Chapter 67

• HAERA I was scared. Never have I felt this afraid and concerned for someone else's safety. Never. Not for Balfour, not for myself, and even when I was worried that Princess Ilvira was manipulating Tybalt, I wasn't this scared. I was frightened for my destined mate's safety and still, there was nothing I could do or that I haven't done to warn him. It has been four days since I found out about the dubiousness of Tybalt and three days since I went in search of the Alpha by sneaking into his room only to be disturbed by that bitch that everyone respected so much. Three days of not being able to warn my mate of the looming and forthcoming danger that his precious Luna and his Half-brother had cooked up for him. "He arrived this evening, didn't he. Let's try to sneak into his room again and hope the witch isn't there this time." Dezra suggested. If I was scared then Dezra was horrified. She pumped her emotions into my mind as she cursed Princess Ilvira and Tybalt for the past three days. I would have succeeded in informing the Alpha one way or another but he left the pack for some Alpha duties three days ago which was the cause of the delay and my fear. Talking about Tybalt, I had been avoiding him. It was hard to pretend to be friendly around him but I figured I couldn't keep avoiding him if I didn't want to make him suspicious. When he came to the kitchen the next day after I heard him and his mother in the woods, I was burning to strike his face and just maybe his ugly mask would fall off to reveal who he really was. Tybalt had been wearing a mask of deceit all this while and damn do I want to pull it off his face. Funny how it was Dezra that was pulling me back from violence that night. "You can't let him know we saw and heard him, Haera." Dezra had cautioned me that night. My wolf stopped me from beating someone up. It was new but her reasons made a lot of sense. We had to buy time for Alpha Zachary. We had got to help him. I might not die if my mate got murdered after he marked someone else but I wasn't ready to test that theory. I didn't even want Alpha Zachary to die in those fool's hands. I preferred killing him myself. I quickly finished from the kitchen and left earlier than usual for two reasons. One, to avoid Tybalt at all cost, and two, to sneak into the Alpha's chambers. I scrutinized the vicinity of Alpha Zachary's Chamber, hoping that his guards aren't patrolling the entrance but they were there and still very much energetic for the night duties. "What do we do now?" Dezra whimpered but I told her not to worry. I was going to see the Alpha tonight regardless of the guards. I just had to come back later probably in a few hours when they aren't full of energy and when nature finally asks them to sleep. "Let's hope they will be sleepy soon." I murmured to my wolf before sitting under a very old tree not so far from Alpha Zachary's chambers to wait for the right time. The tree wasn't as shady as other trees and it was easier to see the beautiful stars as I rested my back against the tree. I admired the sky and everything that appeared to be attached to it. "Do you have any spare time for me?" His voice was closer to my ears than I could take. I jerked away from him, lashing out at my wolf fit not warning me of his approach and proximity. Dezra defended herself, saying she was preoccupied just like I was. "I didn't mean to scare you, Haera. Are you okay?" Tybalt asked affectionately, moving to touch my face with his disgusting hands. I scooted away from him though and his mask almost fell off. Tybalt sat next to me on the ground and he looked up to the sky just like I had done some minutes ago before his unwelcome interruption. "Play along. He must sense your emotions. Please, Haera." Dezra begged in my head. I wondered if she couldn't understand that I was trying. I wasn't good at pretending or hiding my real intentions like this two-faced rascal beside me. I hated him passionately. "You hate me with passion, don't you?" Tybalt asked and I almost nodded to confirm his accuracy. I almost thought he heard me but that wasn't possible. "Why would you say that?" I didn't even stutter as I responded with a question of my own. I looked him right in the eyes and I must confess that Tybalt was so good at his game. "It's all over you. The evidence is everywhere. You don't want to talk with me, you jerk away from my touch and it seems like you have been avoiding my presence. I can tell, Haera. You hate me." Tybalt pointed out. I wished he had stayed from me after he noticed all of those but here he was, questioning me when I should be demanding answers from him. He played me for a fool. He used me as a fucking tool. He disgusted me! "I thought you would never get the message you motherfucking bastard!" Of course, I didn't say that to Tybalt. I simply smiled at him before telling him the exact words my wolf pushed into my mouth. "Your assumptions are beautiful but they don't hold reality." Tybalt's brows furrowed