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Adult Content
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M/M Content
Unedited Scene
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I’d been at the Clive Coven for a couple of weeks. Elder
Robert had brought me in during the middle of the night. The Coven Leader did
not even bother to greet me. His excuse had been that he’d been caring for his
sick son for four nights and was watching over him while he finally got some
sleep. Jay wasn’t sure if it was the truth, but if it was, I felt for the
leader. Elder Robert had accepted the Cover Leader’s reason and told the second
that he appreciated him getting up to show the Disgraced Magical Being around. Not
that the second did so. All he done was nod at Elder Robert and then escorted me
to a run down little shack. He never spoke to me. Simply opened the door and
motioned me in, then shut the door and left. The next morning a young woman
showed up on my doorstep as I opened the empty cabinet doors. She’d told me she’d
been told to show me to the Kitchen. Jay had expected to be given the duty of landscaping,
since that was a job I’d done while in my first coven, but nope. I’d been put to
washing dishes. The lowest of jobs. I did as expected and worked hard. Did my
best. Least I knew that there was an opportunity to work my way to prepping
food, or so the Chef said.
I expected people to ignore and sidestep me unless they
had to interact with me. Some had, others had welcomed me. Those had told me
they hoped I settled in quickly and that I would like Coven Leader Thomas. I
hoped I did, but I’d yet to meet him. Part of me hoped I never met him. I did
not want to hear the leader berate me for my action and risk of outing them or
telling me that I was nothing among the coven. Not like I didn’t already know
that. I’d knew the risk when I saved Kyle. I’d do it again.
“Hello.” A tall, broad chest, rich brown hair man came
up to his side.
Jay stopped walking and gave a slight nod.
“I’m assuming you are Jay Walker. Is that not correct?”
I gave another nod.
“It is all right to speak to me. I will not harm you in
any way.”
Jay wasn’t sure about that. I knew some had spoken to me
kindly, but they’d mostly been women. The men had done their best to avoid me or
frown at me. In my first coven I say many Disgraced Magical Beings beaten. Some
of them even went without food. I’d not faced that yet. The young woman who
showed me to my job, also told me that the storage shed had been given my
weekly stipend and each week I work my pay would be added to it. The local store
also had access to my stipend if I desired knew clothes or other personal
items.
“Please do not make me order you to speak to me.”
“Order me?”
“You . . . Crap. I knew it had taken me too long to seek
you out.” The man rubbed the back of his neck and then held his hand out. “I am
Coven Leader Thomas Oaks. People here call me Thomas. We are not a formal pack,
unless the Elders are around.”
I assumed the coven was different than my first pack,
but I’d never believed the leader would allow people to address him by his
first name.
“I promise you no harm will come to you here.”
None had, but I wasn’t stupid enough to let two weeks in
residence give me a sense of peace in my new situation.
My new leader lowered his hand. “If anyone gives you a
hard way to go then please reach out to me. Understand.”
“Yes, Coven Leader Oaks.” There was no way I would risk calling
him Thomas. He might say he could, but . . .
“You will find out that we do not agree with how the
other coven treat Disgraced Magical Beings. You are no different than any other
member of the coven. I know this well.”
How could he know? He was a leader. He had chosen to
live among the coven.
“I can see the doubt on your face, but I just ask that
you watch and find out for yourself. I do not expect you to believe me. I know how
the Rexman Coven treat their Disgraced Magical Beings. It is inhumane.”
Was not giving him a shack to live in inhumane? Might
not be. Least I had roof over my head. Food. Getting paid for my time in the
kitchen. Regular amount of wage in fact. Another fact that shocked me.
“Most covens live by harsher rules than I believe in. It
is why you will find that over one-third of the members have come to my coven
as punishment. Each of their stories are thiers, but I can tell you that among
those are many Disgraced Magical Beings. A word that I despise. Far as I’m
concerned you are simply another Magical Being.”
I wasn’t sure how much I believed that, but some of what
I’d experiences gave me proof of what the coven leader said. Still, I was not
going to risk the wrath of the coven leader.
“It is fine if you have to find out for yourself. I just
wanted to apologize for taking so long to greet you. My son was sick for over a
week with the flu. I sat at his bedside, watching over him every night. The night
you showed up was the first day he had not been sick all day, so I allowed
myself to sleep. I’m afraid that threw me behind in my other work and I had to
play catch up.”
Was the coven leader truly giving me a detail
explanation? Why? No other would. They would not have bothered with introducing
themselves.
The coven leader glanced at his watch. “Afraid I have a
meeting, but I’d like for you to join me and my son for supper tomorrow night. Is
that agreeable?”
“Huh?”
“It is not trick. I promise. Just a simple meal with an
eight-year old and me.”
“Okay.” I wasn’t sure why I agreed. Yeah, I did. I had no
other choice.
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