*Omario POV*
I arrive at the castle before dad and his folks return. The idiots are probably still chasing the rogue scent Terrence sent out. I am not worried about Terrence. With his speed, I am pretty sure that he is back in Palmland by now.
“Still waiting?” I ask Rufus, whom I find waiting in the courtyard.
He probably waited for the hunting party to return until he came out here to investigate.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he says and bows respectfully in front of me.
His response take me by surprise but I keep a straight face.
“For what exactly?”
He smiles at me and I suddenly feel bare. “Now I won’t be involved in persecuting an innocent girl. I will forever be grateful to you.”
I look at him with mixed feelings. He knows too much. All this information make me vulnerable and his a liability.
“You have earned my trust and loyalty. Anything I know, I will take to my grave. You have my word, Your Majesty,” he vows, reading through me. At least he is not in my head like my Gamma.
I nod my head and thank him. I have been told that he is a man of honour but I have questioned his integrity because of his association with dad.
I am still debating in my head if should ask him about Nina and the prophecy because all he has revealed is my dad’s fate, not mine. Do I want to know my fate though? If it confirms my suspicions, will I not turn to a cruel, bitter person like my dad?
I am still undecided when we get interrupted by my Beta, who is unhappy that I went on a royal business without him. It is his duty to accompany and protect me wherever I go, but that’s not the main reason he is unhappy.
“You took that sla..servant, didn’t you?”
He is green with jealousy because he assumed that I took Terrence instead of him.
“His name is Terrence and he is away for a month.”
I don’t know why Loyd feels so threatened by Terrence. Okay, maybe it’s his confidence and demeanour, but I have consciously made sure that I don’t put them in a position where they have to compete for my attention.
“Whew! That’s a relief!” he exclaims.
“Seriously?”
“He is cocky and acts all mighty.”
There’s some truth in that but Terrence is cocky with me too. He definitely does not need a title to look noble, he just is.
“He is a good man, one I hope you will try to get to know before judging,” I say firmly.
“Fine.”
“How’s Oli?”
“She misses you.”
I smile at him. He will always try to get me to forgive Oli and I appreciate it.
“She really regrets everything she did, Rio. She almost took an overdose last night,”he urges and I curse out loud.
I can’t help but feel guilty. Maybe I was too harsh on her. Oli is not as resilient as Abi. A broken nail used to have her in tears and a bad school report would to knock her down for days.
“Please, man. You know how she is. She takes everything to the heart,”Loyd continues to plead for Oli.
“Fine, I will go and see her tomorrow.”
It is about time she and I sort ourselves out.
“Do we have to?” Titan links. I can’t believe him!
“Yes, you idiot!”
“Do I have to?”
“I got Abi out of here,” I remind him.
In the end I did not to it for him, but he did promise to do my will if I did.
“Fine, but can I still check on Abi?”
“I guess.”
Titan’s excitement to my response has me really worried. It would be nice to know that Abi is okay but I need him that excited to see Oli too.
“She will really like that,” Loyd says.
“You really need to find yourself a girl. You worry too much about Oli,” I suggest and he waved his hand dismissively.
“I am tired of meaningless relationships. I will wait on Frode to reveal my mate.”
That makes sense. I really hope he finds his mate soon. It would be nice to go on double dates with him and his mate.
I can feel Titan cringing at the thought, but I owe it to myself and Oli to our relationship a chance. I don’t want to be those assholes who reject their mates only to later regret it.
We are still standing in the courtyard when dad and his skunks return, looking all exhausted.
I look around and walk past each one of them, actively searching. What I do at this moment has to be believable or this monster I call dad, will kill me.
“Son.”
“Where is she?” I ask and continue searching with my eyes.
“You really like that slave.”
“Where is she?”
They all exchange looks before turning to dad.
“We lost her,”dad responds. I can feel a strain in his voice. Abi gone is not good for him at all. He does not get to read her soul and monitor everything she does.
“You…lost…her?” I repeat his statement in disbelief.
“A rogue took her. We searched everywhere,”he explains.
“Right..” my sarcasm is meant to show my disbelief. Maybe I should be an actor.
“Hey, I hate her like no other but I wanted her here, and besides, if I killed her, I would be dead too. Right Rufus?” he asks and I hold my breath. Rufus knows the truth and I can’t help but be nervous about his response.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Rufus says. “Injured, but the girl is alive,” he adds.
I shake my head and walk away from them.
“You can have all the slaves you want if that will make you feel better,” dad shouts behind me and I turn back to face him and his folks.
“From this day forward, all slaves in these premises are mine! Only Mine!” I yell like a mad man, stump my feet and punch a wall, like a toddler throwing a tantrum.
“He can’t be serious!” Blake exclaims and others grumble with him.
“Let him be, he is grieving his sex slave,” my disgusting dad responds with a smug.
“But that means we can’t…”
“Yes, stay away from my boy’s slaves.”
“Until when?” Blake asks, perplexed. This must be disturbing for him but it’s turning better than I imagined.
“Until he finds the one he wants. Don’t be a cry baby. Here is Brenda, you can take her.”
I am still acting out but I really want to laugh. Brenda’s face when she is offered to a delighted Blake is priceless. She might be a Beta but she can’t contradict dad.
.
The following day, I go to see Oli and find her fuming. This is becoming a norm.
“It was her, now it’s all of them?” she spits out.
Her aunt must have told her what happened last night.
“Please calm down.”
I really do understand her anger, but I don’t know if a can trust her with the truth after the stupid things she has been doing lately.
“Why are you doing this to me? Do you despise me that much?” Tears roll down her cheeks. Her hurt voice is pulling my heart strings. I want to pull her in my arms and confess everything but her next question completely changes everything.
“Is this your punishment for sending your skeleton slave to the dogs?” her contemptuous tone gets to me. There’s that word again! Loyd told me that she regrets her actions but it does not sound like it. I definitely can’t trust her when servants are concerned.
“Yes, it is. It will help you to remember your place, lest you get offered to the Gamma’s,” I warn, irritated.
She swallows her saliva and I can see shock in her expression. Her aunt was offered to Blake after being dad’s mistress, she can’t think that I am bluffing.
I leave Oli’s house with a sunken heart. Things did not go as I anticipated. Maybe one day we will sort out our differences and I hope she will understand why I did all this.
The truth is I really did not plan on claiming all the servants but as soon as dad suggested, I realised that I could save them all. At least for now while they all think I am upset about Abi. The trick will be getting them to play along and not blow my cover. I need Terrence back here. He will definitely know how to deal with this.