Our Fatal Failings (Twisted book two)

Chapter Thirteen

One of the black clad maids comes out of the kitchen as the Beta sits down and opens a laptop that was in her bag. She types away, not focusing on me. The maid sets down the tray before me, stopping for a minute.

She leans in and I frown, leaning back. What does she want? "Shall the wolves rule us all?" She asks.

"What?"

"Shall the wolves rule us all. Will the humans suffer under their paws?"

I glance at the Beta. She's engrossed in her work. "No," I answer, whispering. Her eyes gleam. A witch.

"The girls are waiting for you. They're stirring their cauldrons and waiting for you." They're building their strength? Their army? Making potions?

"And their healing potion will be my salvation?" Are Nia and Iris coming to save me?

"And their poison will shatter a nation." A resistance. My heart thumps in my chest. I breath in. Jonah can't know I'm feeling this way. This is so much bigger than me now. So much bigger than me. She presses a scrap of paper into my hands and steps back, bowing.

"I'm oftly sorry Your Highness, I'll bring you a new tray immediately." She takes the tray and retreats back into the kitchen.

The Beta looks up. "What was that about?"

"I, well...." I stumble over my words. "I want a dish with more meat. I want steak. I'm craving it." It's the first excuse that comes to mind, and it's true.

She raises her eyebrows. "Maybe your heat is around the corner."

"Yeah," I murmur, sinking further into my seat. "That must be it."

A few minutes later, a maid comes out with a plate of ribs, slathered with barbecue sauce. My mouth waters. "Well, it's better you're eating meat, if your heat is coming. You'll be stronger."

"I don't want to talk about it."

As the maid leaves I watch her, not failing to notice that this girl was different, and the witch must be long, long gone. I tuck the note into my sock and pretend nothing had happened.

As I leave the dining room, the Beta announces the tutor has still not arrived. Something about a delayed flight due to a snowstorm. I'm fine with it. I didn't want it in the first place. Leaving the dining room, I hear the sounds of faraway laughter growing closer. It's a mix of voices, some deep and heavy, some lighter. The noise comes closer and closer and I can pick out his laugh in it all. I don't want to come across him, not so soon after our argument. He drains me of will to fight.

"Let's take a turn. I think we should-"

"Your Highness," a high and chirpy voice calls out to me. "It's a good thing we ran into you, His Majesty was just talking about you." I cringe and turn around.

"Was he?" I ask flatly. "I hope it was all good things."

The girl has long brown hair, that becomes red at the ends in an ombre. From time to time, I see her eyes wander to Jonah and I watch them melt. Is she mateless?

"How did you end up here? I don't remember you from high school?"

She shifts her weight to one leg. "I came here with my mate. He was a soldier...but he died early into the war. One of the rare casualties."

Jonah cringes. "A victim of my bad planning."

She squeezes his shoulder. "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known every little detail."

I am numb as I watch them. Or am I jealous? I bite the inside of my cheeks. No, no, that's not it. A man in black tugs her along. "Well that's my cue to go." She reaches out for my hand. "I'm so excited to get to know you, I've heard so many stories about you." I take her hand and she grips mine with a bruising grip. I watch her face. She's still smiling. She wants to let me know that she's stronger than me.