Claimed

Chapter 7

"You found me, you found me!"

Running his fingers through his long ebony locks a small smile graces his lips. He picks me up positioning me on his lap.

Xael: "You are a little trouble maker. Where is your mother?"

"She try to give me bath. I don't like baths."

Xael: "Winnie good little girls take baths. Don't you want to be a good little girl."

" I don't want to. You can't make me!" I squirm in his lap feeling a tantrum forming. Tears flow down my cheeks as I cry hard.

Xael: "Win don't start. Calm down."

I cry harder. Grabbing my body he rests my head on his shoulder, rubbing my back in a soothing manner.

Xael: "Shh, Shh Win, you have to calm down. You want to sleep?"

"No sleep!"

Xael: "Okay, okay. Let's go find your mother."

"No!"

Xael: "Winnie I can't do this tonight. I have meetings all day tomorrow and I can't deal with your tantrum."

I cry harder into this shoulder as he continues to rub my back.

Xael: " You know wolves don't cry Winnie."

I hiccup, sniffing a little finally listening.

Xael: "Wolves are fearless."

"What does feeless mean?"

Xael: "It means they are not scared of anything and because of that they are royalty."

"What is rol-T?"

Xael: "It means they are princesses and princes and kings and queens."

"Can I be a pweety princess?"

I look at him in his eyes. He wipes my leftover tears with his large hand.

Xael: "You will be. How about I get you some new pretty princess dresses huh. Would you like that ?"

I nod my head yes as I put my thumb in my mouth relaxing back into his arms as I suck on it. He bounces me gently on his leg as my eyes fight to stay awake. Loud knocking on his door frightens me. I hide further into his arm.

Gabriel: "Sorry to disturb you sir, but Annabelle is here. She is looking for Winnie."

Xael: "Be quiet. You are frightening her. I just got her to stop crying. Bring Annabelle in."

It isn't long before a gentle hand rests on my leg. The touch is familiar to me. It is my mother.

Annabelle: "My sweet child, mama is here."

I uncover my face to see my mother kneeling in front of us.

Xael: "You need to watch her better. She snuck in here."

Annabelle: "I'm sorry sir. I was running some bath water in the communal bathroom room when she took off running."

He hands me off to mother as she lays me over her shoulder. Stroking my hair.

Xael: "What do you have her wearing? I thought I told you to not dress her in slave attire."

Annabelle: "It is all I could afford right now sir."

Xael: " I'll find her a seamstress and buy her some things. Can't have my little princess looking like a pauper."

He moves around the room till he is standing in front of me. He kisses my forehead before giving me a smile.

Xael: "Goodbye my little princess. Sweet dreams."

The flashback stops as my chest tightens causing my breathing to become constricted again for just a minute longer than before.

Get it together Winnie, he will be okay, mother said he will.