A MAZE OF GREED

The vampires were gone from the Sanchena village of the Shades, leaving behind havoc in Zoe's family. She had multiple skirmishes with Cyfrin. She tried telling him how allying with the vampires would put their breed in danger.

However, Cyfrin- an optimistic chief, was completely convinced by the idea of the Garfields helping improve the state of the Shades according to modern times. He thought it was best for his people to leave that primitive lifestyle behind and move forwards hand in hand with the friends who were willing to help them.

Their brother-sister bond was weakening with every day. Zoe was not ready to give up, and Cyfrin also saw it as an opportunity to prove to the world that he was the deserving leader and not his elder sister.

Zoe tried talking with her father. But the former chief, now old and retired from his position, decided to play neutral. He did not want to influence his son's decisions because somewhere he was also convinced by his vision for their people.

Zoe stood on the balcony of her room, gazing at her village. Her mind was in frenzy. She did not know what to do. On one hand, were her people. Although she had denounced her right on the position of a chief, she still cared for her people. Perhaps more than her brother.

And on the other hand, was the bitter truth. She had seen how Garfield's actions put the Vincardine under a shadow of fear. Six innocent humans had to lose their life. She was not there when Mr Payne died. But she was there to witness how difficult it was for Ruth and Mrs Payne to collect the pieces of their life and themselves.

She did not want that to be the fate of her people.

Cyfrin, knowing his sister better, had tightened his hold on the borders of Sanchena. He was suspicious that she would try to contact Edwin in one way or another. And he did not want that.

Now Zoe had no way of reaching him.

She sighed for the hundredth time in a day. She prayed for some miracle that would meet her with Edwin. Till then, she only hoped that no more damage came in Vincardine's way... and more specifically, Edwin's way.

*

*

*

As Thea walked through the mystical door of the cave, she had her hand clutched in Rees's. Her long nails that she had grown only for her wedding, dug into his skin. He did not feel the pain but, the sensation of it that was similar to a piercing needle kept him distracted.

The path was dark. The only light available came from the torches they had lit and fixed on the walls of the cave. The rumbling sound along with the shaking ground startled Thea when the huge monolith closed behind them.

Suddenly she felt suffocated.

"Thea, relax love. Everything is fine!" Rees whispered in her ear.

Thea glanced towards the people with them to see some of them were familiar with this. While some were astonished but none of them was scared like her.

As they walked further into the cave, its perimeter widened. The roof seemed growing above them, and the path widened.

"Careful! There are steep steps." Rees warned.

It was a difficult task to walk in the wedding dress with the sandals she wore. The lack of light did not help her situation. Thea wished she could get that night vision power from Rees like whatever this blood bond was supposed to do to her.

"Come, Thea, you need to get dressed appropriately for the ceremony." Mrs Welby said, coming to her side.

Thea looked alarmingly at Rees. He did not tell before that they might need to part ways.

"Yes, mother." Rees did not look her way and answered his mother. Mr Welby took him in the opposite direction, and Mrs Welby dragged Thea the other way.

Thea felt like burst into tears. She was scared and overwhelmed with everything. Rees was the only support of her. The only person she could rely on in such times. And he left just like that. No words of encouragement, no smile nothing!

Thea felt lonely as she followed her mother-in-law and some other ladies from the Welby family that she had not cared to remember their names or their relations with the family.

Descending down the steep steps, they finally stopped at the end. Thea squinted her eyes to see a dark way ahead.

"Come Thea." Mrs Welby said again.

Thea's heart thudded hard in fear. Was her mother-in-law planning to cage her here or worst, murder her because now she would need to share her son with Thea?

Were not mothers-in-law meant to be mean jealous, domineering and cruel?!

Mrs Welby opened a door that everyone except Thea could see due to darkness. Entering that small room, it took some moments for Thea's vision to adjust the light inside.

She rubbed her eyes, and when she opened them, her heart felt like someone had lifted tonnes of weight from on it.

"Ida!"

"Hello dear Thea!" Ida smiled, waving at her.

Thea could not describe how happy she was to see another familiar face that she considered as her friend.

Ida had changed her bridesmaid dress and now wore a simple black gown.

"Thea, Ida will prepare you for the ceremony. Ida do not be late." Mrs Welby said, then left the room with other women.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Thea slumped down on the ground, as her legs that were keeping up for this long, lost their energy.

"Thea?!" Ida was quickly by her side. "Are you not feeling well?" She asked, concerned.

Thea could not control it anymore. She hugged Ida and began crying on her shoulder. Ida did not know what happened, but she thought it was only right to let her have a moment.

"I...I am so scared Ida. What if you people take out all of my blood? What if I do not bear it? What if something goes wrong?"

Now Ida knew what happened. Thea was nervous and overwhelmed with all this.

"Thea, it is wrong if I say I understand because honestly, I do not. Although both humans and the werewolves have hearts and both are capable of feeling emotions, they are far different from each other.

We werewolves are taught and brought up in a very different way than humans. Our capacity of bearing pain, fear and feel emotions is much more than the humans.

I know you are scared. And to be honest, I would have also felt the same way if I were in your shoes. If I mate with a human and my world turned upside down overnight, I would also act the way you do."

Thea was glad that at least, there was someone who understood her because the man she thought would just leave without any word.

"But Rees... he... he did not say these things. He left without even looking at me." Thea again broke into tears. An unknown fear strangled her.

Ida smiled then wiped her tears. "Thea, Rees is one of the best warriors the werewolf breed had ever got. He is the shadow of our leader. And as his wife and mate, the expectations are heightened from you as well.

If he had said anything or tried to calm you then it might have sent a wrong message that his human mate is weak or not strong enough. I think that was the reason he did not react."

Thea wanted to believe Ida's reasoning, and as she think about it more, she thought it did make sense.

"If you want more time then I am afraid to say that you do not have that. The ceremony should begin before the midnight. But if you want I can call Rees."

Thea took some minutes to calm herself. She then shook her head in negation. "No need. Let's get done with this."

"Are you sure Thea?" Ida asked again.

Thea nodded her head in determination.

Ida smiled brightly at her. "I am so proud of you my friend! You are a brave woman. Just know that Rees will be with you there along with Young Master. And we all are there. If you feel uncomfortable at any point of ceremony, just look at me and shake your head."

Thea narrowed her eyes at Ida. "Then what? You will stop the ceremony?"

"No. I will glare at you to shut up and do what you are told." Ida smiled sheepishly.

Thea rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Do not worry. Everything is going to be okay!" Ida told again.

She then picked a black coloured dress and told Thea to change into it after she cleaned her.

Ida washed Thea's body carefully to take out every male and female's scent from her body. After that, she helped Thea put on the backless black coloured floor-length dress. She then combed her hair, braided the front into multiple braids then collected the whole volume, she braided it sideways.

Thea's face was clear of any makeup or anything artificial. When Thea was ready, she was as raw as she naturally could look.

"Where are the sandals?" Thea asked when they were done.

"You both need to be barefoot for the ceremony." Ida answered.

"Oh."

For Thea, every single thing was new and strange. But she decided to trust the better judgement of the man she had chosen to spend her whole life with. He was her pair made by Moon Goddess herself. Life had taken her at this turn, and she was ready to put all her faith in him and see where it would take her further.

"Shall we go now?" Ida asked with a smile.

"Yes!"