Chapter 174 To Pretend
Kristen's POV
My prediction about the drive to the seaport is wrong,
it isn't as long as I expected. It was barely thirty minutes when we got there.
Theodore is first to alight from the car before he comes to my side to help me out.
It's cold out here because of the harsh gust of wind. And I throw my arms around my body.
"Don't speak to anyone, don't even maintain eye contact with them," Theodore's voice is firm as he gives me this instruction because eyes are following us as we walk away from the car.
Theodore holds my hand and starts leading me to another side of the beach. While I don't even utter even a word because my mind is racing with so many thoughts on how to free myself from this monster, for good.
At first, when he approached me at the mall and I felt the mate jinx, I thought Theodore Fitzgerald was a harmless person. Only to have him try to wreck my marriage with Calhoun.
Had I known, I would have told my husband everything, right from after the accident.
Then maybe, just maybe things wouldn't have escalated up to this extent.
And if I wasn't so scared of hurting my husband's feelings, I would have told him Theodore was hiding under my bed that evening.
Things could have been different. But Theodore has always been powerful, with such a heart he has, there could have been a fight.
A few people are on this side of the beach even though it's dark. They're looking at us, like everyone else. And it's making Theodore rather unsettled.
While I, the captive, is calm, Theodore, my captor is the opposite because he knows he's in the wrong, and he thinks people will find out.
"Don't maintain eye contact with anyone, just stare at your feet," Theodore's voice is shaky when he gives this order.
It's a bit funny to hear him speak like this, it's obvious his conscience is starting to trouble him.
And I can tell he doesn't want anyone to know he's holding the Greyhound's Luna hostage.
The sick bastard.
If he wasn't a monster, I would have cried out for help so someone could come to my rescue. But it might result in loss of lives.
Theodore stops at a spot where I see a smallish man sitting on a mat. When he sees us, he quickly rises to his feet.
"He'll join us together as man and wife and then we'll flee," Theodore informs me, his tone is firm this time.
And I can feel my heart throbbing in my chest.
Theodore is really doing this. He's going to forcefully wed me tonight.
So far, I haven't come up with any plan on how to liberate myself from him. It's death that keeps ringing in my head.
"Took you long enough, I waited for two hours," the
man frowns at Theodore when we reach his side.
"We had to dress up for the marriage," Theodore answers and fishes two rings from the pocket.
"Let's just get over with this," the man's frown deepens as he looks at me.
"Fine."
The next few minutes are tortuous for me.
Theodore slides my wedding ring away from my finger and tosses it aside.
If I wasn't trying to figure a way out of this, I would
have bellowed at the top of my lungs because that ring is so important to me. It's like yesterday when Calhoun put the ring on my finger, to seal our
marriage.
And then this man just threw it away like that.
I feel a sense of loss at this because it's almost like the
only thing that represents Calhoun in this place has been taken away from me.
I am forced to exchange wedding vows with me before he puts his own ring on my finger.
Am I upset? No.
Sobbing? Absolutely not.
Thinking I will stay tied to this man forever?
Impossible.
There's a new found hope growing inside of me, that
tonight will be the end of it all, although I am clueless on how to go about with things.
"You may kiss your bride," the smallish man
instructs, after taking a step back from us.
When Theodore closes the distance between us, a part of me wants to scream and push him away because I know he wants to kiss me. And I am not mentally prepared for this.
While the other part of me, instructs me to stay still
and let him do as he pleases. So far, I haven't even said anything since we came here. I just let him pull me along with him, and act like a fool.
He thinks I have accepted the non-existent fate and
that I will end up with him at last, when it's my life he's trying to ruin.
Theodore releases a sharp breath before kissing me soundly in the mouth.
It's quick and his lips are thin and cold.
Unlike the plum lips I am used to, the mouth that
radiates heat.
Calhoun's.
When Theodore pulls away from the kiss, he strokes
my hair and smiles down at me.
"You're now man and wife," the man declares.
"You did great, Kristen," Theodore takes my hand up to his lips and presses a quick kiss to it.
It's just stupid for him to think my marriage with
Calhoun has ended because he took Calhoun's ring out of my finger.
And right at this moment, I know if I had something
to strike Theodore's heart, I would.
He's like a wannabe Jack the Rogue psycho, except he
hasn't tortured me in any way before. No has he raised his hands on me.
But I haven't hated anyone as much as I hate my second mate.
To hell with the freaking mate bond.
Is the moon goddess trying to turn me into a
monster, by sending me someone as despicable as Theodore Fitzgerald?
Because I haven't contemplated hurting someone in
my life before.
