You Can Run But...

@ castle.
James looked at the girl curiously. She was an odd one, that much was true. And as much as he hated how weak she made him feel, he also loved the high Blake was able to give him. He leaned in, pressing his nose against her neck as he took a deep breath of her. His hands moved around her hips, holding onto her possessively. The way Blake spoke, it sounded like she wanted to stay with him. Wanted to be part of his pack. James wondered if given the option, would she run away or stay? There was not really a point in delving into it though. James would never let her leave.

"I am okay," James assured her as he pulled back. "And I will be even better tomorrow." Reaching up, he ran his hand through her hair. There were a few things he wanted... "Yes, run the bath for both of us. I only want one if you're going to join me." James held her face in his hand, running his fingers along her cheeks before he leaned in and pressed his lips against the top of her head. "And you will join me." He mumbled against her skin before pulling away. The alpha then motioned at the girl, wanting her to get things ready for them. 

It sounded like a good idea to James, having some fun in the full tub. Blake did have a good idea about relaxing his muscles. It would make him feel better. Though, another thing that would make him feel better would be taking his girl and cumming deep into that pussy of hers. The alpha wanted to be a bit rough with Blake again and the water should help him do that without making his injuries worse. 

Blake let out a mewl, tilting her head to the side to allow James more access to her neck. She wasn't a wolf but she was beginning to understand wolves' tendencies. She knew how important scenting was to them. She listened to James as he spoke, taking comfort in his words. She was nodding even before James had finished his request for her to join him in the bath. It warmed her heart more than she should have probably let it.

"I'll come get you when the bath is ready," Blake murmured. She straightened, leaning forward slightly as her lips hovered over his cheek. She was torn because she wanted to display just how much she adored him but she wasn't sure that James would take well to it. He was the one in charge here, not her. She pulled away, sliding off of the bed, almost reluctant as she stood.

Blake turned, heading into the ensuite bathroom. She was quick to start running the water, mixing the lavender epsom salts into the water. The combination was sure to help ease James' muscles. She chewed on the inside of her lip, making sure that the bath was the perfect temperature before she turned the water off. She dried her hand on her shirt ass she stepped back into the bedroom, offering a small smile to James.

"Bath is ready, sir," she murmured, stepping up to the side of the bed. She offered both of her hands to help James up, helping him into the bathroom. She moved at his pace, not wanting to rush him at all. "Did you.. want help undressing?" She asked, shifting her weight from one side to the other. She wanted to offer any help that she possibly could but she certainly didn't want to make him feel weak or as if he couldn't take care of himself either.

@ castle.
"No," James mumbled at her before he started to pull off his own clothes. It was a bit slower than he would have wanted, but eventually, it was all a pile on the floor. Slowly, James made his way into the tub. As he slid down into it, the man could feel the warm water envelop him. It did not take long until he was feeling the benefits of the heat and the salts. His muscles starting to untense. 

The alpha let out a sigh of relief, closing his eyes for a moment. It was actually a really good idea of Blake to take a bath. So far, it was one of the few things that brought him comfort. His body was basically floating in the water, the gravity no longer so hard on his aching body. Slowly, the man opened his eyes and motioned for Blake to follow suit. "Come in." He murmured. 

As the man relaxed against the back of the tub, he watched as Blake slowly undressed. His eyes roaming along her naked body. It only made him want her more. And, with the water, he was sure it would be easier to do so. Once Blake had slid her way in, James closed his eyes again and just relaxed. For now, he would let the water do its work before he moved onto his cute little human. 

After some time had gone by, and the water grew lukewarm, James opened his eyes. He felt as if he had gotten the full benefits of the water for his aches and sores. Though, now he was ready to use the water for something else. James floated his way over to Blake. Once in range, he was quick to grab onto her hair and push her against the edge of the tub. James pressed her face down into the cool stone surrounding the tub as his fingers quickly pushed deep into her and started to work their magic. "Beg." He growled. 

Blake had been perfectly content to sit on the edge of the tub with her fingertips dipping below the surface of the water while James enjoyed his bath. She knew it had been a good idea to help him take a bath, it would let him relax further and after everything that he had done the day before for her, she wanted to do everything she could to help him.

