His Silent Temptation

Chapter 12 - Just You And Me

S e l e n e

—

Malore once asked me if I chose to not speak or if I simply couldn’t. When I was eight and he was eighteen, he’d carry me on his shoulders with amusement. He’d hear my loud laughter, listen to my bellowing for him to charge forward like a horse, and mused at my joy. He was once a close family friend, someone my father treated like his own brother.

Yet, when I was ten, Malore murdered my father. When I was twelve, he rendered me mute through a sin too unforgivable. I had a tongue. I had a set of lungs. I had my throat in tact. Not a single scar across my neck. I was supplied with everything needed to voice my thoughts, yet it was an impossible task.

The second I opened my mouth, it was almost as if I had forgotten how to make a noise. When I parted my lips, I would always freeze, my tongue unable to move on its own accord.

Being mute was a psychological wound, not a physical one. And lord knows a physical wound would always heal.

“Ah, there you are,” Chester said, opening the door and popping his head inside, startling me.

I stared at him in disbelief, wondering how he was able to unlock the door without my awareness. Chester glanced into the room, wondering if anyone was around. Then, he stepped inside with a tray of food.

“You know you’re nothing like his type,” Chester commented whilst grabbing the wheelchair handle with one hand and balancing the dinner on the next. He wheeled me to the other end of the room, his eyes flickering to the fallen books.

I swallowed hard, not sure if Chester was on my side, or just pretending to do so. He stopped me curtly in front of a vanity where he placed the food down.

“Nor are you mine,” Chester continued, whilst gesturing for me to dig in. “No wonder I am your personal bodyguard.”

Chester snorted at the thought with a roll of his eyes whilst dramatically placing a hand to his chest, feigning offense. “Can you believe that? Me, his third in command.”

I wondered what happened to his temperament from downstairs. Chester pulled out the backless chair from underneath the vanity whilst urging me to eat.

I hesitatingly glanced at the books, but had no evidence of the abuse. Pressing my lips together, I knew no one would believe me.

“Killian left earlier,” Chester said, as if that’d affect anything. But the mere mention of the man awakened a sense of fear within me. Just what was I thinking running into the unknown?

“To deal with our grandfather,” Chester muttered. “I reckon he won’t be back for at least half a week… which means you’re trapped with me until then.”

I slowly blinked whilst playing with the food. His attention flickered to my hand.

“Don’t worry,” Chester reassured in a humored voice. His mood changed faster than I could blink. “Everything is nut-proof.”

Then, almost amused by his own joke, Chester burst out laughing. I flinched back, not at all prepared for the loud noise. He paused, glancing at me like I was crazy.

“My bad,” Chester muttered, leaning back in his seat, only to nearly fall backward. He hurriedly grabbed onto the edge of the seat, his lips twisted in a boyish grin.

“You didn’t see that,” Chester instructed me, his voice laced with amusement whilst jutting a finger at me.

I wryly glanced at him, wondering which mental hospital he escaped out of. As funny as he was at slapstick comedy, I was still unnerved around him. What were his intentions?

“Killian made sure all nuts, but our balls are banned in the house,” Chester snickered, rubbing his nose, proud of his own joke.

This boy must think he was hilarious. Poor thing. To humor him, I cracked a smile, but it came out like a grimace. He simply blinked.

Chester opened his mouth for a moment, but stopped as his phone buzzed in his pocket. Instantly, he pulled out the device, his eyes lighting up. He shot to his feet, quick to pick it up.

“You’re home alone?” Chester teased. “For how long?”

I slowly blinked, wondering who could’ve made him this happy. If he was half-transformed as a wolf, I could practically see his tail wagging with joy.

“A whole week?” Chester exasperated. “Of course, I’ll be there!” But then, he paused and glanced at me with a frown. “Oh wait, I’m occupied.”

I naively titled my head. Was I in the way of his mission? Not wanting to be a burden, I made a shooing gesture with my hand.

“Well, I can’t just leave you alone,” Chester scoffed at my action. “You must be with a bodyguard at all times.”

I blinked. Says who?

“Hold up,” Chester said into his phone. “I’ll text you.”

Then, Chester strolled to the doors, and poked his head out from left and right, almost searching for someone.

“Hey, you!” Chester called out. “Yeah, you!”

Chester made a dramatic wave and a man hurried over. Even through the cracks of his door, I saw his buffness. I swallowed, wondering who it could be.

“Name and rank,” Chester stated.

“Sir, my name is Leo and I’m one of the newly promoted butlers,” the mysterious man responded.

“You’re built more like a pack soldier than a butler,” Chester sneered with suspicion, bending his head out to sniff the air, searching for an unfamiliar scent.

“I used to work in the kitchen,” Leo stated. “Hauling and butchering the pork, I—”

“You smell like one of us,” Chester stated in approval. “Anyways, I want you to stand guard out here. Make sure no one is to enter and leave the room.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll be back soon, watch over her well,” Chester commanded, straightening and hanging up his phone.

“I’ll guard her with my life, sir,” the supposed butler responded.

“You better,” Chester loosely said, his cheery voice suddenly becoming eerily composed. “Or else it won’t be just me coming after you.”

Even I felt a chill crawl down my spine. The next thing I knew, Chester left the room, most likely heading to his next mission. I don’t blame him. Third in command was an important position and who was I to hinder him?

Moments after Chester left, I continued to play with the food, despite my grumbling stomach. After my initial allergy reaction, I was beginning to trust this place much less.

Lost in my thought, I jumped when the doors suddenly opened again. I spun around, wondering who it could be, but it was just the man who spoke to Chester earlier. The second I got a good look at him, I was scared. When he closed the door behind him, my instincts screamed for me to run.

“Hi there,” Leo was eerily happy to see me, but the glint in his eyes implied otherwise.

I pressed myself closer to the vanity, hoping to create distance between us.

Leo was tall and muscular with arms that seemed to bench trees for a warm-up. If he were to swing at me, I’d be flying across the room. A worthy Thornov werewolf, perhaps, but something about his black stare frightened me. I felt a strange sense of familiarity as if I had seen him before.

I know him from somewhere, but where?

“It’s been a while, Miss Selene. I reckon you don’t recognize me?” Leo asked, taking a step closer with a restrained expression. He strolled towards me, sending my heart racing.

I hurriedly turned the wheels to run off, but it was too late. He had me cornered.

“Killian and Chester won’t return for a while,” Leo said. “He has matters to deal with.”

Killian and Chester.

This man was not one of Thornov Pack’s men. He worked for someone else. I wasn’t an i***t. I immediately knew whose side he was on.

“And no one comes to his wing without permission,” Leo murmured. “So it’s just you and me now.”

My blood froze. My heart stopped.

“It’s just you and me now…” Leo repeated, revealing the most sickening smile I could ever imagine.

I was screwed.