A MAZE OF GREED

That night Ruth could not help but speak with Mrs Payne. She thought she had found the way she wanted to walk on. Yet somewhere at the back of her mind, she questioned- was it right?

She needed someone to tell her that she was right. And who could be better than Mrs Payne to assure her?

"Mrs Payne, can we talk for a while?" She asked after dinner.

"Of course, dear. Do you need anything?" Mrs Payne asked, sitting beside Ruth on the bed.

Ruth turned to face her and pulled up her legs on the bed.

"Mrs Payne, I am very confused right now. I mean with everything that I got to know about my past and what I have been through recently."

Mrs Payne's face became serious. "I am sorry for everything Ruth. It all was very unfortunate."

She speculated what Ruth wanted to talk about. But she decided to let her lead their conversation.

"Yes. But what happened with my father and the little Ruth, and my mother... it was not only unfortunate but also unfair! I can not help but think about it over and over. Every time I think about it, my blood... boils in rage.

The unjust treatment we three got, we did not deserve it, Mrs Payne, did we?"

Mrs Payne searched in Ruth's eyes to see the traces of her old self. The one who might have broken into tears. But she did not see any. All she saw was a woman, who was enraged by the unfairness of fate and people.

"No Ruth. None of you deserved what you got. Sometimes we have to accept what fate serves us. The past can not be changed and, one should not try to change it either.

I believe that everything happens for a reason. What we can do is work in the present to change our future."

Ruth listened carefully. Perhaps she would get her answers even without asking questions.

"People like us live by our values. We do not bend or mend. We may break, but we do not change our values for anyone or anything.

But time is the only strength that can make us do just that. Every person needs to change according to time. If we do not, then it is our loss."

Ruth wanted to tell Mrs Payne the direction in which her mind was running, but she was struggling to find the right words.

As if sensing her dilemma, Mrs Payne said, "I am not telling you to change your values, Ruth. But with these changes in the direction of the wind, you need to mend your values according to time.

A thing might be wrong in your book but, it is the necessity of the situation. As I said, we can not change our past, but we can work in present to change our future."

Mrs Payne smiled softly, running her hand on Ruth's face tenderly. Her wrinkly skin felt little rough against Ruth's face, but that was the softest touch she had ever experienced. It made her worries vanish in thin air.

"Your past was not your choice, Ruth. Everything was predetermined and planned by others. You did not have any say in it. And that my dear, was unfair.

But what you now have and what you will have should be your choice. You should stop others from deciding your life. You are a strong-willed grown-up woman. You are smart and beautiful.

Because of your mother and grandfather's selfishness, you had to suffer a lot and sacrifice many things. But now, there is no one to stop you. You can achieve the sky if you decide."

"Mrs Payne..." Ruth was overwhelmed. She was not told this by anyone other than her mother, Bertha.

"What if I choose the wrong way? What if I regret it later? What if this journey changed me into someone else that I do not want?" Ruth finally spoke about her fears and uncertainties.

"Do you know what made your father different from others? What made him so special for me and your uncle Payne?"

Gerald's mention perked up Ruth's interest. Now that she was learning about him more, she was getting invested in him more. She could relate to him more, especially after seeing the true face of her biological mother.

She shook her head.

"He never had those doubts in mind. He always did what felt right at that moment. He never lived by others' rules and terms. He had his own world where he was his own King.

He never feared if he was doing wrong or right. He never cared what others thought about him, and trust me, not many people had a positive opinion about him. He lived by his terms and died on his terms.

He never let others decide his life. And that made Gerald Livingstone a rebel, a notorious man who broke the shackles of the world and the morals that kept him binding. He was like that eagle who liked to challenge nature and defy all the odds.

He was a survivor, an achiever. Everything he had his eyes set on, he achieved it by hook or by crook. For him, there were no boundaries to get what you desire. I hope you understand!"

Ruth's heart filled with profound respect for her father. He might be a thief, but he was someone she always envisioned her to be.

Now Ruth had no confusion in her mind. She had a target and, her mind was set on it. Yes! A new Ruth finally took a defined shape and was ready to bow the world in front of her.

She hugged Mrs Payne tightly with a smile of content on her face.

"Thank you! Thank you so much for being there for me every time. My life could not have been great without you. I love you!" She said with gratitude overflowing in her heart.

"I love you too Ruth! Your father, Bertha and uncle Payne loved you too!"

*

*

*

That night when Ruth was discovering her new self, in the meeting room of the old building, men huddled up together.

Edwin and Lester were waiting for Rees.

"Is Elsie alright now?" Edwin asked.

"She is holding up with your wolfsbane potion. But she needs to take a run tonight. I will take her in the woods after the meeting." Lester answered.

"Hmm. Just be careful and only take a run. Nothing else!" Edwin said in a hard tone.

"Yes, oh celibate saint!" Lester snorted sarcastically.

Edwin was about to retort back when Rees entered the room with the evidence box in his hand.

"Master, My Lord!"

Lester nodded and gestured for Rees to sit. Rees opened the evidence box and placed it in front of them.

"This is the sample of dry blood we found at the place where you two went." Rees said.

Edwin picked the leaf carefully. Observing the brownish-black stains on it carefully, he held it near his nose and sniffed.

"I do not recognise this smell. These are not my rogues." Edwin said.

Lester took the lead from him and sniffed it. His brows furrowed. He again sniffed it a couple of times.

"What happened Lester? Do you recognise this smell?"

Lester closed his eyes for some moments, trying to recall where he had smelled it before. The memory seemed a long ago, yet it was somewhere stuck in his head.

Edwin and Rees shared a look with each other.

Lester's eyes flew open wide.

"Lester?"

"Edwin... I know this smell." Lester sounded alarmed.

Edwin was instantly alert. "from where?"

"Do you remember the last time I went home?"

"Yes. Your mother was injured in a fight with some rogues."

"Yes! My mother managed to kill one of them but the other one escaped."

"So is it him?" Rees asked.

Lester gulped down while shaking his head. "This is not him. When my mother got injured in the fight, I and father were here in Vincardine. There was chaos that our Luna was injured.

My father was more worried about his wife and, thus I took the responsibility of maintaining order in our pack."

Edwin and Rees listened carefully.

"I went to the place where the fight happened. I inspected the area around and found a different scent that my mother and the guards did not catch at that time.

It was not far from where the fight happened but was enough far to see the fight and run if needed." Lester explained.

"That is... bad." Rees commented.

"No Rees. What is bad is when I took my father there, he recognised that scent. It was the scent of one of his spies, that was stationed in a faraway land. Father lost contact with him weeks prior to that incident.

He even thought that he died or was captured by the other party.. But no! Weeks after he last contacted my father, he came to the border of Bluemoon pack and yet did not try to contact his alpha or did not help his Luna when he could."