Chapter 8
2267 Words
~Thomas~
Thomas “The only one they have to show respect to is their King!”
Selena “Thomas?”
Azi “No, blood Queen.”
How the hell did he get out without me feeling anything?!
Azi “Hello Thomas. You do realize I can snap her neck right now?”
Thomas “Don’t be petty Azi. We were still talking. Let me out!”
Azi “What will you give me if I do?”
Thomas “Are you being serious now?”
Azi “Yes, I think so. I scratch your back… you scratch mine.”
I don’t trust him, but if I can finish my conversation with Selena in peace, I will give him the benefit of the doubt, for now. Selena starts pulling away, her nails digging into my shoulders.
Thomas “Selena, it’s me…”
I cry in pain.
Selena “Thomas?”
She legs go looking confused, scared, angry all in one.
Selena “I’m… I’m so sorry... I wasn’t sure who…”
Tears start forming in her eyes.
Selena “That damn Ariel!! Every time she walks into someone’s life, trouble follows!”
Thomas “Selena, I need to speak to her.”
Selena “Why? If it wasn’t for her, none of this would have happened!”
I wonder how much she knows and looks puzzled.
Thomas “Has she told you anything? Selena, please. If she told you anything, I need to know.”
Selena “No, she hasn’t, I just… I don’t trust her. Let’s just say its years of experience.”
Azi “No! She is not the one to blame.”
Selena stands back at the sound of the difference in my voice.
Thomas “Azi!”
Azi “That’s enough. All this… nonsense is making me nauseous! Where is the witch!! I want her back!”
Selena stands back, her fangs protruding and her nails growing longer.
Azi “Ah, there she is… the blood Queen. Tell me… will you hurt your precious Thomas?”
Selena “No, but if you are the one left behind, I will kill you, even if you are wearing his face! You will not get your hands on the witch! I will make sure of that!”
She jumps on the horse, turning her back on Azi, she rides away, her fury radiating off her. How am I ever going to find out if Ariel can help me if Azi keeps threatening Selena?!
~Lucille~
Sitting in a human office, waiting to meet with the… I think they call her a managing director? I have no idea… the woman I need to speak to so I can take charge of the bank in town.
Woman “Lucille? Hi, I’m Ava, the International Manager of Rand Bank.”
She walks into the office, holding out her hand for me to shake, but I look over the edge of my pretend glasses at her hand then at her.
Lucille “Nice to meet you, Ava. I’m sorry, I don’t like being touched.”
Ava “That… might be a problem for a branch manager of a bank. You will be working with customers and… well greeting them properly and being friendly is part of our code of conduct.”
Lucille “Yes, I read through your code of conduct. It does state that, but that is for the consultants. As the branch manager, it will be my duty to ensure that the day to day running of the bank itself is done properly.”
Ava “Oh? I will have to check that then… I didn’t.”
Lucille “Look Ava, is it? I don’t have a lot of time. Can we please get on with it? I have an important customer with, let’s just say, your larger than average assets… and investments, both in the branch, in town as well as overseas branches… and towns. He is the main reason for re-opening the branch. He is a recluse who has moved into a house nearby. I don’t really care about having other customers. All I actually require from you is access to your banking system so I can attend to his accounts.”
Ava “Oh… well I can’t just give out customer information to any Tom, d**k, and Harry you know!”
She goes on the defensive. I open my black leather folder and hand her a letter with Thomas’s instructions on it. Done on beautiful paper and his initials done in calligraphy letters to make it look even fancier… Okay so I maybe overdid it a little, but I had to play the part, didn’t I?
Lucille “I believe this will clear things up for you.”
Ava looks at the letter with skepticism.
Ava “I will have to check this without the records department. It will take a couple of weeks…”
Lucille “Ava, darling. Do you remember me telling you that I don’t have time to waste? I don’t mind waiting right here while you check.”
What, did she think I was going to leave while the letter hangs around her desk for the next three weeks?!
Ava “Look Ms… we have processes and procedures to follow. I can’t just…”
Lucille “I believe you can when you speak to the customer directly.”
Having had enough of her attitude I call Thomas.
Lucille “Hi, Thomas. It’s Lucille. I’ve run into a bit of a hiccup. Yes, thank you.”
Handing the phone to Ava, her eyes widen.
Ava “This is Ava. Nice to meet you, sir. Well, then you won’t mind confirming a couple of security questions. We have to protect our customer's privacy. You wouldn’t want any Tom, d**k, and Harry gaining access to your account would you? Your account number?”
I roll my eyes at her rhyme. When she finally opens Thomas’s account I nearly fall over backward laughing at her expression.
Ava “Yes Sir, of course, sir. I will take care of it immediately, sir.”
I have to bite my tongue not to laugh in her face when I hear the line dying. Either he was playing the part really well, or he was in a seriously bad mood because he just took her out from a dizzy height.
Ava “Ms. Lucille. I apologize for my previous behavior, ma’am. Please follow me so we can arrange your security clearance.”
It must have been really bad because she almost looks as if she is trying to disappear in front of me. I didn’t mean for the poor woman to be shattered. I just wanted results. What did Thomas say to her?!
