A MAZE OF GREED

Augustus was restless. He had many things on his mind. But most important of all was his agitated wolf. His grey wolf came out after a long time, and now that he had tasted the freedom, he fought for more of it.

A pain shot in his gums, and his claws itched to grow more. He stumbled to get another glass of wolfsbane potion. He chugged it down then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Theodora did not bother him after their previous conversation. He had never kept anything secret from her. She knew his every deepest and darkest secret that some of them scared him. But she accepted all of them and supported him in his every action. She was his backbone!

His mind raced back to the time when he married Theodora. They met only once before the marriage, and it was a formal meeting in the presence of her parents and Augustus's father and Walter.

He distinctively remembered how ecstatic Margaret was for him. After Agatha's - his first wife's- death, she thought Augustus was growing lonely. Although it was rare to see the supernatural beings remarrying with someone who was not their mate, Augustus's father thought it was the best thing to do for the sake of Elsie and Eloise.

On their wedding night, when Augustus was leaving Theodora alone in their private chamber when they were supposed to be together, she stopped him and demanded an explanation of his actions.

She was not afraid of him. She did not care that he was an O'Dell. All she cared about was he did not have any right to humiliate her that way.

Maybe that was the first time, Augustus admired her courage. She was a strong-willed woman, and eventually, she proved her capabilities when Augustus unfolded his secrets one by one, and she accepted all of them without condescending to him.

But this time, he was not sure of what to tell her. How could he tell her that Edwin was living in disguise of an ignorant brat under the same roof as him? But in reality, he was mobilising resources, and turning the circumstances in his favour to claim what Augustus had always dreamed of.

Augustus groaned loudly as his headache grew some more. He could not just sit and wait for Edwin to challenge his authority publicly. He had to do something before that.

He thought some more, and only one name came to his mind. The person who was next to Theodora, in a cleaning mess for Augustus. He was not a trustworthy man but had always done whatever Augustus commanded in return for various favours.

Augustus had no option than offering one more reward to the shrewd man.

In the same afternoon, a carriage stopped in front of 'the great manor's doors. Augustus was informed of the arrival of the person he was waiting for.

While walking through the corridor of 'the great manor', his steps faltered. Was he hallucinating?

To confirm his doubt, he took a step back and saw a familiar face speaking with a maid. It had the same smile, same beauty and same eyes.

The man was not expecting to see that face in 'the great manor' out of all places. For nights he could not sleep peacefully, none of his days passed without thinking about that face.

Anger, lust and joy, all mixed together in a toxic concoction in his mind. When the woman began walking again, he followed her as discreetly as possible. Lost in her thoughts, she did not realise that a predator was following her.

Before she turned around the corner, she halted in her track. The hair on her back stood up in alarm, and she turned around swiftly. Before she could see the man's face, a hand covered her mouth and dragged her into the nearby room.

It felt familiar. Was it the blue-eyed monster? Ruth questioned as their last encounter resurfaced in her mind.

But, her hopes scattered all over the place and the blood in her heart got replaced by fear as she saw the face, she prayed not to see again.

"Nice to meet you again, beautiful!"

His thick voice was covered by lust, and so did his eyes. No voice came out of Ruth's throat as she stood there frozen due to shock.

It was worse than her every night's nightmares! Because she could wake up from those nightmares, but this was reality, and she had no escape from the clutches of this vile man.

He leaned down near her face and smiled wickedly. "This day could not be better than this. At last, I have you, where I wanted you!"

Ruth panicked. The last time she crossed her paths with this man was very unfortunate, and she escaped barely. But now in between the walls of 'the great manor', she did not know if her luck would play by her side.

Her eyes widened when she felt his hand on her waist, and he squeezed it. Tears streamed down her eyes as she struggled to fight with him.

"Mhhhh... mmmhhh..." She tried to move her head when his hand started moving upwards slowly. The sly smile on his face widened even more.

"If you make any sound then..."

The man's hand hovered near her bosoms. Ruth's eyes widened as she shook her head pleadingly.

"Good girl!" He was satisfied with her reaction. He slowly moved his hand from her mouth, and she obliged by not screaming.

"P-please, let me go. Please!" Those were the first words that came out of her mouth.

But the man in front of her had no mercy in his soul.

He smiled again. "How can I let you go when I have just found you again Miss Moore? I wonder what you are doing here in the maid uniform?"

Ruth took breaths through her mouth. "I... I am Lady Elsie's head maid."

The man looked surprised. This mere human was appointed as a head maid?

He did not care about it at all. He was happy that now he had another source of entertainment available at his will.

"Then we will meet frequently. Is not that delightful, Miss Ruth?"

Ruth did not answer and kept praying for someone to come and save her.

"Well... now that we have met after a long time, I think we should get more acquainted with each other. Do not you think so?" His eyes moved down to her parted lips.

He shamelessly licked his own as his pupils dilated with lust. Only thought of Ruth's lips on his made his member down hardened.

"P-please Mr Davies. I beg you!" Ruth cried more as the panic heightened.

Harold could have her right then and there, but what was fun in no chase? He wanted to satisfy his ego first. The way she escaped from his clutches the last time had daunted his ego.

And now that he knew he could have her anytime, he wanted to instinct that fear for him in her. That would work wonders when she would be at his service at his one command.

Was that not one of his ways to have any woman he liked?

Some could be lured, some could be bought, some could be manipulated, some did not need any of that to do what he wanted, and the others were scared.

"You really want to go, Miss Moore?" He asked.

Ruth held her breath and nodded her head.

"Okay. You can go!" He said simply.

Ruth could not believe his words. "Th-thank you!" She tried moving out of the cage of his arms when he stopped her by holding her shoulder tightly.

"Not so soon, Miss Moore! Not before you give me something in return."

Ruth's heart raced in fear. What would he ask from her?

She looked at him through blurry vision.

"Wh-what?"

Harold leaned near her face again and inhaled her scent that made his eyes close on their own accord. She was intoxicating!

"A promise of our next meeting!" He whispered in her ear.

Her skin crawled in disgust at his proximity. The idea of the next meeting set her heart in a worrying phase.

"Come on Miss Ruth! I am waiting to hear your answer."

Ruth wanted to disappear from there and never see this animal's face again. The only way to get her escape was to agree to his wish.

So she nodded her head.

Harold smiled again as he felt her moving her head in affirmation. He smiled satisfyingly and stepped back from her.

Suddenly she gasped for air as if she exited a suffocating chamber. Not wasting more time and looking again at him, Ruth ran from there till her legs hurt.

She did not know where she ran, which was the right direction and where she should go to keep herself safe. She let her legs carry her in random directions trusting their judgement as her head spun.

Thankfully it was afternoon, and people were probably busy eating, so she did not need to face anyone. Stopping in front of a door, she took another breath, and without thinking twice, she opened the door with force and ran inside to seek refuge.

Her teary eyes turned her vision hazy, and she was not in a state of thinking properly. She did what first came to her mind. She ran towards a mountain of muscles who stood up, shocked to see her state and unannounced arrival.

Not caring about anything else, she just threw herself at that touch mountain, for she believed there was a soft heart underneath that made her feel safe and like home.

"Miss Moore, Miss Moore what happened?" She heard that voice that was a soothing blow on her burns.

Before she replied, her vision turned dark, and it turned difficult for her to stand on her feet. She found her body and mind giving up, but the two hands that held her securely in them would never give up on her. Not even when the whole world forced them.

She knew it! She just knew it in her heart, so she let them take care of her and submitted to the darkness.