Chapter 7 The Deranged Duke

Chapter 6: The Deranged Duke

"Your good-for-nothing Alpha shall make his life in misery soon if he keeps his tremendous act against Omegas."

I spilled him a glance when he spoke. Good thing that we were already far away when he said those things. I stayed silent and didn't say anything that would harm our Alpha.

"I see that he ordered you to make a precaution against me. But as I observed about you, you are the type of a person that has a lot to say but chose to stay silent about, Anais." I heard his chuckle. "But let's start answering your 'why' question that you have on your mind."

I looked at him in disbelief. This duke... How could he foretell everything? He was indeed a keen observer. He could even manage to grasp the situation just by taking a brief moment on it. That is the reason why I am keeping my guard up when he is around. He could easily read everything. It frightened me a little.

I bowed my head. "I must admit that I am bewildered, Your Grace," I started in a very polite tone. "I know you already know me, but why should you pick me as your escort?"

There was one thing I was cautious about. His masks... He could quickly put up different expressions on his face. Then, he could promptly shift them in a concise amount of time.

"Well..." He hummed, then he shrugged. "You are the very first person I had made a discourse with, although I get to speak some of the Omegas in Grant's pack. But that is only a brief moment. I am looking for someone I can trust here on his pack. That someone who can take my whims against your Alpha but never told anything about them to him." He chuckled. Then he winked at me. "You know how to keep everything a secret, Anais, so..." he paused.

I sighed and looked away. His reasoning will probably put my life in a dangerous state. I didn't want to say anything because I don't want it to be used against me in the near future. Additionally, I couldn't give my complete trust to him since I found it quite suspicious that he could speak with me even though I have Omega blood. For me, he was pretty dangerous since he may use me as a pawn to our Alpha. It could put my life in danger.

That was the only thing I could surmise.

"For a duke like you, it seems you are quite chatty, Your Grace," I said. "I didn't expect Your Grace to be able to do so." But, unfortunately, he is too friendly as well, which makes him suspicious.

Chuckling, he halted his horse from walking. I even stopped as well and glanced up.

"Indeed, you are correct." He nodded his head with a smile. "Oh, by the way, this is how I converse with my subjects. In my pack, all of my people get along with each other regardless if you are Omega or not."

That made my jaw drop a little, quite surprised. Were they getting along with each other? Regardless if they are Omega or not? Is he sure of his words?

"That's... unimaginable."

"How so?"

I blinked. "Never in my wildest dreams would I see that a nobleman can treat his pack members fairly and equally." Unfortunately, that was based on my experience.

Duke Sylvester snickered. "You are just in a worse environment which is why you have this kind of thinking, Anais."

I looked at His Grace before I looked away. "I suppose you are right, Your Grace." I started sauntering, which made him follow me behind. "This is where we stored our harvested sugarcane," I said as I led him to one of the sheds.

"Interesting..." he commented. "The sugar mill is located at the Southeast Wing, correct?"

"Yes, Your Grace," I said politely.

"I see." He continuously nodded his head as his eyes were roaming around the fields. "This place is neat, huh."

"Yes. Our farmers are keeping it tidy, Your Grace. It's also a must under the orders of our Alpha," I said politely.

His Grace got off his horse. He tied the rope to the nearest tree. "I would like to go to the Norlow River."

"Certainly, Your Grace. As you wish."

We walked side by side as I wondered why he would want to go to the Norlow River. We arrived there as some water carriers were filling up their waterskins.

As soon as they saw me with His Grace, they immediately bowed their heads before us—or more likely, to the Duke of Ascian, Sylvester Callaway.

"Greetings, Your Grace," they all said in unison.

I looked at the smiling expression of the duke as he nodded. "You may continue your work. You don't have to mind us here."

Their faces flushed from the beaming smile of the duke. But then, they all looked away and continued their work. I almost frowned as he just used his charming smile at them. Is he some kind of a casanova by any chance, or is he just being friendly?

They left as soon as they filled their waterskins. I was left alone with the duke again. Sighing, I followed His Grace's movements towards the river. He scooped some water then what he did next made me gasp.

"W-What are you doing?" I asked, panicking.

I approached him and halted his hand from scooping some water. Had I seen it right? He just drank water here from the river!

"Do you want to have a stomachache, Your Grace?" I asked, horrified.

A nobleman like him wasn't used to the river's water. So then why was he drinking from the river? What is wrong with him?

"Are you insane, Duke Sylvester?" I asked when he chuckled.

"You acted like I am going to die from drinking here, Anais." He tapped my shoulder. "You worry so much. It may cause you death." He snickered.

I creased my forehead. I wanted to hiss at him... I wanted to... But I need to stop myself because I am just a slave. He and I were at a different level.

"What if you get sick after drinking water here in our Norlow River?" I asked in annoyance.

I was pretty worried if he intentionally did that to have a stomach ache later, then put Alpha Grant's plantation in shame and jeopardy. This kind of child's play of the duke wasn't good for me at all, knowing that I couldn't read what he would do next.

He was just unpredictable. That is all.

