A MAZE OF GREED

Augustus was stunned. Those three rogues who he had kicked out of his pack years ago were, in fact working for Edwin?

He looked back into the past at the time when he punished them on various occasions. Now that he gave it a thought, he realised that they all were somehow related to Edwin.

Edwin was the one who complained about many of them. The others were punished for leaking the secrets of the pack or illegal dealings with other supernatural breeds.

Was that all Edwin's plan? Did so many people accepted willingly to leave their pack, and take the life of the rogue only to serve Edwin?

Augustus's head spun with those thoughts. It could not be true!

"Shocked?" Barret laughed a throaty laugh.

Composing himself, Augustus asked, "How is that relevant to this?"

Barret's smirk was wiped off. The humour on his face was replaced by anger. "That was not my plan."

"Garfields did it without your knowledge? But why?"

Barret shook his head. "It was not Garfield's, but only Darius Garfield. Ambrose and Aurora Garfield, along with the coven members did not want to aggravate the situation with Edwin O'Dell.

He had already wiped out their espionage network from the region except for Kinsville and its neighbouring areas. It was a great loss for them."

That came as another surprising information for Augustus. He realised at that moment how he was living in the dark. Edwin, all his life pretended to be an irresponsible and spoiled brat. But he was planning to take complete control as a leader of werewolves for years.

Augustus underestimated Walter's son! He should not have done that.

"But Darius Garfield is not agreed with their way. So he took it upon himself and killed three of Edwin's spies to get a reaction from him." Barret explained.

"Reaction? You know what it will be. It will start another war!"

The prophecy written in the Black book would come true, and Augustus did not want that. Not only because it would destroy kingdoms and may wipe off breeds, but also because he did not want Edwin to play his part in the war and rise as the saviour of the supernatural world, as mentioned in the prophecy.

Augustus would do anything to prevent Walter's son to reach that peak of greatness!

"That is exactly what Darius wants." Barret said.

Augustus frowned at that. Was that Vampire insane?

"I am not letting that war to begin." Augustus told with finality.

"No one wants another war, Lord Augustus. And that is why Mr Chairman is here to offer his alliance with you against the Garfields." Ripon assured.

A minute later, Augustus asked. "And what it holds for you Addington?"

Barret smirked. "Satisfaction! Besides if we stop this war, then the Crown will bestow more power on me. I will be the saviour of the human race."

"Fair enough. But it just gives me another reason to reject your proposal Addington!" Augustus smirked wickedly. After years of wait, he finally had Barret where he wanted him- at his mercy. He was not going to slip this opportunity of humiliating him so easily.

But little did Augustus know that Barret was in front of him not before doing his research. His eyes moved to Ripon, and the latter knew what was about to happen. Before he could stop Barret, his mouth was already spurting words towards Augustus.

"Lord Augustus, you did not ask what it hold for you."

Augustus passed a cursory look at him. "What are you saying? The war will be prohibited. What else I want?"

Barret leaned ahead while not wavering his gaze away from Augustus's. "Power!" He said dramatically.

Taking a deep breath, Augustus dismissed him. "I already have plenty of it."

"Is not that thrown in your lap as alms!"

Before anyone could understand, Augustus had left his chair to grab Barret by his throat.

Shocked, Ripon tried moving him away from Barret, but a human was no match for a warrior werewolf.

"Shut Up!" he growled, his wolf agitated by his words.

Instead of getting scared by watching Augustus's darkened eyes, Barret broke into a taunting laugh.

"You do not have choice of rejecting my proposal Agustus O'Dell. Oh, my bad... are you even O'Dell? Or was it someone else your mother-"

The words did not appear as Augustus slapped Barret across his face. His whole body trembled in fury. The worst of his fears started resurfacing. His claws were about to grow and rip open Barret's chest, but something burned the skin on his left arm.

The burn was not the normal one that was of fire. Instead, it was worst than that. The burnt smell of his skin hit his senses, and the pain escalated gradually, that making him release Barret.

