A MAZE OF GREED

Ruth tossed and turned in her mattress, but sleep had turned her back to her. Her body ached after working relentlessly at Mr Cooper's shop and doing house chores.

She yawned till her eyes watered and her jaw could not open wider, turned to her left and smiled watching Zoe sleeping peacefully.

Ruth still had no idea how her leg got injured, but she was happy that it had recovered faster than she had expected.

After staring at the roof that had cracks and its paint chipped off at a place, Ruth gave on the attempt of sleeping. She opened the window and looked outside, the cold night air blasted on her face.

The window in her room opened to the road, but this window opened to a row of tiny houses and ahead of them was another apartment building just like the one she lived in.

With no obstructions, she could see the stary sky. Her eyes caught some movement below her floor. She squinted her eyes to see in the dark..

It was someone's blue bedsheet they had forgotten on the rope where people usually dried their washed clothes. The bedsheet moved along the wind's direction.

She stared at that blue thing only to get reminded of another blue thing- a pair of cerulean blue eyes.

Her mind wandered back to her conversation with Thea and then with Mrs Payne. If Mrs Payne was right, then Ruth had to accept Rees's suggestion of working in 'the great manor'.

The job could have made her happy. But she prioritised her responsibilities, and now she had to struggle even more if not less for every day till she was relieved of one of those numerous responsibilities or would get another golden offer like that.

She asked her heart if she regretted her decision, and the answer was no. She did not.

She would spend her life working in Mr Cooper's shop than enduring that blue-eyed monster's slow torture every day.

"I hate him!" She whispered to remind herself.

But why?

Her mind asked.

She was confused in her mind tonight. Why it had to think about him only now?

She sighed. She had nothing to do anyway. Then why not ponder over that question so she could have a fierce argument the next time her friends defend him?

"Hmm... let me think why I hate him?" She mumbled inaudibly. She did not want Mrs Payne to get disturbed in her sleep.

She raised her first finger to count the reasons.

One- he was a womanizer and could not be loyal to one woman. Period!

Two- He was a chauvinistic man.

Three- He was an egotistic, ill-mannered and bad-mouthed person.

Four- He was too proud of his privileges and had achieved nothing on his own.

Five- he underestimates the others and walks all over them whenever he pleased.

Six- he is a flirty man, who could not keep away from the opposite gender for a long time.

Wait... was not it implied in the first point? She thought but then shrugged her shoulders.

By the time her mind came up with a pile of reasons why she hated Edwin, her fingers fell short for counting them.

But she was satisfied. She was not wrong in hating him. He deserved it. His friends were indebted to him and were only trying to find a sliver of good in his evilness and thus defend him.

"They will realise soon who he really is. And then I will say- I told you- to them." Ruth smiled in content.

Her mind was clearer than before; invited her to sleep. She yawned again and crawled back into her mattress.

Now that she knew she was right about that despicable man, she had nothing to think and worry about. Ruth slept the remaining night peacefully, waiting for a new day the next morning.

*

*

*

"Lester... Lester?"

"huh?" Lester was broken from his train of thoughts by Edwin's voice.

"Are you alright?"

Lester, still getting back the sense of reality, nodded absentmindedly.

"You look lost, my friend." Edwin did not give up.

Lester ran his hands over his face. "you will not get upset if I tell you that it is your cousin?"

Edwin pressed his lips in a thin line. But nodded, prompting Lester to say what bothered him.

Rees was also present there and thought that he should give the two friends some privacy. Moon Goddess only knew what private matter they would discuss.

He excused himself and went to the end of the room to fill the glasses of the wolfsbane potion. His heart did not become heavy while pouring Edwin's glass the way it used to a few days ago.

"Edwin, Elsie is... behaving differently." Lester finally said when he found the appropriate words for expressing his feelings.

Edwin relaxed back in his seat and crossed his legs in front of him.

"And how is that?"

"She... she is not the same old Elsie- timid, nervous, stuttering and gullible."

Edwin studied his friend through narrowed eyes. "Is not that something you should feel good about?"

Lester shook his head, figuring out how he could explain his friend.

"No... I mean yes! I am happy that she is finally changing and has found her voice."

"Then I do not see any problem in that, unless you want a submissive mate for yourself." Edwin's voice darkened with a threat, though his face remained unchanged.

Lester frowned. "If you want to intimidate me and play a role of protective big brother, then i do not want to continue this discussion."

Edwin exhaled through his nose then leaned forward a little.

"Do you think I have not noticed the minor and subtle changes in her? She is more outspoken, demanding, authoritative and determined than she was ever before.

Of course, I know! But I do not find it strange, Lester. I always knew she had that confidence in her, she only needed to trust herself a little more."

Lester listened to his friend carefully. Unlike any other brother, Edwin was not defending his cousin only because he loved her or they were family.

Edwin was too rude and practical for that to do. He was only telling the truth that he felt was right.

"Elsie has been raised in a very secured environment. And as the youngest one was cherished and spoiled by everyone. But she never took disadvantage of her privileges, and I am proud of her for that.

But, that over secured environment kept her aloof from the harsh reality of the world outside the four walls of 'the great manor'. She always had someone to rely upon- her father or me.

But when she saw me at my worst... she took it upon herself to do something for me. And I think that was what made her realise her strengths. We all know how bold and confident her wolf is.

It was bound to happen, Lester. You or I, we can not expect her to always live in a shell. She is your mate. She is supposed to be the Luna of the Bluemoon pack. She needs to learn a lot of things before that.

Do not you agree?"

Lester sat mulling over it. Maybe Edwin was right, and Lester needed to accept the change in his mate.

He should have brought Elsie along with him when she asked him to come for this meeting. But how could he when he knew what they were going to discuss in this meeting?

It was good that she was changing for the better, but he could not stand her getting hurt or uncomfortable in any way.

Rees had tried his best to not listen to their conversation, but he could not help with his werewolf hearing abilities. No matter how much he kept his mind busy with other thoughts, he still picked on their conversation.

"Are you done with preparing the drinks, Rees?" Edwin called after him.

"Yes, Master." He put the three glasses in a tray and walked to the two men waiting for him patiently. He served the drinks to his lords, then sat in his chair and took the last glass for himself.

After taking a couple of sips, Edwin broke the silence.

"What is the situation in Vincardine now?"

Rees put his glass down on the table and answered. "Many families have sent us their apology and has cleared that their intentions were not wrong. They sent their spies to Vincardine only to confirm the rumours about the disappearance of the werewolf leader.

And now that their doubts were cleared by us, and our leader is back, they have called their spies back."

Edwin nodded his head. He could have just killed all of them for daring to step on his territory without his permission, but he needed allies. He understood the concern of other supernatural families.

They had hopes from him. He was not only his race's saviour but was also a torch of hope for other supernaturals when the darkness would try to overpower the light.

"Have you told them that Vincardine will not tolerate the same mistake again?"

"Yes, Master. I have already warned them on your behalf. But..."

"But what?" Lester asked.

He had also written to allies and old friends of the Bluemoon pack in support of Edwin.

"My Lord, there are some spies in Vincardine that are not called back to their towns." Rees informed.

"WHAT? Who dares to do that?" Edwin put his glass on the table with a force that made some of the rufous coloured liquid spills on the surface of the table.

Rees answered his question only to see his Master taking deep breaths with closed eyes for a couple of moments.

And when he opened them, they glinted dangerously. The animal in him had awoken after a long sleep!