"Despite her most overpowering instincts to run and hide from the great beast that lurked beneath Allister's deathly pale skin, despite the most natural instincts engraved into her human mind, Ainslie couldn't resist the deep bond she felt for a man...
The venomous group of men led by a disastrously misguided sole, set forth on their mission of reclamation from the center of Bolham and into the wild lands ruled by beasts greater than man with only thoughts of violence and gluttony poisoning their small minds. They had prepared to once again face the demonic beast, the intent to kill more potent than ever before.
The entire absurdity of recent events had truthfully lead Ainslie to forget why she was now residing in a foreign home. She had not once spared a thought towards that dreadfully terrifying beast, with it's fierce ruby eyes and glistening, sharp teeth; until last night, long past the sun's setting, when Ainslie had awoken in a frightful daze with her night gown stuck to her clammy skin.
Ainslie must have made some sort of alarming noise in her fretful sleep as just moments later Allister was barging into her chambers, his body tensed and ready to defend against any attackers. As she mumbled her apologies softly, a scorching heat torturing her cheeks, Ainslie was unable to meet his eyes - afraid to find the same animalistic hunger that had been reflected in her dreams.
She was not all sure as to whether or not she believed Allister to be the beast himself. After all, Allister was her protector, her saviour. How could it be that he was the Satanic creature that had stolen her away from her family? And yet that was what Ainslie had envisioned; the snarling, humongous monster lingering out to strike with eyes that did not reflect the flames of hell but instead the richest soil of the earth. Allister's eyes had been staring her down, his beastly jaw open in anticipation of a human feast.
Disturbed by her queer behaviour, Allister had been at her bedside instantly, one of his large hands reaching out as if to cup her chin but as soon as she flinched away from his advances his limb was snatched back to his side - moving quicker than a startled horse.
Ainslie hated to think of that wounded, haunted look that had immediately encompassed his gaze. She hated the thought of how his lips had sulked at the corners and how his thick brows had pulled together deeply in a painful confusion.
Ainslie did not want to be afraid of him in that moment but she had been. Terrified. She distinctly remembered how clammy her pale skin had felt, how hard her heart seemed to pound, as if to burst from her breast, and how her slim fingers had shook despite their tight grip on her bed sheets.
She was resolutely petrified of her guardian. Fearful that he was instead her captor.
He hadn't returned to his chambers that night. Without a word, Allister had clambered over to the corner of the room and very much like before had sank to the hardwood floor and set his dark eyes on the door. He vaguely reminded her of the cook's dog all the way back at Clayworth Manor. An awfully protective hound that would bark without question at any stranger. Except Allister was far more intelligent than the hound, far more distracting and, despite a lack of razor sharp teeth, was far more deadly. Ainslie had witnessed his intimidating strength first hand.
But it was whether or not he was a danger to her that was at question.
Despite her most overpowering instincts to run and hide from the great beast that lurked beneath Allister's deathly pale skin, despite the most natural instincts engraved into her human mind, Ainslie couldn't resist the deep bond she felt for a man more frightening than her darkest nightmares. For while he was her very nightmare brought to life, he was also the only man she truly trusted in her heart, the only man she had ever felt such a connection to, the only man she had ever known to be such a compelling contradiction worth every bit of her attention and compassion.
Now that the sun had risen and Ainslie was able to gaze upon Allister in the revealing light of the day, her fears were far less prominent. In fact, he was the one she sat closest to at the table during the morning meal as everyone had gathered at once, and Ainslie had felt overwhelmed by the surge of so many people. Hale sat at the head of the table, Charlotte at his left while Allister took the seat to his right. Ainslie instantly adopted the empty seat beside Allister with Samual sat opposite her and Dante on the other end of the table facing Hale.
Ainslie kept her head down, slowly eating the bowl of porridge placed in front of her, as the family conversed amongst themselves.
"The full moon is gaining on us - not many nights left," Samuel commented in a manner Ainslie took as nothing but innocent. And yet, the sudden tensing of Allister's entire body beside her was enough to suggest otherwise.
The others didn't appear to be paying mind to them and thus she turned to her friend and inquisitively murmured, "What is wrong?" at such a volume so that no one but Allister would hear. He did not respond right away, perhaps feigning not to hear her but with her gaze unremoved he finally arched his neck towards her and pierced her eyes with his.
"No'ing for ye t'worry," he uttered in a low, almost unheard tone. He turned back to his food almost immediately.
When Ainslie glanced up from his hunched figure she met Hale's fixed gaze. His brows were furrowed, his eyes narrowed in distrust and contemplation. Ainslie froze and could not look away until he did so first. When he did, the air trapped within her lungs expelled in a rush and her shoulders slumped dramatically. She feared she would never gain Hale's trust - and with good reason as she had already lied once to the family, what was to stop her from doing so again? Her selfishness, the desire to remain in this house, was placing these people in danger.
She knew the men of her village were anything but delicate, they would not stop to ask questions, only forcibly remove her from the situation, be it at any cost to the others.
Heaviness consumed her entire being and Ainslie felt it would be almost impossible to stand under the guilt. Her eyes pricked at the corners, and through rapid blinking she excused herself from the table and fled to the safety of her given room.
Allister did not follow.
Allister did not make another appearance to her for hours that then passed. Ainslie, though she had left the confines of the small room and joined Charlotte as she began supper, did not see a single sign of Allister at all and she had begun to grow concerned. When his appearance finally was made as the family collected once again to eat, he would not meet her gaze and did not acknowledge her presence. She tried her hardest not to let his questionable mood deter her from engaging in conversation with Charlotte.
"When is the baby to arrive?" Ainslie queried, her eyes straying form Charlotte toward Hale, only to dart back once again when she realised she had his attention.
"Dante believes any day now," Charlotte smiled warmly over to her dark skinned friend, her hands curving around her large stomach. Noticing Ainslie's silence she continued to inform, "Dante is knowledgeable in the medical practices. You've been with us for quite a many years now, isn't that right?"
Dante, who had been discussing something with Samual, looked back with a blinding grin.
"Happiest years I've had the pleasure of having," he confirmed. He turned to Ainslie, not before offering Allister a cautious look beside her. "The people I resided with previously had some-" he paused, appearing conflicted with his next words, "questionable views on my treatment. Fortunately, Hale discovered me and since then he and Charlotte have ensured my wellbeing, Samual's too. You're lucky that it was us that found you."
"I feel lucky," Ainslie confessed, though having to force the words from her mouth as her chest constricted and her stomach twisted. How long would it be before her existence in this home threatened the safety of them all, most especially Charlotte's child who had not yet even experienced one night on this land.
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