A MAZE OF GREED

The food was delicious and the night was pleasant. Mr and Mrs Green were the ones talking relentlessly through the dinner with occasional contributions by Edwin.

But Thea and Ruth were constantly on the verge of running out of the room. The palpable tension and uncomfortableness were overwhelming. They didn't miss a chance to look at each other through the corner of their eyes.

They were supporting each other to bear the night through their silent conversations.

Rees didn't spare a glance towards Thea since she sat beside him and that crushed poor woman's heart. She was expecting at least a glare or disappointed look from him but there was nothing.

Rees could feel Thea's body heat because of the closeness due to the small size of the table. That warmth always made him go insane, his wolf wished to touch her, pull her closer to him and nuzzle his nose in the crook of her neck.

But the hurt inside his heart was unbearable. He was in a very critical position for he couldn't hide that pain neither he could show it in front of Thea's parents. He was trying his best to control his beast that just wanted to grab and kiss her senseless.

The hurt in his heart and the cry of his soul went unheard when he tried to make Thea understand him but she didn't. He wanted her to trust him but she didn't. And the cost that he had to pay for hiding the truth was his life.

The pain of rejection by a mate of a werewolf was so absolute that it was like losing a part of themselves. There were examples in the history of their breed where the rejection led some of them to the way of destruction, either others' or their own.

He knew some of the examples where the werewolves went out of control losing their sanity and couldn't cope with the pain of rejection by their mates that they chose the simplest way of escaping the misery. Death!

Thinking about all this made Rees lose his mind but he couldn't let it all out. Not in front of Thea. He had no idea what the Moon Goddess had planned for him in the future but he couldn't hurt his mate.

Not anymore!

Edwin's eyes glanced in Rees's way and though Rees had disobeyed his order of keeping his mind link open throughout the night, Edwin didn't mind his action. He knew what a werewolf had to go through after the rejection and he felt sad for Rees.

His eyes caught the ductile metal of a spoon in Rees's hand. His fingers gripped the metal tightly to the point that it was bent in the middle. His jaw was clenched tightly and his body visibly shook in anger.

Edwin's brows scrunched in confusion but soon he realised the reason behind Rees's behaviour. Thea's shoulder had accidentally brushed with Rees's when she leaned ahead to get a plate of steak that her mother had prepared for Rees.

On her mother's insistence, Thea took the plate near to her and filled Rees's plate with the aromatic food.

"Shall I fill your plate more?" She asked slowly while stealing a glance at him. But he didn't turn his face in her way and just shook his head in no.

His indifferent behaviour stung her heart but gulping down her saliva and biting back the tears that threatened to fall, she only nodded her head then focused on her food.

Understanding what Rees might have been going through, Edwin put his hand on Rees's knee under the table to tell him that he was there for him. Rees was not only his personal bodyguard but had become his loyal companion just like Lester.

Rees's eyes snapped towards Edwin that held confusion and the concoction of emotions from which Edwin was aloof until a few days back.

~"Master! I ... I apologise for..."~

~"No need to apologise Rees. Just throw that spoon under the table before anyone notices."~

Rees looked at the spoon in his hand and his eyes widened in realisation. He was so lost in his misery that he didn't realise when he crushed the piece of metal using his strength.

Werewolves were the pinnacle of power but their human form was also stronger and powerful than the average human. He subtly there the spoon under the table making sure that no one noticed.

~"Thank you master!"~

Edwin might not feel Rees's pain but he could understand it very well now. And then his cerulean blue eyes darted towards the woman in front of her who was consciously avoiding lifting her head up from her plate.

"Edwin, do you mind me asking about your family? I mean who are there in your family?" Mrs Green asked.

With a gentle smile and polite tone, he replied. "I have some relatives but my parents died years ago after we left Vincardine to my grandparent's town."

"Ohh, I am sorry!" Mrs Green looked at Rees as if silently asking him if she had stepped onto the wrong territory but his passive face didn't answer her silent question.

Edwin smiled. "It's fine Mrs Green. It was a long time ago."

Ruth watched his face and for some reason, she thought that she saw a flicker of emotions in his bright eyes but he masked it immediately. As if he had sensed her thoughts, his eyes darted to capture her hazel ones.

Ruth wanted to look away from his eyes but it took her a lot of effort and time to do so.

Feeling a bit relieved after hearing Edwin's casual response, Mrs Green decided to continue on the path that she had in her mind. "Does that mean you are not married yet?"

"No, I am not."

"Any love interest or-"

"Mother! You can't ask such personal questions to anyone." Thea hissed.

"Oh come on, dear. I am just trying to know our Rees's best friend better. Is that okay with you, Edwin?"

"It's okay with me, Mrs Green. I don't mind it. And the answer to your previous question is I think I am developing interest in someone but I am not sure if it is love or not."

Ruth choked on the morsel of food that she was about to swallow as Edwin answered Mrs Green with his eyes trained straight at Ruth's face.

Her face burned in uneasiness and her hand immediately reached for a glass of water while she coughed loudly with teary eyes.

Rees's shoulder tensed hearing Edwin's response but he knew that any small reaction from him would not go unnoticed by his master. So he kept quiet.

Unaware of any of this, Mrs Green got excited for some reason.

"Our Ruth is also an orphan like you. At least you have relatives but she is all alone. But she is an independent and strong woman. I just pray that one day she will also find her perfect life partner the way Thea has done and make a happy future for her."

Mrs Green had moisture at the corner of her eyes and Ruth felt an overwhelming feeling spreading in her heart.

Mrs Green put her hand on Ruth's and patted it lightly. Her kind action formed a lump in Ruth's throat.

"She is a kind-hearted woman and deserves so much great in her life. She is like our daughter." Mr Green had a proud look in his eyes for Ruth and so did Thea.

Ruth looked at their faces and thanked the almighty that she got such caring and loving people whom she could call hers.

Rees gulped, a soft look in his eyes. "You are right, Mr Green. She deserves nothing less than best!"

Ruth's eyes turned towards Rees. She couldn't figure out him. He was insulting her in the morning and now he had a tender look on his face as if he meant every word he said.

Edwin was stunned. His focus was solely on the woman in front of him. Her round face had a charm of innocence and her rhythmically beating heart held so much pain and emptiness that he fought the urge to scoop up her in his arms.

He wanted to ask her everything about her life. He wanted to know what ups and downs she had gone to. He wanted her to share her every thought, every desire, every pain with him. He wanted to hear it all... every single detail that she was willing to share.

He wanted to hold her and tell her that now she was not alone and he was there for her.

But was he? Why should Ruth tell him anything persona;? Why should she trust him and rely upon him?

He didn't know!

The only thing he knew was that his wolf longed to feel her or touch her.

"Thank you, Mr and Mrs Green. Your words mean a lot to me." Ruth squeezed Mrs Green's hand gently trying to convey her love and respect for those strangers who had now turned as her family through that single action.