She was quick to stand, peeling her clothes off her body when James told her to join him. Blake bit back her smile, not wanting to appear overly eager. She adored him, more than she likely should, but she didn’t care one bit. Clearing her throat as she lowered herself into the water, chewing on the inside of her lip as she allowed the heat of the water to warm her. Blake leaned her head back against the edge of the tub, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Blake’s eyes opened when she felt James near her, her lips parting to speak. Before she could, James had her pinned to the side of the tub. A chill ran down her spine as she twisted, trying to be able to look at him but with the way James’ had her head, Blake realized it was pointless.

Blake couldn’t help the breathless moan that sounded from her as she spread her thighs a bit, arching into James’ touch. “S-Sir,” she whined, trying to rock her hips against him. Her eyes fluttered shut, bracing her hands against the edge of the tub. She wished that she had something to grab onto, her moans growing louder. “Please. Please, I-I-“ Blake was cut off by a gasp as James’ fingers curled inside of her. She whined as she tried to gather her thoughts, biting down on the inside of her lip. “I need you. S-Sir, please,” she pulled in a deep breathe, reaching behind her to brush her fingers down James’ torso. She couldn’t quite reach what she wanted most but she hoped that she could entice him. “Let me make it up to you. P-Please. I can make you feel good, Sir,” she whimpered, pressing herself as close to James as his grip would allow.

@ castle.
James moved his hand from the back of her head, no longer pinning Blake's face down against the tub. His hand slid to her arms, taking them one by one and moving them against her back, laying her arms together so they were folded behind her back. "Stay down, just like this," James said with a lustful growl. He regretted not bringing any rope with him but it was a bit too late for that. 

The man then slid his fingers out from her pussy and scanned the tub quickly, looking to see what was around them. His eyes dropped down on a shampoo bottle and a smirk came over the man's face. James took the bottle and brought it down under the water, pressing it against her before forcing it up and into Blake, not concerning himself with stretching her out anymore than she already was. He thrust it in and out of her a few times before just pushing it as far up as it would go, keeping a bit of it sticking out of her. 

Feeling his cock throb, James pressed up against Blake. Both hands slid down her body and moved to her breaths. His hands found Blake's breasts and started to cup them. His hands were soft and gentle at first as he massaged them between his fingers. Though, that quickly changed as James started to pull and pinch hard against her nipples. He wanted to hear Blake, hear her squeak and whimper.

He grinded himself against Blake's ass, knowing what he wanted to do next. As he pulled hard on her nipples, he pushed himself in. Though, unlike the shampoo bottle, the man moved slower. He let out a groan as he felt her wrap around him. "Fuck." The man started to push himself into her deeper, taking a few moments before he started a slow but forceful pace. 

Blake let out a small whine as James pinned her in place, spreading her legs as she tried to press herself closer to him. She wanted to be able to touch him, to please him, so that she could show him just how much she appreciated all that he had ever done for her. It wasn't her place to choose what he did to her, he could do anything she pleased and Blake didn't think she'd dislike any of it. She was realizing all too quickly that his touch and his attention fueled her.

Her eyes fluttered shut as James teased her, letting out small moans as she relaxed against the tub. Her lips parted as she felt an object press against her. Blake whined at the size, trying to press herself further away from it but there was nowhere for her to go. Her lips parted as she groaned, lifting her head to watch as James started to fuck her with the shampoo bottle. "M-Master," she moaned, digging her nails into her arms as she felt James move.

Whimpering as she pressed herself to him as well as she could, Blake moaned as he twisted her nipples. She arched her back, letting out a shaky moan. "Please. Please, sir. I need you," she whimpered, biting down on her lip as James pressed into her. She winced as he bottomed out, feeling more full than she ever had. "F-Fuck," she croaked, not sure she could decipher between the pain and the pleasure she felt at the moment. She opened her eyes, shakily reaching out.

James had told her to stay still but she hoped that he would understand when she set her hands on his shoulders. She gripped them, her nails digging into his skin as she moaned out. "Sir, please. Pleaseplease, I need you," she moaned, leaning up to press a kiss along his collarbone.

@ castle.

James started to thrust the shampoo bottle in and out of Blake as he too started to thrust in and out of her ass. He started out of sync with the object, pushing in while pulling it out and so forth. Though, as he continued on, James started to move both in sync with each other, wanting Blake to feel totally and completely full while he fucked her. He wanted her moans, her groans to become so much louder than what they were.

His hands on her nipples dropped as he grabbed onto her waist, needing to keep Blake in place. His hands holding onto her as tightly as he could. The man dropped his head down and started to bite at her breasts, also nipping at her nipples in the meantime.

