A Pup Remembered Ch. 01

The sight of the mansion was slightly intimidating yet nothing at all like the grotesque and eerie stone artifices she had conjured up in her mind. She pressed her forehead into the cool glass, the heat of her breath condensing before her on the car window and a small, circular cloud temporarily obscuring her view of the royal estate. Very gingerly, she lifted her left hand and began to scribble in the fog and, as she was finishing, a low, male voice penetrated her temporary reprieve.

"We're here." His voice was very professional, almost having a routine quality to it, and she was happy to have it that way. Had she heard the slightest bit of sympathy or concern, she was definitely sure she would have lost her wits and made a break for it. And no one could catch her. She was certain.

She let herself out of the vehicle, deciding if she was to play a role she had better start from the beginning and perform it thoroughly. Efficiently. Her nervousness caused the young female to close the door with a little more force than necessary, a fact that did not go unnoticed neither by her escort nor by the intimidating, burly men positioned at either side of the entryway to the grand house.

*Breathe*. She tipped her head subtly in acknowledgment to her escort at the whisper inside her mind before returning a message of her own.

*I will do what must be done*. Her stomach cringed at what may have possibly been in store that they had thought to send her of all people.

Vesper's voice, no longer distant or procedural, now rang through her mind with a steely gentleness that made her heart feel like bursting. *I know. Be safe*. And with that, he placed a hand on her shoulder and led her toward the steps.

As the guards granted the pair entrance into the home, the one on the left of the door, seemingly the younger of the two gentleman, happened to peer back at the BMW the two had just exited. His deep, onyx eyes, falling on the passenger side window, thought it could make out the words "God help me," before he blinked and the message faded and was gone.

---

At the sound of a harsh thud, Kale's attention darted to the window and down to the circular drive out front. His storm grey eyes narrowed slightly in their focus, settling momentarily on a female, looking to be around 18 or 19, and her short, but stocky escort. Even from this distance, he could tell there was more to their relationship than what appeared on the surface despite the distance between them, the robotic way the bodyguard moved, and the aloof manner in which she carried herself. He also noticed this one was of noble blood. It was in the way she moved, a second skin seemingly unbeknownst to her even, as she failed at an attempt to behave in a common fashion. A small crease formed upon his brow line.

A faint sound of something whirring through the air drew his attention away from the two guests just as the male placed his hand on the female, and he instinctively ducked just before a navy blue couch pillow buzzed past him and hit the wall. The soft poof of the pillow hitting the carpet was followed by muffled snickers. *Oh great*, he thought.

"Brooding again, are we brother?" Antony was grinning as wide as the corners of his mouth would allow, much to Mihkale's dismay. "What, is this one not frilly enough for you?" Kale stooped down to pick up the couch cushion and slung it back toward his younger brother -- younger brother by only three and a half minutes as Tony so often enjoyed pointing out. Antony caught it.

"No need for frills, she is simply here to do my bidding," Kale retorted, "in a business setting," he added as that annoying grin of his twin brothers, which so mirrored his own -- or at least mirrored when Kale used to smile -- began reappearing. *Gutter minded idiot*.

*So that's what you think of your wonderful little brother, is it? I think I'll be telling our darling mother about that. The gutter minded bit, as I believe we have already discussed my incompetence.* It caught him off guard, Tony's voice inside of his head. They hadn't really used their mental connection to communicate in a long time. *That's because you're so damned busy all the time, Kale*. Tony's voice almost sounded sad. *I guess being the baby of the litter has its perks*. And with that, Antony was gone.

"Yeah," he answered aloud after his brother had already left. "Freedom is a nice perk." His animal spirit emitted an irritated growl of its own accord and Kale closed his eyes, addressing the beast privately.* I know buddy. We'll get out of this mess one way or the other. You have my word*. When he opened his eyes once more, one could easily see the beast in them, lurking, pacing, angry. He left his study, making his way to the main floor at the bidding of his dame. Then suddenly, his fiery grey pools were lifeless and remained that way as he came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs.

---

"Oh, my darling boy, so nice of you to join us." Returning her attention back to the guest female, she then said, "May I introduce..." Someone had dared to interrupt her and she looked a little miffed by the prospect but, as the lady of the estate and the Alpha Female of the region, it is supposed that she had a right to be.

That's what caught his attention. The visitor had unashamedly cleared her throat in the middle of his dame speaking, a mistake he and many others learned not to make early in life, and waited for a moment before parting her full lips to speak herself. "I was taught that, as a guest on another's territory, to first give my name before expecting the same courtesy to bestowed upon me. So if you would excuse me, madam," the unknown woman stepped forward and curtsied deeply at the Alpha's feet, holding the position for the remainder of her introduction, "My name is Anaralise Camille..Ducre, and I am pleased to announce my service to you and to this household. I offer you my life and my will to do with as you see fit."

Anaralise began to slowly rise from her curtsy, hoping no one noticed her falter when giving the name. Her eyes were downcast, before she stood at her full height once more and her hypnotic brown eyes settled on the Young Master's before each of their breaths caught in their throat.

Anaralise was the first to regain composure. *Ana?* It was Vesper's voice again, laced with worry, though his rigid stance at her side gave nothing away. Fearing they may have link interceptors present, she didn't risk responding. Ves really missed nothing. And judging by the speculative look of the lady of the estate, she didn't either. But even as the woman starred at her with piercing, ice blue orbs, Anarlise couldn't find the will or incentive to back down and look away.

*Ana!* His voice was sharper this time, snapping her back to the reality of the matter. Ever so slightly, the ears of two of the house personnel twitched backward. Yes, they definitely had link interceptors. Were they skilled enough to realize it was coming from Vesper?

"Well.." the Alpha Female's sultry voice brought her focus back to a point, leaving her to drop the worrying for now. "You are not a guest, my dear, but a servant. It will do you well to remember that before parting to pretty little lips of yours and speaking again." Anarlise cringed at her mistake. The Alpha lifted an elegant hand into the air and motioned toward her still stunned son. "Now as I was saying before being rudely interrupted, this is Young Master Mihkale Antonious LuSander III, our eldest son and heir to all you see here and more. Once you have been prepped, he will be in charge of most of your affairs." Anaralise curtsied once more at the Prince's feet, all the while desperately suppressing the urge to stand proud.

"Young Master."

He nodded and she rose to her feet, was escorted away from her escort by the female interceptor, and prepped for her new life of servitude. Anaralise could hear Vesper being escorted out of the house. Now she was truly alone and felt terribly ill.

---

"I know you." His voice sounded irritated. Anaralise had been attempting to avoid him all day long but had, at last, ran out of 'business' to take care of.

"Yes, I introduced myself earlier.." Her voice was flat.

"Don't play coy with me woman," he frowned. "I know you."

"What do you know about me, then?" she questioned, her warm, earthy toned eyes daring him to think of something.

He couldn't.

"If you know nothing about me," she continued, "You do not know me." In an attempt to soften her uppity words, she added, "I am quite tired and require much rest before tomorrow's chores so I hope you will excuse me, sir."

And with that, she retired to her room for the night before he could say or do anything more.

---

Behind closed doors, she wept silently, hurt by the fact that he couldn't remember at least one thing. She eventually rationalized with herself. Had he remembered, he could have had her right there.

She secretly found comfort in the fact that her presence felt familiar to him, cuddled up with the flat pillow, and drifted off to sleep.

---

Behind closed doors, he dreamt of *her* again, for the first time in years. He could feel her refusal to back down, her always running free, her sassy nature. He couldn't see her though. His inner beast ached for his long lost running mate and passively wondered why she suddenly came to the forefront of his mind before drifting off to sleep as well.