A MAZE OF GREED

Ruth cleared her throat to get Edwin's eyes back on her face. He gulped down but had no shame on his face. Ruth covered her chest with a half-length of the towel and resumed drying her hair.

"Where did you learn that melody?" Edwin asked after a brief pause.

Ruth took a shaky breath. "From someone, I know." She answered cryptically.

How was she going to explain that she heard that melody in her nightmares and her visit to the past with the help of a white feather?

Gerald used to hum or play that tune on his mouth organ for Theodora.

Edwin sensed that Ruth did not want to talk more about it, so he let it side.

"You do not like this place?" Ruth asked then.

Edwin would not have cared to answer that question because it was something very personal to him. He contemplated ignoring it, but then he got to know many personal things about Ruth. If he wanted her to accept him, then he had to give up on his seclusion.

"This is the second closest place to my heart." He said when she thought he would not.

Ruth glanced his way curiously.

"May I know why?"

Edwin smiled. It was a small one, but Ruth could see that it came from within him. "This is the place where my parents first met."

Ruth stared at him a moment longer, letting that information sink in her.

"Y-your parents? You mean Lord Walter and lady Margaret?" Ruth got these names from Elsie. Although she had not seen them, she held great respect for them.

Edwin nodded his head. Ruth had many questions regarding them, like why there were no pictures of them in 'the great manor'? Or why does nobody mention them? How do they die?

But Ruth decided to take baby steps. She could not just barge into his personal life. And no matter how strong her revenge was, she would not like to use his parents to get to him.

She knew how that felt very well!

So she decided to ask another question. "And which is the first place that is close to your heart?"

"The old building where I kept you after the attack."

Ruth bit the insides of her cheek. The memories she tried to clear up from her mind became prominent again.

"Why?"

"Do not you have many questions for that brain of yours?"

Ruth smiled. "I just like to know people."

"But you do not like when people try to know you!"

Ruth's smile vanished from her face. "I fear if I let them then they might take disadvantage of it." She said with certain emotions.

Ruth did not understand what was wrong with her. Why was it so difficult with this man? Why she could not focus only on her plan when he was in the picture? What was that kept her drawing to him?

She felt different with him. She was more of herself with him. He made her want to forget about the injustice and her revenge. He made her look at the positive in every situation. He motivated her for the better.

And that scared her. She had to remind herself that she could not get distracted from her revenge. That was the motto of her life. She had to do it for the sake of Bertha, Gerald and the years she had to suffer.

Little did she know that the only reason behind those questions was the mate bond. It keeps attracting her towards him in a very peculiar way.

Edwin was busy observing her as she was lost in her thoughts. Edwin could not stop himself from running his fingers on her bare neck. Ruth closed her eyes shut at his soft touch, her body went stiff.

"You should dry yourself now." He said.

Before they could say much, they heard the others coming their way. When Ruth opened her eyes, she was surprised to see Edwin back to his previous position and away from her.

The group dried themselves. After playing in the water for long, they were hungry now. Ida and Ruth opened the basket that was stuffed with various food items. There were cookies, sandwiches, fruits, salads, etc.

They began serving everyone dishes. But then a thought came to Ruth's mind. They had more than enough food with them. She picked a few items and went to the carriages.

Edwin was watching her curiously. His food was untouched on his plate.

"Henry..." Ruth called, and he walked to her.

"Yes, Miss Ruth? Do you need anything?"

"I brought some food for you two. You must be hungry too." Ruth smiled, looking at him and the other man.

"There is no need for this Miss Ruth." The servants were never offered food by the elites. All they were expected to do was work and be content with their given salary.

Edwin was proud of his mate. She was not only kind and sweet but was also a compassionate woman who thought of others before her.

Ruth finally convinced them to take the food. The other man began eating, but Ruth and Henry stayed back talking to each other.

Now, that Ruth lived in the servants quarters, her meetings with Henry had become occasional.

Ruth laughed loudly by throwing her head behind at something Henry said. Edwin narrowed his eyes in their direction.

His teeth grinded in irritation when he saw her touching Henry. Her hand rested on his arm and that made Edwin want to jump up in anger.

Lester noticed how uncomfortable Edwin was.