Shocked, he looked at Ripon to find him holding a knife made up of silver. He then saw the wound on his arm. Ripon was cautious enough to only touch his skin with the knife and not cut it.

Augustus growled at him as he placed the knife between them as his defence shield from this creature.

"Lord Augustus, please! Calm down." Ripon tried.

The knife made him quiet, and he again sat on the chair. His skin was pained. The decades of wolfsbane consumption and the loss of his mate had made Augustus weaker over time. And that was what his weakness was.

Barret, who was infuriated now, was in no mood of letting it go.

"I was expecting better from you Augustus O'Dell. If it was Walter O'Dell in your place, then he would have embraced me, forgiving my past actions.

But you... you are nothing like him. I wonder why he entrusted you with all the authority and power till his son gets ready to accept it all?!" Barret's eyes blazed in anger as he yelled.

His eyes then turned malicious as he continued, "Walter O'Dell was a noble man. If only he knew what kind of betrayer you are, then he might have not trusted you with the legacy of his family, his breed and most importantly his son!"

"I am warning you for the last time, Addington!" Augustus growled again.

He was covered in sweat. All those taunts and longing for what was supposed to be his; echoed in his mind from his childhood. He did not know how Barret found out about it, but if he could then anyone could. What if everyone found it out?

No... no! He was an O'Dell! He was the rightful ruler and the one in charge of everything!

"What will happen if Edwin O'Dell gets to know about it?"

Augustus froze.

Barret walked to him, and leaning down to meet his eyes, he said, "You must accept my alliance and help me avenging my insult from the Garfields. And if you do not agree with it Lord Augustus, I will not hesitate to open the buried caskets."

Barret's words were cold, warning and menacing.

An hour had passed. Baret and Ripon were already on their way back to the Council headquarters. But Augustus was still in the same cottage and in the same position from the past hour.

This was the only pain that even his wife could not take away from him. The pain of his wound on the arm that was still bleeding; seemed nothing before what his heart was going through. His head was heavy with numerous thoughts.

Barret's threats had affected him in a way that he had never expected.

He could not trust Barret. He never did. He could not accept his alliance too. He had to end this at once. If Barret reached Edwin, then...

He did not want to walk in that direction. He would not let it happen. NEVER!

*

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Barret's carriage was moving with a constant speed through the forest. Although the meeting took longer than he thought, he considered it as his success.

Seeing Lord Augustus's humiliated and fear-stricken face was a bliss that could not be compared with anything else.

Ripon, on the other hand, was not impressed with the turn of events. He was anticipating a peaceful conversation that would result in something solid and strong. But nothing like that happened, and he wondered what Lord Augustus would do now.

The coachman pulled the reigns of the horses, resulting in abrupt halting of the carriage. The horse neighed loudly at the sudden impact. Ripon and Barret, who sat inside the carriage, balanced themselves.

"What happened?"

Ripon looked outside the window of the carriage at the dark surroundings. The sun had set behind the mountains a long time ago. The sky thundered, followed by the lightning.

The weather was turning bad.

Ripon then opened the small opening behind the coachman and asked, "What happened?"

The coachman did not answer first, then the men inside heard his confused voice. "I... I think I saw something, My Lord."

"What is it?"

"I... I do not know. Please allow me to see." The coachman asked.

"Okay. Hurry up! The weather is turning bad and soon it will start raining." Ripon said.

"Yes, My Lord!"

Ripon watched as the coachman jumped out of the carriage and onto the rough road. The small space did not allow much to see though.

No sooner than later, the heavy drops of rain fell on the face of the earth. Its voice was clearly audible against the silence of the night.

Barret inhaled deeply with a smile. "Hmm... I like the smell of soil when it starts raining."

Ripon only nodded. But a tension formed in the pit of his stomach as another thunder shook the sky.

"What is he doing? Ten minutes has passed." Ripon said in worry.

"Do not worry. He must be somewhere here. Let me go and see." Barret said, taking his stick from his side.

"No, Mr Chairman.. Please! You stay inside, and I will go and look for him."