CHAPTER TWELVE
CATHERINE’S POV
Days have turned into weeks, and I’m still in the pack finding the cure for Ethan’s illness. Burke and I had hardly spoken after he poured his heart into me a few days back.
I sat on my bed, with a book that helps in curing the affliction in my hands, and three of those kinds of books laid on the bed.
I had already tried all the cures in the book but nothing seemed to help, the books were all mints.
Burke had sent words to my kids, telling them I was alright, and they sent letters to me saying how they missed me and I missed them too, my only hope is for Jaxon to take good care of them as I was away.
I have already tried over fifteen cures for Ethan’s illness to no avail, Harley made matters worse as she was always all over my business for no reason. However, she had cooled down because Burke and I had not been in a full conversation as we had been busy.
Suddenly I heard a knock on the door, before I could answer it, the door swung open revealing Burke.
“Hi trouble,” he said, as he entered my room without any invitation from me. The nickname he called me sent butterflies to my stomach until I remembered I was engaged to another man.
He was wearing his usual black shirt and trousers, and his hands were hidden inside the pocket of his jeans, as he approached my bed.
“Don’t you know how to Knock and wait for a reply?” I asked, rolling my eyes, returning my attention to the book I was reading.
“Why aren’t you fast in replying to the knock on your door?” He replied to my question with a question, as a smile crept to the corners of his lips.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, closing the book I had been reading to focus my attention on him.
“Believe it or not, I wanted to see if you were doing alright,” he said, and his confession felt awkward but still the butterflies in my stomach came alive again.
“Did he come to see if I was alright?” I asked myself, trying hard not to blush but it was fruitless.
“So I can still hit some soft spot, from the invulnerable Catherine?” He asked, with a chuckle, although I did not give him a reply.
“How is my father’s cure going so far?” he asked, sitting on the edge of my bed.
“Bad, if you can tell me what conspired before his illness, I would have been able to get the poisoner and get the source of the poison, but you have refused to talk about it,” I said, getting frustrated, I am running out of time and Burke and his family had refused to talk about what conspired before his sudden illness making it difficult for me to make a diagnosis.
“There is no time for that, it’s almost dawn, I need you to talk with my councilmen today,” he said, without giving me an option.
“What?” I asked confused.
“Don’t say what, say pardon” he replied to my question by teaching me some manners, which was very rude although I ignored it, I did not have the time to barter words with Burke, or probably not at the moment.
“You need to tell them how my father’s health is coming off, due to reason that hardly concerns you,” he said, getting off my bed.
“You command me to see some sick ass old men without telling me the reason huh?” I asked, getting pissed, but Burke was already heading towards my door and did not make an attempt to turn back.
“Firstly they aren’t sick ass old men and secondly I am your hostage, do as I say so you would go back to your triplets,” he said, banging the door behind him as he left my room.
“What the hell just happened?” I asked myself, when my door banged open again without warning, and Harley stood at the door, holding a blue dress.
“You know if you make a fist and hit the door before opening it’s called a knock and it would allow the occupant to be prepared for a visitor huh?” I asked rudely, still pissed about Burke’s order.
“I’m sorry,” her apology came rather too sudden and very much surprising. I was speechless for some time, because who would have thought Harley could ever apologize?
“So you know the word sorry huh?” I asked, getting off my bed and I began to arrange the books I was reading back on the shelf, which contained dozens of books that were supposed to be used to heal Ethan.
Harley did not reply to my question, rather she walked into the room and sat down on one of my empty chairs with the blue dress still in her hand.
After minutes of silence, I spoke up.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, folding my hand beneath my breast.
“Do you love him?” She said, trying to hide her emotions, she must have seen Burke leave my room.
“Who?” I asked, faking ignorance and she rolled her eyes in response to my silly question.
“Okay, I don’t love him, I’m just here to heal Ethan and when he is better, I’ll be off this pack forever” My voice sounded doubtful, but I hoped she hadn’t noticed.
I don’t know how I feel about Burke, but I don’t hate him, that’s all I know.
“He is getting attached to you, after withdrawing himself from everyone, starting from the day he caught Sereca cheating,” she said, and I did not know about that.
“That was the same day his father fell ill, and…” Suddenly she stopped talking, making me curious.
“And?” I asked, ushering her to speak more.
“Oh my, what was I saying, This dress was sent by Burke for the occasion,” she said, changing the topic, I did not push it further. This was the same story they had refused to tell me.
Although I was wondering why Burke had sent her to deliver a dress for me, instead of the maids, I did not think much of it.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling.
“Can we be friends?” Harley asked, and for some minutes I was silent.
Harley is asking me to be her friend, what kind of game is this?