Author's POV:
A short smile was plastered on Olivera's lips as she walked side by side with the Pack's doctor out of the Margret's house, her hands clutching tightly to the bag which hung on her shoulders.
At the last moment, she had been able to thank the woman more appropriately, even with a bow at one time, to show her gratefulness for the meal the latter had thoughtfully kept aside for her.
"You seem happy." She heard Nick say, and smiled the more, ignoring the hateful look she was getting from another slave who was squatting adjacent to her, on the other side of the street, washing some metallic objects.
She didn't know what they were, but she guessed that they were tools quite alright.
"Yes. I feel lucky to have been put up with you first. I don't want to imagine what would have been my fate if I had been sent off to someone like Mark." She replied, happiness shining in her deep blue eyes.
"I see. So, I am your lucky charm then." Nick mentioned with a chuckle; smiling the more as he heard Olivera giggle.
He still didn't know why he was so soft towards her.
Of course, she wasn't the first slave girl to be sent to him.
She was actually not even in the tenth list, for he had always found need for them, especially when his mate was gone on a long travel to get a new herb, or to attend the healers' forum, like she had just done two days ago.
She was a healer like him too.
He would have loved to go with her, but he hadn't a thing for crowds and travels; he always preferred the cool atmosphere of his home.
Lifting up his eyes to the far end of the streets, his humor disappeared as he saw Mark approaching them with the gamma of the pack and two of their pack warriors.
'What is wrong with him?' He thought angrily, almost wishing that he hadn't done anything for the ungrateful man's son.
He also didn't understand why most of his pack members had an unusual and strong hatred for the slaves.
Don't they know that it could be them someday? Or was it because their Alpha was so mighty and undefeatable?
He cussed as he felt Olivera stiffen beside him.
She must have seen them coming already. He thought, feeling sorry for the girl again.
He cussed again as he felt her shudder, while burrowing closer to his arms.
She would have sunk into him, if it was possible.
"Greetings Nick." The Gamma of the pack greeted him.
He just nodded, not in the mood to exchange pleasantries with his old friend.
"What are you doing here, Seth?" He asked rather, sighing deeply as he felt Olivera scamper to his back.
She was hiding from the spiteful gazes which the men were raining down on her.
"Mark informed me that you had let a slave treat his son." Seth replied calmly, whilst throwing another catty glance to Olivera who was taking cover behind the doctor's back.
He was tall enough, taller than the doctor who was just average in height, so, he could see her shuddering intermittently.
"Mark, is that so?" Nick directed the question to Mark, who just looked away from him, before muttering a yes.
"Well, you will have to find some other doctor for your son then, if you insist on lying against me." Nick enthused, smirking a bit, as he watched Mark instantly swivel his face around, his eyes shrouded in unbelief.
"Nick..." Seth called hesitantly, bewildered on what he has just heard from the doctor.
"What do you mean by that?" He asked.
"You see, Mark here is lying. How could you believe that I will let a slave take over my healing pratice? You allowed your hatred for slaves to outrun your thinking proficiency. I doubt the Alpha would be happy about your emotion-clouded decision to choose Mark's opinion over mine." Nick stated, his right eyebrow raised in a dare. He knew that the gamma who had been his very close friend at one time before the advent of slaves wouldn't want to risk upsetting him. After all, he was the Pack's doctor. The next healer around was his mate.
"Calm down Nick. I hadn't done so. I was just trying to confirm what Mark had reported. So, what are you doing with slave girl then?" Seth asked, furrowing his eyebrows at Nick.
He had always known that the doctor had never supported the idea of turning people, especially the women folk, to slaves. And he didn't know why.
It was becoming an acceptable norm in every pack, so why was the doctor so hellbent on not using the slaves in whatever way he wanted? Was it because he already had a mate?
For him, he had been pleased about the idea from the start, especially since he hadn't found his mate then.
And the fact that he hadn't still found his chosen one, even till now, had strengthen his resolve to do around with the girls.
He wasn't going to wait around and turn an eunuch. He had needs, and the slave girls did well to fulfill that.
Since the goddess hadn't given him a mate, he would have to make do with the slaves she had brought for them.
After all, his Alpha was a partaker too.
The Leader of their pack already selected the most beautiful ones for himself. He didn't have a mate too.
"She is my apprentice for today." Nick replied.
"You can inquire from Rose. I always take in slaves, especially whenever my mate travels. I need them to help me make some herbs, and to do some other duties." He said confidently.
"I see." Seth mentioned.
"But why did you take her to Mark's house, knowing his unacceptance of them?"
"Because I needed her aid in the healing process. His son is besotted with the plague already. I had believed that he would be bothered about the wellbeing of his son, not the unworthiness of a slave. Seems, I was wrong. His hatred for the young girl outlasted that of the concern for his son. So disgusting." Nick answered, his voice seasoned with anger, his lips turned up in contempt and disgust for the ungrateful fellow.