A MAZE OF GREED

"Thea, I think I should take your leave now." Ruth said while glancing out of the open window to see the Sun had set, leaving the world in the fading light.

"I didn't realise how fast the time has gone. I wish you could stay a little more. We have talked this much after a long time! I missed you dear best friend!" Thea pouted innocently.

Ruth giggled at her friend. She had indeed missed her childish behaviour and playful personality.

"I wish the same Thea. But I really need to go. I have promised Mrs Payne to prepare tonight's dinner. And now that we are at good terms, we have all our lives to talk and giggle."

"Of course! Take care, Ruth and give my greetings to Mr and Mrs Payne! May God bless them with a long and healthy life!" Thea said genuinely.

"Yes! May God do just that!" Ruth nodded. "By the way, when will you start coming back to the shop? Without you it doesn't feel the same there!"

Thea smiled. "From Monday, you will not need to live with those boring aunties!" She winked mischievously, and they both burst out laughing.

Mrs Green had not yet returned from the market, hence Ruth told Thea to tell her that she would come next time for dinner. After another tight hug, Ruth bid goodbye to Thea and took her bag to walk towards the door.

She insisted Thea not get up from the bed but Thea didn't listen and walked her to the door.

"Bye, Thea! See you on Monday!"

"Yes, take care!"

This time, Ruth stepped out of the Green's home with a beaming smile on her face.

She was unaware that someone was watching her walking in the opposite direction.

"Rees! What are you doing here standing in the middle of the road?" Mrs Green's voice caught Rees's attention.

Before answering her, his eyes again travelled to the retreating figure of Ruth and he gulped his saliva down his throat.

"Good evening, Mrs Green! I came to see Thea."

The lady smiled at him. "I didn't ask why you came. I only asked why are you standing here instead of going inside the house?"

His eyes moved to look down at a bag in her hands. Avoiding her question, he took the bag from her hands. "Please give that to me. I see you have shopped a little too much, Mrs Green."

Forgetting her previous question, she laughed while walking along with him. "Oh, yes. The vendor offered good prices and I couldn't miss the opportunity."

They both walked to stop outside the main door of the house, Mrs Green kept talking the whole time to which Rees reacted by nodding his head occasionally and plastering a smile on his face.

Rees knocked on the door and waited patiently, till Thea came to open the door. Her face brightened as soon as she saw her mate's face. She was about to squeal in joy but caught her mother's presence in time.

"Come Rees. You came on the right time. Ruth is also here and now I will convince her to stay for dinner with us." Mrs Green removed her shoes then searched around the house for Ruth.

Thea noticed how the smile on Rees's face faded instantly at the mention of Ruth's name.

"Mother, Ruth has already left. She said she will stay for dinner the next time. She had an urgent work to do."

Mrs Green felt disappointed. She had decided to convince Ruth to give a chance to Edwin Berrycloth. But all her plans had gone into vain.

"That girl! She just doesn't understand these things. She is working relentlessly for years and now that she has a good job, she is till overexerting herself."

Turning to look at Rees, she continued, "Rees, you are her friend too. Please, speak with her and tell her that it is time that she needs to think about her future. She is a beautiful woman. Any man would be ready on one leg to marry her. Don't you agree?"

Not having another choice than agreeing with his soon to be mother-in-law, Rees only nodded his head.

"Rees, I was thinking about something."

Thea sensed the excitement in her mother's voice, and she guessed where she was leading this conversation.

"I have a gentleman in my mind for Ruth. Since I first met him, I have this feeling in my heart that he is the perfect man for our Ruth."

Rees's body tensed more than before after hearing that. His grip on the bag in his hand tightened.

He would have been ecstatic at the idea of Ruth finding a good man. But she was not only his friend but the mate of his master! She was supposed to be his Luna. How could his wolf imagine her with a man who was not his alpha?

Thea sensed the tension radiating off his body, and before he loses his control, she interrupted her mother from saying more.

"Mother, why don't you put these things in the kitchen? I am feeling tired. I and Rees are in my room. He must be hungry so I think you should start preparing the dinner." She took the bag from Rees's tight clutches with effort and handed it to her mother.

"Yes, yes! Your father will be home anytime. I should start preparing the dinner. You lovebirds have your time!" She smiled then disappeared into the kitchen.

Not wasting another moment, Thea dragged Rees into her room and closed the door behind them even though her mother had warned her to not do so when she and Rees were alone in there.

But Mrs Green got busied in cooking and probably wouldn't notice the closed door of Thea's bedroom. Besides, that was not Thea's concern for now.

She heaved a sigh of relief after getting into her bedroom. She turned towards Rees to see that his wolf was on the verge of awakening. Her mother would have fainted then and there if she had witnessed her soon to be son-in-law turning into a wolf.

"Rees…" She gently called his name, hesitant to touch him.

Thea was getting used to this side of him and needed some more time. But she was trying her best, and Rees appreciated that. After their mating, she had learned many things about the werewolf world and the supernatural world in general. But he had not told her some things, he waited for the right time.

"Ree-" Not giving her a chance to complete her word, Rees pulled her into his arms and buried his face in the side of her neck.

His touch was demanding, needy but was full of love that he had in his heart for her. Thea didn't mind his action and melted down in his arms with a smile. She had missed him even though they had met only yesterday. But the time in between felt like years to her.

"R-Rees…" She stuttered when he moved his head to rub the tip of his nose on the smooth skin of her neck.

The sensation sent tingles in her body. A hum of approval left his throat at the way her body reacted to his. His lips found the spot on her neck where his wolf had sunk his teeth a few nights ago. He planted an open-mouthed kiss on the same place that made her gasp.

He lightly sucked on her skin, and her fingers in his hair tightened into a fist. She wanted to tell him to stop, that her mother was present in the kitchen, but her vocal cords had lost the memory of their functioning.

Rees started peppering soft kisses on the same spot then turned his sensual attack on every inch of her exposed skin. Thea's legs weakened, her body trembled with a coil forming in the pit of her stomach.

Before they both lose each other in their arms, a loud noise from the kitchen startled them, bringing them back to their senses from the heights of desire.

Thea pushed Rees back as if his touch had burned her, her face shocked, and her eyes were panicked. But Rees still had that calm face as if he was not enjoying his mate and was having a general conversation with her.

Thea opened the door and called for her mother.

"It is nothing, honey. The bowl slipped from my hand and fell on the ground."

Thea again closed the door and placed her back on it. She closed her eyes, for she still felt the risen temperature of her body. Her eyes flew open at the touch of soft lips on her cheek.

She slapped Rees's chest with a glare. "Rees! Stop teasing me! My mother is here. What if she catch us like… this?" She hissed.

Rees smirked at her and pulled her again into his chest. "Are you forgetting that I am a werewolf, darling? I can hear her heart beating steadily and her footsteps padding on the floor. I will know before she arrives at the door." He winked, then planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

He wanted to do many things with her. After the night of their mating, his wolf and body were hyperaware of their desire for their mate. But he didn't want to rush. Thea's mind and body needed a slow pace, and he had intended to give her just that.

Reluctantly pulling away from her, he led her to the bed. "How are you feeling now?"

Thea sat by keeping a safe distance between them and had not locked the bedroom door from inside. "I am fine, happy to be honest." She said, expecting Rees to ask the reason.

But he had already read her mind through the mating link and knew the reason. He only nodded his head but didn't press on the subject.

"Rees…"