Chapter 46: Chapter 46
Maeve very nearly had to shove Khai out of Ana's bedroom as he incessantly hovered around them. Every time Ana so much as furrowed her brows in pain, he would begin shooting acquisitions at Maeve for being too rough on her. Maeve had only started to clean the third scratch on Ana's arms when she dropped the cotton swab in frustration and threatened to stop treating Ana if he didn't leave.
After shutting the door behind her, Maeve walked over to Ana with a heavy sigh. "Good luck to you Ana, because I find him unbearable." Her words didn't match the smile on her face or the fondness in her tone as she spoke of her brother.
Ana laughed softly because hissing in pain as Maeve lightly pressed the cotton on her wounds. "Thank you for helping me Maeve. You must be exhausted. It's past midnight."
"You're being silly. I'm just glad you're okay sweetie." A faint shiver coursed through Maeve as she imagined the dark turn the night could have taken if Ana hadn't escaped from Sean. "Also, I want you to know how proud I am of you. You were so brave today, Ana."
Tears prickled at the corners of Ana's eyes as Maeve's words brought back memories of her mother. She missed her family deeply. A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
Maeve opened the door to see George walk in with Meghan trailing behind him. He immediately rushed to hug Ana, relief flooding his eyes as he finally saw her safe. However, his relief was instantly replaced by guilt when he took in her appearance.
"Twice, I've failed you. I'm so sorry Ana." His shoulders sagged as he blamed himself.
"Georgie no! You've protected me so much. You couldn't possibly stay glued to me all the time." Ana hurried to comfort him. "I don't want you blaming yourself. Besides, Sean is behind bars now. We have nothing to fear."
Ana hugged George again, reassuring him of all the times he had been there for her. She looked up from the hug to see Meghan, who was wiping her wet cheeks as she stared down at them.
Ana held her hand out, reaching out to Meghan to pull her into the hug. The three of them held each other close, not wanting to let go until they heard Maeve clear her throat.
"I have to treat Ana's wounds." She smiled as George and Meghan scrambled away to give some space to Ana.
"I'll stay to help." Meghan's voice was shaky as she took deep breaths to calm herself.
Maeve nodded and George excused himself from the room. After Maeve had disinfected all of Ana's wounds, Meghan helped her undress so they could wipe the rest of her body down with a wet towel.
Maeve's eyes widened for a split second as she saw the scar on her ribs, but she quickly schooled her expression and proceeded to gently wipe Ana down. Meghan undid her ponytail and gently brushed her disheveled hair. When Ana struggled to raise her arms to slip into a t-shirt, Meghan rushed back to her closet to bring her a button down.
Ana felt like a little child as Maeve and Meghan fussed around her, making sure she wasn't in any discomfort. Her heart swelled at the good fortune of being surrounded by so many people that cared for her.
When they were finally done, the exhaustion on their faces matched Ana's. But their eyes and smiles did not betray how they felt. Meghan stared at Ana for a long minute before she hugged her goodnight.
Khai walked in as soon as Meghan stepped out. He went to the men's dormitories to quickly get changed before rushing back to wait outside Ana's room. He listened carefully to Maeve's instructions and she told him how to tend to Ana.
When Maeve left, he picked up Ana in his arms and climbed the bed with her. His soft breath gently caressed her face as she faded into a deep slumber.
*****
Natalie's whole body was sweating profusely as she made her way to the women's dormitories. She was terrified of running into Anaya or Meghan. Her plan to punish Anaya had failed miserably. She was utterly dumbfounded when the police had arrived to drag Sean's battered body, in handcuffs, to prison.
She could not fathom how a weak little girl like Anaya could overpower and escape a legacy Wahren like Sean. Whispers of Khai completely destroying Sean swirled around the party. Everyone spoke about Sean's vicious attempt at stealing Anaya's virtue and how she had bravely escaped him. When she heard of Khai's wrath, her throat constricted in fear and she struggled to breathe.
She did not even considered it a possibility that her plan with Sean would fail. She was confident that once Sean had successfully broken Anaya, society would shame her to no end and Khai would want nothing to do with her. She dreamed every night of Khai running into her arms for comfort once they were rid of Anaya. Tonight was the night she was supposed celebrate and revel in the misery of the girl that had stolen Khai from her. Yet here she was, unable to breathe loudly in fear that someone might notice her existence.
She had never pitied herself so much in her twenty two years. She knew it wouldn't be long before Anaya or Meghan revealed to everyone that it was her who had led them to the isolated restroom for Sean to find them. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest at the wrath that would follow if the blame was traced back to her.
She planned to lay low for a long time and feign ignorance if anyone asked her about her involvement with Sean. Her thoughts drifted to Sean, locked up in a prison cell. He was the weakest link, the one who could destroy her whole life of he chose to speak. She knew she needed to have him silenced. It was a cold and calculated move, but Natalie would bribe one of the prison guard to kill Sean before the end of tomorrow. She cursed her luck at Khai leaving Sean alive. Despite the regret she felt at her plan failing, she wished that Khai's rage would've ended Sean so she wouldn't have to deal with him.
If anyone questioned why she led Anaya and Meghan to a restroom so far away, she would simply claim that she was leading them to a less crowded restroom because she did not want Meghan to wait outside the packed restroom located inside the ballroom.
The way her birthday celebration had ended made her wish she was never born in the first place. The fear on being caught weighed on every step that she took. Relief started to wash over her as she reached the floor to her bedroom. In a few steps, she would be safe inside her own room where she planned to spend the rest of the month.
Her heart nearly jolted up her throat as she saw the outline of a figure leaning against her door. Her instincts told her to run, but she stood rooted, paralyzed by shock and fear. She could not make out who the figure belonged to in the darkness from the hallways.
Austin's face came into view from the flame of his lighter and he lit a cigarette. The moonlight finally revealed his face as he walked towards her. The disgust she saw in the eyes that met hers made her wish the that she would crumble to dust.
"You have some nerve to show up back in Arcane." His cold voice hit her like a whip.
Her gaze shuffled, refusing to meet his. "What do you mean? Step out of my way, I had a long night and I want to rest."
"I want you to leave Arcane tonight Natalie. You have two hours to pack."
Her face twisted in outrage at the command in his tone. "Why would I leave?"
"You isolated Ana and Meghan away from the rest of us so Sean could carry out your plan. You make me sick at the very thought of you Natalie. Do you have any shame left in you?" He spat his last words out at her.
"I only helped them find a restroom that was empty because Meghan looked too sick to wait in line outside the restroom in the ballroom." Her voice was stiff as she spoke what she had rehearsed.
Austin's tone was fiercely calm as he spoke his next words. "The room that Sean took Ana to, was reserved under your name."
Natalie froze as her plan crumbled further. This was a unimaginable oversight on her part and she couldn't believe she had been foolish enough to make the reservation under her name. The hallway seemed to spin as she found no way out of the situation. She felt like she was falling down a tall cliff and drowning in the rough seas all at the same time. Tears melted her makeup and rolled down her cheeks in black ugly streaks. She realized that she had placed herself under a guillotine and released the blade onto herself.
"Leave before dawn Natalie, unless you want to annihilate yourself by facing Khai." Austin walked away without sparing her another glance, his savage voice delivering her a final blow.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone