CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
SELINA
Just a few more weeks and she would be gone, I smirked to myself as I stirred her tea. I would never let a woman make me unloved by my only family. When she's out of the picture, then I'll be all he needs again.
“Since when do you make lady Roxanne's tea, Ma'am Selina?” Kara asked as she strode into the kitchen, a foreign glint dancing in her eyes.
I jumped away from the tea, almost spilling it in the process. “W...h…What do you mean by that?”
She smirked and dipped her finger into the tea, swirling it as she locked eyes with me, “I've been at the door for about ten minutes now. Your wolf didn't pick up my scent? Or are you so consumed by evil that when you're at it, you drift into another realm?”
A commoner demanding questions from an Alpha’s sister was the most audacious thing.
“And what makes you think I will give you answers to your questions? I owe nobody an explanation,” I pointed out, my voice unsteady.
She stood close to me, too close I felt irritated and discomforted. A smile tugged at her lips, “You know, sometimes there are some things better off behind closed doors.”
I shrugged and pushed her out of my way. “You're talking nonsense!”
“Oh yeah? That's the lady's tea. If you're certain it's pure, why don't you have a taste?” She asked, offering me a teaspoon.
I was screwed. Why had I forgotten I didn't live here alone and there were watching eyes everywhere?
I beamed at her, “listen Kara, I have no idea what you're talking about but everyone isn't like you. Not everyone wants to kill people. We are not the same.”
Kara chuckled, evil dancing in her eyes as she cornered me. She held the teacup to my lips, “then take a sip.”
“I'm never sharing a cup with you commoners. I don't want to get herpes and besides, I'm allergic to green tea.”
“If you're forgetting ma'am, I've lived in this pack for twenty nine years and never have you once had an allergic reaction to green tea. Fool someone else.”
I would slap you in the face if I wasn't so guilty right now.
I crossed my arms defiantly on my chest, “Well yes it's poisoned. It was all me but what are you going to do about it?”
She scoffed and replaced the teacup on the saucer, “I'll report you to the Alpha.”
“You must be very dumb if you think the Apha is going to believe you,” I said as I headed for the door and glanced back to blow her a kiss. “Everyone thinks it's you. Stick to being the culprit.”
She clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth and turned to me.
“Maybe their point of view is going to change when I show them this,” she said, waving a camera in my face. “Everything has been recorded and secured here. Just so you wouldn't think I'm lying, here it is.”
I watched in horror at the short clip of me poisoning Roxanne's tea. This darn bastard caught it all on camera with a clear view of my face.
“This doesn't bother me,” I lied, my voice growing thinner with every passing second.
Kara nodded. “The Alpha would be so disappointed in you. What would they say? That the Alpha’s sister is a murderer. That would be rather embarrassing.”
“If you expose me, you would be killed and it's a promise,” I threatened.
She sniggered, “Until then, your reputation would be ruined because I will remind the Alpha of his speech on justice and you will be forced to make a proper apology to me and lady Roxanne.”
Everyone would want me dead because it was an attempted murder and my brother… he wouldn't think twice. He cared way too much for that redundant weakling. My mate would be called the partner of a murderer and I will be tormented till my last breath.
“What do you want? Gold? Jewellery? A better position? Name your price.”
Kara frowned, “That's blackmail”
“What do you want me to do?” I asked in exasperation.
“I'm not going to let you buy me. I won't be your puppet, when I have evidence that can give me more. All I have to do is present it to the Alpha. Imagine being segregated and behind bars. You wouldn't want to ruin your life that way, yeah?”
I grabbed her by the collar, trying to ignore the urge to stab her in the chest with my claws.
“Tell me what you want, coward and I'll give it to you,” I spat.
She slapped my hands away from her body. “You're still so ignorant and undeserving of my mercy.”
Who the hell did she think she is? I'm not even at her mercy. Oh fuck me for presenting myself like a dish on a golden platter, waiting to be devoured.
Kara reached for the door, holding the camera securely in her hands like her life depended on it.
Actually it did.
“When you feel remorse and you're ready to speak to me politely, ma'am, I'll be in my room and that tea? You had better get rid of it before someone else drinks it,” she said.
“Please,” the word slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself and I instantly regretted how pathetic it made me sound.
I hated the word please . It sounded like helplessness. And that was the best way to describe my current feeling.
Her eyes widened but her lips curved into a smile. The look in her eyes gave the hint I wanted. She was pleased.
