The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Calhoun's anger didn't simmer down. Unlike Madeline, who had the heart of an angel who could forgive people's action, he wasn't like that. He saw how Beth's hand had reached for the door only to fall back to her side. And he had also witnessed the scene after that, where Raphael had gone to extract some more memories of that time from Madeline.

Though it looked like Beth had not attempted to help Madeline, there were some factors to look at, like how it was their grandmother who had sent the men at Madeline so that her dark angel abilities would trigger again.

If Calhoun knew about this earlier, he wouldn't have left the old folks to die that easily. He would have ripped their eyeballs before torturing them until they wished death upon themselves. The question here was if Madeline's sister would have screamed for help if their grandmother didn't intervene in the situation by putting a spell on the hut.

"I know you want to kill her," said Raphael, and Calhoun's eyes snapped to look at the card reader.

Calhoun didn't bother to respond to Raphael's words. Remembering the helplessness Madeline felt when she was in the hut, her muffled words boiled his blood. Her grandparents were nothing but a piece of shit who had never cared about her. They had put her through so many situations, yet she had the heart to worry for them.

"Do you know where that man went? The person named Blake," asked Calhoun, his eyes burning in question.

"I don't think either of them knows," answered Raphael, "Isn't it strange that what her grandmother did to Lady Madeline didn't affect Lady Elizabeth?"

This was also something that Calhoun had questioned in his mind.

"It looks like the girl is not a complete human either. Unless she built some sort of resistance to the old hag's abilities," commented Calhoun. When both the men heard the sound come from inside of the room, Calhoun ordered, "Stay here with Madeline. I have something to discuss with her."

And Calhoun got up from where he was sitting and stepped into the room where Beth was.

The bite that Beth received from the werewolf was changing and destroying her internally, making it unable for her to have a sound sleep. She groaned in pain, and when her eyes opened, she caught sight of the King who had a cold expression on his face.

"How does it feel knowing you are going to die soon?" asked Calhoun. The question was enough to have Beth look at him in shock, and she looked frightened.

"I-I am going to d-die?" stuttered Beth.

"Yes."

Calhoun pulled out the chair that was in the room, bringing it towards the bed, and he sat down crossing his legs one over the other.

Beth had a look of horror on her face. Madeline had given her hope that they would do something, speaking about some antidote that existed as a cure. Was it not there anymore?

"W-where's Madeline?" asked Beth, looking around the room and then at the closed door.

"She's sleeping. She got tired and fell asleep," replied Calhoun, staring at Beth's face, who was in a mode of panic. "You know what people do when they are going to die? They start reminiscing, and I am here for it before you die."

Raphael, who stood outside sighed but he didn't go to interrupt the conversation that was taking place between the lady and Calhoun in the room. He wasn't sure if Elizabeth would die before the venom of the werewolf would break her body or if Calhoun would kill her by his hands or by his words.

Back inside the room, Beth couldn't believe that she was going to die. She had lived only for a few years, and she was yet to marry and have children, and she was horrified, thinking she was going to die now!

"I-I don't want to die," pleaded Beth and Calhoun hummed.

"Don't worry, Lady Elizabeth. I have heard people say that the dying person barely feels the pain. How does it feel, though, to end up in the situation you were digging for your sister in the past." Beth didn't understand Calhoun's words.

"I didn't dig anything." And just as Beth completed her words, the vase that was not too far away from her left side, broke into pieces.

"Jealousy makes people do unexplainable things. Remember what Markus did and what you tried to do," Calhoun reminded her, "Don't think I have forgotten how you are and what you did. Madeline might forgive you, but I haven't. My eyes will always be on you."

Fear filled Beth, and she turned nervous. She bowed her head, "Forgive me, my King. I am trying to make my amends. Please forgive my actions."

"Is it worth forgiving you?" asked Calhoun in a calm voice. Beth looked up at Calhoun. "A mistake committed once, twice or even five times can be overlooked, but I don't know why. I feel like if I allow you around Madeline, you will have her throat slit to save yourself. Am I wrong?"

Calhoun glared down at Beth without sparing an ounce of sympathy towards her.

"I would like to think that it was all your grandparent's fault, but you knew what happened that day in the hut. Yet, until now, you didn't think about her happiness. You realized I would send you straight to a place far worse than hell, and it was then you decided it was time to change."

Beth shook nervously, the pain that she felt in her leg was negligible compared to the way the King was looking at her.

"I never meant any harm to befall on her," Beth shook her head, and her eyes were quick to well up in tears. "I wish I had entered the hut, but I don't know why I couldn't. Please, I didn't mean any ill towards Madeline."

"It's something I find very hard to digest." The intensity in Calhoun's eyes didn't drop. He tapped his finger on the armrest. "What if I tell you that the antidote I have found comes from sacrificing Madeline's life. Would you want to be saved?"