A MAZE OF GREED

Edwin spent some more time holding Ruth close to him. Before he got addicted to her touch, he freed himself gently from her hold.

She was breathing in a steady rhythm. The exhaustion and drain of energy called sleep for help. Edwin smiled then kissed her on the forehead.

Soon his smile disappeared as he reminded himself of an important task he needed to do. He was holding it in for a long but not anymore.

He exited the room and descended the stairs. As expected Lester, Elsie and Ida were waiting for him. They all huddled up after seeing him walking in their way. But the look on his face told them that something was definitely wrong.

"Brother Edwin..." Elsie tried but, Edwin ignored her and passed past her.

He did not spare a single glance to anyone and walked towards the door. The guard who was stationed there looked conflicted. However, he had no guts to get on his master's bad side. He hurriedly opened the metal door.

"Brother Edwin!" Elsie called his name again in alarm.

But he was already walking out of the door. Elsie looked at Lester, sensing a hurricane was about to come. The three of them ran behind Edwin, but he was too fast for them to catch.

Lester called his name, but Edwin did not stop. They could not use their werewolf speed when they were vulnerable to human eyes. Edwin was too fast, even in his human form.

No wonder his wolf completed the distance of miles in a short span of a few hours last night.

Entering 'the great manor, his feet took him in the right direction. A hunter knows where to find the hunt!

Edwin went on the terrace of that building. Lester was worried if Lord Augustus or Lady Theodora saw Edwin roaming in the manor like a raging bull.

Edwin's pace fastened and, he stretched his hand to grip a woman's hair so tightly that a loud scream pierced through the atmosphere, her eyes stung at his harsh tug. Pulling her by her hair, Edwin turned her around.

Before she could comprehend the situation, a hard slap set her cheek on fire.

"Edwin!" Lester yelled at the sight.

The three of them ran to stop him but, one deadly look from him, made them realise that it was useless. They froze on their spots, realising that they could be only mere spectators and nothing else.

Fannie tasted the metallic taste of blood at the corner of her mouth. Edwin's slap shook her whole world.

"How dare you?" Edwin growled.

He did not sound like Edwin. Instead, he sounded like an angry animal.

"M-ma-master?"

Another slap threw Fannie's head to the other side. Pulling her hair again, he made her look at him.

"How the fuck you dare to do that with Ruth? Tell me!"

Fannie's knees shook. All the colour drained out of her face. She looked like she was watching a ghost. But soon, she would realise that a ghost was better than this vicious beast.

"I... I d-do not kn-know anything a-about it." She stuttered.

The impact of slaps made her difficult to move her jaw.

Elsie and Ida exchanged panicked glances. In the supernatural world, men and women were on the same front. They had the same opportunities, rights and powers as well as punishments. They did not know showing mercy based on gender. All they cared about was what was right and what was wrong!

But the human world did not work that way. Where a woman was considered inferior in many aspects, she was also worshipped as a goddess. When she was considered weaker than men, she was also portrayed as the strongest person in the form of a mother.

How much more hypocritical humans could be?

Edwin was not considering the fact that Fannie was a human female and not a supernatural female. He needed to be gentle with her or, he might kill her with the way he was treating her like a ragged doll.

"Stop lying fannie! And tell me, what the hell was you doing in the woods where Ruth was?"

"Eloise?" Lester caught her scent before she sneaked out of there after watching Edwin's state.

Fannie had called her to meet here on the terrace and away from the eyes and ears of people. She wanted to ask Eloise how they were going to handle the situation. But before Eloise came, Fannie had already been Edwin's target.

Not having any other choice, Eloise stepped out of the shadows and stood with the three of them. The disappointment and anger she saw in Lester's eyes made her shy away from her gaze from him.

Fannie's heart fell at ease after seeing Eloise.

"Lady Eloise... Lady Eloise... please help me!" Fannie begged.

Eloise felt like passing out then and there, seeing Edwin so furious. She saw Fannie's broken lips and, dishevelled hair. He was out of control.

"I am asking you for the last time Fannie! Tell me or I will fucking kill you!" Edwin yelled. The nerves in his throat popped out with the pressure he exerted on them.

Fannie managed to get free of Edwin's hold. She ran directly to Eloise. Dropping at her feet, Fannie tried holding Eloise's hand, but the elder O'Dell sister flinched back from her touch.

Fannie cried and begged. "Lady Eloise, save me! Please!"

Edwin was too enraged and impatient. He was not in his right mind to think sanely. All he and his wolf knew was they smelled Fannie's scent in the woods and, hence she had something to do with what happened with Ruth.

He stalked towards her and pulled her up by the back of her dress. He pushed her hard and, she collided with the wall behind.

A loud scream left her throat as pain shot up in her body. Too enraged, Edwin walked to her and raised his fist aiming for her face.

Elsie screamed in horror. Ida held her sharing her emotions. Lester took a step ahead to run to Edwin. And Eloise... she felt like she was about to get hit instead of Fannie.

"I will tell the truth!" Fannie shrieked, clenching her eyes shut in horror.

Edwin changed his aim at the last moment and, his fist landed on the wall behind her. She heard a cracking sound but did not dare to see if it came from Edwin's broken fist or the broken wall.

A minute of silence passed. No one moved, no one made any sound. They even did not know that they had held their breaths all this time.

Edwin was the first one to move. He slowly drew his hand back. There was not any slightest pain on his face. Suddenly his face was as blank as a white canvas. His body although was still stiff like before.

He stepped back and, Fannie finally breathed. She slowly dared to open her eyes. She was shaking terribly. The others worried that she might faint after all this. But they also wanted to hear what she had to say.

"Speak!" Edwin commanded.

Fannie sobbed. Wiping her tears, she glanced at Eloise's way to see her glaring at her in a warning. Eloise subtly shook her head to stop her.

But nothing could stop Fannie from giving what the beast demanded. Nothing!

"I... I was not the o-only one i-involved i-in th-this."

Elsie's heart skipped a beat in fear. She saw Ida giving her a meaningful glance. She hoped against hope that Fannie would say against what she suspected.

But her hope was meant to be crushed.

"L-lAdy E-eloise... i-it was all her p-plan."

Edwin clenched his jaw. Because It was not only Elsie who hoped in vain.

"Sh-she does not l-like R-Ruth. She is n-not over their f-fight. When she got to kn-know that R-ruth supported L-Lady Elsie and L-Lord L-lester's relationship, she... she was furious at Ruth. And th-thus she decided to t-teach her a lesson."

Fannie spilt all the beans, not leaving anything behind. Of course, she played a victim card here, saying she was only following Eloise's orders.

After Fannie was done telling everything, Eloise knew she was done. But then again, she had to look at the bright side. She was Edwin's cousin, his family. He would not harm her. No way!

Why would he last out at her for the sake of a petty maid?

She had nothing to worry about. A couple of tears and an apology would save her from him. And then she would handle this betraying bitch!

"Ida, take her away from my eyes."

Ida scampered forward and dragged Fannie out of there.

"Please Young Master... please, forgive me! Young Master please!!!"

Edwin stood unfazed by Fannie's cries till they dulled in the air. His chest moved up and down as he inhaled and exhaled hot stormy breaths.

He could not confront his cousin in front of the servants. He was better than that. But now that the time was here, he did not know how to handle the situation.. He prayed to Moon Goddess to give him the right sense and thought to manoeuvre through this mess.