Cynthia gasped as she stared at the garment in The Baron’s hand. He was stretching it out to her but she was too shocked to move her arms and receive it.
So he could heal her face? She could be rewarded greatly just for killing someone she always wished to detach from the face of the earth? This was a win win for her.
“Thank you. Thank you so much. I promise that I would bring you the head of Olive Roger and listen to whatever you order me to do,” she said while bowing to the ground again.
“Tsk, promises. They’re so hard to keep but easy to make. I’m fortunate that you happen to be making me a vow. No one makes me a vow and breaks it,” The Baron drawled, causing more and more goosebumps to rise on Cynthia’s skin. She gulped nervously and almost flinched when she felt his hand on her shoulder. He was wearing thick leather gloves but she could feel the cold emanating from his fingers unto her arm, despite the fact she was wearing a hoodie.
What was this hooded creature? He wasn’t a werewolf because Cynthia did not get that wolfish aura from him, neither did he have the scent of werewolves.
Could he be a vampire? That would explain the hooded nature of all his dressings and the deadly aura he was exhibiting.
“Rise,” he said and she stood up gently on her feet, his hand still placed on her shoulder. She didn’t dare look up at him, even though she knew she wouldn’t see his face. So, she was looking down at her feet.
The next thing she felt was his hand moving up and flipping backwards her hoodie. Then went on to pulling down her handkerchief mask. She raised her head in alarm but hastily dropped it back for fear of his face. She felt his finger running along the thick inflamed mark on her skin. His touch was so creepy cold that she felt like running to the nearest fireplace and sticking her face into it to make it warm and expel the chill.
“If you don’t keep to your promise, you would get the worst nightmares when you look into the mirror. I’m sure you would prefer to just bring me her head than going through that.”
“I assure you, Master. I would not disappoint you.”
“Hmm. Now have this. Wear it and train. Your time starts now and you have the maximum of two years to get her to me. I do not want to say more or you would know too much,” he drawled as Cynthia received the black hooded cloak in her hands.
She went back on her knees while clutching the cloak and watched as The Baron went back the way he came, disappearing into the darkness of the place he entered.
Cynthia took in deep heaves as she stared at the cloak. She only stopped staring when she felt another person enter the hall. She looked up to see her father staring down at her. She hadn’t seen him since she got struck across her face. Where had he disappeared to?
“Father,” she called.
“How are you?” he asked coldly. She scoffed and stood upright, holding the cloak in her right hand only.
“Do you like my face?” she asked sarcastically.
“This happened as a result of your incompetence,” was his answer. She gave out a dry laugh.
“Yes, of course. I’m always the incompetent one,” she replied and tucked back hair from her face. He sighed as he saw clearly the ugly mark on his once beautiful daughter’s face.
“You have to make up for this, Cynthia. Or, we’re all doomed,” he whispered.
Cynthia wanted to snap at him for his words, because it was like he was putting the blame of the whole matter on her. But there was something about his tone that brought creeping sensations in her skin. Was that fear in it?
“He’s worse… Far worse than you think. You’re the only one that can save us from his wrath, Cynthia. Please,” her father begged and she gulped down nervously. She looked at the direction The Baron had disappeared into and she felt really cold.
“Yes-yes, father,” she muttered and he nodded.
“What do you plan to do? Tell me anything and I’ll support you.”
“I don’t have any news regarding Olive or the Big Bad Alpha because I’ve been under medication and secluded.”
“Their Mating Ritual is next week Saturday,” he stated, causing Cynthia to freeze. So they weren’t even mated fully yet? That was good news.
“What? Really?”
“Yes. You have to find a way to ruin it.”
“But how? Balendin Pack is tough and impenetrable.”
“You have no idea who The Baron is and what power he wields, do you?”
Cynthia was silent as she stared at her father.
“Balendin Pack is not impenetrable. The Baron sent some of our men in there to cause a problem. I’m thinking he himself also went there or he sent one of his own men to cause a crash involving the Big Bad Alpha and his mate, Olive. The only unfortunate thing is our men didn’t return.”
“Which means I can enter Balendin Pack?”
“Yes. And that is where I think this cloak comes in handy. This isn’t an ordinary cloak, Cynthia,” Cynthia’s father stated and they both looked down at the cloak that looked ordinary but was exuding a totally opposite aura.
\*\*
As Olive packed for their sudden trip, she couldn’t help but keep thinking about the purpose for the trip. Was she not safe? She could tell that this trip had to do with her most especially.
After packing everything she would need, she dropped her small luggage by a corner in the dressing room and walked out into the bedroom where Wayne was on a phone call.
“Yes, we would be there in less than an hour,” he said into the phone. He hung up and turned around to see Olive.
“I’m not leaving,” she stated bluntly and Wayne stared at her like she was speaking a very foreign language.
“Olive,” he called.
“I’m not leaving unless you tell me why we’re leaving in the first place. This is about me, isn’t it?”
“Don’t you trust me? I said everything is alright,” he said but she gave a dry laugh.
“My wolf says something is wrong. I trust you, Wayne. But I trust her more.”
Wayne scratched his left eyebrow and exhaled.
“Fine. There’s a problem. And I want us to go away and be alone to think about the solution,” he said.
“What is it?” she asked.
“The Balendin Pack Parliament doesn’t want you to be Luna. They want Gia instead,” he broke the news and her face fell.