Chapter 4

Tallula made a concerted effort to integrate herself into the pack, believing that forming friendships would alleviate her loneliness, particularly upon discovering she had been married for a ridiculous reason. She approached the maids and other females in the estate with warmth, but her efforts mostly were met with cold reactions. A few responded kindly, while others remained distant, their stares cold and mistrusting. One morning, an undeterred Tallula sat in the kitchen with a few maids who were peeling potatoes for dinner. She tried to strike up a conversation with Monica, the young maid who had seemed particularly nice to her. "Monica, have you worked here long?" Tallula asked, keeping her tone friendly. The maid glanced up, her expression polite. "A few years, yes," she replied and then returned to her task. Tallula insisted on, determined to break through to her. "It must be quite an experience, living with such a large pack. I'm still getting used to it." The other maids exchanged glances, and one of them, an older woman named Mary, spoke up. "It can be challenging, Luna, especially for someone new. I remember when I first came here 20 years ago myself." Tallula smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Mary." She said. "I appreciate your kind words." Even though she knew Mary wasn't trying to be kind. *** On a few of the many occasions when Tallula was alone, she would spot a woman entering the house at night and heading towards King Oscar's quarters. Tallula didn't think much about it at first. But the visits became more frequent, and in secret, she observed. She came curious, a lot of questions racing in her mind regarding that unknown woman. Who was it that was sneaking in and out of Oscar's room? The next day, Tallula couldn't hide her anxiety. During breakfast, she tried to test Oscar's mood, hoping to spark a meaningful conversation with him, but he remained as stiff and unapproachable as ever. She decided to confide in Monica, hoping the maid would offer some insight. "Monica, can I ask you something?" Tallula began as the maid came in. Monica looked up from where she stood. "Of course, Luna. What's troubling you?" Tallula hesitated and then took a deep breath. "I've seen someone going in and out of Oscar's quarters at night. Do you know anything about that?" Monica's expression became serious. She glanced around to make sure no one was listening before she leaned in closer. "There are many secrets in this estate. Things that are not spoken of openly! King Oscar has his reasons for keeping a lot of matters private." "But what about the person always going into his room?" Tallula pressed. "It doesn't seem normal ... or right." Monica sighed. "I don't know the specifics, but I've heard talks of... arrangements the Alpha makes with his uhm... concubines." The maid said. Tallula's heart sank. She had hoped for a radical answer, but instead, she had been hit with more confusion on the matter. "It's best not to pry into the Alpha's business though, for your own safety." Monica then quickly added. Tallula thanked the maid and the latter returned to her task. As she sat by the window, she felt more trapped than ever. Oscar had not just married her for show, but he also entertained other women in his bedroom and never her, his wife. She didn't know anything about him. The only thing Tallula knew for certain was that she couldn't trust anyone, especially her own husband. Determined to know the truth some way, Tallula became more vigilant. She would watch, listen, and gather all information, until she could piece everything together. Over the next few days, she kept a close watch on Oscar's quarters. She noticed more comings and goings, but there wasn't much she could think of doing. She needed a plan, one that wouldn't leave her in the dark. ... One night when she actually saw a figure going into Oscar's room, she was unable to hold her curiosity any longer, so she decided to follow. It was late, and the estate was quiet. Tallula slipped out of her room, her heart pounding in her chest. She moved silently through the hallway, heading toward Oscar's quarters. Just as she reached the door, she saw the figure hurrying down the corridor and slipping into one of the rooms. Tallula followed, her steps fast but quiet. The figure moved fast, disappearing into another room. Now inside Oscar's private quarters, Tallula was just about to catch up with the figure when suddenly, the lights went out, causing the entire estate into total darkness. Tallula froze, her breath wheezing in her throat as she breathed. The darkness was thick, and she felt a wave of fear wash over her. She could hear footsteps walking in the distance, and she cursed the cause of the power outage. Placing her hands along the walls, Tallula slowly made tried to make her way out of the room. She stood in the dim hallway, her heart pounding in her chest as the lights flickered back to life. She quickly scanned the area, but the mysterious figure was gone. Frustrated and surprised, she turned back towards the door. As she approached the door, she saw her husband already standing there. He had swung the door open and was about to enter when he saw her. His eyes narrowed as they locked onto her. "Tallula," he said sharply. "What are you doing here?" Taken by surprise, Tallula took a step back, shaken with fear by his tone. "Uhh... I saw someone going into of your room. I think I see the person almost every night. I wanted to know if everything is okay. Oscar's expression hardened. "And what makes you think it's any of your business? This is my private quarters. You have no right to snoop around." "I wasn't snooping," Tallula protested, feeling the sense to defend herself. "I-I was worried. I had a feeling that there was some kind of situation covertly unfolding in this vast..." Oscar crossed his arms, his gaze piercing, "You need to know your place. This is not your concern. Stay out of my affairs and never come to my room again. Tallula's eyes widened with confusion. "Why are you being like this? I'm your wife. Don't you even want to try trusting me?" she said, not thinking before speaking. Oscar took a step closer, his figure tall and intimidating. "Trust? That's strange coming from someone who's sneaking around in the middle of the night. If anything, you're the one who's being suspicious here, Tallula." She felt a lump form in her throat. She had never imagined that Oscar would turn things around on her like this. "I was only trying to help, okay?" she said, rolling her eyes in frustration. "Go back to your room, Tallula. And remember what I said... stay out of my business." