Caius began to question Anna in subtle, calculated ways.
"Do you think Isabella's happy?" he asked one afternoon as they worked side by side in the garden.
Anna paused, wiping the sweat from her brow. "I hope so. She's so lucky to have you and everyone else care for her so much."
Caius's gaze hardened slightly. "But do you think she's truly comfortable? Around you, I mean."
The question caught Anna off guard. "Around me? Why wouldn't she be?"
He shrugged, his tone casual yet pointed. "I don't know. Maybe you come on a little strong sometimes. Not everyone handles that well."
"I… I've only ever wanted to help her," Anna stammered, her chest tightening.
"I know," Caius said, his voice softening into a feigned reassurance. "But maybe you don't realize how you come across."
From then on, Caius's tone toward Anna took on a patronizing edge, each word laced with veiled accusations.
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The Turning Point
The final crack in Caius's perception of Anna came during an afternoon in the study. Anna had been tasked with dusting the shelves while Isabella sketched by the window.
Anna hummed quietly as she worked, lost in her thoughts, when Isabella suddenly dropped her pencil with a soft gasp.
"Are you all right?" Caius asked, immediately at her side.
Isabella nodded but glanced at Anna, her expression wary. "I… I just felt a little overwhelmed, that's all."
Caius's gaze flickered toward Anna, who stood frozen with the duster in her hands. "Anna," he said slowly, "did you say something to Isabella?"
"What?" Anna's voice rose in confusion. "No, of course not! I was just—"
"It's fine," Isabella interrupted, her voice trembling. "I don't want to cause a scene."
"There's no scene to cause," Caius said firmly, his eyes narrowing at Anna. "If something's bothering Isabella, we should address it."
"Caius, I didn't do anything," Anna pleaded, her voice cracking. "You know I would never hurt her."
But Caius's expression was unreadable, his silence cutting deeper than any words.
From that moment of confrontation in the study, Caius's demeanor toward Anna grew colder. His once-warm smiles were gone, replaced by a hardened gaze that seemed to evaluate her every move. His commands, once softened by friendship, now carried an edge of authority that left no room for argument.
"Anna, go fetch more water for the plants," he would say, not even glancing her way as he spoke.
"Anna, Isabella needs her room tidied. Make sure it's done before dinner."
Anna obeyed without hesitation, her chest tightening with every curt instruction. She told herself he was just busy, that his responsibilities as a young duke weighed heavily on him. "He doesn't mean it," she whispered to herself. But deep down, she knew that the bond they had once shared was unraveling thread by thread.
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Caius the Wolf
The first time Anna saw Caius shapeshift, it left her breathless. It was early one morning, as she carried a heavy pail of water toward the garden. She heard a rustling in the distance, followed by the soft growl of a wolf. Startled, she froze, the pail slipping from her hands and spilling water onto the ground.
From behind the trees emerged Caius—not in his human form, but as a sleek black wolf. His amber eyes glowed with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. He stepped closer, his movements fluid and predatory, before shifting seamlessly back into his human form.
"You startled me," Anna said, her voice trembling as she knelt to retrieve the pail.
Caius didn't respond immediately. He dusted off his coat, his expression unreadable. "You're too jumpy," he said finally, his tone clipped. "You should pay more attention to your surroundings. What if it had been a real wolf?"
Anna nodded, shame flushing her cheeks. "I'll be more careful."
But that moment lingered in her mind, not because of Caius's admonishment, but because of the way he had looked at her in his wolf form—like a predator sizing up its prey.
Caius began to use his ability more frequently, though Anna could never quite tell if it was by accident or design. He would appear in his wolf form near the garden, watching her from the shadows as she worked. His glowing eyes unnerved her, though she convinced herself it was just Caius's way of keeping an eye on the estate.
One afternoon, as Anna struggled to carry a bundle of firewood to the kitchen, she caught sight of him again. He was perched on a rock in his wolf form, his gaze fixed on her as she stumbled under the weight of the load.
"Caius?" she called out, hoping for his help.
But he didn't move. He watched silently as she dropped the bundle, the heavy logs scattering across the ground. When she looked up again, he was gone.
Later that day, when Caius passed her in the hall, she summoned her courage to speak. "Were you in the garden earlier?"
He stopped, his amber eyes narrowing. "Why?"
"I thought I saw you," Anna said softly. "I… I could have used your help."
Caius shrugged, his tone dismissive. "You seemed to manage just fine on your own."
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Unbeknownst to Anna, Caius had begun using his wolf family's resources to protect Isabella. Late at night, under the cover of darkness, he would summon his family's knights—elite warriors who also bore the ability to shapeshift. Each of them had pledged loyalty to the wolf family, and by extension, to Isabella, whom Caius now viewed as the epitome of innocence and virtue.
"I want eyes on her at all times," Caius commanded one evening as he stood before the knights in his wolf form, his voice low and growling. "Isabella must never come to harm. Especially not from her."
The knights exchanged knowing glances but did not question his orders. They had all witnessed Isabella's kindness and beauty, her radiant smile, and her unwavering charm. They adored her just as much as Caius did, and they were eager to obey.
From then on, the knights patrolled the estate day and night, their presence subtle yet pervasive. They shadowed Isabella during her walks, ensuring her safety from any potential threats. They watched Anna with suspicion, noting her every movement, every action.
"She's feeding the chickens again," one knight reported to Caius. "The animals still seem restless around her. Do you think she's…"
"She's something," Caius replied darkly. "And I intend to find out what."
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Caius's interactions with Anna became colder still. He used his wolf form as an excuse to spend more time with Isabella, accompanying her on walks through the forest or standing guard outside her room at night. Isabella, always perceptive, noticed his increased protectiveness and rewarded him with warm smiles and soft words of gratitude.
"You're always looking out for me," she said one evening, placing a delicate hand on his arm. "I don't know what I would do without you."
Caius felt his heart swell at her words. He vowed to himself that he would never let anything harm her, especially not Anna.
Meanwhile, Anna continued to serve both Caius and Isabella without complaint, even as her body ached from the endless labor and her mysterious wounds throbbed with unrelenting pain. She noticed the way Caius's attention was always on Isabella now, the way he seemed to look through her as if she didn't exist.
One evening, as she carried a tray of tea to Isabella's room, she caught sight of Caius and Isabella sitting together by the fire. Caius was laughing, his wolfish grin lighting up his face as Isabella leaned closer, her hand resting lightly on his arm.
Anna's heart twisted in her chest, but she forced a smile as she set the tray down. "Tea's ready," she said softly.
"Thank you, Anna," Isabella said sweetly, her voice like honey. Caius didn't even look up.
As Anna left the room, she glanced back one last time. Caius was looking at Isabella with an expression she had never seen before—warmth, admiration, and something deeper.
The door closed behind her with a soft click, and Anna stood alone in the hallway, the ache in her chest threatening to consume her.
She was not prepared for what was about to happen later that night...