Patricia's life flashed before her eyes as Calhoun's hand holding the sword came whooshing down. She shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the pain. Memories of her childhood, her first love, and her family flooded her mind.
As she opened her eyes, she realized that she was still alive. Calhoun had missed her by inches. She wasn't sure if he had intentionally missed her or if it was a mistake. Either way, she was more than grateful for it.
"Speak," Calhoun growled. She noticed that her hair had grown many inches shorter and Calhoun grabbed the cut part and raised it to her gaze. Patricia was more than stunned. Why did he cut her hair?
"I... I felt bad. She killed George." She stuttered. Calhoun raised his hands again and she began to speak even faster.
"I only wanted to make her sleep a little more. I didn't think it was going to be so lethal. It was given to me by my father-"
"Your late father." Calhoun corrected. Why did the people around him like to die and resurrect?
"Y... yes. He gave it to me while he was still alive." She explained.
Calhoun nodded. "Don't stop speaking lest I might happen to suddenly kill you."
"I... I just slipped a few drops into her water."
"Did she wake up before this time?" Calhoun asked. She was knocked out, how did she wake up and he didn't know?
"She had awoken and was trying to find a way to leave the chamber. She sent me to inform you that she had to come out, she wasn't okay with being locked in." Patricia explained.
"How then did you get my keys?"
"I've always had a spare since the time you fell ill, my king." She answered. "I just wanted to retaliate against her for killing George."
"George stabbed me." Calhoun announced, "he was a traitor. So even if she hadn't killed him, I would have done that after I woke up."
Patricia refused to believe. "My king, I know it's not in my place to ask for a bargain, but I'm pleading with you to spare my life. I didn't intend for things to get this far and I'm certain she's still alive."
Calhoun chuckled. "And if I refuse to spare your life?"
"Then... I will not speak any further. You can kill me and I'll die happy, certain that she won't be waking up as well. We shall all meet in hell, we have all sinned differently."
Calhoun bellowed for the first time in his life. He laughed so loud that the towners began to move backwards in fear. Calhoun was scary when he scowled but when he smiled, he was even scarier. Now he was laughing. Some began to feel pity for Patricia.
"How long shall your laughter remain, my king?" Patricia cried softly. "Spare my life and let me bring her back."
Calhoun turned to her with a sly smirk. "Unfortunately for you, I don't need you to bring her back. Unknowingly, you have told me everything I need to know."
"You don't know what and what drugs I slipped into the food." She protested.
Calhoun nodded. "Indeed."
"Then how can you save her?"
"I don't." Calhoun shrugged. "You think you can use anything to save yourself? You rescuing Diana is just a feeble attempt to ease your conscience."
"I have no conscience," Patricia argued.
"I don't have the time to delay this persecution. You even have the guts to bargain with me." Calhoun said. "Show is over, Patricia. You have been entertaining yourself."
"My king, please," Patricia begged. "Remember that night, the ki-"
"You dare to do that and I will pluck out your eyes before beheading you." Calhoun threatened.
Patricia began to feel the fear of death return again. She thought she could use her words to get away from this death but obviously, there was no escape for her. She lowered her gaze.
"Did I do wrong to love?" She whispered. "Right from my birth, I have been in the wrongest places."
"My family never told me the truth about who I came from. I was simply a wolf who couldn't wolf out in time. Lies, all lies!"
"I was the daughter of an unfaithful father and a human mother." She whispered. "my family loved me... Or that was how they wanted me to feel loved. But they did not love me-"
"They loved you, Tricia. It was just never enough for you." Calhoun said lowly. "And don't think that this is me being sympathetic, this is just me informing you of what and what you did wrong in this life."
"So when you resurrect or are taken to the next life, make sure you do better."
Patricia raised her head to him. So there was no salvation for her? Was he going to just slaughter her as if she meant nothing to him? Before she had another chance to speak, she felt the sharp blade cut through her neck and she felt just a little of the pain before the darkness.
Felix came up and stood beside Calhoun, he collected the blood-stained sword from him.
"My king... I... I never expected that you would kill her." Felix said. "I never expected that."
"I am Calhoun Montego, I am the Alpha king of the Wisteria pack. I fear nobody." Calhoun announced. "And I'm not a respecter of anyone too. So if you are going to stand against me, ensure that you can manage my wrath."
"My king, don't threaten them. They are already afraid-"
"It is important to instill fear in the hearts of the people, Evander. Otherwise, some fools will want to come up and fight for the likes of Patricia. This is to serve as a warning that if a member of your household is found a traitor, the entire family shall go in for it."
