Calhoun waited till it was midnight before going to check the dungeon. On his way, he met Thomas coming out of his room. Thomas bowed in greeting to him. The man had begun to gain a little weight but he still didn't look like what he did before he was imprisoned.
"Thomas," Calhoun called. "Come, walk with me."
Thomas didn't refute. He followed Calhoun on his journey to the dungeon.
"You see, being a king is so easy, sometimes I feel like I was born for it," Calhoun said. His face was stoic and cold. Thomas smiled a little.
"You must enjoy it, my Lord." He commented. Calhoun nodded a little.
"I would say I want to know what it feels like, but I don't think I could do half as good as you," Thomas said. "Perhaps Diana could be a better leader than I could ever be."
Calhoun's stoic face turned more rigid at the mention of Diana's name. It was over a year and a half, getting to two years yet the pain was fresh and new whenever her name was mentioned.
"I'm sorry for that, my king. I know that you still grieve for her disappearance." Thomas said. "If only she was your mate, you would have been able to call out to her."
Calhoun paused in his steps and then continued walking. Thomas had struck a point. But that would only be if they were mates. His emotions were too strong, he couldn't detect if he felt someone else's.
Perhaps he should try it. But what if eventually she wasn't his mate, and then he ended up calling for another person? That would be terrible.
"Pretty smart idea, but it is indeed only based on if we were mates," Calhoun said. "Thomas, what happened to her family?"
"I never knew my king," Thomas answered. "I was the weakest in my family so I never expected to fall in love, much less be married. The human ladies were too afraid of me, the werewolf ladies mocked me all the time."
"There was absolutely nothing I could do about it. But Diana's mother came up to me. She met me and asked me to marry her. She was so lovely and I didn't ask anything about her. I never actually knew she had a daughter or was married before."
"That's stupid," Calhoun commented. "Were you blinded by love?"
"Not at all my king. I was rather so excited to finally be with a woman or have a family of my own, I was determined to learn how to love her along the line."
"Sad," Calhoun said.
Thomas nodded. "Indeed. But somehow, she died a few months after the wedding and I was left to fend for Diana. What did I even know about children, Diana was old enough to teach me already. I just lived life in the way I felt was good."
"You easily sold her off to become a slave. Did you hate her that much?"
"Hate, no. I was just that reckless. Truthfully, if her mother were to be alive, king or not, you would have never met Diana."
Calhoun scowled lightly at that fact. "I'm grateful she died. I don't think I want to imagine what my life would be without meeting her."
Thomas smiled. "I am not so certain I want to get back into the dungeon, my king," Thomas said once he sighted the entrance to the dungeon. "It brings memories."
Calhoun laughed. "Return to your room, Thomas. We shall discuss another day."
Thomas bowed and left. Calhoun waited at the dungeon entrance for a few minutes before he finally entered. Walking through the dimly lit halls, passing the chained prisoners, he made his way to the special ward where Madeline was kept.
"Hello, prisoner."
"Did the king come to check on his prisoner? I thought he was a mighty king." Came Madeline's mocking voice.
Calhoun shrugged. "Isn't that much better than your king has done in the past twenty-four hours?"
Madeline growled. "Don't mock my king! He's twice the man you are!"
"Yes, twice the man I am and I am a hundred times the wolf he is," Calhoun admitted. "Being called a man is an insult to me, I find it appalling."
Madeline turned away. She walked to the other side of her ward, further away from Calhoun.
"Tomorrow, you shall be beheaded and your body will be cut into pieces," Calhoun said. "I shall personally ensure it will be delivered to your king."
Madeline let out a shuddering breath. She would not fear Calhoun.
"Then your ghost can tell him that we are ready to war with him," Calhoun said. "Also, I am looking forward to the shedding of blood."
Madeline gasped. "How can you want to behead me just because of a few words I speak against you?!"
"Didn't you say you were untouchable?
Because your king will come after me? Perhaps they want to behead me as well." He hummed after speaking. "I never thought I would die by beheading. I guess that's the only way I have not been killed."
Madeline was confused.
"Yes, I have been stabbed in the heart, been shot by several silver bullets, I have been fired with silver arrows, I think it's left to be beheaded." He said. "That's just it, no one dared to come close enough to behead me."
"And when they do, they don't remember to do that, they only begin to gloat and eventually I kill them."
"Surely their meat tastes bitter and their blood, like rum. But it's worth tasting. It reminds me that victory tastes sweet but losing can also make one bitter."
"My king will never lose to you," Madeline whispered. "He is stronger than you and he has the support of his entire kingdom, unlike you."
Calhoun laughed aloud. "Who needs the support of those petty humans? I have an army of Werewolves and that's all the support I need."
"Wait till your army sees mine."
Calhoun chortled. "You know, at this point, I want to keep you alive. Just so that you can witness the war yourself."
