Wolves lye here too

I woke up to the faint light of dawn filtering through the curtains. The room was still dim, but I could feel the warmth of Sebastian next to me. I turned slightly, watching him as he lay there, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. For a moment, I felt a sense of peace, as if the chaos of the past few days had momentarily lifted.

Sebastian stirred and opened his eyes, meeting my gaze. "Good morning," he murmured, his voice still heavy with sleep.

"Good morning," I replied, a soft smile on my lips.

Sebastian sat up, stretching his arms above his head. "I need to freshen up," he said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing up.

I watched as he walked to the bathroom, his movements deliberate and unhurried. The door closed behind him, and I was left alone with my thoughts. The events of the previous day played through my mind, and a shiver ran down my spine. Nancy's betrayal, the chase, the crash—it all seemed surreal.

A few minutes later, Sebastian emerged from the bathroom, looking refreshed and more alert. "Your turn," he said, giving me a reassuring nod.

I slipped out of bed and made my way to the bathroom, the cool tiles a sharp contrast to the warmth of the bed. As I washed my face and brushed my teeth, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered. I wanted to make things right with Sebastian, to prove my loyalty and worth. I vowed to do whatever it took.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, Sebastian was waiting for me. He handed me a small piece of paper with a list of tasks. "We'll need to go downstairs," he said. "There's something I need to address with everyone."

I nodded, folding the paper and slipping it into my pocket. We left the room together, walking down the hallway. The mansion was eerily silent, as if it were empty. The usual hustle and bustle were absent, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

As we descended the stairs, the silence continued. The grand hallway was devoid of life, the paintings and decorations casting long shadows in the dim light. It felt as though we were the only two people in the world.

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, the sound of voices drifted in from outside. We made our way to the front door and stepped out into the courtyard. A large crowd had gathered, all eyes focused on a central figure—Nancy.

Sebastian walked from the back, moving through the crowd with purpose. He stepped into the middle, his presence commanding immediate attention. The murmurs ceased, and a heavy silence settled over the gathering.

"Everyone," Sebastian began, his voice steady and authoritative. "Yesterday, Ariella was almost kidnapped by her own superior—Nancy."

A ripple of shock and outrage passed through the crowd. I could see the anger and disbelief on their faces.

"This is wrong," Sebastian continued, his gaze sweeping over the assembled group. "This is a betrayal of the highest order. It's something that I would usually punish by death. But today, I want everyone to have a say. It seems that whenever I make decisions, it’s seen as autocratic. This time, I want to bring you all in."

He paused, allowing his words to sink in. "All those in favor of killing Nancy, raise your hands."

A few hands went up immediately, but before any more could join, Nancy began to beg. She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "Please, I'm sorry! Ariella, please beg Sebastian for me!"

I stood there, paralyzed. I could see the desperation in Nancy's eyes, but I couldn't find the words to speak. I glanced at Sebastian, but his expression was unreadable. He didn’t want me to interfere, and I knew better than to disobey him now.

Nancy's pleading grew more frantic. "I may go down, but this is not the end," she cried. "There are many holes in your secure walls, and there are many wolves dressed like sheep in your fortress."

Her words sent a chill down my spine. She lifted her head and locked eyes with El Rado, who looked at her with disgust. There was a tension between them that I couldn’t quite place.

Sebastian continued, "All in favor of her being killed, raise your hands."

Behemoth stepped forward. "No. She should be banished."

I found my voice and echoed his sentiment. "She should be banished too."

Raven shook her head. "She should be killed."

Redhead Junkie nodded in agreement. "She should be killed."

Mamba hesitated but then said, "She should be banished."

Rat face stepped forward, his voice cold and clear. "She should be killed. This should be a lesson to everyone planning betrayal. Sebastian hates betrayal more than anything. Nancy you have been here for a long time, and you knows the history of betrayal in this house. Yet you still did it. This is punishable by death."

His words resonated with many, and more hands went up in favor of death. Nancy’s betrayal had cut deep, and the crowd’s anger was palpable.

But I couldn’t let it end like this. "If we kill her, the cycle will continue," I said, my voice strong and clear. "If anyone else does something wrong, they’ll think death is the only outcome then it will make them do it and kill themselves upon getting caught, there will be no change, there will only be fear in the heart of the wicked hut the wicked will still carry out its plans. Sometimes, mercy can lead to change."

Sophia stepped forward to support me. "It's better she’s banished. Let her face the outside world on her own."

Sebastian looked at us, his expression thoughtful. "What if she goes to extreme lengths to form her own gang and attack us? What then?"

I took a deep breath. "You are the mafia lord of this city. You will dominate them. There is no threat too big for you."

Sophia nodded. "You’ve built something strong. If she comes back, we will handle it."

Sebastian sighed, his shoulders tense. "A threat is a threat. Even if it’s not too big for me, it could hurt what I've built. Every week, there’s a new betrayal. This time, it was from within."

“What next? Who next? Do you all see? I try ever single minute, every single time, I give my all to you all but you always decide to stab me at the back.” Sabastian’s words cut deep, silencing the crowd in a minute.

He wasn’t right, he has been betrayed multiple times, they call him soft, they called him weak just because of what he wanted to protect.

Nancy began to laugh, a bitter, mocking sound. Sebastian glared at her. "What’s funny?"

"Betrayal," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "There are rats inside this mansion, and they know themselves. They act so well, but they’re terrible at hiding their true nature."

She looked directly at El Rado, who glared back at her with contempt. The tension between them was palpable, and I could sense an unspoken history.

“sabastian you were my love, we use ti have good times, we use to be more, but then I became nothing in your site, I accepted that everyone was a tool, I accepted that we were all tools to be used by you but then this one comes along.” She said glaring at me .

“Then you started to treat her special, you started to treat her like she was the only one.” She said as her eyes began to mellow down in sadness.

Sebastian’s voice was cold. "We used to have something good, Nancy. But I made it clear it was just for pleasure. You were not the only one."

Nancy’s eyes filled with tears. "I remember. But I hoped it was more."

"It wasn’t," Sebastian said firmly. "Now, why bring that up in this situation?"

Nancy reverted to begging, her voice pitiful. "Please, I was jealous. I made a mistake."

I felt a pang of pity for her, but I knew I had to remain strong. Raven, Ratface, and Redhead Junkie weren’t moved by her pleas. They were adamant that she should die for her betrayal.

Sebastian looked around. "Since there’s division, I will decide. Nancy will be banished from this house."

El Rado stepped forward. "Let it be known that if she brings anyone back to harm us, we will face the consequences together."

The crowd seemed to accept this, though not without some murmurs of discontent. Nancy was dragged away, and as she passed El Rado, they exchanged a glare filled with mutual hatred.

El Rado turned to Sebastian. "I’ll oversee her removal. We’ll drop her off and return."

I watched as they took Nancy away, feeling a strange mix of relief and unease. The looks exchanged between Nancy and El Rado were troubling, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to their relationship than met the eye.

As the crowd dispersed, I glanced at Sebastian. He was deep in thought, his eyes fixed on the horizon. I wanted to say something, to comfort him, but I didn’t know how.

We stood there in silence, the weight of the morning’s events heavy on our shoulders. I couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets the mansion held and how many more betrayals lurked in the shadows.

Nancy’s final words echoed in my mind, a chilling reminder that even within the fortress, there were wolves in sheep’s clothing. And as I looked at El Rado, I knew that the true danger was not always from the outside. Sometimes, it was already within.