"Do you even know what you're saying?" There was light shuffling. "That woman will be nothing but your downfall. Even if I don't kill her, your father will, and if not him, your brother will. If not any of them, I pray she dies by your own two hands! You have so many enemies yet you dear bring a woman of unsuitable background here? Chose wisely. Think! Please take me instead. I will be good, I promise I can be the wom---" A gasp for breath cut off her words. Brittany heard huffing, a desperate hunt for breath before it suddenly fell completely silent once again.
Sweat pooled on her skin. Were they seriously fooling around right now?
She should not have eavesdropped. She should've left, but rather than that, she made her way over regardless, gripping the railing as she sucked in a breath of fresh air.
The breeze was cool against her skin. It was nice.
She told herself she would only take a moment to gather herself before returning downstairs.
"So what do you think?" Larson crept up behind her and ghosted her back, his presence sending a chill down her spine.
Brittany quickly stepped aside, cautiously putting distance between them. "Of what?" She tried not to take her eyes off him. "A-Are you going to stay here until Nathan comes back in?"
She wished he'd leave the room.
He moved forward, and only laughed when she stepped further away. His hands grasped the railing and he looked down, grinning. "Even after father told him not to, he still went ahead to do what he does best. I can't help but pity the poor woman. Her feelings were unrequited until the very end. Had it been my choice, I would've definitely chose her over you. No offence though."
Brittany's brows furrowed. "N-no offence taken." Though she dreaded witnessing a disgusting make-out session, she followed Larson's gaze.
But it wasn't as she thought.
Nathan, who stood by the potted flowers while brushing his clothes, was the first one she saw. Then her eyes caught sight of the body that laid behind, sprawled across the pavement. Her eyes widened. "D-Did she faint?"
"Ha! Faint, you say? You are far more innocent than I thought." Larson's eyes showed that he was amused, but there was something else, unpleasant and menacing. "It makes me wonder why father and that bitch welcome you with open arms. He must've reluctantly agreed to the marriage so I'm unsure why he feels the need to throw smiles at you. Even if my brother is infatuated with you, which is ridiculous I must say, you should be no more than the dirt beneath our feet regardless. Perhaps there is something that I do not know of? I do hate secrets. So shall we start with a look at that face you've been hiding?"
She eyed him warily, her hands flying up to grip her mask tightly. "I-Isn't Alpha Denzel like that with everyone? Its called acting, is it not? Hiding your true colors until you decide to set yourself free. A-Although…I have no idea why I deserve even that. I…I don't get how you peo---huh?" Her words ceased, just as a whiff of something dreadful drifted into her nostrils. She paused, sniffing the air.
Blood. That was definitely what she smelled.
Her eyes snapped down, this time examining Aliyah's unmoving form properly. Her back was turned to her, but she now noticed the red liquid that'd begun to pool under her.
She was hurt, or perhaps even dead.
-
-
The night of the party had passed, and now there was even more to slip onto the pile of things she remained clueless about. It turned out Aliyah, who was apparently a council member's daughter, had been brutally killed by Nathan. The party ended abruptly after that and it was at that point that murmurs spread through the pack house. The Alpha had rushed outside and the red-eyed woman gone like the wind.
He killed someone with power, and though they were a pack even the council had to think twice about messing with, she didn't know for certain whether they would get out of this unscathed or not. From the looks of it, Aliyah was a daddy's girl and probably even an only child. Yet there was not even a speck of remorse in Nathan's eyes while he stood there fixing and brushing his clothes. But when he caught a whiff of her scent and glanced up, that was the moment she saw an emotion flash across his face. It was so quick that she couldn't even tell what it was.
He turned away after that and despite his father's calls, demanding that he explained himself, Nathan made his way towards the forest. He didn't run like the fugitive she thought he had become, but he walked…slowly, gracefully. Not a soul went after him. Instead, his father only sucked on his teeth and began to spit orders at his subordinates. Apparently, they were going to move the body to no-man's land (unclaimed territory) and meticulously make it seem as if she was mauled by feral rogues before she arrived.
It was chaos…and Brittany didn't want any part in it. Amidst it all, she was taken back to Nathan's residence by Larson and surprisingly, he didn't mention having a look at her face again. She stayed silently at home, listening for anything out of the ordinary…whether day or night. The walls gave her a sense of security yet still it was suffocating. The more time she spent cooped up there, the more uneasy she became. It was even worse than when she first arrived.
It didn't take long to figure out what the problem was.
Nathan was nowhere to be found. And if he were to never return to the pack, what exactly would befall her? Death? Slavery?
Whether he killed that woman or not didn't matter. No, it mattered…just not as much as it should've. She felt safer with him than alone. His promises, the way he looked at her…Nathan had swallowed her mind just enough that deep down, she felt he wouldn't hurt her….not yet.
Her and Aliyah…he didn't look at them the same.
But since the party, she had not seen her supposed husband. Two days, yet it felt like a whole week. She listened for his footsteps whenever it got dark and watched the forest through the windows during the day. But he didn't not come. Would he ever?
"Should I set the table now?" Miss Wensley entered the dining room, her apron tied around her casual wear. She kept her head down.
She still came by and did her work without much talk. It was almost dark out now. She usually left at this time but for some reason, today, she was lingering.
Brittany shook her head as she stared down at the table. Her gaze remained transfixed on the phone Nathan had given her a while back. It was in the same spot they had left it, untouched. She had been contemplating whether to call him or not. He said he would always pick up, but what if he didn't? And if he did, what would she say?
"Then should I prepare some snacks for later?"
Brittany glanced at her, mustering a small smile. "I'm fine. Thank you."
"A-Alright then." She began to slip off her apron, seeming almost reluctant to leave. "Actually…h-how about I clean up the roo---"
The blaring of a tune broke their conversation. Brittany turned her head. In a moment, her heart seemed to thump even louder than the ringtone. Hesitantly, she peeked over, her fingers brushing the edge of the table.
She figured it was Nathan even before she saw the ridiculous caller ID: 'My dear Husband'