Chapter 57 Amarien's Betrayal
Daevir's POV
"Who would have thought: Prince of the Realm of Humans, the superior race, Conquering of the dreadful Alpha Theron of the South, the well-sung renowned, Werewolf hunter…" Catherine chuckled as she circled me, dangling the key of the door in her hand. "Who would have thought he was a werewolf?"
"You speak lies, Catherine." I spat back.
"Oh, really?" Catherine chuckled, tilting her head mockingly. "How about we prove it?" She leaned in. "It's going to be full moon tonight, your highness. And with your blood this high and hot over your whore, I can imagine how dreadful and public your shifting will be."
I trembled for the first time in this conversation. I trembled. How did she know? Who told her? What will she do? Who will she tell?
"You need not worry about me telling a soul, your highness, believe me. I'm not one given to gossip."
"I can barely believe that," I grumble.
"You really underestimate me, Daevir." She stopped pacing and stood in front of me. Eye sharp, her piercing blue eyes bore into mine like she was waiting for that question, that question she had planned for all this while. That question will bring me to my knees.
"What do you want?!" I shut my eyes.
I heard Catherine squeal with delight.
There it is. She got it. I clenched my fist, stopping myself from snapping her neck.
I opened my eyes and saw that Catherine was solemn again. Her eyes were fixed on the floor like she had a shred of humility in her.
"Say it!" I growled, irritated and impatient. I don't care what she knows. I'll get Amarien out of that cell if it means losing everything I've got.
Catherine trembled. "I only want you to listen to me, your highness. I only want you to believe me that I'm better than your whore. I'll do anything protect you. I'm willing to serve you as your wife."
I grabbed her arm and yanked her to myself. "Don't you dare talk in parables to me."
Catherine's eyes rolled out tears. "I will kill before I let any soul know you're a werewolf, Daevir. But you can't let me go like that. I should be by your side, protecting you from yourself. I love you, and if only you make me your wife ill protect you at all costs."
"Silence!" I pushed her off me.
Catherine fell to the ground, startled.
"I love Amarien! I love her like man loves himself. I love her more than anything in this life. I will marry her, and nothing will change about that."
Tears rolled down her face. She looked betrayed.
"You can go on to the top towers and scream to the world that I am a werewolf. Yes! That is exactly what I am! A monster! A beast to be slain and thrown off a cliff."
Catherine slowly lifted herself off the ground, wiping the tears off her eyes.
"I'm nothing without Amarien! She's my cure! My hope! my antitode!...”
"She betrayed you!" She screeched, cutting me off. I stood there stunned.
"Amarien will not do such a thing." I spat.
"Oh, really?" Catherine coughed out. "Then why did she have this bracelet strapped to her wrist!" Catherine pulled out the bracelet Amarien usually had on. That bracelet I dreaded, but couldn't find what it meant or who it came from.
"There's nothing wrong with her bracelet. It was given to her by her grandmother."
Like a clap of thunder, Catherine's laughed exploded through the room. "Oh, is that what she told you?" She said when she managed to stop laughing. "And you believed her tales. Her tales of falsehood! You, above everyone else, should know this bracelet came from the South, from Alpha Theron.
What?!
"Haven't you read the books? Can't you see the signs on it? Oh, but you know about it, yet you let yourself be consumed by her lies."
"Silence…" I said weakly. My head ached with sharpness.
It couldn't be. I knew something was odd from the very moment I saw that bracelet on her. I knew those bracelets. I've seen it on Alpha Theron's conquered allies. They wore it proudly, as if it held supernatural power that could make them invisible.
It was their sign of ownership. An ownership by Theron.
When I saw it on Amarien, I couldn't believe it, but I had to give her a chance. I needed her to tell me something convincing that would take all the doubts that rushed through my mind off.
What was she doing outside of the palace? Who had she met? Did they talk? Did he touch her?!
My head ached, but jealous fulled my heart. I needed answers, not the weak ones she gave me. How can Grandma Chichi possibly possess such a rich and harmful bracelet?
Or I had miscalculated; maybe it wasn't the real deal. Maybe I was too paranoid, too jealous, too scared that Theorn had gotten to my lover while I was away from her. While I pushed her away.
Maybe I was too confused. Maybe I had unfairly blamed her. Amarien will never let Theron an inch of her. She won't let him talk to her, touch her, let alone wrap that darn bracelet on her arm.
She won't do that to me!
See, the confusion in my eyes, I saw Catherine's face morph into a smile.
"You said it yourself, Daevir. You knew I had superior knowledge when it comes to these things, but you wouldn't come to my aid because you were scared of your lover betraying you."
Catherine shook her head. "Well, Daevir, you need to know the full truth."
I matched her eyes, seeing the intensity in them. Catherine wasn't taunting me this time. She was telling the truth. I knew it.
She lifted the bracelet high, like a snake caught in a corner, "This bracelet is no ordinary bracelet. Warriors of the South give their armies bracelets to protect them and summon them in time of war, but this bracelet is nothing like that."
I swallowed.
"Warriors like Alpha Theron also give bracelets to their women, to set a mark on her so one man goes near her. It's a mark of betrothal. A mark of ownership. A mark of courtship."
My eyes widened as she muttered the next few words. I felt like the high walls of the Library were closing in on me and would collapse right on me.
"Alpha Theron is courting Amarien. This bracelet is only a sign that she already belongs to him."
I felt dead inside.