Chapter 41

CHAPTER 41






"ENJOY YOUR stay here." Jeff wasn't sure what Dianne wants with him. She never talked to him alone and this warm welcome is genuine. The glint in her eyes even show a rare shine of empathy. He couldn't help but feel suspicious.

Although he didn't know why he must come with Cedric in his former pack, he still went. Jeffrey is now aware of Cedric's status as an heir to the late alpha. And the condition that he can only sit as a successor if he have a child of his own.

Jeffrey knew he shouldn't feel anxious. Cedric had already claimed him. The will should not make him scared about anything.

'But why am I here?' He raised a questioning brow before observing the barren guest room. The furniture had a thin scatter of dust. Jeffrey wasn't used into staying at dirty places— still, he endured the sight.

'Where's Idrik?' Ever since they came back in the pack territory, he hasn't seen Cedric's shadow. He understand that the man is busy but they hadn't had one proper conversation since yesterday. Jeffrey doesn't want to sulk but... he wanted to see him.

After Uncle Max' public wedding, nothing happened. Which gave him the false sense of security that maybe the enemies had given up.

If Cedric wasn't jumping through different places twice frequent than when he was still working under him, Jeffrey would have believed his imagination of peace.

The war is not over yet.

Cedric changed his mind a few days ago. Telling Jeffrey that he need to go back to his former pack and convince the people to find another territory than to wait for nothing.

It made him breathe easier knowing Cedric had no intention of going back to this place and settle here. This place is a source of Cedric's nightmares.

But it didn't stop him from wondering if Cedric has a plan in his own.

The man has been refusing to sleep with him. Cedric was beginning to treat him coldly. Though Jeffrey always dismiss it because the man could be tired from work.

Jeffrey changed into a casual white sweater and his white pajamas. He tidied his hair by sweeping it back. It had gone longer. The last time he had it trimmed was two weeks ago.

The room didn't even have a mirror. Let alone a comfort room.

Jeffrey walked out and steeled himself. He wanted to use a cubicle. He might need help searching for the direction.

The moonlight shines over the pavilion. His pale skin glowed under the shower of light. 'I should have taken a half bath before going to sleep.' Sadly, no one wants to accommodate him.

'Great. My mate's family does not take me seriously.' Jeffrey would like to say that it didn't matter but his Uncle Max taught him to be an honest person. 'I hate it here.'

"Mr. Duvas?"

Jeffrey paused his steps and look behind him. A woman followed him with a basin of warm water on her hand. "I thought you might want to wash your face..." She smiled. "So I brought this."

Jeffrey remembered her. It was the same woman who smiled at him when he stepped out of the car earlier. "You're so kind. Thank you so much but... I want to use the comfort room."

The woman's expression became awkward. Jeffrey braced himself for another insult coming his way. 'In the end, they're all the same.'

"I advise you to just... settle in your room for tonight. If you need anything, tell me." Her head spun left to right before she said, "Call me Ofelia."

"Ofelia..." Jeffrey sighed. He can't ignore her words. Cedric told him that he had forgiven the woman for what she did before. Ofelia was only looking out for her own mate. And for the sake of his brothers' sacrifices, Cedric wants to take care of her. "Are you not afraid being seen with me tonight? I'm sure this will create rumors. It will not be in favor on your part."

"I once met my fated mate. He's an alpha." She continued walking Jeffrey back into his room.

"What happened?" Jeffrey frowned. "You don't smell like how a marked person should."

"You too."

Jeffrey blinked. "What?"

His heart started to beat rapidly.

"Like I said, I was once fate mated with someone. Yet before we can exchange our mating bites, the former alpha, his grandfather, ordered him to be mated with an omega daughter of another pack. He's a great enforcer, you see. The former alpha saw him as an experiment. A source of entertainment. Well, I'm just a mere beta. I'm not as rare as that woman and... I'm not as important as his ambitions." A single tear left her right eye. It made Jeffrey more nervous. "He marked that omega, but he never... bore a child with her even though she's fertile. What do you think, Mr. Duvas? Is it the Fates' punishment for them both? They knew about me... but... I only came to know about their arrangement on the day of their marriage."

Jeffrey pursed his lips. "He doesn't deserve you. He neglected your existence. That man... missed a lot in his life the moment he did not choose you."

Ofelia sobbed. "Is it because I'm just a beta? I want... I longed to get out of here but my wolf wouldn't let me. It will die once we get too far from this place. My wolf is the only thing that's left in me. I don't want to lose it."

"Why are you telling me this?" His eyes warmed with pity. "I'd like to help you but I'm afraid getting you out of here will only complicate things for you. We wouldn't be able to get past the gate."

They had reached the door of Jeffrey's room. Ofelia lowered the bowl of warm water on the floor and held his hand. The warmth made Jeffrey comfortable.

