Chapter Twenty-five - Listening to gossip

Aria’s POV.

“You can’t keep running away,” Hailey voiced out but I ignored her.

Yes, I’d found an excuse to quickly escape from Shane’s presence when things started getting intense. I hated that I was always flighty around him, but I couldn’t help it. I could feel my body slowly giving in to the deep feelings he arose within me. Whenever I set eyes on him, my heart leaped and when he smiled at me, I could feel butterflies setting off in my stomach and I couldn’t even explain the warmth that always spread through me and the deep feelings of comfort that surrounded me whenever I was in his presence. But even at that, I was still struggling against all of these feelings.

“Not every man is like George,” Hailey spoke again, and I released a deep sigh as my shoulders slumped in defeat. For the first time, I acknowledged her words but my fear of falling into the wrong hands and landing into the same situation I’d barely gotten out of was far too great to let me believe those words. Instead, I shook my head to clear the thoughts as I approached the kitchen to get Shane’s dinner.

The murmurings from the maids in the kitchen were the first noises that sailed into my ears as I got closer to the kitchen. At first, their conversation didn’t interest me until I was a few feet away from the door and I heard Shane’s name. Suddenly, their words captured my interest as I tiptoed to the door and pressed my ear to it, wanting to hear what their discussion was about.

My heart slammed hard against my chest as I wondered if they were gossiping about his escapades with women. I felt Hailey grumbling in disapproval but I shut her out, while listening to the gossip of the maids.

“He’s a good man,” one of them said, followed by the clanking of kitchen wares before I heard another feminine voice that I was sure belonged to another maid.

“Unlike his sick father,”

Her words made me frown but I remained quiet as I listened to their conversation.

“I hope he never recovers,” the same voice said and gasps of shock followed. I couldn't hold back the gasp that flew out of my lips from her cruel words and the harsh tone she’d uttered them.

“Mia!” one of them exclaimed, still bewildered by the words of her colleague.

“I said what I said, and I’m not sorry about it. Who knows, he may be the reason we’re facing these recent attacks and I pity his poor son that’s trying to clean up his mess,”

“How sure are you that he’s the reason?”

“Oh, please, don’t act like you’re not aware of the part he played in the war that broke out between the witches and Black Mane pack two decades ago. If it wasn’t for his greed, the…” I listened to hear the rest of her words, getting more intrigued but then all I heard was muffled noises that sounded as though her mouth was suddenly covered to prevent her from speaking coherent words.

“You’ll keep shut and not speak again, Mia,” this voice sounded more mature than that of the girls I’ve been hearing.

Eerie silence descended and I remained in my position, trying hard to be silent while I waited for them to continue with their discussion, hoping they’d reveal more regarding the war Mia had spoken about and how the sick Alpha was directly connected to it.

Being from Dark Souls pack, I knew nothing of a past war, nor did I know anything of the sick alpha’s regime or personality. I’d only been in the Blackmane pack for a month before Shane found me. Hence, their gossip poked the curious kitten in me and I wanted to know more but I couldn’t just walk in there and demand answers.

“You’ll not speak ill of your Alpha, and neither will you speak of the ugly past of this pack. You’ll diligently carry on with your duties and leave the pack businesses to the alpha and the elders, else, you lose your job here.” her voice was cold and hard as she spoke. “Have I made myself clear?”

“But it’s the truth and they deserve to know,”

“Just like the walls have ears,” the woman fired back and her words were met with silence.

“I’m sorry,”

“You better be,”

I waited again but nothing was said and all I heard was the clanking of plates, but the thud of footsteps heading towards my direction sailed into my ears and I quickly jumped back, reaching for the door knob and pretending to open it as it suddenly swung open.

The older woman, dressed in the black and white maids uniform smiled at me and I returned her smile with a sweet innocent one.

“Good evening…”

“Laura,” she finished.

“Oh, good evening, Laura. I’m just here to see if I can get Alpha Shane’s dinner to him,”

“Oh, sure. Come on, ma’am,”

I shook my head, still maintaining my smile as she led me into the kitchen.

“Please call me Aria,”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I have to follow the Alpha’s instruction,”

I stopped in my tracks, my brows knitting in confusion but she continued into the kitchen and began dishing his meal. I took that opportunity to glance around just to see the other girls. There were three of them and they quickly said their greetings without meeting my eyes as they continued with their chores, leaving me to wonder about the particular one that had been talking about the war and the greed of their sick Alpha.

“Here you go,” Laura said, holding a tray to me.

My gaze returned to her and I smiled brightly before taking it.

“Thank you,”

She nodded curtly as I left the kitchen to my bedroom still pondering on all I heard but when I arrived at my room, Shane was nowhere to be found. I frowned because I could remember asking him to wait for me. With an exasperated sigh, I left my room and headed towards his, hoping he’d be there. Balancing the tray on one arm, I struggled to knock on the door with my other hand but after two knocks with no response, I decided to drop the tray in his room and go in search of him but the moment I opened the door, I wasn’t ready for what I saw.

Shane, cl added in just a towel, with droplets of water rolling down his hard muscular torso, was standing by the bathroom door, staring back at me. To make matters worse, the towel chose that moment to fall and a gasp flew out of my lips, as I jumped back in shock, making the tray fall from my arms with the plates clattering to the floor and shattering to pieces.