Alpha’s Black Furred Slave Mate
Chapter 47

"You're letting Alex care for our son?" I tried to keep her temper in, but I was so hurt and angry with Marlon that I couldn't help myself.

Marlon sat at his desk in his study, wide-eyed, as I stood at the doorway with anger boiling out of me. How DARE he allow Alex to care for our child without consulting me about it first. I know I was only a dirtball slave to him, but I still mattered when it came to the decision-making of MY child. I could feel tears burning in my eyes as I stared at his confused expression. He put down his pen and looked up at me as I stalked towards him.

"Alex will be fine. He knows he'd have to answer to me if any harm comes to Mateo," Marlon tried to defend himself.

That wasn't good enough for me.

"You should have told me first. You should have said something. Anything," I hissed to him.

He shot to my feet.

"When? You avoid me every time I try to say something to you. When would have been a good time to say something?" He asked, raising his tone.

I pressed my lips firmly together to make a thin line.

"Why does it matter if I avoid you? You don't care about me. You care nothing for me. I'm just a slave to you. You should want me to avoid you. I'm doing YOU a favor," I yelled, my voice cracking as I strained it.

I spent the entire night crying, so I was already feeling a little bit weak. I don't know how much more I could handle between Petra's threats and then replaceing out Alex was caring for Mateo while I did my duties. Not to mention Marlon's betrayal of not telling me about my parent's death.

My body felt weak, and I just wanted to lie back down and continue crying, but I was too furious to even think straight. I know it was against the rules to leave the shack and enter the manor without being directed by someone with access, but I needed to speak with Marlon before he went off to bed.

As soon as Alex left and was out of sight, I scooped Mateo up and stalked towards the manor. I knew Marlon would be in his study because he always was. He didn't typically go to bed until late. I was just glad nobody was in there with him because I wasn't going to stop regardless of who was in front of me.

I pushed his door open and stood there angrily, he stared up at me with wide and alert eyes.

"Do you honestly think that's how I feel? After everything?" He asked; it seemed as though he had a bit of hurt in his voice, but I must have been mistaken. "I've saved your life and kept you alive this long. Why do you think I care nothing for you?"

"Because you're a nobleman and I am a slave," I told him, my voice growing weaker with each word I spoke. "I was foolish to think otherwise..."

He came around his desk; I recoiled backward, not wanting him to touch me. I knew as soon as we made contact, my wolf would fall victim to his once again and I would be doomed. I wasn't going to be weak around him; I needed to maintain a strong stance not just for me but for every slave that is trapped on those farms and every slave being taken advantage of.

"Deonna..." he said, the sadness was back in his tone, and I swear I saw a flash of resentment in his eyes. "It might be true that you are a slave, and I am a nobleman, but I care deeply for you."

He was lying. He must have been lying.

"I don't know how it happened or why it happened, but my wolf can't seem to get enough of you. I know you feel it in your wolf as well," he added, almost sheepishly.

My lip began quivering; I had to bite onto it to keep from sobbing. He wasn't making any sense. Was he telling me the truth? I knew my wolf reacted to him in a way that it's never reacted to anyone before. I've seen the silvery aura of his wolf in the past, but I thought it was just my imagination.

This had to have been some kind of mistake.

"It scares me too," he said, reading my face. "I thought it was a mistake. But I'm coming to realize that maybe it's not. I don't know what I expect to come from this, or what could come from this, but all I know is that I care for you, Deonna. My wolf cares for you. I care for Mateo..."

"Stop..." I said, cutting him off. "You can't care for us, Marlon," I told him, using his first name. it didn't seem to faze him though. "You know what they would do if they found out? They would hunt you to death. They would hunt me. They would either hunt Mateo or put him on the slave farm."

My voice trailed off as a sob escaped my lips; this wasn't the conversation I was expecting to have, and I was majorly unprepared.

"I know," he agreed softly. "As I said, I don't what can come from this, but I know what I want. I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you. You came into my life and turned everything I knew upside down..."

His voice trailed off as he gathered his thoughts.

"I'm not sure how it happened and regardless of how hard I tried to hide it, I couldn't. Deonna, I fell in love with you."

I felt my heart dropping into my stomach and I had to place Mateo down on the mat on the ground before I dropped him.

He did not just say that to me right now. I wanted to run, I wanted to get out of here. But my wolf was grounded; she was pulling me towards him. I could see his silvery aura shining through as he spoke the words of "love". His wolf was pulling him towards me as well.

How had I not realized that? How had I not known that his wolf was calling out to my wolf? That explained her tug every time he was around; that explained why I saw his silvery aura shining through around the same time my hazy purple aura illuminated off my skin. It was our wolves connecting.

I felt foolish.

He closed the small gap that sat between us; using his fingers he lifted my chin so I would meet his eyes.

"I love you," he said again.

His lips brushed against mine tenderly and I felt my entire body tangling; our wolves were uniting as one and I felt almost weightless. His lips were soft against mine and his tongue explored my mouth curiously and passionately.

I wanted more of him, I wanted to deepen the kiss and explore more of him as well. But I couldn't.

I pulled apart because the thought of my parents came rushing back into my head. His sudden betrayal hit me hard, and I felt as though I might fall over.

He stared at me with concern lacing his eyes.

"I'm sorry to spring this on you," he said softly.

"How long did you know?" I asked, staring up at him through my lashes.

He creased his eyebrows and stared back; it was clear he was confused as to what I was talking about.

"What?" He asked.

"How long did you know about my parents?"

I could see the realization striking his face; he stayed silent for a long while. Allowing my words to weigh on him; I was expecting a pathetic excuse to escape his lips.

"I found out recently," he told me.

I was not expecting that.

"How recently?" I asked him.

"A few days ago. The day before you asked to return to your duties," he answered, still staring around my face.

"And you didn't tell me?" I asked, hurt leaving my voice.

His frown deepened.

"I was going to. But you started avoiding me and..." his voice trailed off as he realized something else.

"Is that why you've been acting weird?" He asked.

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it instantly.

"I was given your records the day you were sent here. I gave it to Wilson to store. I don't typically read the records of slaves because I don't intend to keep them for long. When you mentioned not knowing what happened to your parents, I wanted to see if your records would have any word on them or know what happened to them. So, I had Wilson uncover them..."

As he spoke, I could see how serious he was being.

I felt so stupid.

I sighed in defeat, my shoulders slumping with each word he spoke.

"When I read what happened, I was going to tell you. I was going to tell you that night, but I didn't know how to. I didn't want to hurt you. I'm so sorry," Marlon said, he looked utterly sad.

This was the first time I have ever seen him or heard him apologize so sincerely. I wasn't sure what to say. The old me wouldn't have believed him, despite how transparent my wolf was being. But the new me, the stronger me, believed every word he said. I sighed again.

"Thank you," I told him.

And I meant it.