Never had she known I was going to ever plead. No! I wasn't pleading. We were just talking. Thank God she didn't make it any awkward by saying things like, ‘never have I imagined ma'am Selina would be at my mercy’ or ‘begging looks great on you. Do it again.’
That would be so berating.
She nodded, “What can you offer?”
I pursed my lips, “What do you propose?”
Her light smile turned into a wide green as she walked up to me. She leaned in closely till she could whisper into my ears. “Work with me,” she said.
***
ROXANNE
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, with the necklace wrapped around my hands. I was lost in thoughts, I was sure I had probably forgotten what it was like to walk because I had been confined to this bed for a long time. My wounds were healing but they still hurt. And until they heal, I was confined to this bed.
I had a loss of appetite and the only thing that gave me comfort was the scent of the green tea. But lately, the tea wasn't doing it for me. I missed Kara's special milk tea with cinnamon. But Kara was stopped from making it for me and I didn't know why.
I missed her though. I hadn't seen her in weeks and I didn't like the other staff. They didn't like me too but they were forced to be polite to me because the Alpha made the guards keep watch when they attended to me.
The sound of faint scratching echoed in my ears. I shifted, my ears perking up to pick the sound and I heard it again — clearly. This time it was coming from beneath my bed.
Dread gripped me and I tried to lay motionless as possible. Let it not be them please. Let it not be them. I prayed it wasn't those spirits. They tormented me way too much. Tears streamed down my face as the scratching persisted and my heart pounded in fearful anticipation.
“Breathe,” I told myself as I gripped the edge of the bed and slowly peeked down. The noises stopped and a small furry head poked out— a kitten. Relief flooded through me as I picked it up and placed it on my lap.
“Oh my… aren’t you cute?” I said as I cradled it in my arms.
The cat licked at my hands and I figured it must be hungry. I've never owned a pet but I was glad I had company. I reached to my side of the table and gave the kitten the tuna fish I was to have for lunch.
But where did it come from? I wondered.
The knob of my door turned and the door was slowly pushed open. A beautiful woman, one I had never seen before walked in.
Would they please not let in more strangers?
She was in a royal brown dress covered in gems of all colours and her vibrant red hair was in a French plait and a golden brooch was in the centre of her hair.
“Who are you?” I whispered while sitting up.
I found it offensive that she had barged in without a notice.
She ignored me as though my presence was nothing while her pretty green eyes scoured the room as though she was searching for something.
"There you are," the woman said in the softest voice ever and went to a corner of the wall. I watched her as she peeled the paint off.
“Stop what you're doing,” I said, “they would think I did this. They already think I'm crazy.”
But she ignored me and just kept peeling the wall.
The audacity of the Red Moon pack was infuriating.
When the woman was done peeling whatever it was from the wall, she picked her skirts up and was about to hurry out.
Then she stopped.
She turned around and glanced at me, making my heart skip a beat. Her green eyes looked very distant, like she was staring into nothingness but goosebumps covered my arms. I knew the woman was staring at me.
I got on my feet, my hand brushed against the teacup, sending it crashing to the floor and the tea spilled everywhere.
"She's coming. She knows who you are. Get ready," the woman said almost frightfully.
My breath hitched in my throat, but before I could ask any questions, the woman had left. I was confused. Who was coming? Who knew me? How would I prepare?
Curious, I walked to the part of the wall where the woman had peeled off the paint and I saw the writing, 'I am the end that has no beginning, Yet in my grasp, life finds its spinning. Once met, I claim with solemn decree, But fear not, for all shall dance with me.’
Shivers rushed down my spine and I suddenly felt hot. I went to the bathroom, opened the tap and splashed water on my flushed face.
Maybe I was seeing things.
The moment I lifted my head to stare at myself , I saw the woman from before, now in the mirror. I turned around in dread but saw no one. When I looked into the mirror again, the woman's reflection was back. Her face portrayed anger and she began yelling in an urgent voice 'She's coming'.
It was deafening and unbearable so much I felt I was losing my sanity. The woman looked angry as though I wasn't getting the message she was saying and I saw the woman's hand coming out from the mirror.
"No," I shrieked repeatedly and with trembling hands, I grasped a nearby jade stone, lashing out at the mirror until it shattered into a thousand fractured reflections.
The noise must have attracted everyone around for they rushed in and Ryker grabbed me by the arm. “I've had enough,” he said.