Chapter 34: The Face Behind The Charade

"... I'm not an idiot."

My voice shook, making me cover my lips with both my hands. I couldn't believe that Ashton, the person I trusted the most, the man who was with me all the time, would lie to me.

Back in the inn, I asked the twins about the wolves. They told me everything I needed to know and... they answered the questions I asked them. One of them was why they were in Everfell that night of the attack? I could still remember how Kieran and Cyran looked at each other before facing me.

Their answer was, "we don't know. Alpha Hugo told us he wanted to run, so we did... we didn't expect it will be a long run, though. And then, we reached the burning Everfell."

I didn't doubt them because I could see the truth in their eyes. Now that I thought about it, Hugo and those wolves bore the sincerest eyes I had ever seen in my life. Be it because wolves were far too emotional and proud to lie, it didn't matter.

'I had nothing to compare it to before, Ashton.' I slowly opened my eyes, bitterness glinting across them. 'But after meeting them, I can finally see it. The look in your eyes whenever you look at me was neither out of genuine concern nor relief. It was obvious... you look at me as if I am... an animal needed to be tamed.'

When I noticed it first, I shrugged it off. I wanted to believe Ashton and give him a chance to clear the suspicion in my mind and heart. But he didn't. Instead, he only proved what actually lies behind those eyes.

My eyes softened as I hung my head low, staring at my hands that were clutching my skirt. A ridiculing chuckle escaped my mouth, shaking my head. This betrayal was too painful because... Ashton was my friend. He was an important person to me.

'Tch. You ambushed a vampire and got away?' I chuckled in a low tone, wiping my tears as sulking would change nothing. 'I know a beast who is very capable and still, a vampire managed to sneak away from his clutches. Vampires are not as simple as that. You didn't even bother coming up with a believable lie.'

I winced when I tried moving my legs, aching from my thigh down to my fractured ankle. I studied it with narrowed eyes, nodding in understanding. This injury didn't just happen by accident. Thanks to my fair skin, I could see the faint red hand marks around it, convincing me that someone dislocated it on purpose while I was asleep.

'How do I run like this?' I wondered as it was painful with just a slight movement. I could imagine myself tripping over and ending up crawling.

'What to do? I'm not even sure if Hugo found out I was missing. He might think I run away or something...' I panicked, looking around to find anything to support me or an exit to escape. But alas, there was only one entrance and exit, and I knew the second I open it, they would drag me back in here.

'The last thing I want is getting knock unconscious once again.'

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes to calm my mind. Unlike that night, this was nothing. The pain in my heart that night was too much. It was numbing.

When I opened my eyes once again, I relaxed my shoulders and looked around. There wasn't much inside, as it seemed they simply set it up for the night. Aside from this wooden pallet as a bed and the chair, I couldn't find anything helpful.

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'They can just kill me earlier, but they didn't. That means they need me for something. Whatever it was, that is what's keeping me alive.' I nodded so I wouldn't panic about this helpless situation. 'Calm down, Rinnie. Calm down.'

I looked down at the ground, checking if there was a stone big enough to knock someone unconscious. But all I saw were small pebbles and dry ground.

"This is useless... wait." My brows furrowed before they rose at the sudden idea that crossed my mind. "Maybe it will work."

After telling myself that, I did what I must and then lied down to pretend to sleep. I was certain Ashton would come back later to check on me and stare for a moment. That was his habit even before, and I was stupid to think it was because he cared. He was probably doing that while murdering me in his head.

Just as I expected, Ashton came after an hour or less. I closed my eyes when I sensed his presence. Once my sense of sight was out, I could only rely on my other senses. I heard the wooden chair creak, making me envision he sat down near the bed. I felt his intent stares, but I calmed myself and kept the rhythm of my breathing.

One wrong move and my chance to escape would disappear. I had to do this right, or who knows what would happen to me?

"Princess, are you awake?" he inquired while I continued on playing dead. "Of course, you are tired, right, Princess?"

'Ashton, stop calling me with such gentleness. I already know...' my thoughts trailed off when a sudden chill ran down my spine. Ashton caressed my shoulder down to my arms with his knuckles. I tried not to shiver or open my eyes despite the revolting feeling I felt at his touch.

The next second, the ticklish sensation traveled through the ends of my nerves when he brush my hair. I could feel him lifting a portion of my hair to him.

'Ashton, you...' my heart drummed against my chest as I gulped.

"My Princess, didn't I tell you I will protect you forever?" he reminisced in a quiet voice. "That's what I did. I saved you... but why are you pretending to sleep?"

I popped my eyes open when the bed I was lying on shook. The first thing I saw was a pair of dark red eyes hovering over me, planting his palm on either side of my head while keeping me in between his knees. I shivered in fear. His gentle front, gone. What was left was the real face behind the charade.

Cold. Menacing. Wicked.

"My Princess, I watched you sleep many times so I know when you are pretending." The side of his lips curled up into a diabolical smirk, licking his growing fangs.

ARH- WOOOOOO!

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