Chapter 18: I Am Finished!

At first, it was hardly noticeable. But looking closely at her, Dante could tell that she wasn’t awake. She was asleep despite doing all these.

While he was still in thought, Selene suddenly reached for him and grasped him. She flipped their position, trapping him beneath her. She sat above him and pressed her hands down on the sofa on either side of her head.

Her lips curled, eyes blank with no life and awareness.

"You just bullied me. I won’t tell my papa, though."

Dante furrowed his brows. "Selene, snap out of—"

"I will simply break your hands and your legs. But I will start with your hands." As she finished speaking, she took his hand and forcefully intended to break his wrist.

He was too shock-stricken before he snapped to his senses and gripped her by the nape of her neck. They struggled, and in the midst of it, her supporting hands slipped off the sofa material, and she fell flat atop him.

Head laid on his shoulder, she breathed into his neck.

Dante shivered at the warmth of her breath and immediately tried to push her off him. But just then, his body froze, a deep, painful grunt vibrating through his throat.

"AGRH!"

He shoved Selene off him and immediately hurried off the sofa. He grabbed at his neck, frantically rubbing at his mating spot. When he lowered his hand, his face squeezed heavily at the blood staining his palm.

The mating spot had split again. It was bleeding.

And he was confused.

He didn’t understand what was happening.

Turning around, he tried to storm away, but then he paused. He looked at Selene, who was no longer moving or talking. Once again, she was sleeping peacefully as if what had happened earlier had not occurred at all.

The longer he had his eyes on her, the more his mating spot stung. He bled even more as though a knife was cutting into the skin of his neck.

His head ached.

A migraine like he’d never experienced overcame him, and he staggered backwards.

Dante breathed shakily, blinking rapidly. His wolf was suddenly restless. It was as if it were fighting to crawl out of him. Black veins emerged in the white of his eyes, threatening to encompass and recolour them. His pupils grew thin, almost pin-sized. Veins popped at his neck. He taking heavy breaths, seeming to be losing control of himself to his wolf.

Let me out!

The voice grunted in his head.

Let me out, Dante!

"You bastard! You stay back, unless I let you!" Dante gritted out, crushing his teeth together.

This one time. Let me out this one time, Dante. That woman... That woman is mine!

"What the hell are you—AH FUCK!"

His mating spot stung harder. He stuttered back on his feet, turned around and quickly hurried out of the foyer, exiting the manor entirely.

He made his way to the pouring fountain, where he lowered himself with hands onto the sculpted concrete bottom. He stared into the water, at himself reflected by the bright half moon above.

"I think she makes me sick."

He rubbed his temple.

"Just what the hell is going on?!"

As he tried to calm down, ignoring the blood dripping down his neck, he reached into his pocket for his cigar stick. He lit it up, popped it in between his lips and took in a deep draw.

He blew out the smoke and tipped his head backwards, shutting his eyes.

"There is something about her. That woman..."

"...She is harmful to me."

——

Morning came quite quickly.

Selene walked out of her room.

She came into the foyer and paused, eyes shifting towards the door that led into the dining hall. She still wasn’t allowed in there.

Rolling her eyes, she walked over to the kitchen and went in. However, the scene she came to brought her to a stop.

On the floor, Ellenor sat, sobbing.

The other cooks ignored her, with a few throwing her pitiful looks every now and then.

Selene furrowed her brows.

She stared at her for a few long while before she walked past her towards the cooks. "I’m not allowed to dine in the dining hall, still."

"Ah, madam!"

"Madam!"

"Good morning, Madam!"

All of them lowered themselves, bowing.

"I’m hungry," she said with a smile.

One of them responded with a polite fearful smile, "M-madam, what would you like to have?"

"Hm..." Selene rubbed her jaw. "Chicken. Fried. And some pastries."

"That’s all?"

"Yes. I can’t dine properly after all," as she said, she turned to leave. But spotting Ellenor, who was still sobbing, propped up against the wall, she paused and took a deep breath.

"You." She walked over and squatted down in front of her. "Why are you crying?"

Ellenor shook her head.

"Speak. Tell me what the problem is."

She couldn’t understand why Selene would care to ask.

"You don’t want to speak?" Selen asked. "Well, alright." She stood up and tried to walk away.

But Ellenor desperately grabbed her leg and fell to her knees.

"Madam! Madam, please help me. Please help me."

Selene looked down at her. "Help you with what?"

"I know what I did." She began begging, "And I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I had no choice. She was going to hurt my family, all our families, if we didn’t cooperate."

The rest of the maids hurriedly nodded, agreeing.

"We really didn’t mean to, Madam."

"Yes. She threatened our families."

"We really had no other choice."

"Hm. So then what’s the problem now? I’m alive, you’re alive, everyone is good, no?" Selene asked.

Ellenor shook her head. "I’m being punished. I said her name. I told you the truth, and now I will be fired. Please help me."

"But how can I help you with that?"

"It may be temporary, but...but you are still the alpha’s wife. If you could...if you could speak to the alpha... Please, I can’t lose my job. My entire family is depending on me, Madam, and if I lose my job, they will starve. I’m begging you..."

"Does the alpha intend to fire you?" Selene inquired.

Ellenor slowly nodded. "Yes, Madam. She is the alpha’s mate, and anything she says, he will do for her. Please... help me."

Selene folded her arms. She stared at her for a long while and pulled her leg away. "Your problem isn’t my business. Why should I help someone who tried to kill me? I mean, you were being selfish, saving your family. If I hadn’t realised my food was poisoned, I would be dead by now. So, this is also me being selfish and unwilling to cater to someone who nearly killed me."

She left the kitchen.

Ellenor broke down in tears. "I’m finished. I am finished!"