R E M
The conversationeventually started to lead nowhere, and the human workers arrived shortly after. They wheeled in carts of food and meat, leaving a muddy line throughout the halls, one of the servants bickering about having to clean it up.
Rem and Nia decided to walk away, rounding a corner to an open sitting area with a couch, some chairs, and a table facing a giant wall of glass that overlooked a pristine yard surrounded by the forest. The sun’s potency waned as a golden glow touched the trees.
She placed her purchased leather and fur on the other side of her. Loral followed them, and they motioned for her to sit as well. The three of them discussed whether to worry about their predicament or not, all agreeing that something was not right about going to Marcus’s. Let alone everything else the just learned.
Even though Rem had hoped for a wonderful, easy day… It seemed the mystery of these betrayals was only just unraveling.
Another Silver approached the group; she was tall with olive skin and thin lips. Rem thought she knew her name as Ashley, but wasn’t sure.
"May I join you?" the Silver asked, flipping one of her silver braids over her shoulder.
"Sure, what's your name, again?" Rem asked.
"Ashley. Ashley Goshen," she said, unable to linger her gaze on either of them.
"I'm Rem. This is Nia, and that's Loral," Rem said, gesturing around.
"What's the leather and fur for?" she asked with a cocked brow, pointing next to Rem.
"Making a coat for my brother."
"I wish I could sew," Ashley said as she took a seat, eyes on the coffee table.
"Yeah, and I wish I wasn't here right now," Rem said with a sarcastic chuckle.
Loral added, "Yeah, we were saying how we don't trust any of this, especiallyMarcus."
Ashley shifted in her seat and smiled, glancing nervously at them. Moments ago, she looked less nervous… Then again, that was before Mavis started whispering into her ear. "It's alright, really. I'm one of his Silvers, along with Mavis. We'll be fine here. I am more worried about having to pick a mate," Ashley said with an unconvincing chuckle.
Rem narrowed her gaze. "It'salright? I’ve heard stories about what he does to you guys. We are not safe here."
Ashley furrowed her brows, some of her fire returning. "Oh,thoserumors? No, he just put us on ‘display’ once or twice, but honestly, it was because everyone was curious. Made sense to make it a formal presentation.”
Rem gently leaned back into the couch as she glanced at Loral and then back at Ashley. "Mavis told me..." she began.
Ashley rolled her eyes, her tone stronger. "Mavis lies. She likes the attention."
"So, hedoesn'tforce himself on you? Or force his Betas on you?"
"Nope. I mean, heisaggressive with human women, but Mavis and I haven’t had anyone force themselves on us," Ashley said with a smile, looking around the small group. Something wasn't right. Ashley looked at Rem with urging eyes, her hands fidgeting the longer silence hung in the room.
She was nervous.
"I still don't like him," Rem replied.
"It takes a lot to get to know him," Ashley pressed.
Nia chimed in. "My instincts don't trust him."
Ashley stiffened. "Good for you."
"No," Nia said. "If my instincts don't trust him, then something is off. Humans call it intuition or a gut feeling. We haveinstinct, and it's a real thing and is usually right. Marcus is not good news, and I don't like you either," Nia harshly said.
Rem raised her brows, not having seen Nia this spicy before… And she liked it. Two other shifter handlers rounded the corner, requesting Nia, to which she obeyed. "Yell if you need me," Nia said to Rem. “I need to speak with them.”
“That’s fine. I got this,” Rem said.
