Jackson sat on the floor, beside Levon, ignoring the exposed glances and wolf whistles of the women present there. A girl of fifteen or something sat near Lillabeth and was braiding her long dark hair. Jackson felt rather upset that she was altogether avoiding his eyes. Levon, meanwhile, was trying to flirt with the rather gorgeous ladies. Some giggled at his jokes while some scowled. But it was with no doubt, all the attention was on Jackson.

Jackson had always been the one on the spotlight. He, even though a hunky and tall man, was handsome. His hazel, tired eyes was sultry without any effort. His salt and pepper hair glistened in the bright tube lights. He always ignored when women and many men tried to get his attention. But these women around him were terrifying. Though none dared to approach him, no doubt afraid of their leader. Jackson himself was quite wary of her. The woman whom Levon was having a conversation looked at Jackson and winked at him, he raised his brows. Levon looked at him irritated and whispered, 'What's so good looking about you?'. To this Jackson rolled his eyes.

Levon shook in blond hair and leaned back, cracking a few joints and sighing.

'What's your name?', a rather timid lady came forward and asked Jackson. Jackson just looked at her, his scrutinizing eyes made her blush, the other ladies felt quite peaked by this.

'Jackson Potts', he replied, still looking at her. Maybe it was the lady's brown, wavy hair that caught his attention, but it wasn't as smooth or long as his wife's. To his reply she beamed a toothy smile that lightened the whole dull atmosphere, her smile was more brighter than his wife's or Levon's though.

'You've got a beautiful smile', Levon crooned dreamily. It did have a nice effect on the women but she merely nodded to him.

'Taken by my second mate I see', a husky, sweet voice said to which Jackson turned to look and the others bowed down in reverence. It was Lady Genevieve. Annoying as she may be, she looked rather intimidating. The girl with the beautiful smile bowed and made way for Genevieve. Genevieve walked towards them. She bowed to Jackson's level and stroked his stubbled cheek with a finger, Jackson, to his own surprise, did not move away from her touch, because her hand was soft and warm, a large contrast to her cold and cruel demeanor, it almost felt like a lover's touch. Instead he just stared into her brown eyes with confusion and she into his with a small sneer.

Suddenly she stood up and made her way to Levon. She stood tall and glared at him. It looked like a predator watching its prey but with cruel amusement.

'I hate those who break their promises' she said with a frown.

'I didn't mean to break any promises my lady. It was an urgent matter' he said while cocking his head to Lillabeth. While Lillabeth just sat still, away from them, with a sad glint in her eyes.

'But why bring someone else into the lair you swore to keep secrecy?' she murmured with a small snarl escaping her lips. 'Betrayal at its finest. I should've kept you among the other men but now its better I just kill you'.

Levon sputtered.

She rounded on Jackson who kept his silence. 'As for you. You'll make a beautiful collection to my own personal desires'.

To this Jackson glared at her, hatred glowing on his handsome features, he roared, 'Be part of your pathetic harem and a play toy to your female minions? If you don't kill me, I'd rather kill all of you'. The women gasped, some stared at him in disbelief and some in amusement. But the Lady Genevieve simply smiled at him and asked, 'You consider us the same as those from The Pact?'. Without waiting for his reply she swooped down to his level, only a few inches of a distance between their faces.

'Do you even know what happens in there with The Pact members? Can you even comprehend the pain, the torture and the personal humiliation both women and men go through in there?', the space between them got shorter,

'Here, in The Fielders, under my care, you live a protected life. You need only take an oath and live a life just like you once wished'.

'The life I once wished will never come by again. I have only started to make peace with my demons. They refuse to leave my side and they throttle me every time I see or feel or even hear anything even remote to my wife', he emphasised and moved backwards, leaving a generous distance.

There was a awkward silence. But Genevieve's smile created a butterfly effect that somewhat raised the morale of the room and the people present.

'Fine. You don't have to have the life you once wished back, but perhaps you could distract and convince yourself that all was in the past' she said while standing up and smoothing the hems of her gown.

'I refuse. I don't want to distract myself by being a play thing. And I most certainly never wish to convince myself anything. The past defines me, it always did, always will, no matter how far I run'.

The silence hung around the room again.

'Who said a man may only work as a sex slave? We always need some extra help in many things, may it be fortification, guarding, army or other worthwhile works. Us women do have limitations. And you won't be the first man working, there are others too'.

'Well that's a relief' Levon said, to which Genevieve glared at him.

She sneered, 'Who said anything about you working and living here?'.

Levon looked at Jackson with exasperation. Jackson immediately chimed 'I won't stay here without this fool'.

'Well you don't have a choice to whether stay or leave-' she said and glanced at Jacky with her heavy lidded eyes, '-but you are lucky that I like you'. With that she nodded her head to the two women holding Jackson and Levon. And immediately, they cut their bond loose and pulled them up, but held their arms firmly.

'Take the girl to the children's chambers. And you both, follow me' she said and sashayed to another dark hall.

Jackson immediately looked for Lillabeth but she still refused to look at him and was escorted by the fifteen year old girl. He felt a pang in his heart but he was pushed by the woman holding him to follow The Lady. The dark narrow hall was comforting to his tired eyes, he also felt a confusing warmth. The Lady stood in front of a large oak door and turned towards Jackson and Levon.

'You would need to take an oath to go forth our lair-' she nodded and walked towards the both of them. Extending her arms and holding both of them by their shoulders, squeezing Levon's with her long nails, '-I, from now and forever, shall uphold the strength, dignity and the secrecy of the lair of The Fielders. I shall protect my fellow Fielders, stay true to my oath or-' she continued while glaring at Levon, '-die a traitor'.

Both of them said their oaths and were kissed on the cheek by Lady Genevieve, though her lips lingered on Jackson's cheek longer than necessary. And sealing their bond with The Fielders. They were no longer banished folks.

Lady Genevieve twirled back to the door and knocked on it ceremoniously, and immediately the door was opened to a magnificent sight.

Jackson turned stunned to Levon, but he had his mouth already wide open. Jackson couldn't help but smile, a genuine smile that was long forgotten since the death of his wife.