09. Emily's Lament
1261 Words
The young woman stood up from the chair, clenching her fists tightly. She wanted to speak, to say something, but no matter how much she wished to, she couldn't get a word out. She wasn't used to confronting people in that way, even if they deserved it. The only thing that came out of Emily's mouth was a strangled sob, followed by tears. To prevent the despicable man from seeing her cry, she covered her mouth and ran out of there, as she passed the butler. Mr. Campbell, who felt largely responsible for everything, turned to say something to the young woman, but Alexander, sitting calmly at the table, decided to finish his drink and commented:
"Let her stay here tonight," declared Alexander, and his smile showed that he found the situation amusing. It was evident that his idea of "fun" was warped.
"Your Majesty, you knew the food wasn't poisoned. You could have just refused it," intervened Campbell, whose tolerance for his king's personality sometimes wore thin, finding it repulsive at times.
"Why did you have her cook then? You know perfectly well that I don't even drink a glass of water from the hands of a stranger! And much less from an American whom none of us know!" exclaimed Alexander, throwing the empty whiskey glass at Campbell, who skillfully avoided the forceful attack.
"She should leave tomorrow! I don't want intruders smelling like a hunter in my domain!"
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. It's my fault." Campbell apologized with a bow.
"I'll call Jaime to clean this up."
Immediately, Alexander got up from his seat and began to strip off his clothes, a clear sign that he would transform.
"Where are you going, Your Majesty?"
"I'm going for a walk and a hunt, don't wait up for me. When I return tomorrow, I want that woman gone from here."
"Understood, Your Majesty," nodded Campbell as he watched his lord open the two doors that looked like gigantic windows on the terrace, then jump from that height, naked into the forest.
The blond man landed on his feet, as if the distance he had jumped was of no consequence, and he walked into the forest. He knew no one would be lurking around, as in his domain, entry was only granted by invitation from someone in his pack. The entire area was protected by a powerful lycanthropic barrier created by his ancestors, which prevented the entry of intruders. Although on a couple of occasions it had been breached in recent years by his own kind—traitorous wolves that both Alexander and those who remained preferred not to remember. Alexander had every reason to distrust even his own shadow and felt no remorse for his past actions.
The blond man continued into his forest without stopping, and as he moved forward, his body began to transform. He surrendered to the power that dominated him. He closed his eyes and exhaled, allowing the magic to flow from the depths of his being. His body trembled as his skin began to glow with a faint, ethereal silver light.
In an instant, his body shrank and contorted. His skin turned thick and snow-white, while a soft, radiant fur covered every inch of him. His hands and feet transformed into sturdy and strong paws, ready to run nimbly through the forest.
His jaw elongated and his snout took shape, revealing powerful and sharp fangs. His eyes glowed golden, shining like a pair of headlights. Alexander was now fully transformed into a wolf. In his wolf form, he was larger than a magnificent stallion.
However, thanks to his mastery of his power, he could modify his size at will, and at that moment he reduced himself to the size of a dog. Aware of his new form, Alexander elegantly wagged his imposing tail and released a melodious howl, filling the air with his wild majesty. He felt free and powerful, liberated from the shackles of his human form and fully connected to his wildest essence, the one many wished to eradicate from the face of the earth.
Meanwhile, Emily ran in despair. Her tears were not from sadness, but a mix of rage and frustration. She couldn't stop thinking about how that man had discarded all her effort, dismissing her food as insignificant. The worst part was the subtle smile on his lips afterward, as if he relished humiliating her with disdain.
"What a despicable man..." Emily murmured, tears streaming down her face as she covered it with her hands.
She was so absorbed in her tumultuous feelings and sobs that she didn't notice when she bumped into someone. Thomas held her firmly by both arms to prevent her from falling. For a moment, she felt as if she had crashed into a wall, but when she looked up and saw those strong hands holding her, she realized it was the dark-haired young man who was watching her with curiosity.
"Did the master refuse your food?" Thomas asked naturally.
Emily nodded sadly.
"He didn't eat it; he threw it on the floor like trash because he thought it was poisoned."
Thomas wasn't surprised at all and sighed before saying: "Don't cry over that. Your food was delicious, by the way."
Hearing that, Emily blinked in disbelief, astonished. "Have you already eaten?"
Thomas shrugged and nodded.
"We saw you taste the food while we were there—" the dark-haired man began to explain.
"We knew you didn't add anything, so Jaime and I helped ourselves. Don't tell Campbell.."
.
A hint of a smile timidly appeared on Emily's lips.
"Did you like it?"
"It was the most exquisite meat I've ever tasted." Thomas admitted sincerely.
Emily blushed slightly, though she then remembered that it wasn't them she was trying to impress. She wished she could hear that from Mr. Wolfsbone, not just his servants.
"But Mr. Wolfsbone distrusted me. He said terrible things," her voice broke as she said "I didn't pass the test, which means I didn't get the job." as she uttered those words, more tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand.
Thomas felt even more puzzled seeing her cry.
"Do you still want to stay here after what our master did to you?" the young man questioned, frowning and expressing his confusion.
Emily bit her lower lip and clutched the fabric of her skirt between her fingers.
"When I saw that ad, I thought all my problems would be solved." Emily explained, her voice breaking with tears.
"I was sure I would get that job. I made sure to get rid of the other newspaper, I tossed it into a furnace I came across on my way... the only person who would see that ad would be me, so I was determined to do whatever it took to get the job. I thought I could be a maid or a cook, something I'm good at. I would even be willing to be a governess. I was overconfident, she paused to let out a slight sob, while Thomas watched her attentively, noticing a certain beauty and tenderness about her.
"What are you doing here in London?";he asked, the first thing that popped into his head.
"Sorry for prying."
Emily looked up once more to see the dark-haired man. He was tall and sturdy, like the butler and Mr. Wolfsbone. She figured that's just how British men were.
"It's a long story." Emily replied as she looked away, avoiding giving details for the moment.
- Writer
