Choleric

Chapter XXIV

[Unedited]

"Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides."

― André Malraux

"You knew didn't you?" She asked him, eyes wide and mouth hanging slightly ajar. His glare had the potential to cut glass but Celia couldn't help but think she saw an underline of fear flash through. "I knew you were a dick. I never thought you were psychotic," she rambled, silently begging him to tell her she was wrong.

His rigid figure stood frozen like a statue as he looked down on her. "What the fuck is wrong with you!" She screamed, feeling pathetic as she sat by his feet, letting tears fall where they may. The strength of her voice caught the attention of the three Alpha's sitting by the fire. She glanced at them warily as they squinted back at her, curiosity painted plainly on their fire lit features.

The world had gone silent quiet, as if swallowed by a black hole. The wind had stopped tickling the branches and the animals froze in their places. Even the specs of dust stopped dancing in the air as the moon casted a pale spotlight on Cassius' taught figure. He growled lowly, the anger behind it sent everyone back to their business. The night was alive again.

Other than the initial jolt of fear that ran down her spine, Celia was unaffected by the heavy wave that crashed up against her. Slowly, she realised she was becoming immune to his power, or maybe she was just so repulsed by his actions her body had no time to react.

"If you talk any louder I will rip your tongue out," he snarled, crouching beside her.

"You're a murderer," Celia replied in a low growl, her words still sloppy from the liquid that had burnt her throat earlier in the night. "You better start answering my questions or I'll tell your Alpha friends that you are responsible for all this."

Basking under the moonlight they sat on the uneven floor, eyes closed into slits as they glared hatefully; waiting for the other to break the spell. Finally, Cassius looked away. It was the first time he had ever been beaten in a battle for dominance. And most probably the last.

"What do you want to know?" He asked through clenched teeth, knowing tonight she would not leave without answers.

"How many were there?" She asked, her voice sounded raw against her ears. Conflict flashed through his crystalline eyes as he contemplated answering. Behind them the small group of people laughed as the fire bathed them in warmth. It was as if they were in a completely different world to Celia and Cassius. She watched the muscles in his jaw ticking in agitation and it started to become clear he wasn't going to co-operate.

Sighing Celia looked away, her eyes scanning the floor for something interesting to pass the time.

"Two hundred."

"What?" She asked, surprised by the sound of his voice.

"There were two hundred bad souls gathered... actually one hundred and ninety eight," he mumbled to himself. "I didn't quite reach two hundred."

She sat there agast. She didn't know what shocked her more: the number of bad souls that attacked or the casualness of his voice.

"You found two hundred bad souls and set them loose in the gathering? Why would you do this?" Her voice had risen again and he gave her a glare that stopped her heart. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"I didn't find two hundred, I was trying to find two hundred and I turned most of them."

Her mouth fell open. "Ew! Are you fucked in the head? You are insane!" Her fingers gripped tightly into the dirt that had been warmed by the sun and used it to propel herself away from him. Fear was evident on her face as she scattered away like a rodent.