The Cursed Wolf King's Human Mate

Rumours and black eye

It has been two days already. Geneva couldn't help but miss Shaye, Kennedy, Devon, and even Giselle. She didn't know why but she felt she belonged there. The mamsion felt like home. But she couldn't say the same for her real home. Her parents were good. Her mother didn't want her to be lazy, so she appoints chores for her to do while her brother is outside, playing with his friends. Geneva liked to do work, and when she wasn't working, she was reading. She would definitely ask Shaye what some words mean because those words were too difficult for her, she had never heard of them in her life. Well, how could she? She was always cleaning, arranging, and learning to cook. In these two days, she didn't even get to go outside. She looked outside as she dried the green cup in her hand with a towel. She watched the sun at its peek, she watched people walking, running, and stopping for something to eat in the small hut in front of her house, where they sell breads, cheese, biscuits and herbal tea. They say, the seller has magical hands. He blends different types of tea, which can heal, make someone look younger, cleanse, give strength, give a glimpse of future, and other things, too. She watched two kids kicking a brown ball with their feet. She watched the girls making a house out of mud, watched the women whispering and giggling, watched a boy with ginger hair stomping towards her house. Wait.. That's Toman, her brother. Toman burst in through the door, turning everyone's attention towards him. His bruised eye, and slit chin was enough proof that her brother was in a fight. Toman stomped to the chair, and flopped on it. " What happened, Tom? " Geneva's mother, Lorna asked. " Nothing. " He grunted. Lorna gasped as she noticed the bruises ok her son's face. " My poor boy, who hurt you? " Lorna ran to her son. These engaings made Lorna's husband, Eyan rush out of his room cause he couldn't focus on his painting. " What is going on? " His voice rattled the cutleries in their house. His eyes first noticed his son, then his bruised eyes, and lastly his slit chin. Eyan's face contorted. His jaws ticked, and his eyebrows scrunched. " What happened to you? " He asked, stomping to his son. Toman didn't back down. " Some pucker hit me in the face. " He answered, grinding his teeth. " " And you didn't hit back? " Eyan asked. Geneva's brows knitted as she glanced towards her father. He wants Toman to hit someone? Shouldn't he teach him how to get out of a fight? Instead he is teaching him how to hit someone else? Shouldn't Eyan be angry at his son? But Eyan was only angry at the person who hit his sonson" I couldn't hit back. " Toman said as he picked at his mud stained shirt. And this infuriated Eyan more than seeing his son in the injured form. " What? Why? " Eyan shouted. Toman's eyes flew towards Geneva. He glared at her before he answered his father. " I said some things about my sister. " Toman spat the word 'sister'. " So, some pf the wolf boys hit me." Toman added. " What?" Eyan snapped. Before he could say anything more, Lorna looped her arm with his tight one. Geneva couldn't hear anything her mother said to her father as Lorna was whispering in a low voice. But it did help calm her father. Eyan's shoulders relaxed and he rolled them back. Toman was still glaring at his sister when Lorna stepped aside. " That someone did right. " Lorna said. Toman's eyes snapped towards his mother and his brows furrowed. " Yes. You deserve punishment for saying things about your sister." Eyan said in a calming voice. Toman looked from his mother to his father, and he couldn't understand why they were judging him. " You will be cleaning the windows, and floors." Lorna said. " Yes. And you wouldn't be allowed to go outside for two days. " Eyan said, making Tomam huff, and grunt something under his breath. " Go to your room, young man. " Lorna said in her authorative tone. Toman stomped to his room not before glaring at Geneva some more. Lorna smiled at Geneva, and went back to cooking while Eyan just went to his room to focus on his painting. Geneva was taken aback by Toman's explanation. Why would some wolf boys beat him just because he insulted her? " Geneva dear, hurry up. Lunch time is near. " Lorna called her daughter. " Yes mother. " Geneva answered and went back to washing and drying the plates and cups.

