Chapter 8: Threats And Conversations

Claudia

I didn't trust him. I knew my life was doomed with him and there was nothing that could change that. Yet, I felt a sense of knowing when I am close to him. Always feels familiar and I could tell that he was someone that I knew or probably had a close or short contact with. Then, who am I kidding? I haven't met him and it seemed this curse had been with him for the longest time. I didn't know how to help him, I did the little I could. With the portion and all but to see that someone was trying to poison him, it was beyond me. We moved into a bigger bedroom, two bedrooms conjoined as one. It has proper ventilation and was better for his health. I knew there was no way out of this but I was hoping that would have a slight change. 

Why am I bothering myself for someone who is going to die soon? Who is cold, authoritative and distant? Why do I care so much? I want to think it is the mate bond but If I was feeling this kind of devotion toward him, then it ran deeper than that. Besides I meant little to him considering he had said little to nothing about the connection we shared. While I was giving him lunch, I saw the maids and one of the staff stare at me with curiosity and pity. Being a weak wolf didn't help my senses at all as I couldn't tell everything they were muttering about. I had left Marcel with Nate as they were going over some pack business, he was calmer and more focused. Better than the way he was when I first met him, days ago. 

Wandering in the hallway, I bumped into an average woman. Her eyes were glowing white at first before coming back to normal. But her eyes weren't directly staring at me. 

“I'm sorry.” It was clear, she was blind. “I am so sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you. You wouldn't be wandering by yourself.”

“Oh please child, I can see farther than anyone here in this pack. Don't worry, I am not completely useless. I know my way around.” It was weird but still, I couldn't leave her alone. “You can call me Nyx. Being an Elder in the pack gives you an advantage.”

“Pardon my manners. I'm…”

“I know who you are. Claudia Lockwood… Your mother left you in the hands of a cruel man, although I wouldn't blame her. It was her time to go.” She spoke of my mother with some kind of familiarity. In fact it felt like she knew me. With so much time on my hands I could stay longer. I only remember pieces of what my mother looked like. Still everything she had taught me and left me was what stayed with me the longest more than the picture of her face. 

“Did you know her?”

She smiled, folding her hands at her back. Honestly, while not being able to have sight, she seemed to be someone with a great wisdom. “As a matter of fact, yes. I can sense your emotions. Very strong and I know you find it difficult to trust anyone here but you can trust me, if you want to. You can trust Marcel too but keeping to yourself here would make you both last longer than expected.” She began. “Walk with me, dear. I think my memory of this mansion is fading quicker than expected.”

I held her hands, a bit skeptical still and led her. The first day I arrived, I could picture every nook and cranny of this mansion but yet it felt unfamiliar each time I breezed through the hallway. I passed some maids again and they kept muttering something to themselves again, whining averting their gaze from me. “You want to know what they are talking about?”

I sighed. “It seems everyone hates me here.”

“Not everyone, child, Marcellus doesn't know it yet but he likes you.”

“How can you know so much and you have just met me?” I sighed. I knew she was feeding me with half truth and white lies. “Well, he doesn't know what to do with me yet. Considering he doesn't have much time left.” I said under my breath with a deep sadness, rolling over my voice.

“That's what's so confusing to everyone. They are talking about you. They are muttering about your connection with the Young Alpha. Perhaps, there's something you both are hiding. Something you don't want the world to know.” I blinked at her, she faced me with a smile, her eyes glowing white again.

“I…I don't know what you are talking about.” She laughed. 

“Okay, we can be close. I can lend a hand of friendship so there's no need to lie about something I already know.” That was my first lesson. Despite being unable to trust her completely, I felt a sense of relief when I am close to her. This is close. It's like she has all the answers to my questions. I knew what she was talking about. 

Marcellus and I are mates but there was something confusing about my connection with him. I couldn't tell her that. We haven't even discussed the mate thing and I believe Marcellus was trying to avoid the conversation. 

