Traversing Worlds

Arc One Ch. 42

Arriving at a small secluded hut that which would've once been used as an external storage had long went out of use. Now it was occasionally used for holding goods in need of inspections.

The interior wasn't much to look at but for a meeting location it would do. A table had already been set up and lights place taking some of the gloom out. On a small hot plate an antique metal pot had steam coming from it.

Mina smiled seeing everything was set up as she'd ordered. Who needs that traitorous bitch anyway? She thought happily while thinking of ways to make Audrey miserable for the foreseeable future. Even if I can not interfere in the mating it doesn't mean I am powerless to do nothing at all. She couldn't help but to give herself congratulations on figuring that much out from the council that she from both her grandmother and mother.

She poured herself a cup of tea that was a old family blend to calm the mind she took a seat.

Mina smiled to herself finding that all her impatience vanished. As mentally she'd succeed already in her plans of capturing Marcus. Though she could not enjoy properly ruining that little bitch's reputation it was still hurt in the end and by Marcus himself no less. Chuckling at the irony that he so badly wanted to protect that bitch but hurt her so deeply instead had her in a fit of giggles. But that wasn't even the best part about this whole messed up situation. From now on we will be accomplices, Ah so romantic.

Finishing her second cup of tea Mina smiled hearing the secret knock that announced Marcus's arrival. A slight youth opened the door and closed it after he walked in with a particularly ugly expression on his face. "Glad to see you could make it Marcus." She said while motioning for him to take the seat opposite of her. "Would you like a cup of tea?" She offered while getting up to refresh her cup.

Without answering her question he'd taken a seat. His eyes remained fixed on a point beyond her as he refused to make eye contact.

Mina smiled gently thinking of how it was she got him here in the first place that grabbed his curiosity, a small but well placed threat and insensitive for him to come. "That's right this isn't a social call and you're only interested in protecting that little b-elder pup. Kira such a shame what happened to her. I personally didn't expect something so horrific to happen to her. After all, I'd only planned to imply she was a loose type." She exclaimed dragging him in a bit further by revealing her own bit of involvement.

He'd purposefully turned away from her but now his face was turned and holding an expression she wasn't too sure about. "You did what?" It was as if he couldn't believe anyone would do something so horrible to another.

Showing him a wide smile feeling like she finally got his attention on her. It was a difficult but one that she found she quite enjoyed. Even more so now taunting him with what she did, such a new and novel experience was quite exhilarating. "Hmm, no it should be more like what did you do Marcus?" She taunted not thinking he wouldn't properly remember that night.

Marcus sat there in silence for a while and was filled with rage at what she'd admitted to doing. Yet his mind had been plagued by conflicting memories that he couldn't distinguish between. "Then tell me what it is I am supposed to have done." For the sake of he own sanity he needed to know what's real and fake.

Mina gave a soft laugh thinking that he was simply trying to cover up his deeds. "What else, you're that little b-elder pup's attacker. Even the one to witness it has been deeply scarred by it and has expressed leaving out of fear of you. And I can only imagine how much worse that is for the one who'd actually suffer the assault."

He couldn't believe her words but she didn't seem to be lying after noticing no changes in her scent.

"Don't believe me?" He didn't speak up and so she called up her witness.

The female wolf was neither young nor old. Though she lived long enough to see her fair share of abhorrent things and did many appalling thing for the family, but never had she witnessed something so beastly. Even without having to properly confront the male she still tried clawing her way free of those keeping her from escaping.

Tears unknowingly started fall from her eyes taking in him of that night, his misshapen form that only those who couldn't control their wolf form may experience in times of uncontrollable excitement. Not the him currently sitting there not being of any immediate danger to her.

She didn't speak a word but became deathly still to a point where one of the males holding her couldn't tell if she was breathing.

Mina got up noticing her witness was not speaking as she anticipated. She disappeared behind a screen that was blocking the other's form from view. Seeing her witness on the floor Mina frowned at the sight.

"Do I need to use your name? Get up or you can deal with his revenge for catching sight of something that you shouldn't have seen." She said in a soft whisper against her ear causing an unconscious reaction to sit up and regain some clarity.

"Please! Please no anything but that young miss." The female begged knowing how many others who seen things they shouldn't have endings.

"Then hurry up and speak!" She said in a low menacing growl before she'd turned and went back to her seat.

The female voice that stuttered out a near incomprehensible ramble spoke of that night quite clearly. She made mention of certain details that even Marcus himself was unaware of till he'd heard them mentioned. His eyes were trained down at this time taking in his hands.

What he wished to remain a lie very quickly became truth while what he believed memories were simply just him diluting himself. The sickness which plagued his morning routine returned tenfold while listening to Mina.

"No need to hide the truth Marcus. After all from this day forward we're going to be co-conspirators in this." She said lifting the tea up before she took another sip. "Beside even if you try to explain that there wasn't any collusion with me well I don't think many would believe it. After all you have that little b-elder pup's inner circle first and for most. Then all of her charity cases that will want to do all they can to protect her from me and you her big bad attacker. And that's just to start without my family's interference into the matter." Mina happily laid everything out as she was determined to get what she wanted.

Marcus suddenly looked up at her, a blank expression that his the sickness he was currently feeling. "Mina, why are you doing this?" He asked without much inflection in his voice. "What exactly are you getting out of this by doing this to me?"

Mina couldn't help but laugh at this obvious question. "Hasn't my true intentions since the beginning been obvious? You! You're the one that I have decided as worthy enough to become my mate."

"We would never have a happy union I can't even bare to look at your face."

Mina shrugged how many couldn't bear to see her be the next head of the family? How many regularly smiled to her face while speaking badly about everything from her looks to skills all behind her back? Happiness? Love? Exactly what worth did these things have when she didn't have what she desired? "Even if you can't stand it you will have to learn to endure or tolerate. After all it seems that little b-elder pup doesn't remember much about the attack. Though why would she want to remember something as awful as being betrayed by someone you trust?" Her voice carried with it a heavy weight in speaking of betrayal.