Nydia was stubborn and she remained where she was. In annoyance, I stood up and stormed away from her. I could not deal with her right now.
I went into Regina's room and sighed looking around. It still smelled like her which drove my senses crazy.
I don't know what led me, but I began to look through her room like a mad man, for a sign of anything that could give me a clue about what had happened and when I saw it, my blood rose and so I went to the stables, and for my horse.
On getting there, there were no sounds. Just a strange silence that enveloped the house and I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline perhaps driven by the fact that I was going to be confronting my cousin. Standing outside Tyler’s door, I took time to draw a few breaths before going in. The note I had in my hand felt like a stone in my hand.
Very quietly, I then opened the door just enough that I could fit through without being heard. Then I glanced around before going to the room where his scent was most pungent. On noticing Tyler, he stood in front of the wardrobe fiddling with the collar of his new shirt. From the mirror, I could see the crease on his forehead as he noticed me.
He was momentarily startled and then he turned to look at me. “Dagen,” he spoke out clearly although there was a certain worry contained in his voice. “How did you get here? Why are you in my room?”
I didn’t answer. I just straightened the note out and placed it on the dresser for him to see. He barely looked at it then, shifted his gaze to me, and pretended he had no idea what it was. “What’s this about?”
“Your injuries,” I said, moving past his question. “They seem to be healing well.”
“Why now, all of a sudden?” he retorted folding his arms across his chest. “Stop with the jokes. I know that you are not worried about me.”
The atmosphere was becoming rather tense as I continued. "Well, you know, it is rather strange, isn’t it? A note in some other non-understandable language but in your handwriting is left in Regina’s room. And all of a sudden, you are severely injured – and still, you do not want to tell me how it happened?"
Tyler merely laughed, raising his lips in what was a very slim at best attempt at covering discomfort. "Dagen, you are totally out of your mind," he said. "My injuries are from riding. I fell from my horse."
“Carry on with the pretence if that is what you want,” I countered, reflecting a calmness that I did not feel. I moved nearer to him, to intimidate him with my glare. “But I do not believe you.”
His eyes contracted and I realised that he was not happy at all although he was talking to me politely. “You think I’m lying? I told you what happened. You think you’re going to scare me with this rubbish?’
“Just tell me the truth," I said, getting frustrated with his back and forth.
"Why? You don’t care about her, you never did, and now you’re worried? It’s almost comical, Dagen. What’s next? A heartfelt i-want-her-back-type-of moment."
His face then contorted with rage and his eyes bore into mine. "Do not pretend that you care about her or have feelings for her. You were ready to discard her the moment she birthed your heir and marry that bitch called Nydia instead."
“Is that so?” I said, shaking my head. “While maybe I might not have treated her the way you did, at least I did not fool around pretending to be something I am not. Pretending to be some goody two shoes. You actually still believe that I don’t see right through you? You have always wanted her for yourself, haven't you?"
“I don’t want Regina. You don’t get it. We were friends and so I had to protect her and keep her company because you treated her like that."
"Liar!" I roared.
“I can see the reason why you act so defensive,” Tyler grinned. “You know why? Because deep down, you regret how you treated her. You have developed feelings, haven't you? So you are simply playing the victim of one who has lost his child so that no one will notice how you actually feel. It’s pathetic.”
“I didn’t come here to argue about who’s to blame,” I snapped. “I came here because I want answers. Regina’s gone, and you have something to do with it!"
“Why do you care so much, Dagen?” Tyler asked, irritation clear in his voice. “You treated her badly. You were ready to marry someone else without a second thought. So why are you suddenly the concerned mate?”
“Because my child means a lot to me,” I shot back, my temper flaring. “And unlike you, I have responsibilities to the pack and one of which is birthing an heir!"
“Maybe you should have thought about that before chasing after Nydia,” Tyler taunted, his smirk returning. “Seems to me you’ve already made your choice. So why not just let her go? You think she’d be here waiting for you after everything?”
I could feel my blood boiling, and I took a step closer, lowering my voice to a dangerous whisper. “If I find out that you had something to do with her disappearance, I promise to end you."
“Regina is gone because of you!” Tyler spat, frustration leaking through his calm exterior. “You’re the one who made her feel like she did not have a place because of that whore called Nydia.”
“I did the right thing by getting a woman who could birth me an heir irrespective of whether I loved her or not."
“Fight all you want, Dagen. It won’t bring her back,” he said, voice low and cold.
"I hope your injuries kept her alive," I spat. "Or you will face my wrath.
Tyler for a brief moment looked worried then regained his confident features. I caught a brief glimpse of something, a glint of being afraid in his eyes. Or guilt.
“Get out, Dagen,” he said the words in a shaky whisper. "You do not know what you are saying at all.”
“Maybe I don’t, but I will be watching you."
With that I spun around on my feet and walked out of his room; the door shutting behind me with a loud thud.