Chapter 24

“Horror is always like a serpent; always shedding its skin, constantly changing.”

From her childhood, Chloe was afraid of Stark and Noah, her nightmare Alpha twins. Then she was introduced to the torture by James, her not so loving ex-husband.

Edith’s entry into her gloomy life changed her fear’s orientation: fear of rejection. But the horror she was experiencing right now was the greatest of all.

Edith’s gift for her was non-other than her wish: James blooded head in a square box, his life - less eyes staring at her. Chloe flinched away as her another shriek resonated in the surrounding, echoing in the empty basement. She curled into the sofa and firmly grabbed her knees, sobbing disturbingly as her heart was hammering against her chest, threatening to tear out the protection of the rib cage. She remembered Edith’s promise to kill James but like this, that was out of her mind! Chloe shut her eyes close and stayed there frozen for almost ten minutes that felt like an eternity, that’s when Edith’s calming embrace enveloped around her trembling figure.

“It’s OK, I am here. Don’t be scared.”

Then he looked at the opened box and sighed in relief,

“This, do you like my present? That insect is dead now, he can’t harm you anymore.”

Chloe clung to his chest for a length of time. She relaxed in his hug, he steady heart beat alarmed Edith that it was breakfast time.

“Oh! I got you some sandwiches, Moonie. I hope you will like it.”

He picked up the box and dumped into the dust bin casually and brought out the food bags. Chloe was feeling nauseated due to the stench of James’s blood, but still, she ate for his happiness. She promised in her heart to control her wild tongue, as Edith was accustomed to taking things very seriously.

Chloe was planning to ask him the details of his successful killing, but he held her hand and took her to another room to show her round.

“You didn’t tour the house yesterday. Let me show you.”

As soon as they entered the second room (which Chloe thought would be a bedroom), her eyes almost got blinded by the elegance permeated through exquisite artifacts and antiques, lending an unimaginable value to the surroundings.

The grand room was bathed in the soft glow of a magnificent chandelier, crafted with crystals and diamonds, suspended high above the ceiling. Its radiance illuminated the space, reflecting off the marble floor that mirrored everything on it’s pristine surface.

Chloe was awed by this display, her mouth was opened like “O” just like her widened eyes. Edith, who was satisfied with her reaction, walked regally while removing her coat and sat before a huge black piano, placed in the middle of the room.

He commanded the piano with unparalleled mastery, his long fingers striding gracefully, initiating a soothing melody. Soon, the atmosphere was filled with enchanting piano symphonies, evoking a sense of joy and sophistication.

As in a trance, Chloe's feet moved on their own, she leaned against the piano, admiring the most enchanting view of her life. Her mind was blank, swaying with the rhythm of epiphany.

Then her eyes got fixed on the new ring that Edith was wearing, made with exquisite Platinum adorned with a twinkling crimson gem.

“From where did you get this ring?”

This question came out of nowhere, regretting Chloe that she can ask this in a more proper way.

“This one?”

Edith turned his head towards her, his snowy hair cascading down his back moved in a slight wave of disturbance.

“Early in the morning, Allen called a meeting about our couple. This is my family’s ring, which was confiscated by the Elders. Today, I got it back just because of you.”

He stretched his arm and ever so naturally, Chloe sat on his thigh.

“Now, everyone thinks that I am sane and forgiven. You are my redemption, Moonie. I feel alive with you.”

Edith nuzzled her neck playfully, Chloe giggled with this ticklish sensation,

“So, you got a certificate from your family. That’s nice, who else do you have in your home?”

All of a sudden, Chloe was undeniably curious about Edith’s background, the urge to know about every single detail of his past reminded her about the questioner she wrote to yesterday.

“My parents died after Allen’s coronation as the King. We are two brothers, Allen is younger than I. What about you?”

As Edith ended his reply with a query of his own, Chloe decided to move on with this pace.

“You are my family.”

“Sorry!”

Edith knitted his brows, not getting the exact meaning behind her short response.

“I am an orphan, or I think I am. Alpha Lawrence found me on the Pack’s border when I was an infant. So, I just have different imaginative stories about my origin and relatives.”

Edith held her hand, his eyes were twinkling with his heartfelt emotions as he spoke in an earnest tone,

“Let’s leave the past in the past. We are enough for each other. I will be your family and our kids too if Goddess will consider me suitable for this responsibility.”

Chloe was listening to his standpoint believing that Edith belonged to some special specie apart from men. She had seen a man who accused her being barren, and then she witnessed the disappointment of being a girl dad.

Indeed, her mate was superior to every common man!

Seeing her deep in thoughts, Edith raised his concern, which immediately caught Chloe’s attention.

“Will you leave me if we don’t have kids? I am just unsure due to my track record as…..”

Chloe leaned in and placed a peck on his lips, shutting off his nonsense,

“Aren’t you too impatient?

We just met yesterday, and you are planning for the long term. Besides, I am so young. I want to enjoy this bond with you for some years, we can worry about it later.”

As this conversation was going south, Chloe refreshed her questions and took his detailed interview, which amazed Edith to the extent that his lips stretched in a toothy smile.

They were in the middle of their question answer session when, out of the blue, Chloe started feeling dizzy. Her eyelids were getting heavy as sleepiness was getting over her hazy mind.

She looked at Edith, whose charismatic smile was hypnotizing as usual, unfazed by her sudden sleepy mode.

“I think boring details about this old man have lulled you to sleep. Let me take you to our room.”