Chapter 264: _The Devil Wears Red Lipstick
Caroline’s POV
*****
Her eyes widened as she took several steps back, trying to avoid the silver dagger heading straight at her face.
But when she saw the smirk on Regina’s face... Something snapped in her.
What was she doing?!
"Nice try..." Caroline whispered before doing one fluid movement, using her right hand to swat Regina’s elbow and then sending a kick to her knees before crouching.
Regina gasped, losing balance as Caroline followed up that movement by ramming straight at her stomach, tackling her and wrapping her arms around her.
However, when she had Regina pinned to the ground, heaving heavily, she paused.
Her hands shook as she blinked at the artificial hybrid whose smug smirk turned into an even more sly grin. She breathed slowly on Caroline’s face, sending shivers through the latter’s body.
"Hon, at least take me to dinner first," Regina said with a teasing voice that sent shivers down Caroline’s spine.
The latter’s face scrunched but she didn’t know if it was out of disgust... Or something else.
Suddenly, Regina took her disorientation to her advantage, freeing her leg and sending a kick at the back of Caroline’s head.
Caroline fell forward with a yelp as Regina rolled from underneath her, disappearing into a puff of black smoke the next second, her laughter echoing.
"You know, I could’ve just brought my magic into play in this fight and blast you into the night sky..." Regina’s voice echoed as Caroline held her head with a groan, looking around wearily.
The silver dagger that Regina had attempted to kill her with was on the ground now, drawing Caroline to pick it up and point it at the empty space.
"... However, you seem... Interesting. I rarely saw such an opportunity without wanting to drain a victim dry of their life force." Regina added as if Caroline should be thankful to her.
The audacity!
"I’ll be keeping an eye on you. And you can keep the dagger as a little... Parting gift." Regina echoed with a confident tone. "Now, chop, chop. The big bad wolf is back and unlike me... He doesn’t take kindly to intruders, regardless of how... Hot they might be."
Silence followed those words, the air stilling as well.
Caroline got on her feet, bringing her gaze to the compound grounds just in time to see Marcellus walking in with a tense expression on his face.
"Shit..." Caroline whispered, lowering her head and drawing in a deep breath.
She remained completely still, keeping her ears perked and following the soft clicks of Marcellus’ boots on the floor.
When she heard his living room door opening and then closing shut, she let out a breath and got back on her feet, parting aside strands of her hair.
The dagger left behind by Regina was still clutched in her right hand, the sleek black handle cold to the touch.
She hesitated, staring at the silver blade and wondering if the bitch left behind a curse or tracking spell on it.
But yet something deep down told her it was nothing like that.
"Goddess, have mercy..." She said silently before jumping off the balcony, landing gracefully on the compound grounds.
She swung her head back before sprinting out of the compound, easily leaping past the fence before navigating through the night.
.
.
Caroline got back into the Alpha King’s mansion easily and retired to her bedroom.
She was given a room away from the maid quarters when she was assigned as Odessa’s maid, and now stayed in a room on the same floor as Odessa and Kaelos’ room, but still far down the hallway.
Anyway, when she walked into the dimly lit room, she breathed out, closing the door behind her and resting her back on it. She raised her head, staring at the ceiling as her wolf howled.
’What was it with you and that artificial hybrid?’
Caroline scoffed, staring at the dagger still clutched in her hand before she walked further into the room.
’I wish I knew, Vilda. I wish I knew.’
’Oh, you know alright. There’s something... Different about her. You haven’t felt this conflicted since Odessa and we both know that was just a crush.’ Vilda whined.
Caroline subconsciously tightened her grip on the dagger. ’Odessa was more than a crush. She—’
’Has a mate who’s a MAN.’ Vilda interrupted. ’Not to mention she’s our mission. Remember? We can’t afford to get distracted. That’s why we had all those trainings to keep our emotions in check.’
Caroline bit her bottom lip but then let out a sigh, nodding before speaking physically. "You’re... Right."
She walked to a human-sized mirror and stood in front of it, staring at her reflection. Just when she turned around to touch up her messy hair, she felt a sharp sting coming from her right arm, causing her to frown.
"What the..." She muttered, raising her arm only to realise something that made her heart skip a beat.
It was a cut. From the silver dagger.
It had cut through the sleeve of her white gown and left a small slash that dripped with crimson blood.
"When did she manage to inflict this on me?" Caroline muttered, pulling up the sleeve and then opening up the mark to the cool wind blowing into the room through the windows.
’Oh, probably when you were staring into her eyes when she had a literal dagger aimed at your face.’ Vilda said with pure sarcasm. ’Get that healed up.’
Caroline didn’t need to be told twice, raising the index finger of her left hand and placing it on the cut.
Soon, a soft silver light glowed on her fingers, shimmering with a gentle hum before covering the mild cut.
It was supposed to heal it up like it was never there in a few seconds at best... But instead, it left behind a subtle red scar that made a cold shiver run down Caroline’s spine.
"No..." Caroline shook her head, scanning her gaze around the room.
There was no one there but she felt like she was being watched. And as for the seemingly meaningless mark left behind by Regina... She had no idea what it was but she knew it wasn’t good.
"What did you do to me?" Caroline whispered, raising the silver dagger and staring at it for a few seconds before her eyes flicked to her reflection in the mirror.