~"Calm down, tiger! They are just talking."~

Edwin ignored his friend's annoying voice in his head. Ruth again laughed and hit on Henry's chest playfully. The whole time they spoke with each other, Lester had to put his hand on Edwin's knee to keep him in check.

Rees, Elsie and Ida abruptly paused, feeling the anger radiating out of Edwin. They exchanged glances at each other, which did not go unnoticed by Thea.

"Excuse me werewolves, I am the human- now a part of your world too!" Thea cocked her brow in annoyance.

Rees signalled her to notice Edwin. Even as a human, Thea could see how angry Edwin looked. She facepalmed herself. Why? Ruth why?

After speaking with Henry, Ruth came back and sat in her place. She did not pay attention to the obvious tension in the group.

After eating food, they decided to play some more before they needed to return Vincardine before the early hours of the evening.

Lester stayed behind with Edwin as Rees and the women played. They ran, chasing each other and laughed goofily at their childish mistakes.

Edwin was still fuming in anger. If looks could kill, then Henry would have been six feet under the ground by now.

"Edwin... please calm down!"

Edwin made a disapproving sound at the back of his throat.

Lester sighed, looking at the others playing.

"You know that she did not do anything wrong," Lester said.

"Then did she really need to touch him Letser?" Edwin snapped.

"Edwin, she does not know that you are her mate. And as far as I see, she does not have any romantic feelings for you... yet. Though I have noticed changes after Eloise's fucked up plan. And I think you both will get there eventually.

Do not rush or force the process. Enjoy it, live every moment with her. The journey of falling in love is unexplainable and incomparable. It is just... amazing! It will make you self aware, it will result in a better version of yourself. Trust me!"

Edwin tsked. Lester made sense. But what should he do with his beast? It does not want any male- human or supernatural- around its mate. He wants her all of himself.

The day did not go as per Edwin's expectations. When there were moments he really liked, the afternoon was ruined for him after seeing Ruth and Henry's interaction.

Soon it was time to get back home. Everyone sat in the carriages as per the morning arrangement. This time, Ruth felt strange sitting beside Edwin. She could feel the warmth coming out of his body, but it was not comforting like usual. It was more disturbing than anything.

Ruth also noticed how Ida kept her mouth shut, except for occasional small smiles she passed her way that did not reach her eyes.

Was something wrong? Did something happen that she missed?

They reached 'the great manor' in the evening. Edwin was the first one who walked away in a hurry as if he was running from them. They unloaded the stuff they carried with them.

Thea and Rees left for their home as now, they had to pack their belongings before they shift into the servants quarters too. Lester and Elsie went to their respective chambers to get freshen up.

Ida and Ruth got busy with their daily work. It was late in the night when Ruth bid good night to Elsie and came out of her building. Instinctively, her eyes looked up at Edwin's building to see light coming out of his office chamber.

He was still awake.

Ruth had no energy left to work on her plan. She wanted to rush to her bed and sleep peacefully. But she knew if she wanted a peaceful sleep, then she had to see why he was in such a bad mood in the latter half of the day.

Something in her heart pushed her to walk on the way to his office chamber.

She knocked on the door hesitantly. Usually, she received some reply, but this time, it did not come. She asked the guard if Edwin was inside, and he said yes.

Then why he was not saying anything?

Ruth frowned and turned around to leave. If he did not want to meet her, then she also did not want to force him. Why should she be bothered by him so much?

She reached the ground floor of his building, lost in her thoughts when someone pulled her from behind. She gasped loudly at the impact of her back hitting the rock wall.

Her eyes adjusted with the dim light coming from the nearby torch. Ruth had to blink a couple of times to clear her misty vision. And when she looked up, she was met by dark eyes with a deep frown etched on the handsome face.

She opened her mouth to say something but the words remained stuck in her mouth when Edwin grabbed her chin forcefully.

"You want to know why I am so angry, don't you?"

How did he know?

Ruth was in shock.

"If I see you touching any man then trust me, Ruth... I will do something worse and will not feel sorry about it!"

And just like he came, he was gone before Ruth could react.. All she could do was clutch her chest with her hands and remind herself to breathe.