I recognize Cameron Volk, Chase’s second-in-command; I’ve met him a couple of times at different wine competitions. The two older wolves have to be his parents. Cameron has his mother’s light brown hair but his father’s gray eyes and looks. They are all the co-owners of the Timberwolf Bistro. Why do I know that? I always make a point to research everything about my competitors. There isn’t anything about Chase and his vineyard I don’t know about. You have to learn everything about your enemies before you can take them down.
Chase motions for me to follow him. Unfortunately, I have nowhere else to go, so I walk with him over to the others and stand as far away from them as I can.
Chase clears his throat awkwardly, but there’s a hint of amusement on his face. “Kara, these two are Orson and Elise Volk,” he says, placing a hand on Orson’s shoulder. “They run the Timberwolf Bistro.” Neither one of them smile, but they nod their heads in recognition and then disappear to the back of the restaurant. Chase points at Cameron. “You already know my second-in-command.”
Cameron stares curiously at me and opens his mouth to say something, but then the girl steps in his way. “And I’m Sierra.” She moves next to Chase and says it as if I’m supposed to know who she is. Her emerald eyes bore into mine, and she flips her chocolate brown over her shoulder, exposing her neck to Chase.
Chase claps his hand, and both Sierra and Cameron turn to him. “Now that introductions are done, I’m headed out.” He nods for Cameron to follow him. “I need to talk to you for a minute.” Then he looks at me. “Sierra will tell you what to do. I’ll be back to get you later.”
Sierra smiles at him, but the second he leaves, she scowls at me. “Follow me.”
Biting my tongue, I walk with her to the kitchen where Orson and Elise are busy prepping the food. Two young teenage girls hurry in and toss their stuff in the corner before grabbing their serving notepads off the desk and heading back out to the dining room. I wouldn’t know what it’s like to be around these many wolves all the time. All of my employees at the vineyard are human.
Sierra leads me over to the sink where there are piles of dirty dishes. Food is caked up so thick on some I doubt they’d even come clean. “Your job is to wash the dishes. And when you finish with that, you need to mop all the floors.”
I burst out laughing, but there’s no humor to it. This has to be a joke. Chase surely made her bring me in here to mess with me. Orson and Elise stop what they’re doing to stare at me, and Sierra narrows her gaze.
“Is something funny?” she asks, keeping her voice low.
“Not really,” I backfire in all seriousness. “I’m not washing the damn dishes.”
Sierra steps up to me, but we’re the same height. “You don’t have a choice.”
I’m not backing down. “I’m a royal, and I’m not degrading myself like that.”
Sierra’s jaw clenches. “Nothing is degrading about it. It’s a job. And quite frankly, you’re not in a position to be picky. You’re lucky to be alive. But, royal or not, you’ve made some poor decisions, and like all bad choices, they have consequences.”
I’m already paying the consequences of losing my wolf; that’s punishment enough. I step away from her and start for the door. “You can’t keep me here.”
Sierra growls behind me. “Where the hell are you going?”
“Away from you,” I shout back.
The next thing I know, her hands wrap around my neck, and she thrusts me into the wall, the breath whooshing out of my lungs. Grabbing her wrists, I choke in a gulp of air and try to push her off, but nothing happens. Her eyes glow and shift to her wolf’s.
“Actually, I can keep you here. All it takes is one word from me, and Chase will put you right back in the cellar where you belong.”
Her grip tightens, and I can barely get my words out. “Why would Chase listen to you?”
She squeezes my neck harder to the point I can’t breathe. It fuels my anger, and all I can think about is ripping off her head.
“Chase trusts me,” she says, releasing her hold and pushing me away. “We have history. Now get to work.”
She walks away, and I refrain from touching my neck where I know her handprint is still on my skin. Never show weakness. I’ll do what I have to do for now, but in the end, I’ll get the last laugh.
Ten hours.
That’s how long I was in hell. My hands are dry and rough from washing nonstop dishes, and my feet hurt from being on them all day. When I wasn’t on dish duty, I was pulled here and there to do this and that. Chase’s wolves had a field day with me. I’d give anything to punish them right now. All they did was laugh and do everything they could to humiliate me. I kept my head held high, though. None of them were going to break me.
The door to the kitchen opens just as I finish cleaning the last pot. “It’s time to call it a night,” Elise calls out. “Chase is outside waiting for you.”
I toss the dishrag into the sink and wash my hands for the millionth time. Sierra is nowhere to be seen, and when I walk out, I can see why. She’s outside with Chase, flirting and laughing with him. A pang of jealousy twists in my gut, and I hate myself for even caring. Huffing, I push open the restaurant door and march toward Chase’s car.
Ignoring him and Sierra, I get in his car and slam the door. Chase says good-bye to Sierra and gets in with me. Sierra frowns for a split second, and I’m not going to lie, it feels good to see the disappointment on her face. The second we’re out of the parking lot, I breathe a sigh of relief. I just want to get back to my room, shut the door, and not see a single soul.
“How did your day go?” Chases asks.
Did he seriously just ask me that? My head jerks in his direction, and I look at him with as much disdain as I can muster.
His brows lift, and he shrugs. “That bad?”
I’m so furious I can feel my insides tremble. I want to hurt Chase and everyone else, but all I have are words. Words do nothing. Turning away from him, I thank the Great Luna when we pull up to his house. I get out quickly and storm up to the front door.
Chase is right on my heels. “So you’re not going to talk to me now?”
I whirl around, my voice shaky from adrenaline. “Hope you got a good laugh from today. I sure as hell know your pack did.”
His smile slowly fades. “I don’t get enjoyment at other people’s expense.”
“If that were true, you wouldn’t have thrown me to the wolves today.” Tossing my hands in the air, I fight back the burn of tears. “Why don’t you just let me go? The Royal pack is safe. Wyoming is the last place I want to be. Zayne and Amelie will kill me if I show back up there.”
Chase moves up a step, drawing him closer. “You need protection.”
I hold up a hand. “Don’t even pretend that you care about my protection. This is a power trip, plain and simple. Now that I’m weak, you and your pack can extort that.”
Chase’s eyes flash, and his anger grows. I stumble back, and my breath hitches as he closes the distance between us. He’s never scared me before, but I know I’ve provoked him. For a split second, fear encompasses me.