Toman didn't come down to have lunch with his family. He didn't even come down for dinner. Eyan and Lorna noticed Geneva's discomfort. They exchanged some glances, and Eyan cleared his throat, which made Geneva come back to food, and reality. She poked some peas, and pretended to eat while the potatoes, and the mackerel was still uneaten on her plate. The fish reminded her of Shaye, and his mansion. So, she was better off not eating. " Honey, why aren't you eating? Isn't the fish well cooked? " Eyan asked, to which e got silent glare form his wife. He threw an apologetic look, and waited for Geneva to answer his question. " No. It's good. I just... " Geneva shrugged a shoulder. " I know, dear. You are hurt because of your brother's behavior, Aren't you? " Lorna said as the fork softly clattered with the plate. Geneva was quiet. " He missed you when you weren't here. And the laste time, you didn't even say goodbye to him. So, he is just mad at you. He'll be fine after couple of days. " Lorna said. " Why didnt i say goodbye? What happens that night? " Geneva asked her parents. " Well, you heard us talking about sending Toman away. We had a fight. And you ran outside to do something about it. " Eyan explained. " Why are you thinking about sending Toman away? " Geneva frowned. Eyan glanced at Lorna, who shifted in her seat. Geneva looked at her mother then at her father. " What are you guys not telling me? " She asked. " Well,... " " We shouldn't. " Lorna stopped Eyan by squeezing his hand. " What? You shouldn't tell me what? " Geneva asked. " We can't keep the truth any longer from her. Toman knows about this too. " Eyan said, making Lorna sigh. " What are you guys hiding from me? " Geneva asked as her frown deepened. " Ummm. We are having financial problems, sweet heart. " Lorna said. Geneva's eyes widened. " What? You should have told me. I can work and earn money. " Geneva said. Lorna shook her head. "You don't have to do that. You're just eighteen years old. You have a future. It is our responsibility to give you a bright future. " Lorna said. " But... " " No buts. I still have my hands and legs. You're nit working, my dear. It is your time to find out what you love. You need to decide in which lath you want to go. Not work your as$ off to feed us. " Eyan said with a strict tone. Geneva couldn't argue with her parents after that. So, instead she said, " But you can't send Toman away. " " No. We aren't doing that anymore. We have found a way. " Lorna smiled. " What? Tell me. Maybe I can help. " Geneva said, as her eyes sparkled. Lorna glanced at Eyan, who nodded. " You can, actually. Your father's important buyer is coming tomorrow night. The man was mesmerized by your father's paintings before. So, he wanted your father to paint something for him. The man would pay thousands of charins for one painting." Geneva gasped as she heard that. Thousands of charins is huge money. They can build a new house with it, Geneva can buy thousands of thousands of books, and Toman wouldn't have to go away from the house to the Wolflings House, a home which is for children's or teenagers to stay without giving any money to the house. The Wolf King runs the house for the unfortunates, so that the parents who can't raise their kids can come to meet with them and don't have to give their kids up for adoption.Geneva grinned at her parents. " That's great news. But how can I help? " Geneva asked. " Well, you just have to relax the whole day, and doll yourself up for the dinner. In fact no one is working tomorrow. We have hired a maid just for the day. " Lorna smiled. " Okay. But why do I have to doll up? " Geneva asked. " So that we can have some mother and daughter time. And also look pretty in front of the guest. We have to look like a sophisticated family. " Lorna smiled. " I would love that. " Geneva returned the smile. " Very good. Everything is settled then. I will be awake till midnight, though. The painting still needs some touch ups. " Eyan informed them.

The next day, Geneva didn't do any work. She spent the morning with her parents. Reminiscing old days. Toman didn't come down stairs during breakfast so Eyan went to his room to make him understand the importance of the day when it was almost lunch time. When he came out of his room, he called Geneva. " Your brother wants to talk to you. " He said. Geneva nodded her head slowly. She slowly walked to the door, and smiled to the maid who was cleaning the door frame. She exhaled, and knocked on the door twice. " Come in. " Toman shouted from inside. Geneva opened the door, and walked in after waiting at the doorway for few seconds. She glanced here and there in the room, and didn't meet Toman's eyes. Her hand went up to scratch the back of her neck, and she bit into her lip. She was never in her brother's room in the two days she spent with her family. Toman's room was just like any other boy's room. Dirty. His clothes were over the chair, his study table, bed, and also at the corner of her bed. His school books were scattered on the table, and also on the ground. The ruffled bedsheets confirmed Geneva that he doesn't do his bed. When she leaned on a wardrobe, the dust stick to her arm, and she was repelled. She stepped away and waited for Toman to speak. It seemed that her brother was also having trouble to communicate. " I'm sorry. " He blurted out, then his eyes flitted to Geneva's. " I apologize for my misbehaviour. It's just that.... You ran off, and didn't come at night or the next day. I was worried. You didn't even say me why you ran off. I was mad when father and mother found you living luxuriously at the King's mansion. When you came back in the carriage, I... I felt terrible. So, that is the reason why I was being rude to you. It won't happen again. I understand if you won't forgive me. " Toman said, lowering his eyes. Geneva smiled. She walked to he brother, and crouched to hug him while he was sat on the bed. Toman went still when Geneva embraced him. But then he hugged her back. " It's okay. You're my little brother. " She said. Geneva felt Toman smiling. Breaking the hug she said, " Let's go downstairs then. Lunch is almost ready. " Geneva smiled. Toman nodded, and stood from his bed. Geneva took her brother's hand, and they walked downstairs.

Lorna and Eyan smiled when they saw their children getting along. That's what the parents want. For their children to be happy. The family lunch that they had that afternoon, was the best lunch she had after Geneva came home.

The sun went down, and moon greeted the Rivers family house. Geneva was in her room with her mother. They had already chosen dress for themselves. Geneva gifted her mother one of her gown. " I still can't believe that the wolf king has given you all these things. " Her mother said. " He is very kind. " Geneva smiled, brushing her hair. Lorna turned to her daughter, and asked, " Do you know why the wolf boys beat your brother for calling you names? " Geneva shook her head, and stopped brushing her hair, looking at her mother's cocoa brown eyes. " The wolf boys think that you are their Queen. And they couldn't tolerate some boy to insult their Queen. "Lorna answered, dipping her chin. " What? Why would they think that? " Geneva asked, standing up from her chair. " You sat on the King's mother's throne, and that too beside the King. Don't you think that would raise some doubts? " " But.. Shaye told me no one would spread these rumors. " Geneva furrowed her brows. " Maybe he wanted them to spread the rumors." Lorna said, coming behind her. When she noticed her daughter's slumped shoulders, she shook her by her shoulders, and said, " Honey, forget what I said. I maybe wrong. Focus on tonight's dinner. Think about our bright future. The rumours will die down soon. Don't you worry." Lorna said, and kissed her daughter's right cheek. Geneva put up a bright smile, and nodded. Her mother might be wrong. But Geneva didn't feel her mother's assumption to be wrong. She felt the exact opposite.