A MAZE OF GREED

Ida heard the loud noises coming from the room in which Ruth and Edwin were. She did not need to use her werewolf hearing power because Ruth's screams were too loud to ring in a human ear too.

She was afraid if someone heard her screams outside the old building. It was a task for Lester to keep Lady Theodora and Lord Augustus distracted from Edwin. Only Moon Goddess knew how he was managing that.

She contemplated knocking on the door. She hoped Edwin would not do something reckless with Ruth. But, the way Ruth screamed to let her go, she doubted Edwin was doing a good job at calming her.

She jumped in fright when the door of the room suddenly opened and, Edwin stepped out clearly raged. Ida tried peeking inside the room but, before she could get a glimpse of Ruth, Edwin closed the door forcefully, that making Ida flinch.

He did not spare her a glance and walked out of there. She could see fumes coming out of his ears.

Ida was torn. She wished to go inside but, she also could not disobey her Master's order. She heard Ruth's cries coming from behind the door.

She was relieved to see Lester and Elsie climbing the stairs.

"Oh, finally you both are here!" Ida ran to them in urgency.

"Ida, what is going on? Where did Edwin go? He looked like someone had set his pants on fire!" Lester asked with a frown as soon as they reached the first floor.

"And why is Ruth crying?" Elsie heard Ruth's cries and was instantly worried.

"I do not know what happened between them. Master was in a better mood when he went inside with a glass of juice for Ruth. But then I heard her screams. She was telling him to stay away from her and to let her go."

"What?" Lester did not understand a thing.

Ida nodded. "And when Master came out of the room, he looked outrageous. I could not ask him anything. I was scared. He did not say anything nor he looked my way and walked out just like that." Ida explained.

"Lester... I do not get a good feeling about this. Where has he gone in such a mood?" Elsie was panicked.

"Calm down Elsie! You stay here. I will go and look for him. I think I know where he might have gone. Do not go inside because, if I fail to calm him down and he finds out that any of you disobeyed his orders, then not even Moon Goddess can rescue you.

And Ida, you should talk to Mrs Payne. The lady is not well. See if she needs any medicines or anything."

Instructing them, Lester skipped down the stairs. He had a fair idea of where Edwin would go when he was angry. Woods!

He must have gone into the woods for a run. His wolf was on the edge these days. He needed to calm him. And the only way available for now was a good run.

Lester ran into the woods. He sniffed around for Edwin's scent. He caught it a couple of minutes later. He tried reaching Edwin through the mind link but, that idiot had closed it as soon as he entered the woods.

Now Lester was left with only human ways.

"Edwin... Edwin..." He started yelling his name as he walked through the woods.

This was useless. If he had shifted into his wolf form, then he would have long gone far from here. Lord Augustus had ordered not to shift during the daytime as the possibility of crossing paths with humans was more in daylight.

Lester cursed but shifted in his wolf form. A brown wolf, bigger than the average wolves howled loudly. Shaking his head after coming out after a long time, he displayed his joy.

The brown wolf pushed himself forward as he ran on the forest ground. His obsidian eyes with golden streaks searched for Edwin's black wolf.

*

*

*

Ruth was still crying even after Edwin left, which felt like hours ago. Her mind was spinning negative scenarios in her head. And, now that she had completely regained her senses, the pain in her hand made her want to cry even more.

She searched the room for an escape but seemed like she was caged in that place. The only available option was jumping through the window, which she doubt she could in her weak physical state.

She also did not have enough bed sheets to tie them together in a rope and escape like a princess from her childhood stories.

Her head shot up when she heard a familiar voice shouting from outside.

"Thea please try to understand. If Master has ordered to not go inside then we can not." Rees pleaded to his wife.

"Shut up Rees! My friend is crying inside there and you are worried about your master? Ridiculous!" Thea glared at her husband.

They returned to Vincardine the last night. Thea was excited to meet everyone and share her experiences and how much fun she had with Rees on their honeymoon, with Ruth and Ida.

But when she met Mrs Payne, she did not expect to hear that even in her wildest dreams. The first thing she did was run to the old building.

After confirming all the details from Ida and Elsie, she was desperate to see Ruth. She was shocked that no one other than Edwin and the physician and the nurse had seen her.

How could he do that to Mrs Payne?

The lady fell sick after balling her eyes out in longing for Ruth.

"Thea, please! Young Master-"

"I do not fucking care of what Young Master thinks when it is about Ruth's safety!" She spat in anger at Ida, shutting her mouth instantly.

Ruth heard the sound of the doorknob, followed by the opening of the door. Her tears gushed even more at the sight of Thea.

"Thea?!!" Ruth sat up in the bed with wide eyes.

Thea closed the door on Rees's face as he wanted to share Thea's punishment after Edwin would find out that she went inside the room against his orders.

If they thought Edwin's orders could not be broken, then so be it!

As soon as Thea closed the door behind her, Ruth ran to her, not caring about the pain in her ankle. They both hugged each other as if they were meeting after an eternity.

For Thea, it indeed felt like an eternity. She was out of Vincardine for only a few days and, Ruth's life fell in danger. How could they all be so careless even after knowing who Ruth really was and how important she was for their werewolf world?

"Shhh... shhhh... Calm down Ruth. I am here!" Thea ran her hand on Ruth's back.

She took Ruth back to the bed and made her sit. She pulled away from Ruth and searched for her hand, which was draped in the bandages. Although she could not see the wound underneath it, the way her hand was heavily bandaged, gave Thea a fair idea of how nasty the injury was.

"Thea, please take me out of here. Where is Mrs Payne?" Ruth asked in between her sobs.

"Mrs Payne is at home and is waiting for you. I will take you out of here but first tell me what happened?"

Thea had heard everyone's perspective but, she also had to hear Ruth's. During Ruth's narration, she realised that Ruth did not recall some of the details. It might be because of the trauma. She needed good rest to regain those memories.

Thea decided to not dig into those worst parts more... not until Ruth was completely recovered or, till the time she recalled all the memories.

"And then he came into the room. He said that I do not need anyone when he is here. He said he will take care of me. But I do not believe a single word he said Thea." Ruth told about Edwin.

"But I thought you two were at better terms after seeing you dancing at my wedding reception. You both look... good." Thea frowned.

She and Rees seriously thought that Ruth and Edwin were making progress but, after hearing Ruth, Thea was confused and not sure about it.

Ruth fell into silence. Since she had opened her eyes, she had not thought about it. In fact, she did not get a chance to think about it.

"I... I do not know. When I woke up, I was overwhelmed, confused and scared. Seeing him instead of everyone made me restless. I thought he... he did something wrong with me, especially after his cousin's plan.

Of course, he would side with his cousin. Why would he care about me? I somehow survived Lady Eloise's plan and, thus he is here to finish it." Ruth said vehemently.

"Why would you say that about him Ruth?"

Ruth cast her eyes down in her lap. Biting the inside of her cheek, she said in a low voice.

"Because people supports family. And I... I am just no one to him."

She did not know why but she did not like the way those words sounded. She wished it was not true.

"He was right when he said he will take care of you." Thea said calmly.

Ruth's eyes perked up hearing that.. There was another side of the story that she had yet to recollect.