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the hallway, feeling more lost than ever. She slowly made her way back to her room, tears gathering in her eyes. 'How had things come to this?' She wondered. Even though she had married Oscar as her father asked, and because of Jake's betrayal too, she had still hoped for a fresh start with Oscar, but now instead, she felt trapped in a web of secrets. ~~'~~ Tallula was pacing in her room, the accusation of snooping Oscar had hurled at her still stung her feelings. She felt unsure of how to proceed. Just as she sank into a chair, Mary, an older woman who was part of her maidservants, entered the room and saw her mistress looking distressed. "Luna, are you alright?" Mary asked, her voice soft. Tallula looked up, her mind filled with confusion. "Mary, I don't know what to do. The king... he accused me of sneaking around when I merely tried to follow the figure I saw going into his quarters last night, and he was so mean. I don't understand what's going on." Mary hesitated, then stepped closer. "Miss, there's something you probably should know. I think the reason the king has been distant from you is... well, it's because of his first love." She said. Tallula's brows furrowed. "First love?" Mary glanced around nervously before speaking. "Before you came here, he was deeply in love with another woman named Evelyn." Tallula's heart pounded with the weight of this revelation. "Oh. Why didn't anyone tell me about that?" Mary sighed. "Well, it's a sensitive subject. Mentioning her name brings up a lot of bad memories. But our lycan king... he never really got over her." Tallula sat back, the pieces falling into place. Oscar's coldness, his secrets, the mysterious visitors every night. Everything made sense now. "He's still in love with her, isn't he?" Mary nodded slowly. "I believe so. And it's tearing him apart because there's this... competition between him and his brother." Mary revealed. Tallula didn't even know he had a brother until now. She frowned, her confusion clashing with her hurt. "A competition? What kind of competition?" she asked. Mary sighed and looked away. "It's complicated, even I can't tell what it's really about, but I think it's involving the kingship." Tallula's silence gave away her confusion. "He's trying to protect the pack," Mary continued, "... but he's also trying to deal with his feelings for his first love, who he was hoping would give him an heir." Tallula felt a mix of anger and sadness. She had married Oscar, hoping for a fresh beginning, but she was just a pawn in a much larger game of his. And her father, had he known about this all along? She wondered. "What am I supposed to do now, Mary? How can I compete with someone from his past?" Juliet looked at her with sympathy. "You deserve to be happy, Luna Tallula. Maybe you should talk to the Alpha at another time. Perhaps you could both settle it out." Tallula shook her head. "I'll have a better chance of pissing him off. Maybe, he'd even order for my head to be delivered to him in a platter of gold," "No, Luna. I think..." Mary tried to reason but Tallula stopped her. "Thank you, but you may leave now." ... The next day... 6:49 AM. Tallula sat in front of a mirror, staring at her reflection with the thoughts of Oscar and his lover heavy on her mind. She still hadn't fully recovered from the revelation about Oscar's true motives. And right now, the unexpected appearance of him in the room, without the courtesy of knocking, surprised her. "Oscar..." she said as she sighted him through the mirror and struggled to get up from her seat. "I need you to get ready as soon as possible. We have a guest arriving soon." He stated, ignoring her nervousness. She managed to turn and face him, her eyes dull. "A guest? Who?" Oscar hesitated, his jaw tightening, before revealing. "My twin brother. We have an important event and his presence is needed, just as yours is too." "What kind of event?" Tallula inquired. Oscar replied, avoiding her gaze. "Just know that it's important, and for me to maintain a certain image, you have to be presented as best as you can." Her heart sank further. "So, I'm just a pawn in your game?" Oscar's eyes flashed with something... guilt, maybe? But he quickly hid it. "It's not like that. I have to make decisions for the good of the pack." Tallula stood, her fists clenched. "Decisions that involved using me? Marrying me while you still loved someone else?" Oscar's shock quickly appeared on his face, and she guessed he didn't think she would find out about his first love so soon. He turned to leave, but then paused at the doorway. "Be ready in an hour. It's not a request. It's an order," With that, he was gone, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Tallula took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She had to face his twin brother and whatever this competition between them was about, but her heart was heavy with the knowledge of King Oscar's intentions with her. Tallula stood in front of the mirror, feeling the weight of Oscar's words pressing on her. The dress the maids had chosen for her was beautiful, but it felt more like a cage. She didn't want to meet his twin brother, especially not under these circumstances. The revelation about Evelyn had left her feeling useless, and now Oscar was using her again, this time to make his brother jealous. Oscar entered the room again. 'Twice in one day, he must be desperate,' she thought. His eyes scanned her appearance critically. "You look perfect," he said, though his tone lacked any warmth. Tallula squeezed her eyes, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Why does it matter so much to you? Why do I have to be part of this competition between you and your brother?" Oscar didn't flinch, but his desperation was quite evident. "It's not just about him. It's about showing everyone that I have everything under control, and that I'm stronger and more capable. Having a beautiful wife by my side helps solidify that image." Tallula's eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away. "And what about my feelings? What about the fact that you're using me to play your games?" Oscar's face didn't soften even for a second, but then he shook his head. "This is bigger than us, Tallula. You have to trust me." "Trust you?" Tallula laughed bitterly. "After everything, I'm finding out now? After Evelyn?" Oscar's expression hardened more. "You have to do this. You don't have a choice." He expressed. She wanted to refuse, to get up, walk away and never look back, but she knew that would only make things worse. Taking a deep breath, she nodded reluctantly. "Fine. I'll do it." "Good. I wouldn't want to have to force you to it." He replied coldly.