Mated For Revenge

CHAPTER EIGHT: A Night to Remember

After a moment of releasing my emotions, I dry my tears with the back of my hands, then meet Mr. Knox’s gaze. I say, my voice trembling but resolute, "Mr. Knox, I know that you’ve already been very kind and generous to me since we met. But, I... I need one more help from you."

Mr. Knox regards me with concern and curiosity. "It depends. What is it that you need?"

"I need... I need to get a divorce," I confess, my chest burning with desperation, my gaze with determination.

Mr. Knox's thick eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but he quickly composes himself.

"I see," he says, his voice calm and steady. "And how can I assist you in this matter?"

I swallow hard, my throat tight with emotion. "I... I’m wondering if... if you could finance the divorce for me. I promise to pay you back, bit by bit, once I find a job."

For a moment, there’s silence in the hallway as Mr. Knox processes my request. Then, to my relief, a warm smile spreads across his face.

"Consider it done, Catherine," he says firmly. "I'll call my lawyer first thing in the morning and have him handle all the necessary documents and procedures."

The weight of my burdens begin to lift as I cling to a glimmer of hope for my future. My lips stretch into a beam, my tears welling up once more, only this time, they’re tears of gratitude. And without thinking, I spring towards Mr. Knox and throw my arms around him.

“Words aren’t really enough to express how grateful I am to you for everything you’ve done for me,” I say, my voice choked with emotion. "Still, thank you so much."

But as quickly as I’ve embraced him, I pull away, embarrassed. I cast my gaze downward, unable to meet Mr. Knox's eyes.

“I gotta go back to Maxinne. And you should take a rest,” Mr. Knox says, obviously brushing off what I just did.

With a nod at each other, Mr. Knox and I part ways, he retreats towards Maxinne’s playroom while I head towards my temporary bedroom. I sink down onto the soft mattress of the bed, my thoughts begin swirling chaotically and wickedly in my mind.

As luck would have it, I notice an object lying on the bedside table, glinting faintly in the dim light of the lamp. With trembling fingers, I reach out and pick it up, my heart lurching in my chest as I realize what it is - Elijah’s cell phone.

A smirk crosses my face, a grim determination flickers in my chest. I unlock the cell phone and navigate through the video files, searching for a specific video I captured myself. My eyes fixed on the screen as the video plays to life. And there, in vivid detail, is the proof of Elijah’s infidelity and Layla’s betrayal, captured for all eternity in pixels and pixels.

Though my heart clenches in pain at the sight, I find that no tears would come. Maybe I’ve cried enough tears already, now, all that remains is a cold, numb emptiness in me.

“I’ll turn the tides, you’ll see. I'm not the one who will suffer forever; that honor belongs to you both. Every slight, every betrayal, every ounce of anguish you've caused me will be repaid tenfold. You may have thought you won the battle, but the war has just begun, and I will emerge victorious.”

I create a dummy F.acebook account, upload the damning video, tag Elijah and Layla’s profiles, ensuring that the video will appear prominently in their feeds for all to see. Finally, without any hint of hesitation, I hit the post button, unleashing my first of the many revenge on them.

A powerful surge of adrenaline courses through my veins, my heart pounding in exhilaration.

I wanna witness the very second that video will go viral for all the wrong reasons. I wanna read its very first comment, see its very first reaction, very first share. Unfortunately, the soft embrace of sleep envelops me and I’m too exhausted to fight it. And for the first time in what feels like an eternity, I drift off into slumber without the looming specter of nightmares haunting my every thought.

I don’t know how long I have been asleep, but a sudden series of knocks shatters the stillness of the night, jolting me awake. Blinking blearily, I glance at the wall clock, which says two o’clock in the morning.

As I pull myself into a sitting position, Maxinne’s voice echoes through the door, it’s small and hesitant yet filled with unmistakable concern. "Are you awake?"

I excitedly scramble out of bed, my feet padding softly across the tiled floor. I open the door, revealing the petite figure of Maxinne standing on the other side.

"And why are you still awake?" I tease gently, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I kneel down to her level.

Maxinne shifts nervously, her brow furrowing in worry. "I can't sleep. Daddy said you're feeling better now, but I'm worried that you'll get sick again."

"Oh, baby," I murmur, reaching out to pull her into a tight embrace. "I'm not sick anymore, I promise. You don't need to worry about me."

Maxinne's face lights up with relief, and she nestles into the embrace, her tiny arms wrapping around my neck. Then, to both my surprise and delight, she asks, “Can I sleep here with you?”

“I’d love to, but have you asked for your daddy’s permission?” I ask, meeting her pleading gaze.

Maxinne shakes her head and answers, “Daddy is asleep. I don’t want to disturb him coz he still needs to wake up early for work.”

I give her another teasing look and smile, before closing the door behind us. “Alright then, let’s sleep together here.”

But as I reach out to scoop Maxinne into my arms, a sudden shift in the air makes me pause, my heart pounding in my chest. Then, before my widening eyes, a mind-boggling, jaw-dropping, blood-curdling phenomena, I’m unsure if real or just my imagination, occurs. Maxinne begins to transform, her small form shimmering and shifting until she’s no longer the familiar figure of a young girl, but instead a small, white wolf.

“Oh my god!” I jolt. My breath catches in my throat, my mind reeling in disbelief. “This can't be real! It has to be some kind of a dream!”

But as I continue to gaze at the little wolf, my panic slowly gives way to a sense of eerie calm. The little wolf blinks up at me with eyes the same shade of purple as Maxinne's, its gaze filled with an unsettling curiosity and innocence.

I can’t tear my eyes away from those piercing orbs, can’t shake the feeling that I’m looking into the soul of the young girl I’ve come to love as my own.

“Maxinne, baby… i-is that really you?”

Tentatively, I reach out a trembling hand, my fingers hovering over the soft fur of the little wolf's back. And then, with a sudden surge of courage, I feel my hand fall, my fingers brushing against the wolf’s fur in a gentle caress. The little wolf doesn't recoil or growl in response. Instead, it nuzzles closer, pressing its body against my trembling form, curling up in my lap with a contented sigh.

Though my heart is a bit at ease now, my face is still twisted in disbelief. “How could this be possible? Could she be…?”

I pause, unable to say the term out loud. The notion that Maxinne is a werewolf feels absurd, something out of a fantastical tale relegated to ancient folklore. Yet, the proof is undeniable, her transformation from a little girl to a pup. If Maxinne is indeed a werewolf, then could Mr. Knox be one too? His unnerving concern over my stay here suddenly takes on a chilling new significance. Is he afraid that I'll unearth this secret?