He could feel her hands on his shoulders, how Blake was digging into his skin. James knew that the woman was no longer following his order, remembering that he had told her to stay in place. Though, for now, the man didn't care. He liked the feeling of Blake holding onto him, digging her nails in. He enjoyed feeling the lust and the need in her now as he fucked her. Fuck, even when James was being kinda rough with her, he wanted her to like it.

Though, no matter how much Blake begged, he wasn't going to fuck her pussy with his cock. He still wanted to be rough, even when he wanted her to like it. James started to move himself and the bottle so much faster. The man started to groan out as he pushed harder, faster and as deep into her as possibly could. Soon, he could feel his cock twitching more and more. Enough to make him burst into her, filling her ass up.

But, the man held himself back for now. "I want you to cum. I want my slut to cum with a fucking shampoo bottle in her pussy and a cock in her ass. Do you understand?" A small growl came out at the end. James felt so hungry for this, so needy for her. "Cum for me as I fill your ass up with my seed."

Blake was trying to remember that she’d been told to keep her hands to herself but her resolve had dwindled to nothing with the way James moved inside of her. She swore she had never been this full and maybe if she hadn’t been as far gone as she was, she would have felt an ounce of shame but there was nothing other than pleasure.

Her moans grew louder as she tried to meet James’ thrusts, her eyes clamped shut. “Sosogood, sir,” she stuttered the words out, dissolving into a fit of whimpers as James’ pace quickened. She was sure that she would be sore but she couldn’t find it in herself to care.

Blake nodded at James’ demand, gulping down a breathe of air. She opened her eyes. They were glazed over, her only focus the pleasure that James was making her feel. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Blake realized that James was pleased with her. If he had been angry with her for what had happened with Killenger, there was no way she would be feeling any sort of pleasure at the moment. She couldn’t help but grin at the thought, her lips parting as she moaned.

Her toes curled as she felt the ball of pleasure building. “Fuck, fuck, ohgo-“ she cried out as the beginnings of her orgasm washed over her. Blake shuddered against James, her words unintelligible as she closed her eyes. Her fingers dig into James’ back, marking his skin with her nails as she tried to remember to even breathe.

“Please, sir,” she whimpered, giving a roll of her hips. “Cum in me,” she whined, her movements becoming a bit more deliberate.

@ castle.
A smirk came over James' face as Blake let go and got all of her juices over the shampoo bottle. He was rather pleased with himself, with how it had gone. It made the alpha feel like he really had the magic touch. Though, he couldn't wait until he could really dig into Blake, once he was fully healed. 

Those thoughts quickly drifted away as Blake returned to her whimpering, begging James to fill her ass up with his seed. The man loved hearing her beg and whimper for him. Loved it when Blake was at his mercy. Though once she started to move her hips the way he liked it, he was ready to succumb to her request. 

His hand let go of the shampoo bottle and grabbed onto her hips tightly. His fingers pressing hard into her skin. James managed to get in a few more ruthless thrusts into Blake before pushing in deep and staying there, letting out a loud groan as he started to fill her ass up. James dropped his head forward, watching the look on Blake's face as she could feel it in her. 

The man slowly pulled out of the girl, but was quick to flip her over, looking at some of the white goodness that was seeping from her ass. He let out a few tsks before grabbing a butt plug from a cupboard and then pushing it in. "I want you to stay full of me until the morning, do you understand?" James said, raising an eyebrow at her. "I don't want to have to fill you up again until tomorrow." 

Blake moaned, pressing her forehead against James' shoulder as he came inside her. She shivered against him, breathless as she relaxed against the tub. A blush appeared over her cheeks as she looked up to him, only to shiver as she was flipped over. Without prompted, Blake leaned forward to present her ass to James. She wasn't very experienced in sex but she knew what James liked. He wanted to feel like he was worshipped and in control.

Her lips parted, a quiet whimper sounding from her lips as James pressed the plug into her. She squealed as she leaned forward, away from the intrusion. Blake whimpered, a shudder running through her spine. "Sir," she whimpered, finding that she wanted to reach forward and take more from him. While she had probably just had the best orgasm of her life, Blake felt like she needed to prove herself after the altercation with Killenger. She realized that it meant listening to James, even if she wanted more.

"Yes, sir. Of course," Blake murmured, relieved that James had fucked her ass. It made the plug bearable. It left her feeling full without being painful, a simple reminder that she was owned by James. She would always be owned by him. Chewing on the inside of her lip, Blake glanced toward the bathroom door before turning back to James.

