Chapter 72

Chapter 72 I won‘t tell if you won‘t.

Doris watched the men wander back to their cottages without a single glance back at her and stood frozen in the snow. She watched as her breath form clouds of fog in front of her but made no effort to move towards warmth. “It won’t be hard for you to pretend.” Said a voice in her mind. Doris glanced around to make sure it hadn’t come from someone else. “What?” Doris asked out loud. Her voice sounded so small in the breath of wind. “That’s our mate, it’ll be say for you to pretend to be his wife.”

Doris realized she was speaking to her inner wolf. She’d heard it speak a few times before, but both times she had been in a fever dream state where she wasn’t focused enough to understand what was happening. Now that she was more aware, she realized how strange it was to have something inside her speak to her like this. It sounded as if it knew more than she could ever hope to, perhaps it did. But not about this. “He’s not our mate.” Doris said silently. She could have sworn the voice scoffed at her words. “Melody is his mate.” “We both know that’s not true. She faked her mark to take your place. Everyone knew he was looking for a mark.” “Doris?” A voice called from behind her. Doris turned to see Patrick standing a few feet away, his hands still stained in blood. Or perhaps she was imaging it again. She blinked and his hands were clean again. “What’re you doing out here?” “Oh, I was just… thinking.” Doris wrapped her cloak tighter around herself. The wolf inside her retreated and she knew they were done for now. Would it always be this way? Would the wolf inside her always come out to say its opinions even when they’re wrong. Patrick shoved his hands deep in his pockets. “It’s quite an odd place to be doing a thing like that. You’ll freeze to death.”

Doris nodded and went to back up a little towards her cabin until a thought stopped her. “How come the man couldn’t heal himself with other Werewolf blood?” Patrick raised his brows at her question as if it was the most ridiculous thing he’d heard all day. “What do you mean?” “I mean, William was able to heal me with his. He didn’t need a cure, how come the man didn’t have someone just do the same? Patrick laughed a little, she frowned. What was so funny about her question? It had been on her mind ever since she saw how sick he was. Why didn’t he just … have someone give him blood like William did? “A normal werewolf’s blood can’t heal like William’s does. His blood is rare and not many can do what he does.”

Doris’s lips parted a little. “Oh… is it because he’s royal?” “He’s royal, he’s an alpha. He’s not like any other wolf you’ll meet. No one can cure something as deadly as what you went through. He hoped it wouldn’t have resorted to you needing the blood because of the horrible coma it puts you in once you drink too much but he had to risk it.” Patrick shrugged and looked up at the sky. “The cure doesn’t completely extract the poison like his blood does, so that’s why he didn’t consider it. It could have left you sick for months.” Patrick laughed again when he saw the stunned look on her face. “It won’t all be so confusing once you learn more about it all. Listen, you should get some rest. It’s been a long day.” He was right, she did need rest. But how would she sleep after what she just learned?

The next morning, William was no where to be found. She woke up to an empty room and the sun had just barely started to come out. He was already asleep by the time she returned the night before after talking with Patrick, she wondered if he loathed the idea of pretending to be married to her and perhaps this was his attempt at avoiding her. Perhaps he even got another room so he wouldn’t have to share hers anymore.

The idea of it left her feeling… uncomfortably sad. She had no right to feel that way. in fact, the other half of her felt relieved that he would want to finally get his own room. That was exactly what she wanted to happen. Right? Yes, of course. He was one of the most awful men to have a conversation with. Everything she said made him mad at her for no reason. Doris shook the thoughts out of her head and took her time dressing for the day. She let her long hair stay down and dressed in warm pants and a sweater before she pulled on a pair of knee high boots. When she finally stepped out into the snow, she instantly felt as if someone was watching her. Not someone everyone.

She hadn’t even fully closed her door before she noticed it. People snuck glances at her as she passed them to get a plate of food. They whispered behind their hands and she swore she heard her own name more than once. It was so obvious, she wondered if they thought she was truly dumb enough for her not to notice. Eliza came up from behind Doris with a small smile on her face. It didn’t read her eyes, which told Doris she knew exactly what everyone was saying about her. “How’re you doing, love?” “Fine… I notice everyone is staring at me.” Doris whispered.

Eliza hummed to herself and jerked her chin to the side. “Come with me, there’s something you should see.” Doris pushed aside her half eaten plate and followed Eliza down the snowy path. She led her to the very end of the row of cabins and motioned for Doris to stay quiet. Doris pressed her lips together and stepped over the snow carefully. “Listen.” Eliza mouthed to her before she turned and walked back up the path without another word. What on earth was she supposed to be listening for? Doris almost turned and followed her until she heard the voices. “…and that’s not what I came here for.” Said a deep voice.

William’s voice? Who was he talking to? What did any of this have to do with her “We never know what we want until we see it.” A female voice said, her tone low with a drop of lust. “Let me help you relax….” “You said you had information on Life Pharmacy.” Prince William snapped. Doris crept towards the door and strained to hear more. “I say a lot of things, but I’m offering you a temporary escape from all the stress.” She could hear the sound of a bed creak as if someone had just sat upon it. Doris’s stomach turned in disgust. “Go in there and rip her apart! She’s seducing our mate!” The voice screamed inside her. Doris had to hold her breath to keep from gasping at the sudden sound. A bubble of jealousy bloomed inside her chest. Who was this girl? Is this where he ran off to in the morning? Not that she should ever care. They were nothing to each other, her wolf was wrong. She was wrong for even wanting to hear any of this. “I’m not interested in what you’re offering. I wanted information.” William growled. She heard the sound of his stomps near the door and Doris hurried to crouch on the side of the cabin near the windows that were too high for her to see into, but perfect for her to hide under. “Wait! Aren’t you bored of that servant yet? You’re a prince, you can have any woman you want.

You don’t have to settle for her.” It sounded as if the woman stood again. Lighter footsteps hurried after his own. “I won’t tell if you won’t.” Doris had the sudden urge to go in there and strangle the girl until she was blue in the face. Her wolf hummed in approval at her dark thoughts. “If you touch me again, I’ll rip off your arm and feed it to my horses. You’re lucky I don’t do that just for you lying to me and misleading me.” William threw open the door so hard, it banged against the wall of the cabin. He stepped out into the snow, Doris peered over the side to watch as he closed his eyes and inhaled. She quickly hurried away from the cabin before he could stomp across the snow and find exactly where she was. He knew her scent well. Doris took the back way up to the main area again and tried to hurry. By the time she arrived, she was a little out of breath ad William was already there.

Seated at a back table with Patrick and a few other guards, his eyes instantly found her and she looked away before he caught her staring “Did you find what you needed?” Eliza asked quietly when she came up to Doris. Doris swallowed. “I’m not sure.”