Opening her eyes tiredly, Oonagh jolted from the couch she was laying on when saw the least expected person inside her room. She remembered falling asleep with Moriarty beside her and not Caelin who was now sitting on the bed with a grave expression on his face.
Sitting upright, Oonagh adjusted her dress before sending angry glares towards Caelin who now has a smirk on the corner of his lips.
"What are you doing here? You're an eyesore," Oonagh grumbled out. "Where's Gael?" She asked to hear him chuckle sinisterly.
Caelin got up from the bed, moving towards Oonagh who was wary about his movement. She wasn't dumb to not know he was looking for another lie to put her in a tight spot in the manor.
"Don't come any closer," Oonagh said while moving backwards before rounding the couch to increase the gap between them. "I didn't forget what happened last time."
"I guess it left a very memorable impression of me. As for Gael…or Moriarty, he would be removed from this manor for causing a slight change."
Oonagh's face turned slightly pale at his words. Moriarty didn't do anything wrong. "But he did nothing wrong other than…"
".... bringing you to the woods and being attacked by werewolves," Caelin scoffed and shook his head. "Moriarty has been a bone on everyone's throat Oonagh, now he won't be here to cause anymore troubles."
"No! I'm going to tell Mrs Beckett how it happened, Moriarty was protecting me and everyone else as well. If he hadn't been out there, those werewolves would have attacked the manor instead," Oonagh said, trying to defend Moriarty from the allegations.
She was a few steps away from the door when Caelin suddenly blocked it with his tall frame. His eyes sparkling with an unknown glint which said otherwise.
"What are you doing?" She asked, a frown settling on her forehead.
"Stopping you from acting stupid because of someone who's dangerous."
"Moriarty is not dangerous, you all have been here for years yet no one could tell who he really is. Moriarty is the nicest person here…right here in this manor…"
"Says a whore," he smirked.
Oonagh's words stuck to her throat after hearing his remark. It was though wind rushed into her ears and her eyes sting.
"Get out of my way Caelin,"
"Or what?" He asked, approaching her like a predator ready to devour its prey.
It was a lie if Oonagh thought she was scared of him. He reeked of evil.
"Caelin, what are you doing here?" A voice echoed inside the hallway as heavy footsteps approached.
"Dear brother, what brought you to this part of the manor?" Caelin asked, looking away from Oonagh to his second brother.
"I think the question should be directed to yourself." He said between gritted teeth before looking over to Oonagh. Seeing the girl looking weak and hurt, he knew something was up.
"Where's Sullivan? Mrs Beckett asked him to fetch Moriarty,"said Caomham who didn't look away from his notorious brother.
"I'm right here if you ask. Listening is better than interfering," Sullivan replied before coming out from the pillar beside Oonagh's room. "Isn't it?"
"Caelin, you got everything wrong about Moriarty. He's nice and honorable compared to you, the tattle tale boy. He might be removed from the manor so you could easily fill in his spot but you won't be like him." Sullivan said, breaking his glare from Caelin. It was as if there was an invisible battle between the men.
"Oh…I almost forgot, he has taken a liking to Ms red hair, right Oonagh?" Sullivan then shifted his eyes to the girl who was shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
"Umm…well…"
"Anyways…he's a werewolf. Werewolf mark their boundaries well Caelin…especially when it comes to females. Caomham, let's get going, else Mrs Beckett asks us to scrub the stable," and with that, both men left the female corridor.
***
The midnight alarm filled the manor, the loud chiming almost made Oonagh miss her footsteps as she made her way towards the seventh room on the first floor. The hair on her body stood straight and the air turned suffocating.
It has been hours since she last saw Moriarty who wasn't present at dinner but news was still flying around about him leaving the next day.
Oonagh made the decision of meeting him at the last hour now resulting in her being in the men's corridor, alone.
Grabbing the door knob, footfalls echoed from the far end of the corridor and Oonagh quickly pushed the door open, rushing inside, only to collide with a hard body.
A small whimper left her lips before a large hand grabbed her waist, pulling her inside the room.
The click of the door, Oonagh exhaled before coming back to her senses.
"What are you doing here? It's dangerous, what if someone caught you?" Moriarty's voice filled her head as she stared at him in the dark.
Moriarty saw the look on her face and a small pout on her lips making a smile graze his lips after a whole day of solitary.
"How have you been Moriarty?" She asked. Her voice touched a soft spot inside him. Her eyes bored into his as he gazed at her.
His jaw hardened and he looked away. "You've heard about it, right?" He asked to see her nod without a word.
"I won't let that happen, you did nothing wrong Moriarty and I'm going to tell Mrs Beckett to take back her judgment…" she whispered.
Placing his thumb on the surface of her lips, Moriarty shook his head. "No, don't do it. Let fate take its course."
"Then I'm coming with you…"
"No," he interrupted her again. "Stay and make things right. You were brought here for a reason," he saw her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Come here," he pulled her into his embrace. Her soft body pressing into his as she inhales his manly scent. She was scared of being alone wi6no one to help her especially when Caelin was there.
"You're leaving for real?" Oonagh asked again.
"Yes, tomorrow at first light."
*
Lifting her small body from the couch, he gently placed her on the bed as though she was a piece of glass. Moriarty placed the blanket right above her waist before moving towards the window. He was confused about everything. His uncle challenges him and Mrs Beckett who always believe she's the right one and not to talk of Caelin.
Looking over his shoulder to the small figure on his bed, a part of him wanted to stay here but another part wanted to leave too. She just came into his life at the wrong time when he wanted a partner most.