Chapter 67
GWEN??
The next morning, I woke up very early and went to bathe and prepare, not waiting for Kora to wake me as she does every other day. I wanted to hurry Abby to inform her of the lie of yesterday-that is if Williams hasn’t told her yet.
TI arrived in front of her room, knocked, and waited. There were unhurried footfalls against the granite floor before the keys of the door rattled and it flung open to her sleepy self, moping at me. “Gwen?” Her eyes fully opened. “What are you doing here so early?”
I smiled. “May I come in?” When she hesitated, I looked side to side in the hall in agitation. “I have something urgent to tell you before we leave for the games”
“Sorry, come in,” she said, stepping aside for me to come in. “I’m so sorry for letting you stand out there. I was still surprised to see you.” She pointed me to the seat to sit down. “Hope there is no problem?”
“Not one we can’t fix, Abby.” I entwined and de-tangled my fingers nervously. “So, yesterday, I kind of eavesdropped on Ashton saying something that might have led to me saying something else that involved you in a not-so-cool kind of way.”
“Me?” She was very interested now. “How?”
“He plans to carry out his threat of marrying you off.”
“What!”
“Williams stood up for you and then while they were arguing I thought he needed help so I came in and told them or literally told Ashton that you have found your mate.”
Her forehead creased further in obvious displeasure. “What! Why did you tell him? And yeah, what is wrong with Ashton? He knows I’m never going to agree to such nonsense, why even try?”
“I’m sorry… And to your second question, I don’t know,” I splayed my two hands out to her. “But one thing is for sure, you have to play along for me, Williams and you! Okay, I know it’s true that Williams is your true mate and I know you two are scared of telling him because you are scared of his reaction which was why I intervened. So, imagine he now thinks you have a mate but doesn’t know who that is. This is why you have to make sure he believes so.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
“Until when?” She was starting to pace by now.
“Well, until you are able to tell him.”
“That is the problem,” she hissed, turning paler. “We don’t even know if we can ever be together.”
“So what? Are you two going to reject each other on cold feet?”
“You have no idea who my brother is and what he is capable of, Gwen.” She stopped pacing, looking very distraught. “He will kill Williams if he ever finds out we have been seeing each other behind his back, do you get that?”
I blinked back, alarmed to the least. Why is Ashton this way? It stemmed farther than the fact that he was hurt in the past. There is more to this. I got the bro code that said friends should never date friends’ sisters but this is more than that. They are mates for goddess sake. “I wish I can help you, Abby.”
“I know,” she fell beside me with a loud huff. The couch was a long one. “I can handle this, trust me. We have a plan. And I can’t tell you for now but with time when we have all the plans mapped out, I will let you know, I promise. I will just have to… play along in this truth-lie you have somehow gotten me immersed in. I know Ashton, he will surely want to know who it is.”
“It’s alright, come here.” I hugged her and kissed her hair.
There was a knock on the door and when it opened, her maid stuck her head in. “It’s time to prepare you for the games, princess.”
Abby lifted off me. “Yes, Khosi, come in.”
I stood and wiped my hand down my blue simple morning gown. “I will go prepare too. See you later.”I kissed her left cheek and left.
??
One hour later when the car pulled in front of the massive arena, I was amazed at how the place was totally transformed from the last time I was there and even more amazed by how everywhere was already buzzing with Lycans, most of whom were milling about.
Some of the Lycans in their full forms were placed in strategic points possibly for security reasons and when my eyes travelled to the position for the King and Queen, there Ashton sat in his full glory, looking as godly as every time, making my breath catch.
And at this juncture, it wasn’t only his regality that hypnotized me, It was also his blue eyes latched at me. Intently. Taking me in as if I was the only one existing in the arena. I felt my heartbeat peak as though he was right beside me. How did he know I was here? My scent, or was it that he was missing me and easily felt my aura when I arrived?
“Let’s go, Gwen.” Abby grabbed my right hand and pulled me along. “I can’t wait! OMG, it is finally happening.”
“Yes, it is,” I snorted a nervous chuckle, my pink cheeks slowly returning back to their normal colours. “I pray this goes smoothly, Abby. It is my first time experiencing this and the people will be waiting for the werewolf Queen to fail by all means.”
She patted my hands in comfort as we neared Ashton who was addressing the crowd now. “Don’t say that, Gwen. These people love you more than you give them credit for. You have no idea.”
“You think so?”
“I know so. And these games… it’s going to be successful, you will see.”
“… so, relax, and be ready for your mind to be blown away, because this year, this is going to be a game to be remembered in the history of time.” Ashton finalized, and his speech was followed by a roaring bang of hands clashing together and Lycans howling fiercely in respect to him.
I sat down close to his throne and Abby by my side as he came to sit down and gave me a one-off unsmiling regard. “Why are you coming by this time? Do you realize as the Queen the people look up to you to lead by example?” He hushed in a stern tone.
“I know, I’m sorry.” I was beaming while whispering in a way that an onlooker would think we were having a normal chat. “I woke up very late after sleeping very late last night.” I lied. Again.
He huffed and looked away as I turned towards Abby and noticed she was deeply immersed in a conversation with Williams who had somehow joined us in the mix. I waved at him and faced the crowd, spotting Tyler unclad with nothing but a piece of cloth guiding his loins.
I swallowed loudly, watching his biceps swell as he showed off as if knowing the effect he was having on any lady who was watching him at that moment.
Ashton suddenly stood off from his throne, letting out a ferocious growl that had me looking away in another direction hence I slowly flicked my eyes back at him to see him glower at me and looked into the crowd. At Tyler. Did he see me staring at him like a sex-deprived whore?
Ashton didn’t say a word as he marched off down the stairs, straight at Tyler. I shared a look with Abby in worry but she was still speaking to Williams; they didn’t even see what transpired.
W-Where is he going? Is he going to hurt Tyler? My heartbeat skyrocketed in seconds knowing once more I’m going to be the reason Tyler suffered.
…