“I saw how you helped him with his feral episode. It is quite rare. Maybe destiny but you should know no one has helped him like that for a very long time. This illness of his has made him estranged and dark. The pack itself does not recognize their Alpha anymore. So yeah, it is a big deal.” It felt like she was watching me and while I felt eyes on me I didn't think the whole house and strangers like her were on stake out. Watching the new girl tame the wild beast. It was a lot. 

“Is he always like that? Angry and intense.”

She smiled wistfully. “Yes.” We got outside the house and her ride was waiting for her. A man came down, young standing for when he would be called. “This realm is too dark for you. Stay close to him, he might be the only person that you might understand.” She thanked me as her escort walked closer and helped her into the car. 

“Will I be seeing you again?” I asked a bit audibly.

“If you want to, I'd send for you. Something tells me that might be sooner than later.” The car drove off the driveway. Leaving me with nothing but her words that had hidden meanings. 

I was about to enter the house when Darius walked out with a glare. I knew that he still had resentments for what happened during breakfast. I didn't know why I said that but I guessed I was tired of watching unkind words thrown at Marcellus for something that might not be his fault. It was difficult to believe that they are his family, if they were this disrespectful to him. 

“Building allies I see. And you just arrived.” I shook my head,ignoring him as I walked past him. He grabbed my hands, shaking me to my core. “Do not walk away, when I am talking to you. You think Marcellus is here to save your pathetic ass now. You are nothing but a worthless slave that we picked up from that useless pack of yours. You are just a means to an end. If you speak to me like the way you did at the table, I would hurt you so bad. My weak brother would not be able to help you.” My heart raced. The fear that enveloped me was nothing I have never felt before. I knew I had the courage to face him before but this was different. I was facing a threat which was my husband's brother and now I stood there, clueless to take the next step. Before I could speak, he pushed me to the ground. My skin scraped the floor, causing me to bleed. He sensed my blood, fangs were out and a devilish smile followed. 

Picking myself up, I walked to the bedroom, not expecting to see Marcellus sitting with his tablet in hand. I gasped in shock, a bit startled. Before I could walk to my own bedroom which was close to his, his voice made me stop in my tracks. “You should cover that wound before you hover around, like a walking meal.” I glared at him, short of words. I ignored him. it wasn't just worth it. Tears fell from my eyes as I tried to fix the wound in the bathroom. I knew I was alone all my life but I have never ever felt the heat of such loneliness and coldness. Back at the pack, it was easy for me to brush such cruelty but coming from the man whom I had shared a connection with was different.

“Who did this to you?” He startled me again. 

“Can you stop doing that? I snapped at him. I saw the way he looked at me and I broke into tears. “Please leave me alone and mind your business. You have made that perfectly clear to me. I am handling mine.” He leaned on his cane and walked to me as I say at the edge of the bath. The wound wasn't healing.

“You are not healing?” 

I scoffed. “I have had worse. Despite having an Alpha blood, I am not sure I took the genes of my father. I think my wolf is dormant. So I'm basically like an omega.”

He shook his head. Rolling up his sleeve, he took the wool and tended to my wound. “Then why did she respond to our connection as mates.” he arched his eyebrows. 

I snatched my arm away from his grip in anger. “So you could feel it too and you have been giving the cold shoulder ever since.”

“Don't flatter yourself Claudia, just because we have a connection doesn't mean you are suddenly important to me.” He raised his voice. I could see he had gathered enough strength to talk down on my emotions. Something I didn't think he was capable of. 

“Then why are you here? Why bring it up?” He sighed. “You didn't want to talk about it then so why are you chipping it in now.” 

“Okay fine, Claudia. You want to talk about the mate bond. Good! The mate bond isn't exactly as you think. Mating to an Alpha isn't the same as mating to a beta or a regular wolf. It is different and more complicated.”

I gritted. “Nothing sounds complicated to me. If you know despite our marriage, you don't want to feel a sick connection then you reject me!”

“I wish it was that easy. Then I would have given you what you wanted.

My eyes burned hearing him say that.