A MAZE OF GREED

Stepping outside Mr Cooper's shop after another tiring day, Ruth inhaled the free evening air. Her face lit up when she felt the familiar fury softness against her leg.

"Hello, sweety! Are you done breaking poor boys' hearts for the day?" She picked her cat and snuggled her close to her chest.

Zoe whimpered in pain when Ruth's action put some pressure on her injured leg.

Ruth looked down at her with scrunched brows. "What is wrong, sweetheart?"

Thea came to stop by her side even though she was still giving Ruth a silent treatment. Ruth put Zoe on the ground again and studied her movements.

"Can you walk for me, sweety?" Ruth asked and snapped her fingers to beckon the cat for walking.

Zoe rolled her eyes mentally, thinking why humans considered every other living being unintelligent than them.. She walked a few steps, but her movements were restricted due to her injured leg.

"Oh my God, sweety! Your leg is injured. What happened with you?" Ruth asked in a panic. She only imagined how much it must be hurting her cat by the sounds of pain she made.

'Your insane and possessive mate did this to me, human!' Zoe wanted to spat in anger but only growled at Ruth.

That made Thea curious. She knew that it was Zoe in the form of a cat. Rees had informed her about Edwin's discreet way of keeping watch on Ruth. She had never seen Zoe in her human form, but she had heard many things about her from Rees.

Obviously, it was not Edwin who had shared those things with Rees but was Lester. Lester had not forgiven Zoe for using his friendship only to get closer to Edwin. He thought she was genuinely interested to be his friend.

When he got to know the reality, he was angry and embarrassed. He was supposed to take the title of the alpha of the Bluemoon pack. How could he be fooled for years like that?

Since then, he had harboured bitter feelings towards Zoe and made sure she could not get in touch with Edwin after their training years in the academy.

When he got busied with his family responsibilities and business, he lost touch with Edwin for years. And so he forgot about Zoe too.

And now that she was back in his life again, he could not help but display his bitter feelings for her. Sharing her embarrassing moments and all her bad habits with Rees was one of his way of venting out his anger.

"Thea look-"

"Please keep that animal away from me!" Thea scrunched up her nose when Ruth tried to pass Zoe to her.

Zoe growled at Thea, trying to scratch her with her other good front leg.

"Shh... it is okay sweety! Come on. Mrs Payne must be waiting for us. We will see what we can do for your leg then." Ruth smiled at Zoe and decided to carry her in her hands all the way back home.

Thea did not comment on Ruth's decision because she was still mad at her for rejecting Rees's offer of working in 'the great manor' as Elsie O'Dell's maid.

It was not only her stubbornness, but Thea knew what Ruth's rejection meant.

They would go a hard way that Thea did not want Ruth to face the consequences of it.

Only God knew what the future held, or was it the Moon Goddess who knew something that even God did not know? Thea wondered.

"Thea... Thea!"

She ignored her best friend.

"Thea please! I know you are mad at me for rejecting Rees's suggestion. But please try to understand me." Ruth requested hopefully.

Thea glared at her through the corner of her eyes. "Why do not YOU understand us first? We are trying to help you, Ruth!

How many years of life you are going to invest to save enough money that will guarantee you a secured future?"

Ruth bit the inside of her cheek. "I... I do not know. But I have now Mrs Payne's responisbility, Thea. I can not leave her alone."

"No one is telling you to leave her alone. You can work in 'the great manor' and take care of Mrs Payne simultaneously. What is so difficult in that?

And after I and Rees's marriage, we both will be there with you. Rees is there for you even now."

Ruth pressed her lips in a thin line then asked after a momentary pause.

"But why 'the great manor'?"

Her question caught Thea off guard, and she halted in her tracks.

"What?" She blinked dumbfoundedly.

Ruth adjusted Zoe in her hands that were in pain after tediously working a whole day in the shop.

Zoe did not mind being carried by Ruth. She found a comfortable position for herself and smirked devilishly.

