”
w
It was now or never, my chance to get the assistance I needed. He waited patiently for me to speak.
“Well, I am new to Plum Paradise and I need a job, one with accommodation benefits. I have been searching but I have not found any. Do you know anyone looking for a help or a vacancy anywhere?”
Dan stroked his chin thoughtfully, cradling Esme closer to his side. I was silently praying in my heart for a positive response.
“The palace is enormous so it is always in need of maids but it might be difficult because you are not from this pack. However, I will help you as much as I can. I will take you to my sister’s house where you can have a bath and a meal. Come with me.”
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