A MAZE OF GREED

"Ruth... Ruth listen to me please!" Ruth heard Edwin's voice from behind as she picked up her pace.

"Ruth!"

He finally caught her by her elbow. Ruth paused. The image of Edwin and Florence hugging each other was prominent in her mind.

"Leave my hand!" She hissed in anger.

"Not until you listen to me." Edwin declared with finality.

Ruth turned around, shaking off Edwin's hand on hers.

"What is there to listen huh?"

She was too loud than his liking. He cautiously looked around.

"We should not talk here. Come with me."

"I am not going anywhere with you." Ruth told stubbornly.

Edwin's jaw ticked in annoyance. "Come with me willingly Ruth. You do not want me to throw you on my shoulder and walk through the crowded corridors. Now do you?" He raised his brow in challenge.

Ruth knew that he was not joking. He meant his words.

Helplessly she groaned in irritation but stomped ahead of him towards his office.

She had begun getting apprehensive of that place. Every time she went to that place, she was thrown at unexpected upside downs.

Ruth walked into his office. Edwin closed the door behind him. With them alone in those four walls, Ruth was more aware of his presence, his scent. Every little thing in there screamed his dominance.

That made Ruth feel weak. And she hated to surrender in front of him.

She gasped when she felt his hand on her shoulder, his breath fanned the side of her face for a split second before she jumped away from him.

"Say what you have to say but..." She showed him his palm. "Keep safe distance between us. Do not... touch me."

She knew she would fall into his trap if he invaded her private space. She was not sure why she was angry with him. Was it because of Florence, or was there some other reason that she herself was not aware of?

"Okay." Edwin hid his hands in his pant pockets.

"Why are you angry?" He asked.

"I am not angry!" Ruth said, turning her head to the side.

Edwin studied her. She had her brows furrowed, something was clearly bothering her. And this time, he knew what it might be.

Edwin took a step ahead, but Ruth took one back.

He pressed his lips in a displeased manner.

"Ruth stop acting like a child!" Edwin said frustratingly.

Her head snapped towards him. The look of unbelievableness in her eyes made him realise that he had messed up a big time.

He made a mental note for himself and his future generations- Never call your woman childish!

Ruth did not say anything and tried walking past him. She could not let him see how much his every word, his every action affected her.

Edwin quickly turned around and ran to obstruct her path. She stopped herself from colliding into his chest. She quickly stepped away from him, too afraid of his proximity.

Edwin sighed, gathering up himself. "I am sorry!"

"I should not have said that. Please forgive me!"

Ruth could not help but look up at him. She was taken aback by the genuineness on his face.

He indeed means that apology!

Edwin O'Dell was apologising to a woman for calling her childish! That was something rare!

Edwin waited for her to say something, but when she did not, he took that as a sign that she was staying to listen to him.

"Did you... did you see... me and.... Florence, I mean we-"

Ruth glared at him with her hazel eyes. "Yes, I saw you both close... very close to each other. And I also heard how she was there for you when you needed her the most!" Ruth spat in anger.

-"the times we have spent in each others arms will always remain in my heart. No one and I mean no one can ever take your place in my heart!"-

Ruth did not want to think about it. She did not want to imagine what they might have done together. Yet she kept doing just that and, felt disgusted afterwards.

-"I know that you were lonely then. You needed somebody to talk to, to be with you. And I am glad that you chose me for that."-

Why he has to run to her of all people? He could have stayed with Lady Elsie, Lord Lester or anyone else, then why her?

"You did not like it!"

She was broken from her train of thoughts by Edwin's firm voice.

"What? No! Why would I be angry?" Ruth took refuge behind the denial.

That was what she always had done when it came to the blue-eyed monster.

"Do not lie to me Ruth. I know you are angry because you did not like me and Florence together."

Was he laughing at her?

"Why would I be angry? Huh? I have already told you that you are nothing to me. Was not I clear then?" Ruth said with a deep frown.

All the humour drained away from Edwin's face.

"Why don't you ask that question to yourself, Ruth? Why don't you ask yourself why you are angry? Maybe then you will get the answer." Edwin said sternly.

Ruth scoffed. "I do not need to ask anything to myself. Because I know what I feel. If anything, you should be the one who needs to look inside you. I thought... I thought you have changed but, looks like I was totally wrong!

How a woman can trust you, a lying man?! I was right! You can not be loyal to one woman. Once a womanizer is always a womanizer! Nothing can change that. Nothing!"

"Ruth!" Edwin warned, his voice raised at her for the first time.

Ruth was startled by his outburst. He looked angry. And he indeed was angry. Edwin both in his human and wolf form was not used to anyone speaking in such a disrespectful manner.

Although many people did not like him, no one dared to insult him the way Ruth did.

Taking another step in Ruth's direction, Edwin crossed the distance between them. Coming face to face with her as she stood on her grounds, Edwin glared down at her.

His hands itched to hold her, yet he kept them fisted inside his pant pockets.

He leaned down, intimidating her. Ruth could feel his anger in some unexplainable way.

"And I thought we had made some progress here. But clearly, you are so blind that you can not see the obvious. You are lost in your own world of perceptions and insecurities. And I do not know what I should do more to break your walls.

But do you know what? I am not bothering you anymore. You can keep your perceptions with you, and I will keep my truth with me. It takes two hands for a clap, Miss Moore!"

Ruth was scared, not only because of his anger but the look in his darkened eyes.

Was he giving up on her? Was he pushing her away for once and all?

For some strange reason, Ruth was alarmed. She did not want that. Yet it was happening, and she could not do anything to stop it.

She parted her lips to say something. And Edwin waited to hear it with hope.

But no sound came from her mouth and, Edwin's hope died right in front of his eyes.

"You may go now!"

"Gladly!" Ruth muttered as she walked out of his office, fighting to hold back her tears.

What was happening? This was not in her plan. She thought he would beg her or try to make it up with her. But he did not. Was she too rude that hurt his feelings?

Well, did he have any feelings in the first place?

Edwin screamed loudly, pouring out the hurt his mate had inflicted on him. He was furious and utterly disappointed. He needed some way to vent it all out.

Using his supernatural speed he ran to the wall and punched it forcefully to hear the crackling sound. And no, it was not his knuckles breaking, but he made an ugly daint in the wall, breaking its outer plaster along with the inner hard rocks.

How could she say that he could not be loyal to a woman when he was loyal to her all this time?

He had not touched any woman. Hell, he even had not looked in any other woman's way than her. There were nights when his lust pushed him to the edge. His shaft throbbed dangerously in need.

He could not sleep as his body had a challenging time acclimating to this untried change.

Edwin pulled the brown piece of cloth out of his pocket. That was his only relief in those tough times. He refrained his mind from wandering to that forbidden territory of his past sexual adventures.

For him, his mate's mere smile made him feel like he was the luckiest man on the face of the earth.

To calm his nerves down, he searched for opportunities to touch her, to speak with her. He secretively watched her smile, heard her voice, smelled her clothes. Those simple things about her were enough to subside his lust.

Because he had realised that love is way more than just lust and to fall in love, you do not need to be physical with the other person. Love is a feeling that you have to live, feel, cherish and protect.

Finally, after wasting more than six decades of his life, Edwin had realised what love meant. For him, love meant RUTH!

And not only because she was his mate and he had to accept her. No!

He loved her for everything she had and everything she was. She.... had become his EVERYTHING!