A MAZE OF GREED

The clicking of the shoes against the white marble floor echoed in the corridor, drawing the attention of people. Lester marched towards the group gracefully even though his leg was hurting very much.

Not letting it appear on his face, Lester smiled at the bald man in the centre-Ripon.

"Fancy seeing you here, Mr Ripon." The man didn't miss the sarcasm in Lester's voice but smiled anyway.

"It is fancy seeing you here, Mr Lester Wright. Seems like you have developed affection towards the Vincardine."

Ripon's comment didn't go well with Lester. If only he could have that man's neck in his hands!

Clearing his throat, Augustus mediated between the two men, who were glaring at each other with fake smiles plastered on their faces.

"Now that everyone is here, I suggest that we should go to the meeting room. Theodora, please send some snacks for our guest."

He cast a meaningful glance in his wife's way. The wise woman caught the underlined meaning in it easily.

"Of course." She smiled.

She now had to take care that no news of the happenings in the manor leaked through the cracks. And she had to be alert to handle any situation.

Between these people was a man with sunflower blonde hair, waiting patiently. It was a pure coincidence that Douglas Morgan happened to be in 'the great manor' at the time of Ripon's arrival.

Even though he was done with the work with Augustus, after Ripon's arrival, he lingered behind to listen and see the things that he was not aware of. After Edwin's episode, Theodora was not only mentally disturbed but was busy taking care of her family. And that didn't give him a chance to go near her.

Even today, he was in 'the great manor' to see her and not Augustus. But he didn't get a chance to speak with her. He understood that Elsie's accident had something to do with Edwin, and now the scent of the blood sipping from Lester's leg made him more curious.

"This way, Mr Ripon." Lester directed the Council member towards the meeting room.

But before that Ripon turned to look at Douglas, who was ready to follow them without a bid.

"Mr Morgan, it was pleasure to meet you. I hope to see you soon. I would like to take your leave now."

Douglas stopped in his track at those words. Putting a tight smile on his face, he replied. "Of course, Mr Ripon. Next time allow us for your hospitality. Have a good day!"

He extended his hand, and Ripon accepted it to shake. Giving a nod, Ripon started walking behind Lester and by the side of Augustus.

Douglas clenched his fists till his knuckles turned white. That foolish man had mocked him as if he didn't belong to the elites. He was Douglas Morgan, and one day he would show his worth to all these idiots.

"Mr Morgan."

He turned to see Theodora and relaxed a bit. He had another target in his hand.

"Theod-"

"I think you should leave now, Mr Morgan."

"But I miss-"

"I have responsibilities towards my family and with the situation in the hand, we are not able to tend to our guests. It is better if you take your leave." She said with a straight face.

Douglas stared at her for a moment longer, then nodded his head.

Something was definitely wrong in 'the great manor'. He could feel it in its air. And the only way to get that inside information was Theodora.

His eyes roamed around to see if there were any onlookers. After making sure that they were alone and out of everyone's sight, he leaned closed to her ear.

His hot breath fanned against her skin, and the tiny hairs on her neck stood up in excitement. Douglas's strong perfume hit her senses, making her knees weak.

Her breaths became heavy and longer in his baffling proximity. In those moments, she forgot the plausibility of getting caught by someone. With her busy days, she had locked all her fervours with a lock of patience. But now that the key to that lock was so close to her, within her reach, the foundations of her resolve shook violently.

"I am looking forward to our next meeting Theodora. I promise I will squeeze everything out of you!"

With that said, Douglas walked away from there, leaving a breathing mess of Theodora behind, who was oblivious to the hidden meaning of his words.

*

*

*

The air in the meeting room was full of coiled tension. Ripon's sharp eyes observed the two faces keenly.

A thin layer of sweat broke on Lester's forehead. The pain in his leg had multiplied with the stress he had put onto it.

~"Lester, are you okay?"~ Augustus reached for him through the mind link.

Suppressing a hiss, Lester replied, not breaking his eye contact with the Council member.

~"Yes, Lord Augustus. Don't worry about me."~

Augustus didn't pester much because he had something to worry about more at that moment.