'Take that for stealing my man!' She thought.

"I mean why only 'the great manor'? Rees must have good connections with other nobles too. Then why he wants me to work for the O'Dells despite knowing my hard feelings for his master?

I am sure he can find some other place for me where I can work comfortably, without a womanizer getting on my nerves every now and then." Ruth queried.

'I am right! This woman does not deserve to be Edwin O'Dell's mate if she can not realize what she is missing by pushing the fountain of musculanity and sexual pleasure away. Idiot human!' Zoe licked her injured leg when another wave of pain sprang in it.

Thea was perplexed and had not prepared an answer to this question beforehand. She did not have to underestimate her best friend.

"Yes.. I mean.. of course, he can but..." Thea's mind raced for searching the appropriate answer.

"But what?"

"But.. But it is about your safety. Yes! I am sure it must be the reason why he is insisting you to work in 'the great manor', where he can keep an eye on you."

"Keep an eye on me?" Ruth shrieked.

Thea shook her head vigorously. "No no. I did not mean it like that. Keep an eye on you means... he... he can make sure that you are safe, and your employer is not behaving rudely with you.

You know how the elites treat people like us. They walk all over us every chance they get."

'Hmm... that makes some sense!' Ruth thought.

"Ruth, let us be honest that you are a young and beautiful woman. More beautiful than majority of women in the Vincardine. But of course not more than me!"

Ruth could not help but smile at Thea's last sentence.

It was true. Even if Ruth might be considered as more beautiful by physical features, Thea was more attractive with her confident and bold personality.

Even when Ruth did not mention that aloud, she got sometimes jealous of Thea for her cheerful personality, and the way she caught everyone's attention wherever she went.

"You have already lived enough to know how the society treats and thinks of a young woman who is in need.

We do not want you to get in any problem or some filthy man trying to hurt you in any way. We all care for you, Ruth. More than you know."

Ruth had no idea that the man with Cerulean blue eyes, and a misbegotten personality, was also included in the definition of Thea's 'all'.

Ruth stayed silent for a minute. She now felt bad for not agreeing with her friends. She knew they only wanted good for her. She could not accept their suggestion, and Ruth thought they deserved to know the reason.

"Thea, I am sorry. I truely am. I am not doubting your intentions... trust me! I am just.. I am just... confused and... scared." Ruth finally admitted.

Thea stopped her and made her walk to the roadside where they would get some privacy.

"Ruth, why are you feeling scared? And from what? Please tell me! I am your friend. Let me help you!"

Zoe also perked up her ears in curiosity. She was interested in knowing what might scare the chosen Luna of the werewolf breed.

Ruth again adjusted Zoe in her hand. This time, Thea wanted to ask her to hand the cat to her, only if she did not know who the cat really was.

"Thea... I would have accepted Rees's suggestion in a blink of an eye. I am not a fool to not understand the privileges I can get if I work for the O'Dells.

But... I can not do that. And the reason is... Edwin O'Dell."

Ruth's face reflected how much it troubled her to say his name.

"But why? He is a good man, Ruth. Highly confusing and rude maybe. But he sometimes say the right things at the right time. You know what he did that for I and Rees, and look how long we have walked together after that." Thea desperately tried elevating Edwin's image in Ruth's eyes.

However, her efforts were not enough.

"I know, Thea. But... but there is something about him." Ruth inhaled deeply. "Something that scares me. Every time I look at him, I do not see only a spoiled rich brat but also red flags above his head.

My guts tell me that I should stay away from him. He... he is not what he portrays. He is something else... different... dark and... dangerous.

My heart tells me that he is nothing but trouble. And I do not want to fall into his trap. And him being a wicked womanizer and a chauvinistic jerk makes me more afraid of him."

Ruth released a shaky breath after finally admitting her feelings.

Little did she know that a figure had disappeared from the crowd around her with a speed of light.