"It... might do well for your pack if they see you moving throughout the house. Make them a little more at ease," Blake said, wondering if her idea was too much or not. She hoped that it showed she cared about James and his people, how the both of them felt. "Unless you would prefer to do something else, of course."

@ castle.

With a small shake of his head, James rejected Blake's idea. "That would be a good idea if I was able to walk around with no issue. Which I can't yet. Though, tomorrow morning, I will make sure to go around and see everyone so that they know I am okay. Today, I just need to rest." With that settled, James grabbed himself a towel and slowly made his way back to the bedroom. He had not wanted to be completely honest with her but the tub session had worn him down quite a bit. All James really wanted to do now was sleep.

The man pulled his boxers on and then moved back into the bed, laying down and letting out a sigh of relief. The bath had felt good against his skin but there was nothing quite like laying in bed. James laid his head back and closed his eyes a bit. As far as the man was concerned, the day was over and it was time to fall asleep. Hopefully he would not wake until the next day, feeling 100 times better than he currently did.

"Blake, how about we just go to sleep and you can wake me up when it is tomorrow." He mumbled before opening his arms, wanting Blake to come back and join him in bed. "Just a little more resting and I will be as good as new, I promise." James wasn't quite sure if that was true but he knew that most of his issues would be gone by tomorrow. They had to be. He had a busy day, needing to reassure the pack that everything was going to be fine. It was much too easy for them all to get anxious.

Blake nodded almost immediately when James turned down her idea. It had been just that, she wasn't about to actually try and force James to do anything. He was her master, she was only here to please him and make sure that he was happy and well taken care of. Her thoughts, ideas, opinions... none of them mattered. James had say over every in her life. It didn't matter what James wanted from her, she would have to obey him.

Hesitating for a moment, Blake pulled her shirt back on before she moved toward the edge of the bed. She wasn't too sure what James would want from her but she was all too happy to climb back into bed and cuddle up to his side as carefully as she could. She didn't want to exacerbate his injuries. He was a wolf but he was still injured. It wasn't long before Blake fell asleep, James' presence beside her enough to calm her enough so that she could fall asleep.

A few hours went by before Blake started to stir and almost immediately, she realized that she was hungry. Carefully, Blake climbe out of bed and pulled on her shorts. She was sure that James wouldn't mind her grabbing a bit to eat, especially from the small fridge in the kitchen. She was always allowed food from there.

Chewing on the inside of her lip as she grabbed an apple from the fridge, Blake turned to head back up to James' room. She paused just as she was about to pass the living room area, two voices travelling a bit more than she thought the two wolves meant. It was late at night, everyone was likely in bed. But her. Blake's eyes widened as she listened to the men talk about how weak James was... how they wanted to overthrow James and take control of the pack.

Blake rushed up the stairs when she was certain of what she'd heard, clutching her apple in a shaking hand as she stepped into James' room. Her mind was racing because she realized she had to tell James but she knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation. Settling on telling him in the morning once he had woken up, Blake ate her apple in the corner before joining him back in bed. She continued to toss and turn throughout the night, unable to get herself to relax enough to fall asleep again.

@ castle.

Waking in the morning, James pulled Blake a bit closer to his body than she was before. His nose pressed against the back of her neck, causing him to take a deep breath in before letting out a little sigh. The man stayed still for a couple more minutes, not quite ready to end his rest. Though once he did, a smile moved over his face as he glanced down at Blake.

James was finally feeling back to normal. While he wasn't exactly as good as new, the pain was almost completely gone and he knew he should be able to walk around with little issue. At least now he didn't have to worry about panicking the other wolves more than they were already. If he could move around and show them he was in perfect health, everyone should be able to calm down.

"Go tell someone to bring up breakfast for us and then go get ready to head to the office. After we are done eating, we are going to leave. We need to talk to some people today and then have lunch with everyone." Before she could respond, James was out of the bed and now heading into his bathroom.

While in there, James took another long shower before getting dressed in his work clothes, a nice grey suit with a white button up shirt and a navy blue tie. Now dressed James made his way down to the dining room.

{you mentioned going down to the dining room for breakfast but also having breakfast brought up to them so I'm going with the latter... just because it's easier for her to tell him about what he overheard }

Blake was content to lay there in James' arms for as long as he wanted. She was quiet as she continued to run her fingers through his hair. She smiled to herself, wondering if she was being silly just how much she had fallen for him. Blake knew she was just a slave but he was always so kind to her. He had wanted nothing more than to protect her from Killenger and he'd never once been angry with her over it all. Surely James didn't think of her as just another slave.

