A MAZE OF GREED

After everyone paid their last respect to the departed soul, the priest chanted the last prayers. The casket was put into the pit, and the soil was thrown on it.

Ruth felt so many things at that moment, but her face refused to let them come on it. Edwin had never met Mr Payne in person, but during his stalking of Ruth, he had seen how beautiful their bond was- just like a father and daughter.

He could only imagine what Ruth was going through. Edwin waited to hide from the crowd. He saw people meeting and paying their condolences to Ruth.

He tried focusing only on her heartbeat, and it was crying in pain.

"Edwin, we should get back to 'the great manor'. Lord Augsutus must want to see you after this news." Lester said..

Edwin did not want to leave Ruth in that state. "Lester, please. I want to stay here some more. I am following every instruction of you. Please give me some more time."

Lester looked conflicted, but he understood Edwin. If it was Elsie in Ruth's place, then he would not have restrained himself from running to her. So he had to give that to Edwin.

"Okay. I am nearby. When you are done call me or go straight to 'the great manor'." Lester patted Edwin on his back then left.

Edwin sighed. He then turned to look at Ruth, but she was not in her place. Confused, Edwin's eyes searched for her, but he could not find her.

After minutes of a failed search, he saw Thea scanning her surroundings with worry. She must have sensed Ruth's absence.

"Ruth? Excuse me, have you seen Ruth?" Thea asked a group of ladies, and they shook their heads in response.

Ruth had disappeared. Edwin's heart raced. Where she can go? Edwin searched for Rees but saw him busy with the guards and other men. Edwin was about to contact him through the mind link, but before that, he noticed a man camouflaged in the crowd.

He looked familiar.

'Where have I seen him?' Edwin pondered for a couple of moments, and then the bulb went off in his head.

He was one of Augustus's trusted men. He must have sent him to pay close attention to the event. Edwin then studied every person's face in the crowd, and he located some spies amongst them.

Their suspicious behaviour did not go unnoticed by the black wolf's sharp eyes. This was not a good signal. Now Edwin could not call Rees or anyone and risk gaining any of the spies' attention.

That left him with only one choice. He needed to search Ruth on his own.

Without wasting a moment, he decided to follow his instincts, and using his supernatural speed, he reached the right place in no time.

He heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of his angel. She was right where he expected her to be -the place where Mr Payne's dead body was found.

The branches of the trees obstructed the sunlight from hitting the ground, creating a mesh of light and shadows. He was about to take a step ahead but held himself back.

Ruth stood for some minutes in her spot. Her eyes downcast at the place where Mr Payne's dead body was a few hours ago.

Edwin saw her hands shaking at her sides. Her shoulders shook too, and he did not need to guess that she was crying.

Feeling her knees turning weak, she fell to the ground. Her hands rested on the ground in front of her, her head bowed low as she let her tears made their way.

"Why?" it was a barely audible whisper, but Edwin heard it clearly with his werewolf power.

"Why?" Her voice became louder than before.

"Why? Mr Payne WHY? Why did you left without a goodbye? WHY?" This time she yelled at the top of her lungs.

All her frustration, her anger and misery mixed in her voice, cutting through the silence around and Edwin's heart.

"Why it had to be you, Mr Payne? Why did you come in the woods for some money? Why??"

Edwin could not see her face from where he stood, so he ran fast to a perfect spot from where he could see her clearly. The gusting wind failed to catch Ruth's attention that made it easy for Edwin.

Her bulbous tipped nose and cheeks were red. Her large eyes had lost all their sparkle. Her straight brows were kneaded at places. Her whole slim frame vibrated with the flow of her tears.

"You promised you would never leave me alone. You... you said I will always have your shoulder to rely on.

Do you know how worried I was when you fell ill? I spent nights and days working as much as I could to earn every penny so that I could buy your medicines and pay the physician's fees.

It was all worth it Mr Payne. It was all worth it when you first smiled at me after gaining consciousness. Tiredness ran away from me when I heard your voice calling my name.

I... I was... happy!"

The word happy felt weird to her tongue. Her unrhythmic breathing made it harder for her to continue, but she could not keep it all inside her. She needed to tell him how she felt. Or else she would remain broken for a long time.

"We planned to go for a lunch at 'the Baker's Delight'. You promised to accompany me to my mother's grave. You said you will walk me down the aisle at my wedding.

How could you forget all those promises, huh? Did you not think of me, or Mrs Payne even for a second? Were we not worthy of your time, Mr Payne?"

Ruth sobbed again. Wiping her nose with the sleeve of her dress, she remained silent for a minute.

She leaned forward and touched the ground with her shaky hand. Fresh tears kept flowing her hazel eyes as her lips quivered.

"Who did it to you?" She asked as if the soil would tell her the answer.

"I am scared, you know. I... I was enjoying with my friends when you were calling me for help. I had this strange feeling in my pit but I ignored it. If I had a slightest of idea that you needed me, then I would have come running miles for you. I would really have done that, Mr Payne."

Edwin watched the broken girl in front of him, grieving in pain away from the eyes of the world.

"I need you, Mr Payne. I need your shoulder to cry, your words of wisdom to guide me, your smiles to brighten my day. I need you with me. We promised togetherness and now the fate has me begging and pleading for your return when I know it is impossible."

Not able to watch her more, Edwin stepped out of his hiding spot. Ruth slowly lifted her gaze to see a pair of shoes than a man she had never expected to meet at this place and time in million years.

Her lips parted, and her eyes widened in shock. What was he doing here?

She expected him to laugh at her face, to make fun of how miserable she was. But he did none of that. Instead, to her surprise, he came to sit beside her on the ground.

Edwin could see question marks in her eyes. He noticed how she scooted away from him, keeping a safe distance between their bodies.

His heart sighed in bliss at their proximity. But he had to focus on the woman he was destined to be with, and not his erratic heart.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" She whispered in confusion, her guards were up.

"Does it matter?" He asked while offering her his handkerchief.

She looked at the object as if it was something unauspicious.

"Please take it, Miss Moore."

She looked up into his cerulean blue eyes and was taken aback by the depth of them. She had never seen his eyes up close. And now that she was very near to him, she could see the unfathomable depth in those orbs that pulled her towards them.

She hesitantly took the handkerchief from his hand and dabbed her face. Edwin did not say anything, only sat beside her silently.

"I am sorry for your loss. I wish it had not happened." He said softly.

"It was all my fault." She wept. "I was enjoying my time with my friends when he was..." She could not bring herself to say those words.

Edwin understood her, felt her.

"It was not your fault Miss Moore. If you are at guilt then so we are. We are responsible of protecting every person in Vincardine and yet we failed again. I know you do not have a reason to trust me, because I have given you none. But it is my word that I will bring the justice to these six innocent lives and their families. It is my promise to you!"

Ruth wanted to scoff at him. A man who had done nothing but put his family and people around him in trouble for his fun was promising her about bringing justice. She wanted to laugh at his face for saying that.

But at that moment, Ruth was clouded by her emotions that she could not find the strength of fighting with the man beside her.

Not knowing what to say, she stayed silent.

"Life is a twisted game Miss Moore. When you walk towards the ladder a snake comes out of the blue, and when you come to your senses you are already thrown at the bottom."

Ruth blinked back her tears. "You say that as if you know how it feels to lose someone you loved dearly." Her words were not sarcastic, but she believed it was all easy for him when he had not been through pain ever in his life.

But the truth was far from what she thought.