The Duke's Obsession

Chapter 16

⚠️Trigger warning!⚠️ Non-con/dub-con ahead! Non-con/dub-con ahead! Please don't continue from here on out if you're not comfortable with this. Read at your own risk. This would be the last warning throughout the book. (Because I do not want to spoil anything after this.) Leave it if it's not your cup of tea. If you don't know what non-con or dub-con is, please search for its meaning before continuing to read this chapter. You've been warned!

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I hurried towards the basement. Habang hindi magkakumahog sa pagtakbo ang aking puso.

What have you done, what have you done, Alaric?!

"Why did this happen? Hindi ba't sinabi ko na ipaalam mo sa kaniya?"

"I did, my lady! But he won't listen to me! He was furious when he did not see you anywhere in the castle! Kamuntikan pa nga po siya magwala sa silid niyo. He looks so different, my lady. I don't think you should go there. H-He may attack you this time."

Napalunok ako. Nagsimulang mag butil sa pawis ang aking noo. "Why would you say that? Of course he won't hurt me! I know him!"

Mabilis akong naglakad pababa sa hagdanan ng basement. I couldn't see clearly because the sun was already setting down. And the sconces on the wall were still not lit.

"Ouch, fuck!" I hissed in pain when I stumbled from the last step dahil sa pagmamadali.

"My lady! Are you okay?" Tinulungan ako ni Ida tumayo.

"I'm fine."

Humawak ako sa braso niya para maitayo ang sarili. Pero nang dumiin ang hawak ko rito ay agad siyang napadaing.

I looked at her with brows furrowed. Napakagat naman siya sa labi niya. Mabilis kong tinanggal ang pagkakahawak. Binaba ko ang tingin sa braso niya nang makatayo ako. Pero agaran niya iyong itinago ng mahuli niya akong nakatingin.

"Ida..." My voice was stern. "Give me your hand," I ordered her.

Agad siyang napailing. "W-Wala po 'to, my lady."

Parang may malaking bato na bumara sa lalamunan ko at hindi ko malunok ang sunod na gustong lumabas sa bibig ko. "D-Did he... hurt you?"

Napaiwas siya ng tingin. "J-Just a scratch, my lady. It's nothing. You don't need to worry about me, my lady."

Umiling ako at hinablot ang braso niya. She was caught of guard at hindi niya na ako napigilan. Initaas ko ang sleeve ng damit niya.

"My lady!"

I gasped. There was a long scratch like that of a cat. Hindi lang ito basta galos dahil malalim ang bawat kalmot na halata mong dumugo dahil sariwa pa rin ang sugat. Tiyak na magkakaroon ito ng peklat dahil sa lalim.

"W-What... I-I don't understand. Why would he d-do this?."

"L-Like I said, my lady. H-He was not himself. I was trying to give him his medicine but he would not take it. Kaya sinubukan ko pong ipainom sa kaniya but he scratched me and lost it. Kahit anong sabi kong babalik ka rin po ay mukhang hindi niya naririnig."

Napakagat ako sa hintuturo ko. "You may go, Ida. Bring the healer here. I'll go and handle him."

"Pero pagabi na po, my lady. It would take me hours."

"Then bring her tomorrow. You can go now."

"Pero paano po kayo? B-Baka po kung—"

"It will be fine," I reassured her. "He'll calm down when he knows it's me."

"I think that's a bad idea, my lady. There's something o-off about him. I think you should reco—"

Umiling ako. "It's okay. I know him. I know Alaric," I said. I kept repeating it to myself than to Ida.