She'd laid awake for the better part of the night, trying to debate on telling James the truth of what she had heard the night before. She knew that she had to tell him but she couldn't figure out how she was supposed to. She knew that James would be upset to learn that some of his closest men wanted to overthrow him but it would be better if he knew the truth. So that he could handle the situation appropriately.

Blake was quick to run off and tell one of the kitchen servants to bring breakfast up for them before she headed off to grab a dress from her room. She returned to James' room, sitting at the table where the breakfast was already waiting for them. Chewing on the inside of her lip, Blake looked up when James appeared from the bathroom. "Breakfast is here," she murmured, giving him a shy sort of smile.

Letting the silence stretch between them, Blake looked up after a few minutes. "I.. I went downstairs for a snack late last night," she explained quietly. "I don't think they realized it because I heard Anthony and Brett talking about..." she trailed off, her back straightening. "About overthrowing you. Taking control of the pack," she explained quietly. She exhaled slowly as she looked back up to him. She didn't know what she was supposed to say or how to explain what had happened. "I'm sorry, James. I don't know how to explain it and I wish I didn't have to tell you but I just.. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

@ castle.
[XD Sorry I didn't realize I did that!]

A scowl came across James' face as Blake was telling her what had occurred the night before. He grabbed onto his breakfast and threw the plate across the room, letting it shatter against the wall. Fury was showing through in his eyes as a low and deep growl came from deep down in his chest. Hair started to come over his body, in a weird balance of wolf and human. Though, a large breath of air caused him to go back to his human side only.

James stood up, his hands slamming down onto the table as he leaned over it, hovering over Blake. "You. Are. Lying." James snapped at her, his fingers wrapping around the side of the table for a moment. He then reached out, grabbing onto Blake's upper arm and forcing her up onto her feet, making her look him in the eyes. The man was quiet for a moment, looking deep into her soul before throwing her down onto the ground. "You are just a slave. Remember that."

With another growl coming from him, James turned his body and headed out of the room. He slammed the door behind himself before continuing down the hallway. Though, as he did so, his demeanor changed quickly into someone completely calm.

It was an hour before anyone went searching for Blake. One of the servants knocked on the door she was in before peaking their head in, casting their eyes down. "The Master is waiting for you. Please head to the car." With that, the servant was quick to close the door and hurry along their way.

[I hope this is what you were looking for with this scene. Let me know if I should change it to be less aggressive]

{no it's good ! }

Blake had known that James wouldn't be happy with what she had to tell him but she knew that she couldn't keep it a secret. She needed to tell him so that he could find a way to respond to it. It was a problem that needed to be dealt with, she knew that. It hurt to think that someone would want to hurt James but she would do anything she could to protect him.

Flinching as James threw the plate across the room, Blake looked up, fear flooding through her when she spotted the hair growing on his features. He hadn't shifted fully but it was a reminder of what James was capable of. Her lips parted at James' accusation, leaning away from him as she started to shake her head. "N-No, James, I-" she started, wincing as she was pulled to her feet.

Blake yelped as she hit the floor, her heart skipping a beat as she realized just how this had gone. His words stung, remembering that she was nothing more than a slave to him. She wasn't special like he was to her. She was just... attached to him because he'd been kind to her. Kinder than he was to many of his slaves. Shaking on the floor, Blake felt her bottom lip starting to wobble. It wasn't until he left the room that she dropped her forehead against her arm. Blake let out a sob as she pulled her knees up, curling into the fetal position as she openly cried.

Eventually, Blake calmed enough that she forced herself to her feet. Her legs shook as she moved through the room, to clean up the plate and food that had shattered against the wall. Blake then moved to sit on the edge of the chair in the room, staring down at the floor. She wanted to find him, apologize, and explain a bit more detail in hope that James would trust her but every time she thought she had the courage to leave the room, James' words flashed through her mind. She was just a slave.

Blake looked up when the servant leaned into the room and spoke. She was quick to stand, smoothing down the material of her dress. Blake hung her head as she made her way out to the car, her eyes red from how she had been crying. Blake hesitated as she looked up to the open car door. She opened her mouth to apologize for keeping him waiting but his words from her first day here ran through her mind. Apologies weren't a good enough reason to speak out of turn. Blake sat down beside James, curling in on herself after she shut the door behind her. She hung her head, not daring to speak as she reached up to wipe at her eyes, willing herself not to start crying in front of him.

