A MAZE OF GREED

Ruth went to bed a little earlier than every night. She covered herself with the blanket and soon drifted off to sleep.

Hours later, she turned her head to left and then right. Once peacefully slept, Ruth began tossing and turning around in sleep. She was again having another nightmare.

She was at someplace that was unclear in her dream. She looked happy as she stared up at the starry sky. The cool wind flew through her open air. The wide smile on her face lit up.

She turned around and saw a man- her man. Edwin also had a smile on his face, but it did not reach his eyes. He looked a little worried.

He began walking towards her. Ruth could feel her heart flipping in anticipation and joy. They were only a few steps away from each other when suddenly a shadow jumped on him out of nowhere, taking Edwin down with it.

And the fear that followed after that made Ruth's blood curdle in alarm.

Her eyes flew open, and she sat up with a shriek. Her loud gasps disrupted the silence of her home. Dabbing the sweat on her face and neck, Ruth kept replaying her dream.

And then a thought crossed her mind.

What if this dream also came to life like the dream of that kidnapped girl?

Coldness bit her from all sides even though she was sweating profusely. She wished that Mrs Payne was there with her to tell her that it was just a dream and she had nothing to worry about.

Ruth knew that sleep was long gone away from her. So, she got up from the bed and decided to go for a short walk within the premises of 'the great manor'.

This time she made sure to cover herself properly with a shawl. The night when she was playing in the rain and how her state awoken the beast of Edwin had taught her a good lesson. She would love to play with his beast again though.

Ruth blushed furiously at her mischievous thoughts then left her home. Coming down the building, she decided to let her legs take her anywhere they wanted.

She loved it like that. The open sky and the night air made her head a little lighter, soothed her tensed nerves.

Ruth was so lost in her thoughts that she did not realise when her feet took her near the border of the property. And when she came back to reality, dark and vast woods stood in front of her.

The woods.

That place had not a single good memory for her. And the two of them were the most painful ones. Looking at the woods, made a cold shiver run down her spine.

She was about to turn back, smacking herself mentally why she walked there. But froze at her spot when she saw some movement in the dark.

Ruth narrowed her eyes and took a step forward when she saw a shadow running between the trees. Panic kicked in as she got the confirmation that it was not a trick by her eyes. There was indeed something or someone lurking in the dark shadows.

She heard the rustling sounds coming from the same direction where that shadow had disappeared.

Her brain raised red flags, and Ruth broke into a run. She pulled her shawl tightly around her as she began running back towards home. But her curiosity knew no rational. She turned her head to look back, and that made her collide with a strong surface.

Before she lost her balance, the familiar strong arms encircled her waist to steady her.

She released a relieved breath at the sight of Edwin, frowning down at her.

"What are you-", Edwin's sentence remained incomplete.

Her lips were already on his, eating his unsaid words. Edwin was caught by surprise at first, but when he tasted her soft lips, he could not let the chance go to waste.

He kissed her with as much passion as she shared. The kiss that was meant to be just a short one turned into much more. But then Edwin was the one to break it first. They were standing in open, and that too sharing a kiss. If he did not stop right then, the next morning would rise with the most scandalous news of Vincardine's history.

Ruth made a disapproving noise, but then she understood.

"I am sorry! I... should not have... erm..." She stuttered while trying to hide her blush.

"That's okay." He whispered, still wanting to kiss her senseless.

They created a safe distance from each other.

"What are you doing here?" He asked his previously incomplete question.

Ruth tucked her hair behind her ear. "I... I could not sleep so came for a walk and... I saw something over there."

Edwin pursed his lips at the tremor in her voice. The shadow that frightened her was actually him. While coming back from the run, he got Ruth's scent, and thus he came to see what she was doing there.

While he came out of the woods, of course after shifting back to his human form, she saw his wolf's shadow moving around, and she got scared.

"Do not worry there is nothing." He told.

"Edwin, you haven't even moved your eyes in that way!" She grumbled.

"How can I move my eyes elsewhere when they have the most enchanting sight to see?!"

He said that with such a serious tone and with a straight face, that Ruth did not understand if she should be happy for receiving a compliment or doubt his words for the lack of expressions.

So she decided to choose the middle path- she sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Whatever! What are you doing here?" she came to the point.

"How can I get a sleep when my heart and soul is awake?!!"

Now that was ridiculous.

"Stop! What is all this about?" She crossed her hands with an annoyed look on her face.

"What?"

Oh God, this man!

"This! These old school romantic lines. What is up with them?"

And now he chose to blink his eyes dumbfoundedly. "You don't like them? But Elsie said you would and that was why I revised them all the day and-"

Ruth burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. She did not care of her bold laugh would wake up the whole Vincardine.

"What? What is so funny in it?" The tips of Edwin's ears turned pink along with the tip of his long nose.

Ruth shook her head, cooing sweetly. "Awww.... that was so adorable Cocoo!"

Edwin looked at her horrified. For a moment, he was speechless as she laughed till her cheeks hurt.

"H-how do you"

"Lady Elsie told me! Can you please sing me a song in your melodeous voice Cocoo? Please!"

Ruth did not know why Cocoo was Edwin's childhood nickname. Elsie only told her that Edwin was a terrible singer and used to sing in his broken high-pitched voice. People got so irritated with his habit of singing all day that they began calling him Cocoo sarcastically comparing him with the Cuckoo bird.

"Awww... look look. The Edwin O'dell is blushing huh!" Ruth gushed.

Her laughter faltered when the air hit her face, and the world spun around her. And when her vision steadied, she was pressed in the old building's backside wall with the blue-eyed monster looking down at her dangerously.

"This Cocoo can do much more for you just than singing, Ruth. Do you want him to show his skills my Luna?" He whispered dangerously, that beaten all her humour.

Their gazes clashed, and the sparks erupted. They could feel the air around them changing as it always did whenever they felt that spark- their mate pull.

Edwin was about to lean down and show her a demonstration of his skills when Lester popped out of nowhere and whistled loudly.

"Hush! Is it only me or the air here is indeed too hot?"

Ruth almost pushed Edwin back and jumped in fright at his voice. When their eyes met, Ruth instantly hid behind Edwin's huge frame.

But Edwin stood unwavering, raising his brow and throwing profanities through the mind link for Lester's bad timing.

Lester had a playful smile.

"This is a payback for that every chance you ruined for me and Elsie, brother! No offence!" Lester raised his hands in the air in surrender.

Edwin sighed. He and his doomed luck for having all idiots filled in his life except that one woman!

Pulling Ruth in front, he said, "You should go back home. I have alredy told you to not wander around especially in the night."

Ruth bit the inside of her cheek, nodding her head. "I am sorry!"

"That is fine. Come on let's get you back home."

The three of them walked towards the servants quarter when Edwin and Lester caught some noises coming from one of the buildings of 'the great manor's complex.

~"What is it?"~ Edwin asked.

~"Let's see"~ Lester replied.

Ruth got confused when they fastened their pace and in the opposite direction of where they had to head. She called their names while trying to cope with their fast pace.

As they neared the building, the commotion fell on Ruth's ears, and she understood why they changed their way suddenly.

They saw Rees running in their way with an alarmed look on his face.

"What is this chaos Rees? What happened?" Lester asked as soon as Rees entered in the earshot.

"Master, Lord Lester... the physician... he is.... he is dead!"