"Are you sure about this?" Doris asked the moment they were alone. It was strange to be in the village without the people she used to see everyday. But, it was better having them far from here in case things went wrong.
She only hoped they weren't mistreated for being on Enzo's side-if they still were, that is.
William and Doris were allowed to go to their old cabin and clean up, but William was expected back out there soon. She wanted to wrap herself around him and stop him from ever setting foot out of the door again.
William turned to her with a tense jaw. "Of course I'm sure about this. I've never been more sure."
"A blood promise is dangerous, what if they trick you-"
"I'm not one to be tricked, Doris. They wouldn't dare." William moved into the bathroom and shut the door on any of her remaining questions. She glared at the wood and felt the urge to kick something.
Doris nervously picked at her nails and she realized how long they had gotten since they first came here. She fought the urge to bite them down when her anxiety tried to crawl up her throat again.
She knew he could handle himself more than she could, but her stomach was in knots when she realized how worried she was about him. If they worded it strangely or added something he didn't expect, it could lead to his death.
Doris gathered her new clothes and waited for him to leave the bathroom before she went to clean up herself. When she came out, he was seated on the bed staring at the roaring fire as if he was lost in thought. The warm light caressed his handsome face like a kiss, a shadow was already growing across his chin.
"I don't want you to be there when I make the promise." William said suddenly. A small part of her heart pierced at his words.
"Why not? I won't try to stop it-"
"I would rather you didn't be there." He interrupted. "I don't want you to see the process of it. I would rather you stay safe inside here and sleep during it all."
"I can handle a little blood, William. You don't have to be alone during this."
William stood, his eyes barely looked at her. "I won't be alone. Patrick will be at my side." He brushed past her to the door. Even though the blood promise wasn't until dawn, Enzo and the rest required his presence to talk more about the deal. He didn't want her there for that, either.
"William-"
He closed the door without a response. She clenched her hands into fists and had half a mind to follow him out the door and scream at him. After all they had been through, he always pushed her back. She deserved to be a part of the decisions, didn't she? He was always there when she was the center of the matter.
Doris angrily pulled on her coat and gloves before she ventured out into the snow. It felt good to have clothes that weren't dirty or ripped. She still felt the cold through her thick clothes, but not as harshly as the night before. Perhaps her body was finally starting to get used to the dreadful cold.
Doris ignored the stares from the rogues as she walked out behind the cabins and towards the frozen lake. There was no where else to go, no one to talk to-
"He sure does like to fight, huh?" Cordelia said inside her. Doris almost jumped at the sound. It was easy to forget she had a wolf inside her when she spent her entire life without one.
"I knew it wasn't a good idea to get close to him." Doris grumbled. "He drives me insane most of the time, I almost chased him down just to scream at him."
"Isn't that what love is?" Cordelia teased. It only made Doris more angry. She sat herself down on a fallen log by the lake and wrapped her arms around herself.
"That's not what I expected love to be. All the books I ever read were much more-"
"Boring?" Cordelia filled in. Doris rolled her eyes at her wolf.
"No, normal. The men were sweet and treated their women with respect. They didn't try to irritate them every chance they had. They... they loved them and it was obvious."
"Hm, sounds boring to me. In case you forgot, you're not a normal girl, you have a wolf and it's normal to be attracted to his difficult side." Cordelia said almost gently. Doris expected her to make fun for feeling the way she was. "He is certainly attracted to yours. He likes it when you argue with him, I can tell."
"It shouldn't be this hard to love someone, no matter what I am inside." Doris whispered. "It should as easy as breathing or falling asleep. Lately it only feels as if I'm about to suffocate."
"Are you okay? A familiar voice said from behind her. Doris turned to see Joseph standing a few feet away with his hands shoved deep in his pockets and dark circles under his eyes. He was one of the last people she ever wanted to see during a time like this. Or ever.
Part of her was glad he wasn't dead, but another part of her wanted him far away from her. Doris stood quickly and brushed off the snow from her pants.
"What are you doing out here?" Doris asked. Her eyes flickered to the camp behind him.
"I saw you leave your cabin and you looked upset. I thought I would check on you." He took a small step towards her. Doris narrowed her eyes at his kind smile. What did he want from her?
"I'm quite alright, thank you. I don't need your assistance, you can go back to the camp. I wouldn't want Mr. Hugh seeing you out here with me."
"Look, Doris-I'm sorry for what I did-"
"You mean when you shoved me in a hole and locked me in a dark cell? I'm sure you're very sorry, but I don't have time for this." Doris started to walk back to the camp but he stepped in her path.
"I had to do those things, Doris. You know as a servant that we have to listen to the commands no matter how much we don't want to." Joseph held out his hands as if in surrender. "I haven't stopped imagining your screams, they've haunted me. I don't know what I can do to make it right with you, but I want to more than anything."
"I'm glad they've haunted you, Joseph. You deserve it." Doris moved again, but he gripped her arm this time.
"I heard you talking to your wolf. I heard what you said about William-"
Doris yanked her arm free of his grip. "That's none of your business. Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's impolite to eavesdrop on a lady?"
"You want to be with someone who is easy to love and doesn't drive you crazy, I know you do-" He continued as if she hadn't spoken. A lick of rage flamed inside her.
"Oh, and you're about to tell me that that person is you?" Doris laughed and stepped back. "I don't think any of your recent actions would make you easy to love. As harsh as William is, he hasn't thrown me in a hole."
"No, just the royal cells for you to be abused." Joseph said with a sneer. Doris closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. He wasn't worth this much energy.
"He is the reason I got out of that cell. You were ready to let me rot."
"I was going to let you out! I couldn't stand you being in there for another second-" Joseph took a breath and ran his fingers through his hair. "Come with me, Doris."
"What?"
"Come with me. We can leave right now and get far from here before anyone could notice." He reached his hand out to her.
"Joseph, you don't even know me."
"I know you feel trapped like I do. I know that you want something better for yourself and you want an easier life, I can give you that."
Doris glanced down at his hand as if it was a bug. She shook her head and took another step back. "You don't know anything about what I want. How could you when I'm not even sure?"
"Doris," he said impatiently. "I made a mistake at Life Pharmacy. I let my emotions rule over my actions but I would never treat you that way again. Come with me and we can be free of all of this."
"I don't think she's going anywhere with you." A deep voice said.