I Am Aware

Chapter Eight: I Am Aware

Théoden’s POV

My grandfather really pulled a number on me by making this girl’s safety his dying wish. I didn’t have the time to babysit every hour of the day, and she looked like trouble.

“Who do you think I am? You said you saw the letter,” I answered.

She folded her arms and turned to me. My eyes lingered on her blue ones before I rolled them and looked away. This girl would be a distraction.

“My grandfather and Mr. Draven were ‘friends.’ He just died this morning, and his dying wish was to bring you out of the Draven household. You live here now.”

There was a lot of underground work to be done in case her family tried to file a missing person report, so I added, “Tomorrow, when I’m less busy, I’ll take you back so you can pack your things, and the lawyer will handle the will of your late father. That is all. Any questions?”

Her face relaxed, and she shook her head. With a more at-ease expression, she looked like an innocent girl who’d just been taken to a park after exams.

I shook that thought out of my head. “So, good night.” I turned to leave. I had to draw her schedule tonight before it escaped my mind. “You’re done with university, right?”

She fell onto her bed before answering with an “uh-huh.” She was already feeling at home? I left the door, stopping at the elevator. The room’s door was still open.

“One of my trusted men will be coming to see you once in a while. Treat him with respect and direct all your complaints to him first.”

She rolled to her side, and I frowned. Could she hear me, or was she too in her head, relishing being ‘free’?

“Donna—” I noticed her soft sobbing.

Was she crying? Did she think I had already left?

“Before all that—”

I heard her sob again, and a lump grew in my throat. She must’ve been through a lot, and the thought of her stepbrother so boldly speaking of a marriage with an older man she detested made my claws itch.

I rubbed my temples. Why was I even annoyed on her behalf? My wolf had better not be stirring these feelings in me because mates didn’t exist anymore.

“Goodnight, Donna.”

I reached for the elevator button, but my hand hesitated.

I was surprised to find myself approaching her when the right move was to let her be. Maybe I should just play the good host this one time.

I knelt beside her and asked, “Are you okay?”

She jolted, not expecting me to still be in the room. My eyes darkened when I saw her tear-streaked face, and she quickly covered it.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

I frowned as she hid her face. Why was she apologizing?

“Don’t,” I said, gently taking her hands from her face. “I’m well aware of your predicament.”

She looked down, sniffing, and nodded.

I stood up and turned away. “As I said, we’ll pay a visit to your stepfamily tomorrow. They’ll tell us about the will, and we’ll determine if they had the right to treat you that way.”

I hoped she felt better because I didn’t know how to offer comfort. With a lighter heart, I pressed the elevator button.

The elevator opened to a wide room painted black and grey. It was very boring, and if I had the time, I’d repaint it. Hansel meowed in greeting, and I hummed in response.

“Let me know when Greta gets back,” I told her.

She meowed again, and I took it as a reply. We’d been together for three years, and she seemed to understand me and her soul twin, Greta.

After the coolest shower, I spent extra time soaking my tired body. I heard Hansel scratching at the door and left the bathtub immediately.

“I said to meow if he gets back, not—”

The smell of blood hit me, and I quickly grabbed a towel, rushing outside. Greta was on my bed, blood dripping from his sides. Hansel rushed to him, but I quickly carried her away from the bloody mess.

“Just wait. He’ll be fine, okay?”

I reached for the first aid box and began treating him. He slumped against me, and I sighed. It seemed I had three people I needed to protect and care for at the expense of my own life. When I was done, I laid him on the bed.

“Did he tell you how that happened?” I asked Hansel.

She said nothing, so he probably hadn’t. How could he scare us like that?

“Go to sleep. He’ll be fine.”

It had to be the Changs. That sly man must’ve sent a code to his secretary to attack the place Greta had called from, and Greta, still around, got involved.

I wouldn’t let it slide. His younger brother would learn a good lesson because of this.

The next morning, Rufus greeted me with Mr. Chang’s younger brother tied up in his school uniform. I stared at the boy with tired eyes.

Why did I forget Rufus was more devoted to Greta than I was? He hadn’t even waited until morning to act.

“Well, Greta is still asleep, so he can’t appreciate this yet.”

“Mr. Chang’s boys raided the closest base to his property. We have four dead and nineteen casualties,” Rufus reported. “I lost two bodyguards, too.”

“Send Chang their tongues. Keep the boy for now.”

The boy hiccupped when I spoke, then threw his head against the wall in an attempt to remove the tape. Rufus and I exchanged glances. What was he thinking? Maybe he wanted to knock himself out.

“Do you want to speak?” Rufus guessed and tore the tape off his mouth.

The boy breathed in sharply before shouting, “Please don’t hurt my bodyguards! They have families! They’re only with me because it’s their job. They’re innocent!”

There was silence as my hand slowly reached for a piece of apple from the tray. Why was this riffraff yelling?

Before I grabbed it, I saw it fly toward the boy. Rufus stepped aside in time for it to hit the young boy’s head.

“Why the hell are you telling?” Greta barked.

Those were my thoughts exactly.

Hansel hopped off Greta’s side and began playing with the apples. She nudged one toward me, and I stretched my hand out to take it, watching the boy sniff and sob.

For some reason, it reminded me of Donna.

“You can’t decide what happens to them, young man. Your brother would’ve saved them if he cared enough, but he didn’t. Nothing is stopping me from killing you as well.”

The boy didn’t raise his head, continuing to cry. Greta groaned and fell back on the bed.

“He caught me off guard, that’s all. Next time, I won’t let him off.”

Hansel gave me the apple she had nibbled on. I guess she wanted to share.

“Thank you,” I said, carrying her onto my lap.

“Rufus, we have other things to handle this morning. Send him to a room until further notice.”

Rufus nodded and dragged the boy away.

“And Greta, I have to introduce you to someone.”