A MAZE OF GREED

Inhaling some air, Elsie prayed to the Moon Goddess. "Brother… brother Edwin. Please come back." She pleaded through tears.

The pain in her back made her eyes water more. Edwin had also injured her wrist that she couldn't put pressure on it. Rees was still holding the shelf on his back. And to save their situation the only hope they had was Edwin, whose wolf had taken control.

Edwin's wolf was deaf to her words. He bared his teeth upon hearing his name.

"This is me- Elsie! You sister needs your help brother. P-please help me!" Her eyes tear up again upon seeing her brother in that way.

"Master… please help her. She is not your enemy. She is your sister!" Rees tried, but all he got in return was another loud growl.

Edwin's obsidian eyes looked like the pits of death. His human side was not even fighting for control anymore. It had surrendered itself to his wolf.

A gust of wind entered through the open windows, and the brown piece of cloth, which was on his bed, flew to drop on the floor. The light scent that was difficult to smell even to a werewolf after months, was not missed by the two werewolves- Edwin and Rees.

Inhaling that scent Rees's worry increased ten-folds. His alarmed eyes watched the brown cloth, and a curse left his lips.

Elsie, oblivious to this, looked at Rees dumbfoundedly. She didn't understand this sudden fright of Rees.

Edwin's wolf inhaled a mass of the air- that familiar and intoxicating smell of his mate overshadowed his senses. Now not only his eyes and canines were changed but also his claws. He held his head in between his hands and groaned.

"He is fighting back to take the control. His human side is there Rees!" Elsie exclaimed but little did she knew that now she was about to discover her brother's that dark side that she had never seen before.

Edwin's wolf fought to shift completely, but his human side was battling with him with all his power. The strange mixture of growls and screams left his mouth as he tried his best to tame his beast.

"Master… get back the control."

"Brother, help me!"

Rees and Elsie encouraged Edwin to get back the control from his wolf, but ultimately his wolf came victorious. Edwin's human form was no match to his wolf. Edwin was emotionally, and physically exhausted that led him to lose this battle of his half part with the other half.

He stopped moving, taking ragged breaths through his mouth. Elsie and Rees's hearts drummed hard against their chests as they waited in anticipation.

All their hopes came crashing down when Edwin slowly lifted his head to look at his prey. With a cry of war, he pounced at them- the people who had woken up his beast.

Elsie cried in fear shutting her eyes tight, waiting for the impact, but that never came. Rees watched with an open mouth as a figure toppled Edwin on the floor before he could reach anywhere near Elsie and Rees.

Elsie opened her eyes at the sound of another person growling in anger. The familiar scent entered her nostrils, and her heart rate picked up. Her wolf which was too afraid to come out till now after Edwin's outburst now purred in excitement.

Rees was at a loss for words when he saw a man circled his leg around Edwin's hands and torso, not letting him move. His right arm encircled Edwin's neck, putting enough pressure to calm him down and not hurt him.

"Lester!" Elsie called her mate's name, but he didn't move his attention from the beast he had his hands around.

Lester was having a hard time controlling Edwin, who was stronger and bulkier than him.

"Ughhhh" Rees cried when the shelf dipped down to make him bent over the lying Elsie.

Elsie again tried to move her body with a cry, and this time she succeeded a little. Lester's presence had motivated her wolf, and now she could use her power.

"Yes, Lady Elsie. Hurry up!" Rees's body trembled, and the pain reached the point where he began to feel numb.

During this time, Edwin had managed to free his hands and struggled with Lester's wolf for dominance. His wolf couldn't accept the challenge from another wolf.

He growled loudly and with force dug his long claws in Lester's leg that made Lester scream in anguish.

Before anyone could comprehend the happenings around, more footsteps echoed, and people rushed inside the chamber.

By the scent of them, it was clear that they all were werewolves except one.

"Elsie!" Theodora rushed towards her in panic.

Two men ran to help Rees. They took all the weight of the shelf from Rees's back. The wooden shelf was so heavy that those two werewolves had to use all their strength to place it upright again.

As soon as Theodora pulled Elsie away, letting Rees some space, he fell on the ground face first. His whole body was drenched in sweat, and his vision blurred then darkened.

Elsie cried on her stepmother's chest while she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Someone please take her to the physician." Theodora commanded in worry.

But the real problem was yet to bring under the control. Augustus's face had turned red due to anger, his sharp grey eyes threw daggers at the werewolf with obsidian eyes.

For the first time in a long time, he felt an unusual emotion in his chest-FEAR!

Four men held Edwin back from Lester while one man attended injured Lester.

Edwin was outrageous. He was too strong to be handled by the four werewolves.

"Father don't let them hurt him. Brother… brother Edwin!" Elsie cried, but Augustus disregarded her pleadings.

Eloise came running when she got the news of the commotion. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight. She staggered back a little.

"Eloise, come here to help your sister." Theodora called.

Eloise was too shaken to comprehend what her stepmother said to her. She was frozen in her spot.

"Didn't you hear her? Go and help Elsie!" Augustus roared, and Eloise moved to Elsie's side. Her hands shook in fear.

She was told by a maid that loud noises were coming from Edwin's chamber, and Augustus and Theodora had rushed there. She first thought that it must be her cousin's another fit of anger.

These past days he was no less than a demon to everyone. Edwin had ordered the fleet of the O'Dells' servants to not step a foot inside the premises of his chamber. He knew that his wolf was on the edge, and he couldn't risk any human getting to know his true identity.

Only Rees and his family members were permitted. Hence, since Edwin's wolf took control, only loud noises were heard by the maids and guards, but no one dared to go and see what was happening.

Edwin was livid. Four muscular men were also not able to control him. He was thrashing and growling like the wild animal that he was. Augustus stood shell-shocked without blinking his eyes. He stared at his nephew and was scared to even take a step ahead.

He had never seen his wolf-like this, none of the family members did. Edwin had fought battles to save his territory, and for the royals-both in his human form and wolf form, according to the situation. Augustus had heard tales of how ruthless Edwin was on the battlefield.

His friends praised Augustus for having and raising such a great warrior. But he always believed that those were only tales, with most of the part as an exaggeration.

But watching Edwin fighting with four men, the damage he had done to Lester and Elsie had made Augustus realised the truth of those heroic tales of Edwin.

One of the men, who had helped Rees, ran to find the wolfsbane potion while the other fetched some water and sprinkled it on Rees's face.

Rees was exhausted, and his body cried to give up, but the guard didn't let him. He opened his mind link to reach for Rees, which was a task in itself with all the commotion happening around.

~"Rees…Rees! Wake up! Young Master is in trouble."~ He was the same guard who had searched for Edwin when his wolf slipped into the woods a few days ago.

The guard connected his mind link with the other five guards.

~"Use the wolfsbane potion on Young Master. Make sure that he is not hurt in any way."~

The five men subtly received the message. Augustus's eyes narrowed at their darkened eyes, but he let it pass thinking, it must be because of the pressure of the situation that their wolves had woken up.

Theodora was as speechless as everyone else. Even after marrying a werewolf and living between them for years, she had never seen this side of these creatures. Augustus though hot-headed had never let his wife witness the dark side of his wolf.

"Brother Ed-" The call died down in Elsie's throat as she passed into unconsciousness.