Evander and Felix shared a glance. Calhoun did not care about anything else. All he wanted was to be a better person for his family only too.
"Tell the people that we have a celebration. It's the thirteenth full moon of the year. The year is coming to an end already." Calhoun said. "The full moon is in four days. The werewolves shall gather for a secret meeting at that time and the day after, on the new moon, the rest of the towners can join us in the banquet."
"Yes my king, I shall explain that to them." Felix nodded.
"Do it in a way that will make them excited. Lest they appear in mournful wears." Calhoun said with distaste written all over him.
Once he was done, he decided to leave and return to the castle.
When he entered the castle, he was greeted by three servants. From the way they stood, he knew something was wrong. Without allowing them to speak, he hurried to his chamber.
Diana was sitting up and Coco was in her arms. Calhoun breathed in relief when he saw them awake.
"How do you feel?" He asked softly, walking over to where she sat.
Diana glared at him. "How do you think I would feel? You locked me in here and I was so cold! I wanted to grab a cup of hot tea and I couldn't leave. This place was freezing."
"Did Patricia come here?" Calhoun asked straightforwardly.
Diana nodded once. "She was my saving grace. I sent her to fetch you and she came with your keys. You couldn't even beat to spare me a few minutes of your time, your kingship is so important to you, right after getting what you-"
Calhoun leaned in and bit her chin. Diana swatted his face away as if he was a fly.
"You bratty king!" Diana yelled.
"Calm your ass!" Calhoun scolded. "Firstly, Patricia stole one of my keys when I was ill. She never came to me to inform me of your problem. She simply returned with the single key she had stolen all the while."
"Eh? How come she knows what and what exactly you would say if you were the one?" Diana asked.
"Because she works here? And she was the slave that served me personally after you had left."
"Yeah. I heard so many tales about you two." Diana said, glaring at him.
Calhoun rubbed his neck. "Darling, those were just played. I wasn't serious about it, trust me."
"Trust you?" Diana asked. "What is there to be trusting about you?"
"Oh come on," Calhoun exclaimed softly. "We have a child, Diana. You can't keep acting like he's older than you."
"So now I'm acting childish?" Diana demanded. "Well forgive me, the man I loved did not care that much about me and while I kept myself for him, he was busy getting some actions from other girls."
"Diana." Calhoun sighed. "I don't think you want this. I don't think you want me. Maybe you should leave."
"What?" Diana asked, scowling.
"You heard me," Calhoun said, getting up from the place he sat. "Everything I do, you complain. Did you also forget that you're the one who upped and left? Did you forget that I sacrificed so much to try and get you back?
And that even after I found you, I tried to not come after you because I wanted you to heal first?"
"You're being selfish if all you want is for me to always fall over you, confessing my love over and over again."
"Yes, I kissed Patricia. But did she tell you that I called her by your name? Did she tell you that she hit on me severally? You were never even brave to smile at me the way she did. But I never fell for her because I loved you."
"Loved?"
"Gosh, see what I'm talking about!" Calhoun exclaimed. "I loved you, Diana. I love you, I have always loved you and I will always love you."
"But that is not enough, is it?" He asked. He turned away from her. "If you don't love me, it's fine. You can return to where you came from. You can go with Coco too if that's what you want. I wouldn't want to force you to be with me."
"There's a banquet in four days, it will last for two days. If you feel like it, you can attend it. That is all I would ask of you, to attend it. If you want to leave, you can go after then."
After speaking, he left. Diana was in shock at his complaint. Was he alright at all? She was the one who was hurt! She was the one who was supposed to say all those things to him. She was the one who was supposed to give him time to make things right and she was the one who was supposed to say she would leave.
He even dared to tell her to return to wherever she had come from. Was he so rude? But why did she feel as if he was right, somewhere?
"Coco, your father hates us." She whispered. "We have to go."
The boy was silent and not smiling at all. His face held somberness as if he knew what his parents were going through.
Calhoun didn't know if what he did was okay or not. His chest hurt and his breathing felt restrained. He couldn't understand the hold which Diana had on him. Usually, he enjoyed it, but the fact that she now made it look like he was forcing her, he had to let go.
The three servants were still outside, waiting for him. Why were they still there? Wasn't it because Diana was up? Wasn't that what he wanted to say?
"What's the matter? Why are you three standing here like mannequins? Can't you move?"
"My king." The first one spoke, stepping out. "There's something you have to see."
"Where?"
They looked at each other. "Come with us."