Madeline smiled a little hopefully. It was dark and her expression was hidden from Calhoun but he could see it.
"But on second thought, I still want to cut your body to pieces." He said.
Madeline's hopeful smile was wiped off her face. How could this man mess with her emotions several times in a minute?
"C'mon, catch some sleep. Tomorrow might just be your last day, depending on how well my night goes." He said. He turned and walked away, slowly.
Madeline was seething in rage, at the same time, her heart was racing in fear. What could she do? If she prayed that he had a good night, what's to say that he wouldn't kill her in a happy state? He didn't say what he needed to have for her to live.
Calhoun walked back to the castle. He picked up a scent that struck his entire being and his wolf was begging to be free. He contained it and continued his slow walk to his chamber which also happened to be the source of the scent. He opened the door, Patricia was in the room, laying on his couch, asleep. Calhoun chuckled. Was she playing possum and expecting him to buy it?
He walked into his inner chamber without touching her and took off his robe. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt and the moment he took them off, he could feel a different feeling in his body. The candle that was burning in his room was a different one. He had only used them when Diana was still there.
"Patricia." He called firmly. The lady jolted awake instantly. "What candle did you light tonight?"
"I... I don't know what they are, but I found them in your drawer when I was searching for candles."
"What happened to the lighting?" He asked. "Did it go off? Did you inform George? You simply want to return me to the stone age of candle-lit castles?"
"N...no, my king," Patricia replied. She put her gaze to the floor, standing demurely before him. Her dress had a low neck which was lower than usual and she seemed to have gotten thicker. Calhoun chuckled.
"Are you trying to seduce me, Patricia?" He asked. Her cheeks turned red instantly. She didn't answer, rather she turned in another direction.
Calhoun held her chin in his hands, firmly, and raised them to meet his gaze. Looking into his eyes, Patricia began to feel as if she was already being touched by him.
"Is that love for the big bad wolf I see in your eyes?" Calhoun teased. "I heard you fell in love with me. How naive."
"Take off your clothes." He ordered. Patricia was struck. Just like that? He was going to immediately use her just because she loved him?
"Take off your clothes, Patricia," Calhoun repeated. "Don't make me say it for the third time."
Patricia loosened the rope in front of her dress and the dress went open. Calhoun raked his eyes over her body. She looked nothing like Diana and he suddenly lost his mood.
"That's fine, you may leave." He said and immediately turned away from her body. Patricia felt more than insulted. "Do I not please you, my king?"
"Leave, Patricia. Don't ask me questions, and most importantly, don't get me pissed off." Calhoun replied firmly. He couldn't imagine himself cheating on Diana, that too so easily.
Patricia left the king's chamber, feeling embarrassed with herself. Calhoun sat on his bed for a long time, not moving and not blinking.
How can one person control him so much? He remembered the battle he had to prepare for. He couldn't begin thinking about women now. At least, he had a battle he was going to enjoy.
Or rather, he hoped he was going to enjoy it. Madeline seemed too sure about her king, he couldn't help but feel eager to meet his competition. The meetings he had held with the kings' makers ended with him being warned to coexist peacefully with the other kings. Here he was, after killing one, starting to wage another war with another. He had also annoyed three who were willing to have him killed.
Patricia found herself walking outside the castle in the early hours of the morning, hoping to clear her head and free herself from the feeling of embarrassment that seemed to choke her.
George was outside within a minute of hearing her pace.
"Patricia, why aren't you asleep by this odd hour?" He inquired. "Did the king punish you?"
Patricia placed her hand on her chest to calm her racing heart. "George, I didn't hear you come by."
"That's because I'm a werewolf and you're not," George replied. "Now, the answer to my question."
"I only wanted to clear my head a little." She answered.
"Must be tough, working for the king," George commented.
"Something like that." Patricia agreed.
"Especially when you're in love with him. I mean, I did warn you. Diana loved the king far more than you do. Her love for him was pure."
"Mine is pure." Patricia defended.
"Yeah, that's why you're outside at this odd hour because of something he must have said or done." George said sarcastically. "One day, Patricia, I would tell you about Diana's stay in the castle."
Patricia stopped to stare at George. The man looked handsome under the soft moonlight.
"If you listen to Diana's story, you can then judge yourself if you are truly in love with Calhoun. Otherwise, I would advise you to stay far and very far away from him."
"And if I refuse?" Patricia asked.
"You will meet a worse fate than Diana. Perhaps the king will be the one to send you away, assuming he doesn't kill you himself." George said.
"Is he that brutal?" Patricia asked, staring at George.
"Only I can tell you how cruel he is and he is far worse."
"How sweet of you, George," Calhoun said from above. "Or should I say, king Rahu?"
Patricia turned to find Calhoun and George standing above them in the king's chamber. If George was up there with Calhoun, who was standing with her?