"Your scent... the heir still hasn't marked you yet, right?" Her unblinking eyes held concern and suspicion.

Jeffrey laughed with unease. "He marked me already. Look..." He fidgeted with the neckline of his sweater and hesitated before pulling it downwards. "See?"

Ofelia's eyes flickered with sadness. Jeffrey's heart thumped painfully when she said, "Mr. Duvas, that's indeed a vampire's claiming mark but you know that the heir is a hybrid. He's half a wolf... and I can't find the scent of his wolf on you."

'His wolf...'

He was reminded of the fact that Cedric knew that Jeffrey is his fated mate from the very beginning. Even before they have met personally. If his Uncle Max didn't tell him about that, then Jeffrey would stay clueless about him.

Cedric's vampire side knew that they're mates with his sense of bloodlinking. They knew who's their fated mate by their sight. When Jeffrey felt the pull, it was minimal and unnoticeable. That's because he's only half a vampire himself.

That's the same for Cedric. The pull was there, but he can ignore it. He can endure it because his wolf side hadn't scented him.

His original plan was to pretend that Jefferson Adenhart Duvas doesn't exist.

Uncle Max broke his plan when he personally sent himself to Cedric's office. Cedric's wolf caught a whiff of his scent.

That explains his mood swings.

That explains why even if Jeffrey pranced in front of Cedric before, he can still collect himself and make out with different women as if it's nothing. Cedric can help himself be stable because he has the two raging shifter blood inside him.

He can control his vampire half and his wolf side.

While Jeffrey has to rely solely in his human side to deal with his emotional struggle every time.

Cedric marked him only with his vampire blood.

These past few days... Cedric can't be bothered to stay with him in one room. It was like he's avoiding him. Jeffrey can no longer trick himself into thinking that Cedric was just tired or that he needed space.

Cedric love being intimate the most. Why is he neglecting Jeffrey now?

'Why?' Jeffrey's head spun with conclusions. It made him dizzy. 'Did you know that this will eventually happen?'

His face warmed with tears. 'Did you already plan... to do this from the very beginning?'

Cedric knew that the former alpha, his father, will order him to come home sooner. He knew about his conditions and he will fulfill them.

That's why he never bothered marking Jeffrey with his wolf bite. That's why until now, he's still blocking their link so Jeffrey won't be able to read what's in his mind.

"Agh..." Jeffrey struggled with the knot in his throat. 'It hurts so much.'

Ofelia kneeled in front of him and offered her shoulders for a hug. "I'm sorry but I can't... stand looking at you while knowing how... how it hurts to be played. I made a mistake when I tried to curry favor for the former alpha before and that almost killed the heir, but… you're a good person. That's why I always look out for you. The pack order was never in favor for the beta members of this territory. I'm not betraying them by telling you this. In fact, I consider this as a repayment for what they've done to me. I won't let another person... to end up like..."

Jeffrey gasped. The pain in his chest didn't lessen. It only ached more. He wished it to stop.

'Uncle Max...' he called using his blood link, 'Uncle Max, save me. I... I think I'm dying.'

"I... can't breathe."

Jeffrey's sight turned black. He breathed heavily but the pain in his chest wouldn't go away.

"Jeffrey!" A pair of cold hands held his shoulders. His Uncle Max' face greeted him with a scowl. "Hang on. I'll take you with me."

"Take him far... somewhere that the heir could not take advantage of him anymore." Ofelia's last words echoed inside Jeff's mind.

'In the end, I was just used... and tossed away like garbage.'

Cedric brought him along to show everyone that he didn't mark him. Jeffrey had the suspicion at the back of his mind that maybe Idrik was never sincere.

'It hurts so much... I wish didn't know him.'

Jeffrey would like to forget everything.




__________





CEDRIC WAS on his way back when he noticed the familiar menacing aura of Max Adenhart. His eyes widened. 'Jeffrey...'

He still have to nag that old man. Max meddled with his business with Jeffrey. The guy didn't even know everything that's on his mind but he continued ruining Cedric's plan like he gets off on it.

He intended to go for a small weekend vacation with Jeffrey but the old guy didn't approve his papers. He said he needed him to do something—again.

Cedric ran to Jeffrey's room but he was a tad too late. Jeffrey laid unconscious on Max's chest. The man's expression towards him is cold and unfriendly.

"There's no need to fake your concern, Cedric." He smirked. "The kid already know that your wolf wouldn't bother marking him. You can now impregnate a lot of women like you've always wanted to. I will never allow you inside the Adenhart's territory again as long as I live."

Cedric paled. He stared at Jeffrey's face. His eyes were open... yet Cedric hates the lifeless glint in it. 'Jeffrey, no.'

'What are you talking about? You're the one who sent me—' The little guy must have misunderstood him!


"Forget about seeing Jeffrey again. You will never see even his shadow for the rest of your life."