The cook entered the room a few minutes after Adam left, carrying a tray, which she placed next to her on the bed and left again.
Anna picked up the toast and ate absent-mindedly, but before she had finished eating, the cook returned and entered the bathroom of her room. Anna heard the sound of water falling from the tap and frowned when the cook returned and stopped next to her.
"Good morning, miss. The boss said I wasn't to talk to you until I'd finished carrying out his orders."
"You're very strict in your obedience..."
"None of us has a better option than to be obedient to the boss's orders... I prepared your bath with that strange oil. Grace and I... uh... We call it repair oil, if the boss decided to sell this formula, he'd own the world for sure."
"Why do you call it repair oil?"
"It restores the vaginal area, recomposing the broken vessels and giving you extra strength, since you're human and you've been given something by a... from a..."
"From a werewolf. A werewolf's penis in a human vagina should wreak havoc..."
"It's not damage... It's pain. And this oil will help your vagina to be a little stronger, to avoid discomfort the next time you..."
"Who else has needed this oil?"
"All the boss's wives. Genevieve, for example."
"I don't think she'll need to resort to that oil anymore..."
"Not really. It only needs to be in contact with her body for an hour or so to become part of her system..."
"I don't feel any pain, but..." Anna said and stood up. "I don't want to be disobedient." Anna said, wondering if the cook knew that Genevieve was one of them now.
The cook smiled.
"Just get in the tub and relax. What will you want me to do for lunch?"
Anna stared at her before entering the bathroom.
"I don't think I understand..."
"The boss told us to carry on doing his bidding, and that you would now choose the menu."
Anna thought for a few seconds.
"Can I prepare lunch?"
"You can do whatever you want, miss, but since you'll be in the shower for an hour and it's almost lunchtime..."
"That's fine. Do whatever's easiest and quickest. I'll prepare dinner."
The cook was silent and thoughtful, and Anna realized that she knew something and was considering whether or not to tell. Then she looked determinedly at Anna.
"As you wish." She said and left.
Anna got into the bath. The oil had a relaxing power and she liked the sensation of freshness that the water lent to her body. She didn't want to insist with the cook, as she feared what Adam might do to her. But she was annoyed that Jenna hadn't sought her out yet.
She got out of the bath when she felt the water return to its normal temperature, as if the oil had been completely absorbed by her body. After changing, she went downstairs and into the kitchen. She was surprised to find Sarah and Kate there, sitting at the table and pretending not to see either of them. She got some water from the sink and decided to leave, when Sarah spoke to her.
"You're a bloody witch! And a liar! You said you didn't think of the boss any differently and now you're here like you own the house. That won't be for long, you tramp!"
"I think you should be more careful with the way you treat me, Sarah. You're nothing and if I tell you to, the men in black suits will come in here and take you away, and they won't let you back in. I think it's going to be difficult trying to win Adam back without being able to be near him..."
"Your..."
"Shut up, Sarah. She's right." Kate said quietly, interrupting the woman. "Do you know what you're doing, Anna? I still have a few things to do, but then I'm leaving. Adam is going to turn you into someone unbearable, ruthless and mean. You're too young to know how to handle the power he's given you within the mafia and the pack." She said, cupping her hand to her ear. "I can already hear the sound of rebellion among them." Kate said and walking past her, withdrew.
Anna looked at Sarah who was intending to leave as well.
"What did she mean by that? What power did Adam give me? Did he turn me?" Anna was afraid.
Sarah smiled.
"No, you stupid girl. He gave you a much greater power than that. He's handing you command of all his orders and packs. You're starting a war, Anna. I don't think you'll get out of it in one piece." She said and left.
Anna looked at the cook, who seemed oblivious to the whole conversation, as she chopped the tomatoes on the board.
"Is that true?"
"I don't think you're going to be bad." She said sincerely without taking her eyes off what she was doing.
"But everything else they said..."
"The boss never... What's happening is unprecedented. We don't know what's going to happen. Everything they've said is mere speculation."
"I think Adam did it to make you all hate me."
"Or so that everyone would respect you."
Anna turned to leave, but remembered something.
"I haven't seen Jenna or Genevieve..."
"Genevieve went to visit the boss's brother and Jenna... I don't know if we'll see her again."
Anna turned back.
"Why not?"
The woman stared at Anna in fear.
"Are you a werewolf? Is he watching and listening to our conversation?" Anna quickly deduced.
"I'm human, Anna. But we're surrounded by werewolves with keen hearing and watching out for us."
"He killed Jenna?" Anna felt tears run down her face. "I won't forgive him for that." She said and left the kitchen.
The man or werewolf, Anna couldn't tell, who hit her the first time she was reunited with Adam surrounded her along with two other strong men, and laughed debauchedly, before she started up the stairs.
"What did a smelly, poor, ugly human like you do to make the boss spend so much time and care on her?"
Anna stopped and stared at him defiantly.
"You don't have to feel bad. You can do almost everything I did to make him look good for you too, I just don't know if he'll accept it."
The Caricature raised his hand to hit her again, but another of them grabbed his hand.
"The boss would kill anyone who touched her." He said and stared at Anna. "Are you going to... Jenna didn't explain anything to you?"
"I thought Adam had... broken up with her."
"Ah! I'd forgotten that. So we'll stop by her apartment on the way." He said and looked at the watch on his wrist, then turned to Caricature. "You stay. I don't feel like protecting the girl from you all the time." He said and motioned for Anna to follow him.