"I see that you don't like my presence, Lord Augustus." Ripon started.

Maintaining his passive face, Augustus replied truthfully. "If you had come some other time then I would have been glad to welcome you, Mr Ripon. But in this situation, your unexpected arrival has taken me by surprise."

Augustus was not a man believing in obscure talking. He was always straightforward, and his position allowed him to speak up his mind the way he wants.

Ripon smirked at his words. "You are right about that. I considered informing you beforehand but then I thought by this time, the O'Dells must have got accustomed to unexpected guests in their land, right?"

Augustus's lips twitched at the man's words. But this was not the time to put him in his place.

Leaving his question hanging in the air, Lester turned Ripon's attention to the issue at hand.

"Your visit must be for some purpose, I assume Mr Ripon."

"Of course, Lester. My time is valuable, and yet here I am sipping tea with you gentlemen. It must mean something."

"And what is it?" Augustus snapped impatiently.

"Before that, where is Edwin O'Dell?"

Ripon's question tensed the other two men. They shared a look, but Ripon's sharp eyes didn't miss the change in their demeanour.

"I hope there is not some problem, Lord Augustus." He inspected their reactions, but the human should have known that the opposite of him sat two werewolves.

These supernatural creatures had to take training of not only warfare, and controlling their animal in the academy at a young age. They were also taught to be not only astute predators but staunch defenders.

An attempt of gaining any clue from their behaviour was as useless as waiting for the rains in the mid-summer.

"No, Mr Ripon there is no problem." Lester managed to answer.

"Then where is he- the successor of the O'Dell legacy? He was the one who had asked for a time to investigate from the Chairman. In my opinion it is not wise to begin this meeting in his absence."

~"Now what, Lord Augustus?"~ Lester asked while sipping some water to buy some time till he hears from Augustus.

~"Just say yes to everything I say."~

"Edwin is not in the Vincardine at this moment. Our shipment to the west needed some attention, and he volunteered to go. It will take a week for him to return.

I suggest that we should not wait till then for discussing this urgent issue. Edwin will be informed in detail about the proceedings of this meeting. I hope you don't mind, Mr Ripon, or we can always postpone this meeting."

Augustus's voice held confidence that Lester was also surprised to hear.

But more than him, Ripon was confused at Augustus's words. He had done his research before coming to Vincardine, but he got no news of Edwin's sudden journey. How was that possible?

"Mr Ripon, you look bothered. Is there anything that you want to share with us?" Lester knew what he was talking about. That taunt was intentional.

Clearing his throat, Ripon dropped the topic of Edwin's presence.

"That's fine, Lord Augustus. Chairman wants to know where the investigation of the five deaths has led you. You were supposed to keep updating on the progress, Lord Augustus." Ripon's eyes held Augustus's grey eyes, unwaveringly.

Lord Augustus was not any other noble to be spoken like that. He was the O'Dell- father of Vincardine and the powerful ally of the royal family. Not even the King had crossed the line and treated him with the respect.

Just because of those five deaths, a low human, like Ripon dared to match his gaze. His wolf didn't like that challenge, but he was not Edwin to lose control.

"We have interrogated people living near the northern boundary of Vincardine. We have got some clues with our detailed investigation."

"What clues?"

Augustus smirked mentally, for he was waiting for this reaction from Ripon. Though Edwin was running his secret investigation, Augustus didn't sit back.

"You see, Mr Ripon. The clues we have gathered point to one fact that those deaths were not animal attacks."

"Hmm... I figured that much. What else?"

With a serious face, Augustus leaned forward while not breaking eye contact with the Council member. Lester was also surprised at his words. He had no idea what had happened with the investigation after he left for his home except whatever Rees had informed him in the letter.

But Rees had mentioned only about what he experienced in the woods and nothing much about what made Edwin's wolf come out.

"I don't think you would like to hear it, Mr Ripon, let alone believe it."

The intensity of Augustus piercing gaze and the weight of his words made Ripon gulp in nervousness. But the old wolf had his eyes set on his prey.