She takes me to the back room where there are a couple of people working on computers and introduces me to a young man, explaining that I’m the new branch manager who will be re-opening the branch, and he should make sure I have everything I need to have access to the system.
By the time I leave later the afternoon, I walk out with paperwork stating that I’m the official branch manager. I can now do what I need to, but first I want to find out what happened between Thomas and Ava.
~Selena~
Storming down to the dungeon when I get back to the castle, I go straight for Ariel’s cell.
Selena “Why? WHY?!”
Ariel “Because they asked me to. It was to protect them… I can’t help it if it took them too long to return…”
Selena “UGH!!!!”
Turning on my heel I storm out again. I step outside into the square and take a deep breath, smelling the flowers around me. When my eyes refocus I see Billy walking my way.
Billy “Good afternoon Your Highness. Everything all right?”
Selena “Ugh, not really, but I guess I can’t do anything about it at the moment. Sorry, Billy. I didn’t mean to make my troubles yours. Anything I can do for you?”
Billy “Nope. I just came to check on the people who moved into the old packhouse. I hope you don’t mind, but we planted some more flowers to get the wolf smell out.”
Selena “No of course not! That reminds me that I wanted to thank you and the others for making the square look so nice. How are things going at home?”
Billy “A beautiful Queen should have a beautiful castle Your Highness, it was our pleasure. Surprisingly quiet. Even your coven members have discussed how the border between us and the wolves isn’t even being patroled. Have you had any word?”
Selena “Yes, I’m afraid. It seems the Alpha King keeps taking over Thomas’s body making decisions on his behalf. We also haven’t had border problems, but don’t be mistaken, they are there. They are watching the borders. They might not be crossing them… yet at least. But they are there.”
Billy “Do you think he will go to the extreme of attacking any of us?”
Selena “Honestly Billy, I have no idea what he will do at this moment. The man I love is fighting a battle I can’t help him with and it’s killing me inside to see it. I don’t know what to do anymore.”
I sit down on the edge of the fountain and he joins me.
Billy “Your Highness. Have you thought about just letting him do what he needs to do to fix it?”
I look at him as if he has lost his mind!
Selena “Billy, Thomas has a demon wolf inside of him trying to take over and kill all of us and you are telling me, I should leave it and see what happens?!”
Billy “No your Highness. That is not what I’m saying. I’m saying let Thomas fix what is happening inside him. You can’t do that for him. Should the Alpha King win and decide to attack… we will be ready for him. Should Thomas win and prevail… you will have shown him that you trusted his judgment and believed in him.”
My shoulders slump and I sigh.
Selena “Why do you damn pixies always have to make so much sense!!”
He laughs, making me laugh for the first time in days.
Billy “I guess because we are on the outside looking in most of the time?”
~Thomas~
Fighting for control of my body Azi and I fall over our own feet into the house, neither willing to give in to the other.
Thomas “You said we had an agreement!”
Azi “I lied. You were boring me, so I changed my mind.”
Thomas “What is it then? You lied or you changed your mind!”
My body shifting between human and wolf as we fight for control and again the living room furniture is the first to suffer the consequences.
Azi “I’m not giving you control so you can lock me up in those cuffs again!”
He fights so we can’t move anywhere, digging his claws into the wooden floor.
Thomas “I don’t want to go in that direction i***t!! I want to go to the office to find out about the damn spell Ariel needs to use to release us! I’ve had it with you!”
He releases our claws and we go flying right into the wall.
Azi/Thomas “OW! Dammit!!”
Thomas “Awesome move Azi!!”
Azi “If you just told me what you wanted to do from the beginning, we could have been researching already!”
Thomas “I need a drink first! You cause a headache with your stubbornness!”
Azi “NO!”
He slams his claws into the floor again.
Thomas “Not again!!”
I sigh.
Thomas “You are going to make us fall… again!!”
Azi “You just want to drink so you can make me fall asleep!! You are not going to do that! I won’t allow it.”
Thomas “No, I need a drink because I hit my head against the wall thanks to you. NOW LET GO!!”
Azi “FINE!”
He lets go and we go flying… right into the arms of Blaze…
Blaze “YOUR HIGHNESS!!!”
We fall flat on our face on top of him. Half-wolf, half-man, growling.
“WHAT??!!!!”
Blaze “I was just coming to see if you are okay… I hear fighting… and…”
Thomas “And what?! You thought I couldn’t take care of myself?!”
I get up even more upset now… how is it going to look… me flying into the arms of my beta.
Azi “Like we are a pansie!”
Thomas “Well, that is all your fault!”
Azi “I will just blame it on you when I take control.”
I roll my eyes at him.
Thomas “I’m fine Blaze. I was just fighting to keep control. How are things in the packhouse?”
Blaze “Good sir. I have patrols up and running and the rest have their jobs to do. I would like us to start training groups as soon as possible.”
Thomas “Sounds good. Keep up with the good work.”
Blaze “When will work for you Alpha.”
Thomas “Blaze, pick a damn title!! It’s either Your Highness or Alpha!!”
Blaze “Sorry sir…”
- Writer