"It's fine." He cracked a dazzling smile. "Ever since I arrived here days ago, I have never experienced having a stomach ache whenever I visited this river incognito. Also, the water here is refreshing."

Did he say what? Did he mean that he had been drinking here since he arrived here? Did I hear it right? Am I not deaf?

"You have gone insane." I couldn't help myself uttering those words. I just couldn't comprehend this man... He didn't act like the Duke of Ascian and an Alpha of his pack after all.

Duke Sylvester laughed heartily. "You have the same comment with my Beta. How interesting if you two meet each other."

I pursed my lips into a thin line and didn't make any words. Instead, I silently prayed to the moon goddess that I want this day to end. I just want to stay away from this duke who had lost his sanity already.

He turned his back and tried to scoop some water again. I was about to stop him when he suddenly spoke in a bitterly cold manner.

"Your Alpha has some nerve of not respecting my privacy, doesn't he?" There was a smug smile as he drank water from the river.

That startled me. His sudden change of behavior almost made me step back from him, but I managed to compose myself. Nevertheless, I got shivers down my spine, wondering how he could shift his emotions in a matter of seconds.

As to his statement about privacy, I felt the presence of some pack guards lurking behind the trees just before the Norlow River.

I bowed my head. "I beg your forgiveness, Your Grace. My Alpha did not communicate that he would have some—"

"Save your breath for an explanation." He turned at me with his cold glare. "You are just a lowly slave to him, so he wouldn't dare to mind link you. I know that for a fact." His lips curled up to a grin. He even scoffed before he decided to rise. "I will let it slide since I am not in my territory." He shrugged. "Let's move."

I rose from kneeling after nodding. I glanced behind me, smelling the scent of their presence. If I were in the shoes of the duke, I would have scolded them. But what the duke did was to ignore it.

I hastily approached the duke when he decided to unleash the horse’s rope from being tied up.

"Would you like to ride my Lavender?" he asked, tapping gently on the back of his horse.

"Lavender?" Perplexed, I tilted my head. "Is that the name of your horse by any chance, Your Grace?"

"Exactly!" he beamed and snapped his fingers. Here goes his sudden change of behavior again. "So, would you like to hop on my beautiful Lavender?" His voice sounds hopeful, like a kid asking for sweets from her mama.

I could almost say that he was adorable, but if we were on the same level, I would love to ride on his horse, Lavender. I looked at her. Her beautiful, silky hair astonished me. Her snout was distracting me. I want to caress it.

When I looked at the duke, he was already expecting an answer. I smiled wryly and bowed my head. "Pardon me, Your Grace, but I have to decline it. But thank you for the offer."

When I raised my head, he was already pouting. "What a shame. The Duke of Ascian has experienced rejection," he said dramatically as he clutched his shirt on his left chest.

"So dramatic, Your Grace." I couldn't help rolling my eyes.

Duke Sylvester chuckled. "But on a serious note, this is the first time I've been rejected. I only offered to ride on my Lavender like once in a blue moon. And you just missed the opportunity." His lips curled up into an amusing smile.

"We should head back if you are just going to fool around with me."

He laughed. "You always take everything seriously, Anais. Tsk, tsk."

I just shook my head, ignoring the duke. As much as possible, I want to distance myself from him. It would be possible that my Alpha would target me if I keep on conversing with him.

We headed back as to where we came from. But, unfortunately, his guard was already waiting for him when we arrived there.

I roamed my eyes around and saw the situation had calmed down. Sighing, I felt sympathy for Polly. She had been forced to be put in prison because of the rumors about the account records of the plantation. Our Alpha thought she is the root of the rumors, which was why he wanted to teach him a lesson.

"Anais."

I glanced at the duke. "Yes, Your Grace?"

He got off his horse, Lavender, and bestowed the rope to his guard. His complacent expression was the one I witnessed right now.

"I have a feeling your Alpha Grant will interrogate you later. Tell them that we have talked about how tidy the plantation of the West Wing is. It is way better than the other places on the plantation. Do you understand?"

"O-Of course. A-As you wish, Your Grace." His tone was dangerous, so I couldn't help but agree.

Then a beaming smile appeared on his lips. "That settles then. I must head back to the Marquess's manor for work. I shall see you again."

I nodded and bowed my head until he was out of my sight. Then, I took a sigh of relief as I returned to the cottage to take a rest. As I arrived there, I didn't see any water carriers here, so it was a good time that I took a rest for a while before I could return to working.

I thought about the whole thing that happened while I was with the duke escorting him. He had different behaviors, indeed. I couldn't tell which was the real him.

That kind of behavior he had, I'm afraid I had to be careful around him. He was not easy to deal with. Enraging him is the last resort I would want to do.

"What did that maggot tell you?"

My heart pounded upon hearing the voice of my Alpha. I was about to turn, but then in a blink of an eye, his hand was already on my neck. I was startled, wide-eyed.

"A-Alpha—" I hadn't uttered some words when he tightened his grip on my neck.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" he asked dangerously. His menacing glare was piercing on me, which made me shiver.

Is this going to be my death?