Chapter 18

Before her eyes could open she searched the spot where the wolf laid but it was empty. She fluttered her sluggish eyes open but her vision was blurry and burnt from the excess light that peeked through the open cellar door. She blinked a couple of times before she sat up and searched for her cloak but it was also gone with the wolf.

She closed the cellar door before she fell asleep so why was it open? There was no way the animal could have pried it open despite its intelligence. The only person that came to mind was her mother. But why would she open the cellar door? Aurora knew her mother despised the animal so nothing was adding up. After the animal attacked her, why would she let it out of the cellar?

How did the animal manage to climb the ladder out of the cellar on all fours? Even Aurora found climbing difficult the majority of the time. There was no way the animal was able to leave on its own unless with the aid of someone.

Aurora climbed out of the cellar and angrily stomped into her house a scold deeply embedded on her face when her eyes made four with Fredrigo. He sat at the fireside in their old coach with a steaming mug of tea and sweet biscuits on the old wooden table in front of him. Ella and Violet sat across from him on the floor with a smile spread across their faces. They also had two steaming cups in their palms. Aurora wanted to ask her mother about the animal but seeing that they had company she glued her lips shut. Her words would be way beyond friendly towards her. But knowing their current situation she couldn't embarrass her mother in front of the man.

"Come on, Aurora," Ella called her over. "Have a cup of tea with us."

Her mother gestured for her to greet Fredrigo but Aurora stared at her blankly and then over at Fredrigo before she stormed out of the house. She was still upset with Ella for keeping their father's death a secret. But the way she pretended as if nothing had happened the previous night made Aurora's blood boil. It seemed as if Violet was even unaware of the fact that their father was dead since she seemed merry.

She was still unable to comprehend what she was told. She clung tightly with the tiniest of hope that somehow her father was out there somewhere and alive. She came up with the scenario that her mother was a liar and she was trying to take advantage of the situation. Knowing she always tried to make her feel guilty even when unnecessary, Aurora heavily relied upon her scenario.

She went to the only place she could have a piece of mind that. She ran her hand along the spine of the old books that were covered in dust as she circled the large wooden bookshelves. Her hands stopped moving when her eyes landed on a particular book. One of her favorite books to read but she was in no mood to read any romance book. She continued down the isle of dusty bookshelves and continued to search for a particular book. A book that could ease her curiosity about the large animal she found in the woods. Her eyes glistened when she came across a big black book. She ran her hand against the spine of the book that had a writing that was too small for her to make out.

"So this is where you run off to?"

She jumped a bit and placed her hand over her chest. "You followed me here?"

He took a thick book from the shelf in one of his palms as if it weighed nothing and skimmed through the pages before a smirk formed on his lips. "Do you like wolves?" He asked as his eyes roamed the pages.

She folded her

arm across her chest and said. "What are you doing here Fredrigo?"

"I should be asking you the same thing." He placed the heavy book back in its rightful place on the shelf.

"Is this not a free country?" She asked annoyed. The only place she always had a piece of mind was invaded by the last person she wanted to see.

A smile formed on his lips before he circled her. "Have lunch with me." He said dodging her question. He never waited for her response, he held onto her hand and pulled her out of the library.

"I don't want to have lunch with you!" She said when they were outside of the library. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with a man she hardly knew. She didn't know what he was capable of doing. She didn't want to end up in a room alone with a man that was probably like her employer.

"There is no reason for you to be scared, Aurora. I just want to have lunch with you and talk."

How did he know that she was scared? Why was he even interested in her? Did he not know about her broken family? Questions flooded her mind one after the next without an answer.

But Fredrigo seemed like a decent person. Like on cue her stomach began to growl like an angry lion. She was hungry and she hasn't had a proper meal in ages. It would be stupid of her to turn down a proper meal.

He stretched his hand out for her to take and she reluctantly took his hand. He led her to his carriage and helped her in before they rode off. The carriage came to a halt in front of a large building with a water fountain at the front. Aurora was mesmerized at the size of the house and surprised herself when she asked. "Is that your home?"

He smiled over at her. "Yes, so you like it."

Her eyes never left the building even after the butler helped her down from the carriage. Fredrigo entwined his hand with hers and led her inside. She was mesmerized at the sight of his furniture as he led her into a room that seemed to be his parlor.

A large chandelier hang from the ceiling and two large round leather couches filled the large space of the room. A rectangular table was at the center between the two couches. Four large paintings hang from the creme color walls. From looking at Fredrigo's home she noticed he was wealthy. But she was poor, so why would he even be interested in her?

He guided her over to the couch and made her sit and he sat across from her. The butler came in a few minutes later with a box with sweet biscuits and placed them on the table in front of them.

"Have as much as you like." She picked up one of the biscuits and took a huge bite from it. She savored the taste of the delicious treat. She was on the tenth biscuit when she noticed Fredrigo hasn't eaten any of the biscuits he only stared over at her with interest.

"Aren't you going to have any?" She asked. She knew she was making a bad impression of herself but she didn't care. Maybe then Fredrigo would leave her alone.

"You can have them."

Aurora furrowed her eyebrows remembering clearly that he said he wanted to have lunch with her and after they entered his house he barely exchanged two words with her or eaten anything. "You wanted to talk to me?" She inquired.

He leaned forward resting his hand on his knees and peered over at her. He noticed how she would shift uncomfortably in her seat. His stares were affecting her. He wanted to ask her the one question that was bothering him for months.

"What are you, Aurora?"