And now that it just started, I am thinking of multiple ways to end this man in front of me. Intertwining his fingers with mine, Theodore smiles at me. While my face remains stiff.
I harden my jaw and try to think of a way to escape
this man.
Again, the answer my mind produces is death.
Half an hour later, Theodore takes me into the speed
boat.
At first, he stole a car and now he stole a boat too?
A little part of me cannot help but ponder over this because I am aware Theodore Fitzgerald has no
money.
There's no one in, just the two of us. And on the floor,
there are two traveling bags.
"I already got you some clothes," Theodore says as
he observes me with caution.
The fact that he cares about only what he wants is enough to increase my hatred for him. And it's glaring that he doesn't have genuine feelings
for me, he's just after his own obsession. What he
wants.
How dare he think he can bring a change in my life with his presence?
The moon goddess must really hate me for giving me
a second mate in the first place. Theodore Fitzgerald is an awful person. How can he be sent to me as a second mate?
I've never had enough peace with Calhoun, it's high time I start taking matters into my own hands. "The sail to our destination will take two days, and let's pray it doesn't rain," Theodore makes this known to me.
Although he hasn't started driving, the boat is already
floating far away from the seaport. Turning away from him, I take a quick look at my
fingers, and let my claws out to see if they're long enough.
Sadly, they're not. But it's enough to hurt someone.
Upon hearing him clear his throat, I quickly let my claws back in.
And am I really plotting this? Thinking about hurting Theodore when he's ten
times stronger than me, and I have nothing else except the average length claws of my wolf. If I don't make an attempt, then I'll be gone for good.
But what if I try and then he's quick enough to protect himself?
Then he'll kill me instead.
A shudder runs through me from this thought. Quietly, I take my seat and wait for Theodore to start
driving the speed boat, because he seems to be rummaging through the first bag. Still, I haven't said anything. I haven't uttered a word since we came here.
"Something is wrong," Theodore suddenly stops rummaging through the bag and he nears my side.
"Why are you so quiet, Kristen?" He asks as he watches me intently.
"Because you've won. You took everything away from
me," I say, upon realizing if I ignore him, he might become suspicious.
"I'll take it that you see me as a monster now," Theodore scratches the back of his head and keeps a neutral expression. "Well, aren't you?" I throw my arms across my chest.
"I want to give you the best, Kristen. Calhoun is no good for you," there's this earnest look in his eyes as
he stares at me. I can see this through the lights on
the
boat.
"But Calhoun is my husband," I remind Theodore because I am smart enough to know that if I start agreeing with everything he says, he might detect that I am planning to hurt or kill him. "Calhoun is not your husband, not anymore," Theodore's voice is hard this time as if he wasn't
speaking softly to me a minute ago. He gets pissed off whenever I mention my real husband and first mate. Choosing not to speak anymore, I hold my breath now is the time to strike, since Theodore has already left my side to start the boat.
because
I can do this, I can do this. I assure myself because the
first thing that comes to my mind is to fake a sob, and
then get him closer to me.
And I do it.
"Are you crying," Theodore is quick to stop the boat
when he hears the fake sob from me?
"This isn't right," I throw out my arms for emphasis,
as I fake the loud throaty sobs even more.
"I told you.." Theodore is speaking when I quickly
interrupt him.
"It's just so wrong to yearn for you, when you've done nothing but hurt me," I lower my head to my
chest as I let out this blatant lie.
"What do you mean?" Theodore seems perplexed
"I can't get the kiss out of my mind," it takes everything within me to tell the second lie because in fact, the kiss is so upsetting that I don't want to think
about it.
"Are you being serious, Kristen?" And his eyes widen
in their sockets, showing me how amazed and
astonished he is by my fake confession. Wiping my face with the back of my hand, I nod.
"Since our marriage earlier, I can feel our convection getting stronger even when I want to hate you," I tell
this lie, and force myself to pant heavily. To say Theodore is shocked is an understatement.
He blinks in confusion as if wondering if he heard me correctly. If anyone sees him like this, they would think he cannot hurt even a fly, unbeknownst he's a beast when he shifts.
Theodore kneels and puts his hands on my thighs.
And I don't even move or bother to swat his hands
away from my thighs.
It's working. He's believing everything I am saying.
"Do you want me, Kristen?" Theodore asks quietly as
he observes my face.
"I don't know," I feign a shaky voice as I look away
from him.
Theodore catches my chin and brings my face back to
his.
"Say it," he urges me softly.
"No," I shake my head. Pretending to be confused.
"Say it," Theodore urges me, unwilling to give up.
"Fuck! Yes! I want you!" I yell at last.