Wolf's Heart

Twenty Five

I ate hardly anything that night, but the next morning, I realized that if I ever wanted to be able to escape, I would have to gain my strength back. So I ate the hot cereal, fruit, and drank the milk that was brought to me early in the morning.

I was told to dress in the white dress in the wardrobe, and to pair it with the light pink wedges. I braided my hair in a french braid down my back, and walked around the room, exploring every corner.

Finally, a knock came on the door. I turned to face it, but felt a scowl make its way onto my face when I caught sight of Samuel standing in the doorway.

"Hello, beautiful," he said, stepping in and closing the door. "Nathan sent me to bring you to his room."

"I'd rather stay here," I said, crossing my arms. I was barefooted, not wanting to yet wear the heels.

"Would you like a repeat of yesterday for Calix? Because I could go and tell Nathan right now if that's the case."

"No!" I said, shaking my head and turning to grab the shoes. "No, I'll go. I'll go."

I stepped into the wedges, and followed Samuel back out into the hallway. People were out of their rooms, milling in the halls, and turned to watch as Samuel led me down to a room at the end of the hall.

He knocked twice, and Nathan came to the door, smiling, and wearing a pair of black pants and an unbuttoned white shirt.

"Thank you Samuel," Nathan said, nodding slightly. "You may go now."

Samuel gave me a push, and I stumbled into the room, turning to say something, but the door slammed in my face.

"Come, sit," Nathan said, motioning to a love-seat against the wall. I slowly walked over, and sat on the far right cushion. "I have a proposition for you."

I looked up at him, and crossed my ankles. "Oh?"

"It's about the boy. Calix."

I straightened up. "Oh."

He smiled. "But it will only work out if you listen to everything I say. You have to obey me."

"Tell me the plan first."

"Say you'll obey me first," Nathan said, standing in front of me.

"Tell me the plan first."

"You watch your mouth," Nathan growled, shaking his head at me. "You know what'll happen."

I stood up, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Fine," he snarled, and turned around, running his hands over his hair. It was a Calix-like gesture, and it made my heart hurt. "You come to dinner, and you act like a perfect Mate for me in front of my mother. You talk to me, you hold my hand, you make it seem like this is ideal for the both of us, not just me."

"And in exchange?" I asked.

"And in exchange, I take you downstairs, to where he is. You can clean his wounds, bandage him... have your last night with him. Whatever you want to do," Nathan said. "You will have a whole twelve hours to do. From ten at night, to ten in the morning."

Hope blossomed in my chest, and I turned to look Nathan in the eye. "You would allow that?"

"I would. Of course, a guard would be stationed outside the door, and the cameras would be on all night, but I would leave you alone for the granted time," Nathan told me. "You have until two o'clock this afternoon to make your decision."

"I don't need until two o'clock. I agree," I said. "I'll do it. But dinner only. And then... I need my time. I need my space."

"What do you need time for?" Nathan asked.