Chapter 181: The Alpha in Solitude

I told you to lie, didn’t I?

Beatrice could hear that voice echoing inside her head again and again. It’s like a lullaby straight out of a nightmare. It’s like Della was whispering into her ears.

She remained pressed to the corner, her eyes wide with terror and sweat soaking her body. Everything she looked up, the goddamn horse had changed positions again.

She stared at the door, wondering when the maids would get here. It’s been almost an hour...or a minute? She couldn’t tell anymore. The echo in her head was messing with her senses.

"Lady Beatrice..."

And now, she could hear someone calling her name from a distance. It didn’t sound like Della this time. Maybe it was another ghost. Maybe it was...

"My lady?!!" Someone called out a little more loudly, snapping her out of her state.

Beatrice blinked once, and standing in front of her were four maids, including Vera. They were all looking at her worriedly, sceptically. Wondering why the hell she was like this.

Beatrice quickly turned back to the doll, but it was gone. Then she pointed and looked at Vera again, "You saw it, didn’t you?" She pointed, the corners of her lips twitching on their own, "You saw the doll. The big one."

They didn’t say anything.

"It was right there!!!"

They all flinched.

"My lady," Vera stepped forward a little, shaking, "We are here to get you prepared for the wedding,"

"Ah, yes," Beatrice said, and then she stood up. Her feet were wobbly, and she stumbled forward a little, "Of course! Let’s get me prepared,"

.

.

.

IronRidge had a lot to prepare for before evening arrived. After all, tonight was the wedding between Lady Beatrice Barrett and Sir Emmett River.

The castle was very busy. Servants hurried up and down with the preparations. One could hear the headmaid spitting orders up and down so loud her throat could fail if she didn’t stop.

Didn’t stop her.

Evangeline had decided it was best she left everything for the servants to do themselves, before another thing would go wrong and all fingers would point at her.

The usual chatter between workers remained as they moved along the castle, but that morning, the whispers were a little...more.

"Did you see her this morning?"

"See her? I found her hiding behind the curtains." One of the maids who had attended to Beatrice replied.

"Again?"

"Again."

"Gods. I heard she was shaking so badly she couldn’t even hold her cup."

"She keeps saying that wooden horse is following her."

"A wooden horse?"

"That’s what she says."

"Maybe the poor woman has finally lost her mind."

"She’s always been crazy," Another whispered viciously and looked around to make sure no one was watching, "Haven’t you noticed how her eye twitches and her fingers fidget when no one is looking?"

"Really?"

"Yes, Crazy people never think they are crazy!"

"Keep your voice down!" Another maid hushed.

"Why? Is the doll listening?!"

They all snickered and continued on their way.

.

.

.

It’s been a while since anyone in Eclipse Crown last saw their Alpha.

Rowan has been in charge of almost everything. There have been whispers that the Alpha had locked himself up in a dungeon to punish himself, and some had claimed he had locked himself up inside his room.

Others? His study.

No one knew exactly where he was.

Only Rowan did.

And one of the rumours was right. He’d lock himself up somewhere. Up in his chambers.

Inside that room that still carried so many traces of her scent. The man was torturing himself every day.

Rowan always came to check up on him, but no matter how long he knocked or called out to Malachi for, the man never answered. The only sign that he was still alive in here was the slow heartbeat he picked up by placing his ears on the large doors.

Malachi had gone into solitude.

And this was even worse than what happened after Katherine had died. It was so much worse.

At least when Katherine had died, he was still available. He came out of his room and moved about and still acted as the leader. Now, he was seated in a corner of his bed with the pillow she once used pressed to his nose.

He hasn’t bathed.

Hadn’t eaten.

Hadn’t spoken.

Hadn’t moved.

He just sat there, motionless and hopeless in the dark of the room, looking nothing like the powerful man the world knew him to be.

Rowan stood outside his door again, one hand gripping the edge of his sword hung at his side. He didn’t even bother knocking this time. He simply placed his forehead on the door and sighed.

Then, he closed his eyes.

He was also grieving. If he had the choice, he also wanted to go into seclusion.

Annelise...was dead. And the thought enraged him every time. It weakened his every fibre of being and made him wolf howl just to let the pain out.

It’d taken more than just self-control not to have sliced off Selene’s throat that day. It’d taken will.

The will of knowing that she was going to get what was coming to her soon.

Then, he finally knocked once, "Alpha,"

Nothing.

He knocked again, harder this time, "Alpha, we need you. War is coming!"

Still, nothing.

He knew that would be the case.

There’s nothing he said now that he hadn’t said before, and yet the Alpha never moved.

Malachi believed this was his punishment.

To lose everything because he had lost her.

"Alpha, the people are asking about you. Rumours are surfacing fast. I don’t know how much longer I can stall. What if Leopold is named acting Alpha?"

More heavy silence.

Rowan sighed, then he straightened up and turned to leave. The moment he turned, cold air brushed against his face, and his eyes broadened for a moment.

He would have sworn...he just saw her.

Della.

But she was dead, wasn’t she?