@ castle.

James leaned against the back of the car once Blake slid in. His focus stayed straight ahead of himself, not looking down at his slave. She had disappointed him, betrayed him. And there was no point in pretending otherwise. Though, really, James felt like he was the one who had failed. Blake may have tried to turn him against members of his own pack, but it was James' fault for allowing her to be in a position where she thought she could do that. It was his fault for allowing her to become important to him.

He glanced over at Blake for a moment before turning his head to look out of the window. His heart still tugged for her. It was even worse knowing that he was upset because she looked so full of despair. It was time that James stopped focusing on this woman and started focusing on his pack again... maybe it was time for him to sell this one for a different slave, one that wouldn't be able to pull on his heart so.

It was important that he brought her to work today. It was important that his pack saw that he was strong, and saw that this slave had learned her place. It was important that they saw him as the alpha he was. So, James kept his focus on that as they drove into town.

Once they arrived at the building, James slid out of the car and fixed his suit jacket before heading inside. He didn't bother to look back to see if Blake was following closely or not. If she was, good. If she wasn't, then Blake would get lost and he would punish her for it later.

Blake wanted desperately to apologize to James, to tell him she hadn't meant what she said. That she probably just misheard and had jumped to conclusions. Surely that would calm his anger but she wasn't brave enough because every time she thought she might be, she'd remember just how angry James had been this morning. How he'd thrown her to the ground and reminded her that she was nothing more than a slave.

She had been foolish to think that she was something special, Blake realized. She was just a slave, nothing more. Blake knew that James could probably detect just how sad she was and she tried to keep it calm as they neared James' building. Gulping as they stopped, Blake glanced up when James moved out of the car.

Quick to climb out after him, Blake's head remained lowered as she followed after him. She clutched the notebook and pen to her chest, her shoulders curled in on herself as she followed after him. She looked as small and afraid as she had the first day that she had been brought here. Blake's cheeks tinged a deep red as they walked through the building, peoples' whispers making her even more ashamed of herself.

She had nearly ruined everything for James. He could have died in the fight against Killenger - all because she hadn't done what she was told. James had told her she did right but that had been before this morning and now she was questioning everything. Blake was convinced that she'd been wrong to deny Killenger, that she should have simply obeyed so that James' business deal could have gone through.

@ castle.
Once the elevator hit the top floor of the building, James headed out and was greeted by his pack. It seemed that they had been waiting for him to arrive that morning. Many of them were smiling widely, while others were welcoming James back to work, glad that they were able to see that their alpha was back in good condition. 

James headed in, smiling at his pack. While he wasn't in the mood to smile, he knew that he must to make his pack feel better. It was important that they knew that he was okay. James was okay, physically at least. Though his insides were torn up from what had occurred that morning. Though it was easier for him to hide his emotional pain than when he was psychically injured. 

"Thank you all, it is good to be back. I am sorry that I made you all worry about me. So, as a treat, I will be bringing everyone to lunch." The office seemed pleased with that announcement, clapping at it. Once they calmed back down, he continued on. "I will be speaking with all of you concerning what you are currently working on." James glanced back at Blake for a moment, a cold look coming over his face. He didn't want her hanging out him today. "Additionally, if there is anything that you need, my slave will assist you."

With that, James turned and headed into his office. There was a few calls he needed to make before he started to make the rounds. 

Blake's heart was in her throat as she followed James out of the elevator. Her head was bowed just about as low as it could be, her fear and anxiety bringing any strength she'd gained right down. She had thought that maybe James cared about her beyond more than a slave but after this morning, she realized that wasn't the case. It broke her heart because she'd realized at some point that she genuinely cared for James. She didn't know how it had happened but it had and there was nothing that Blake could hope to do that would change that.

Stopping a few feet back from James' form, Blake listened to his little speech to the pack. She shrank under their gaze, knowing every wolf in the room could pick up on her emotions. There was no hiding how upset she was from them, even if she was putting up a brave face.

Her head shot up at James' last words. She would help the others? Not him? Blake's brows pulled together as she opened and closed her mouth once, twice, before shutting it for a final time. Blake's cheeks tinged a bright red before she looked back down, worrying at her bottom lip as she listened to the sounds of James retreating to his office. She had no clue what she was supposed to do now. She hesitated for a moment, inching toward the center of the room.

Blake stood against the wall, making herself as small as possible to keep out of the way. She didn't move unless someone called out to her, quick to fetch a coffee, to make copies of things as they were demanded.