Melting Mercury

Chapter 28

Harlow

"Oh sue me for wanting to have some fun."

He looked down at me, amusement "I never took you for a coward Bella, not even going to show your face?"

I scowled "Of course you'd know what a coward looks like."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, you look at one in the mirror every day" I bit back but the smile on his face never faded.

"I guess we have that in common then."

I looked away from him "Is that what you came here to do? Call me out? Because if that's all you can leave."

"Actually I came here so that pup could leave."

"His name is Santiago," I corrected. Malakai nodded.

"Same thing" He continued twirling me around the dancefloor "You look beautiful by the way."

I rolled my eyes "Ivory said you had a thing for blondes."

He raised an eyebrow "Oh really, what else did she say?" He pulled me closer, too close. We were now dancing chest to chest, whilst other eventually changed partners we stayed together. 

"She said," I gulped, "She said you were the greatest king the werewolves have ever known."

He looked into my eyes, not blinking for a second "And tell me...do you believe her?"

I smiled "How could I love a king that has damned my people into poverty and destruction?"

"You may all now move into the Dining Hall for the cutting of the cake."

The room slowly began to empty whilst Malakai and I stood wrapped up in each others hands. I looked into his fierce eyes refusing to back down from our glare down. When the last people were leaving I made a move to follow them when Malakai stopped me.

"This isn't over"

I nodded "You're right. It's just begun"

"Happy Birthday to You!"

Everyone finished off as Ale cut the cake with her from his uncle. As the chocolate slice was brought out of the cake Ale was quick to devour it before grinning a brown filled smile, his canines catching the light.

My eyes travelled to the Beta couple beside them who were also smiling with adoration for the little boy when Ivory took a step forward. "It has been a lovely evening everyone but I'm afraid it's bedtime for our-

Her eyes dilated and her hand fell to her stomach before shoving the mic into the hands of her mate and excusing herself with a curtsey and apology. She weaved quickly through the crowd of people behind her and I followed her, watching as her footsteps became progressively more frantic.

As soon as she threw the door to the dining hall open she was gone. I had to sprint to keep up with her fast movements as she managed to get much further than me. And in heels.

When I'd finally caught up she was already in her room, the door still wide open. I walked in quietly and noticed how the room was dark but the bathroom door light was on. Soft muffled sobs came from the bathroom which did nothing to calm my fears.

Dark liquid was scattered in droplets in the path to the bathroom, I had no idea what they were as it was dark but the closer I was the more realization washed upon me. The door was slightly ajar so I pushed it open my mouth immediately flying towards my face.

Ivory looked up at me, tears running down her face along with her mascara "Why is there so much blood?" She whimpered.

She sat in the middle of the bathroom floor in a pool of her own blood, In her fists there was a bundle of tissues that she kept pressing on the tile, trying to get rid of the crimson liquid. Her movements were desperate as she tried to clean up the mess.

"Help me Harlow, h-help me get them back" She begged as she continued trying to pull the blood closer to her.

"Ivory" I whispered, but it fell upon deaf ears. Her dress was ruined but she didn't seem to care as she continued scrambling on her knees like a madwoman. "Ivory," I said in a firmer tone. She looked up at me with glassy eyes.

I walked closer to her and pulled her into my arms for a tight hug, ignoring the blood around us. Her arms stayed stiff at her side as her tears coated my shoulder. "Why aren't you helping me?" She asked softly in a hoarse tone.

I pulled away from her and scanned her figure. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up" I muttered helping her to her feet.

An hour, five mop buckets and a litre of tears later and Ivory was in the bathtub.

She'd fought me. The whole way through. 

Screaming at me for cleaning all she had left. She tried to yank the mop out of my hands several times and nearly scratched my eyes out when I tried to put her dress in the laundry basket. But now she was sitting in the tub as docile as a mouse.

Her eyes looked at nothing in particular as silent tears continuously rolled down her face. I'd shampooed the blood out of her hair from when she tried to rip her hair out and scrubbed her fingers raw to remove the red stain.

I didn't want her to look at her hands and see it.

Now she looked bare. It made me realize how I'd never seen Ivory without makeup. She was always looking prim and proper and ready for appearances. She woke up at the crack of dawn to whip the castle into shape and organised everything that happened here.

Something I learnt would one day be a job of mine.

But as I stared at her now, with her blotchy red eyes and dark bags. Her skin was pale in contrast to its usual olive glow. Her hair was matted and wet, hanging off her head in thin strands, unlike its thick shine from a few hours ago.

She looked utterly defeated.

I reached out to move a strand of her hair from her eyes, my heartbreaking when she flinched away from my hands. "Are you going to tell him?" I scanned her face.

She continued to stare into nothing but after a few minutes her lips cracked into a crooked smile, a facial expression I'd never seen her wear. "Why would I? I didn't tell him the last four times."

I tried not to let the shock show on my face and kept it blank. Her head fell to the side to look at me "Harlow...get out."

"I don't think I should-

"GET OUT!"