Charlotte woke the next morning, feeling groggy. She rolled over on her back and sighed. Her dreams from the night before flooded her mind and she blushed. She glanced over at the other side of the bed, but it looked as though it hadn't been slept in.
Last night seemed so real. Caleb had seemed reluctant at first, but he had finally bedded her. The things he had done to her... she blushed again. She still couldn't believe she'd dreamed such things.
And it hadn't been once either. She'd had the same dream more than once with slight variations, though the first time was the most detailed in her mind. The other two times were more of a blur.
Her stomach growled, and she pulled herself out of bed. She couldn't skip meals again today. She dressed quickly, then headed on down to break her fast.
The dining hall had its usual hustle, and Charlotte settled into her usual spot before glancing at the head table. Roland and Penny where there, along with Ragnar, but Caleb hadn't come in yet.
He entered a few moments later and headed up to his seat. At least he was alone today. She remembered him telling her in her dream that the blond woman was his mother and almost laughed out loud. There was no way that woman was his mother. She was much too young. Maybe she had just been a visitor?
Charlotte occasionally glanced over at the head table, and blushed as she remembered her dreams. She wasn't completely naive when it came to coitus. She'd read enough books, and had accidentally came across one of the stable hands bedding a maid, so she had a basic understanding of what happened. But the things Caleb has done to her where like nothing she had ever read. She had a feeling Caleb himself would be shocked if she ever repeated such things to him. Not that she would dare.
Once she was done, she hurried to the kitchen. Normally she didn't go right away, but she knew they could always use the help.
***
Later that evening, she sat in her room, staring out the window. She'd tried to read but she couldn't concentrate as her thoughts kept drifting back to her dream. It was so vivid.
The closest door opening made her look over and she saw Caleb standing there, looking at her. "Good evening, Alpha."
He closed the door behind himself and walked over to her, sitting down on the other end of the window seat. "How are you?"
She shrugged. "I'm good."
"Are you sore?" Caleb asked her, concern touching his features.
Sore? She remembered how sore she'd been yesterday from sleeping on the window seat the previous night, but how would he know about that? "No?"
"Okay. I was afraid I might have been too rough with you," he said quietly.
She looked at him blankly. She had barely even seen him yesterday. The only time he had been rough with her was in her dreams.. and she'd enjoyed every second of that. "Um.. I'm not sure what you mean."
Caleb frowned at her for a moment, then he laughed. "You still think last night was a dream."
It was a statement instead of a question. Charlotte stared at him, as memories of her dream ran through her head again and she could feel her face growing warmer and warmer. She was quiet for a moment, thinking it all through.
He'd woken her up lifting her off of the window seat. Then he'd helped her change and put her to bed, before joining her. They'd talked and then..
Caleb had watched the play of emotions cross her face. He had known at first that she thought she was dreaming, but he'd figured by the end of it all, she knew she was wide awake.
"That's your mother?" It was the first thing that came to mind, though the whole night had been.. she wasn't even sure. Some of it embarrassing and some.. she swallowed hard.
Caleb lifted his eyebrows at her. "Charlotte, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I enjoyed chatting with you last night. I like that you were so candid with me. And I especially enjoyed humping you." He smiled cheekily at her.
She blushed again. Last night was amazing. She still couldn't believe it had really happened.
"You still haven't answered my question."
"What question?" She wrinkled her head.
"Are you sore?"
" No, Alpha," she whispered.
"Good. Because I'm going to repeat last night."
***
Caleb leaned back at his desk. He could not get Charlotte out of his mind. He had bedded her every night for the last week, and each time had been better than the last.
A knock at his office door had him looking up and he took a deep breath. His father. "Come in!" He called with a smile as both of his parents walked in.
Caleb stood and was enveloped in a hug by his father. "Good to see you, son."
"Good to see you both. How long are you here for?" Caleb asked.
"Just until tomorrow. We just came for the ceremony, then we're off to Ireland," his mother responded, hugging him as well. She had just been for a visit, but he hadn't seen his father in a few months.
They chatted for a few moments, then headed to the dinning room for breakfast.
Caleb was surprised to see that Charlotte wasn't there, but he would have to worry about that later. He seated his parents, introducing his father to Penny, and sat down himself.
A few moments later, his world stopped as Charlotte entered the dining room. She wore a rose silk gown that looked quite lovely on her. Her blond hair was swept up, showing off her perfect neck and she clasped her hands together carefully before moving to the foot of one of the long tables to eat. He sighed. Even though he was bedding her, he still didn't have any plans to claim her.
"Who's the human?" His father asked him softly.
Caleb tore his eyes away from Charlotte and looked at his father, who sat to his left.
His father raised his eyebrows at him.
"She's no one," Caleb said.
His dad looked at him and smirked. "If you say so."
Caleb rolled his eyes. He couldn't keep from glancing at her throughout the meal though. She looked so lonely sitting down there by herself. He had thought of inviting her to sit with him, but it would send the wrong message to the pack and to her. All Charlotte would ever be was his slave.
Charlotte had seen Caleb enter with his mother again and another man whom she guessed was his father. He hadn't mentioned his father to her, but generally when they were together, it wasn't to talk. She talked to Brianna, Penny and Ragnar. She did other things with Caleb.
She watched him quietly as he smiled and joked with his parents. She envied him. She missed her parents so desperately. She missed the mother/daughter relationship she'd shared with her mom, and having intellectual conversations with her father. She missed playing games with Katie, and late night chats with Penny. She was lonely, she realized. Those things she'd taken for granted before were now the things she missed more than anything.
Charlotte watched Penny chat with Roland. She had never seen Penny so happy as what she was now. It was obvious that she adored Roland, and he her. She was glad for her. Penny had a rough childhood, losing both of her parents. She deserved some happiness. Someone to take care of her and treat her like a queen.
The dining room had started to clear out, and Charlotte watched everyone from the head table walk towards the doorway. Caleb didn't even look at her, but surprisingly, his father did. Charlotte bowed her head to him, and he nodded to her and kept walking.
She started to get up herself when she heard her name called, and stopped looking up. Brianna hurried over to her.
"Charlotte! I'm so glad I caught you. There's so much going on today that we won't be having tea and Ragnar won't be up to take you out. I'm sorry, we're just so busy," Brianna said.
"Is everything okay? Do they need help in the kitchen?" Charlotte asked with a frown. What was she going to do with herself all day?
"No. You just go on up to your room and relax. Take the day off." Brianna smiled at her sympathetically.
"Brianna, what's going on?" Charlotte could tell the woman was trying to keep something from her.
Brianna sighed. "There's a ceremony tonight for the members of the pack. Penny is being inducted as a pack member and she and Roland are having their mating ceremony. It's ... for pack members only."
If Penny was just now being inducted, then that meant that they weren't just automatically members, given that they lived there. Which meant she wasn't invited. "Oh."
"I don't agree with this Charlotte. You're Penny's friend, and have known her longer than any of us. He should be inducting you as well. But it's not my decision." Brianna crossed her arms over her chest in disgust.
Which meant it was Caleb's. "It's fine. I'm not a member of the pack. I'm just a slave. I understand." She didn't, but who was she to question anything. It wasn't her place. Her place was on her back with her legs spread for her master, she thought bitterly. And now, she needed to get out of the dining hall as quickly as possible. "I'll see you tomorrow, Brianna." She turned and hurried away.
Brianna watched her go and sighed in irritation. She was furious at Caleb for putting Charlotte through so much. He had no idea what he was doing to that poor girl. One day, Charlotte was going to break.