Chapter 113: Not the Pacifist
"Shall we?" Winnie asked when she finally returned to the room.
Maya had remained on the bed staring at the door the entire time, as Winnie didn’t return as quickly as she expected. "Was there a hold-up?" She asked as she attempted to get out of bed.
Winnie quickly rushed to her side, ready to help. "Oh no, I got distracted discussing with Agnes. The main house needs more bowls and cups. She occasionally tells me if we need anything."
"Oh, I see," she replied as she accepted Winnie’s help.
The young woman sounded so busy. Maya couldn’t comprehend how she still had the time to attend to her and wasn’t exhausted from what she had to do all day.
"Are you sure you’ll be fine in the dining room?" Winnie asked as they walked to the door. "And no, I am not discouraging you—I am just confirming. I don’t want you changing your mind because you’re worried about me."
She smiled. "I’ll be just fine. I promise."
"Good," she replied and pulled open the door.
The dining room was located on the same side of the floor, so they didn’t have to walk much before they arrived at the door. Winnie glanced at her with supportive eyes before she turned toward the door and pushed them open.
Maya stepped forward, not missing the three pairs of eyes at the table turning toward her. Alaina’s eyes felt more intense, but she didn’t linger on Maya for too long; rather, she glared at her younger sister.
She reflexively looked at Winnie, who didn’t even glance in her sister’s direction but concentrated on getting to her seat. They sat next to each other and Alaina’s loud scoff filled the air.
"Alpha," Winnie greeted with a curt nod and Maya followed.
They were a little late and the servants had begun to dish out dinner. Keenan had been about to eat his meal when they walked in. The table was filled with different dishes and Maya’s mouth watered.
She did miss eating here. Despite how uncomfortable it made her, she preferred to eat with the whole house rather than alone.
Alaina scoffed loudly again. "If it isn’t the traitor helping our enemy."
"Shut up, Alaina!" Keenan scolded.
Alaina’s eyes widened, and she let out an exaggerated gasp as she looked at Keenan with disbelief then turned to Theo expecting support but Theo just looked away from her.
Her expression turned vile as she stared at him then she aggressively scooted away from him, gasping again and unnecessarily adjusting her seat with each gasp.
Maya did her best not to react to the spectacle, but it was hard not to let a smile slip out when Keenan shut Alaina down on Winnie’s behalf. She felt sad that she couldn’t do the same for Winnie despite how far Winnie was willing to stretch out her neck for her.
His action pleased her greatly and she might have smiled too many times in Alaina’s face during the course of the meal. She wasn’t even doing it on purpose; she was just glad Winnie wasn’t facing consequences.
She also didn’t miss that Keenan barely paid her any attention as she walked into the dining hall. He seemed unfazed by her presence.
She wasn’t hoping for a conversation, but it would have been nice if he said something. However, most of dinner time ended up being quiet after Alaina’s unsolicited comment.
"Could you please pass the salt, Alaina?" Winnie gently asked, halfway through the meal.
Alaina didn’t budge. With a self-satisfied smile, she pretended to be really engrossed in her meal. Winnie looked at a loss as her sister blatantly ignored her and almost stretched out her hand to see if she could reach it but Keenan was already passing the salt.
"Thank you so much, Alpha Keenan," Winnie said graciously as she smirked right at her sister’s face.
Maya could barely contain herself. Winnie was standing up to her sister and she could barely even look her in the eye. What had happened in such a short time?
As much as she wanted to say their circumstances were different, was it really different? She didn’t feel guilty toward Alaina—her feelings were only tied to Keenan.
She did want the rest of the town to find her likable, but she knew that didn’t include Alaina. She couldn’t pretend she found her bearable and to be honest, she wanted nothing to do with her.
"Are you done eating?" Keenan’s voice cut through her thoughts.
Maya blinked as she turned her head in his direction, unable to hide that she was surprised he was talking to her. "Y-yes," she managed to say.
"Get up then," he said as he stood.
"Goodnight," Winnie mouthed with a smile.
She smiled back and stood up. It was much easier to be braver with Winnie cheering her on. However, her happy moment didn’t last as she caught the dark look in Alaina’s eyes.
"Alpha Keenan, you can’t allow her to get this much control. She is using you, I promise. That’s all she ever—"
Her words cut off sharply as Keenan turned to glare at her and without saying anything, he grabbed Maya by her uninjured wrist and pulled her out of the dining room.
Maya had tears of joy in her eyes as he walked a foot ahead, carefully pulling her with him. It didn’t hurt, and it didn’t feel like he was angry—rather, they were simply returning to their room.
It was hard not to replay the look in his eyes as he glared at Alaina and watching her shut up without him having to say anything was pleasing.
Perhaps I am not the pacifist I thought I was.
"What’s funny?" Keenan asked as he turned to look at her.
Maya’s eyes nearly leaped out of her skull; she didn’t realize she had slipped up. "I-I guess I’m just a little happy."
They weren’t at his room yet but they were close enough that she could see the doors. The hallway was dimly lit with a few burning torches hanging on the wall.
"What about?" He asked as he took a step toward her.
Comments