in confusion and it took all of Dezra's energy for me not to snap at him. "What I'm saying is that you are assuming the worst of me while the reality of the situation is all your fault." I accused him. Tybalt didn't respond as he waited for me to clarify what my statement meant. He had the time to plan someone else murder yet he remained stupid. A stupid pretender who said I was ugly! I wouldn't forgive him....certainly! "Your expression says you want to punch my face, Haera. What's going on in your head?" Tybalt called me out of my thoughts. "You are damn right. I do want to punch your face and right now, I'm thinking of the best way to kill you!" I yelled at Tybalt. He was stunned by my explosion and my glare. I was stunned too but I had to keep up the act. I folded my arms around my body as I continued the act of a jealous friend. "You have been staying away from me. You don't come to the kitchen every night like you have made me believe you would. You also never ask about my new recipes like you used to and you think I won't get the message!" I gritted my teeth as I hissed those words out for his ears alone. "H-hae-ra-" "Don't call my name. Do you think I won't understand that you were avoiding me for whatever reason? Probably because you found a new maid that you are interested in and she isn't ugly like I'm. Isn't it!" I stopped him from talking as I kept on yelling at him in a surprisingly quiet tone. I sighed when I saw Tybalt fighting between keeping his cool with me and unleashing his demons on me. I guess he was struggling as much as I was. The only difference between us was that I had found a way to voice out my frustration while he had to hold them in. "Haera.....you are jealous!" Tybalt chose to say. I cringed at his words but I was glad he bought the act. "You are a better actress than I thought. You pulled it off...." My wolf said to me. I maintained my glare but I didn't say much to Tybalt after that. "You really are jealous." Tybalt repeated and he chuckled like the fool he was. I didn't see anything funny in all I said neither was my jealousy supposed to be funny. I just wanted him to leave me alone so I could sneak into the Alpha's chambers according to my plans. "I'm sorry for making you feel that way. I have to assure you that I wasn't frolicking with other maids and you aren't ugly." Tybalt stated adorably but nothing he does after that night comes off as adorable to me. And did he just say I wasn't ugly? I scoffed at his attempt to appease me because I knew better and I still didn't understand why he was trying so hard to be in my good books. "I had been busy with my guard obligations. The Alpha won't understand if I slack around because of you but I'm sorry, Haera." The Alpha prince apologized. I told him It was alright and that I wasn't angry anymore. I tried to excuse myself just to avoid him but Tybalt didn't allow it. "You can't leave after we resolve the misunderstanding. I want to talk to you about what I have been doing and I want to hear your story also." Tybalt cooed and I nearly vomited on his face due to resentment. He pulled me back to my initial sitting position much to my dismay and even though Dezra wanted me to play along, my wolf also wanted to get rid of him at that moment. We had something better to do. After what seemed like forever, Tybalt ended the conversation, announcing a matter that restricted my breath. "I have to attend the guards' meeting right now. The Alpha is holding one in our meeting hall in preparation for his next Alpha trip and I want to volunteer to be one of his escorts." "A-and when is this trip?" I stammered. If the Alpha was holding a meeting with the guards soon then I wouldn't be able to see him until tomorrow because the guard's meeting usually takes forever to end. I hoped I get to see Alpha Zachary before this trip because it was clear that Tybalt's plans were in motion. "Tomorrow......" Did I just hear him say Tomorrow? "What!" "The trip starts tomorrow, Hae, and I know you'll miss me but I have to go..... " I didn't hear Tybalt's words after his information. He had planned to kill my mate and now there was nothing I could do to save Alpha Zachary because of his goddamn trip. "Bye, Haera." Tybalt said completely overwhelmed and he didn't sense my emotions nor did he wait for my response before he rushed to the guard meeting hall. "What are we going to do?" Dezra lamented just as my heart sank when the bitter truth found its way into my mouth, compelling me to swallow it. "There is nothing we can do now, Derza..." I couldn't barge into the meeting hall to ask for Alpha Zachary's audience nor was I going to see him before he leaves the next day. He was probably not going back to his chamber tonight.... I strode dejectedly back to the maid's quarters while my wolf whimpered in pain. I couldn't sleep that night. Who would have anyways? No wolf could have a good night right with this soul-eating information. "My mate was going to die and I can't stop it!"