Chapter 3: Chapter 3 - Getting to Know the Enemy
Her benefactor wasn't pleased with her outrage. He refused to accept her refusal till she at least talked with the beast. This led to the two of them going outside for fresh air and a private place to speak.
They walked along the manor grounds together side by side. The silence was uncomfortable to say the least. But what was there to say? There was nothing to speak of in her opinion.
Their walk took them along the forest's edge. The birds weren't chirping today like usual. Something was off with nature. She paused in the walk and looked up at the tree line to see a struggling boy trying to climb higher.
"ROY! Stop that now! Go inside and clean up!" She scolded him as he climbed further into the tree to hide, "I still see you! Roy, get back inside and get cleaned up! That is not the way a gentleman should act!"
Roy came down and pouted before sticking his tongue out at her. He yelled back at her as he ran towards the manor house, "you aren't my mother!"
She shook her head as he left. Boys were so much trouble and so were the men they grew up into.
"The child isn't yours?" her suitor asked, very surprised.
She had almost forgotten he was there until he spoke. And of course he would insult her again. Having a child so young? Did he think she had a child out of wedlock and was living off of charity?
"What? Of course not! Can you not do basic math? He's 10 and I'm 23. I didn't have him at 13! Well I could have, I guess," she said thinking about some royalty who had children very young. She sighed and shook her head, "no the child is… my younger brother. We are adopted by the lord of this manor house, Lord Culpepper."
"Oh," he simply said.
"Oh? That's it? What is that supposed to mean?" She demanded. Did he want her to have a child? To be a damsel in distress?
"I thought you didn't want to accept my proposal due to him," he replied softly.
For as big as this man was standing next to her, he spoke rather softly. And was that relief she saw in his gold eyes?
"Why won't you accept my courtship then?" He asked, staring straight at her now with a look of determination.
How soon this beast forgot! She growled low at him and bore her fangs. Every werewolf knew that was the sign for dissatisfaction.
"You tried to kill me twice!" She reminded him.
He looked down and seemed a bit remorseful.
"Those were accidents… I've never been around horses before. I smelled your scent and was trying to find you. I didn't know the horses would react that way," he explained.
She discreetly sniffed her dress. She wore perfume and bathed far more often than the doctors recommended to make sure her scent didn't stand out amongst the humans.
"Is my scent really that noticeable?" she asked unnerved by how easily she was tracked down.
"Oh yes. Very pleasant. Like the woods during springtime," he said happily.
She hummed, mulling the information over. Maybe her scent had confused other werewolves who simply ignored the smell. Why hadn't he?
He looked at her curiously before speaking, "is that a bad thing?"
"I was trying to hide my scent from other werewolves. The fact you found me so easily means I didn't do as good a job as I thought," she explained with a huff.
"Why would you want to hide your scent?" He asked, surprised.
He couldn't imagine why she would want to hide from their own kind. Werewolves relied on scent for a lot of things like social standing and marital status. They also used it to find others of their kind or to avoid them as was her case.
"I'd rather not run across anyone with ill intentions," she said vaguely.
She could tell he wanted to press further but didn't. She turned and continued the walk along the property. Her suitor followed after her like a puppy.
"What do you do out here for fun?" He asked, trying to start a conversation.
"I play chess with whoever is available. I ride horses when Lord Culpepper allows me. Oh and I read books, though the ones on alchemy that the Lord has are so boring," she listed off.
"I was right to believe that you are smart," he commented.
She felt her face flush at his words. She was used to the comments on her appearance but being praised for her intellectual interests was something new to me.
"Saying such things will not sway me," she huffed as she continued to walk.
She made sure that her hair would fall just enough to cover her face. How embarrassing to become flustered over some sweet words. So unlady like for her. This was not how she was raised.
"And what are your hobbies?" she asked in return.
"I don't have much time for hobbies. I like archery though. I also collect sea glass," he replied as he now walked beside me.
"Sea glass? You've been to the sea?" she questioned, shocked.
She always wanted to go to the sea but it wasn't possible without a chaperone. To put her feet in the water would feel grand. Though, who knows who her ankles might seduce.
"My castle overlooks the sea, actually. I wish I could get out more but that is life," he sighed before looking at her, "I hope you know I have no ill intentions towards you. I extend my hand in marriage to you because there is something about you that is a mystery to me. I want to find out what makes you so different from other werewolves."
Lillian stopped walking and looked straight at her newest suitor.
"I am not a puzzle for you to solve and discard," she told him sternly.
"Oh I have no intention of discarding you. You are smart and would make a lovely partner to help me lead the pack into these changing times," he replied and got down on his knees and bowed to her right there on the dirty ground, "Lillian Lowe, would you consider being my mate?"
Weekly Power Status
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