© Claimed By Him ~ Elektra Orfanos

~Dedicated to my sister for her witty comebacks~

*|Luna|*

Ella and I waited in the pale blue walled parlour while the real Duke Crowly the father of Evan and our parents sat in another parlour conversing on some boring topic about... About... Well on something boring like say the King. I think that's what they were discussing and I'm far too interesting to care about things like that. Like for example Alpha, now Sam and the Loup-garou and my friends, put all that together and you've got a maddening story that is far more inspirational than whatever the adults have to say. And the whole time I was sitting there anticipating the very moment that Evan would enter, therefore I wasn't really paying attention in the first place and I couldn't stand it any longer suggesting for Ella's and my exit. The unlikely predicament of being in his house in the first place is astonishing enough! How was I to predict a forming friendship between the Duke and my father? And as I had my little tour of the house I could see absolutely nothing wrong with it which infuriated me more! The devil has taste yet then again his parents are possibly nicer people. Possibly. Couldn't quite read them from the smiles and kind offerings of treats and goods. It was rather distracting. Especially the chocolate. I had never actually tried that before it was like my tongue had had an orgasm. That was a weird thing to think, must remember to never ever say that out loud.

I rested my chin in my hand letting out a huff of boredom. But when I sensed eyes watching me I straightened in the love seat and the black cat sitting on his own golden armchair with the most remarkable purple eyes I've ever seen, I caught him staring at me. He's resting his head on his dainty paws and when I titled my head to the side he did to. I rocked my head to the other side and he followed my movement. I waved my hand hand but he shook his head as if he refused to do to the act and I laughed. 

"How marvellous." I exulted.

"I wonder where Evan is." Ella said with a mouthful of sponge cake.

"I don't." I replied dully. What are the chances that we just missed the over joying company of the annoyance himself? I shall not question it in case I jinx it. "Do cats usually have purple eyes?"

"They can be born with any colour eyes, sometimes two different colours on either eye."

"Interesting." I stood up and walked over to the cat.

"Leave it alone Luna." She droned.

"If it wanted to be alone it wouldn't be in here with us." I sat on the floor before it and read the cat's collar. "No tag?" I scratched behind his ear and he dug his chin into my long nail under my gloves. His eyes fluttered with pleasure and he relaxed against my hand gazing up at me with an expression almost impossible to understand. All I can get from it is that he likes me.

"What are you doing mutant?" Both the cat and I rose our heads over the seat to Evan Crowly's sudden and unwanted appearance. I couldn't help but glare at Ella accusingly and I know it's unjust and doesn't make sense but she is the only human I know who wanted him around. I glared back at the fancy dressed pompous brat and the cat purred touching his damp nose to mine before he gracefully leaped off the cushion to the floor and ran away. Tripping Evan in the process and a loud curse shot out but I bit away the amusement and Ella blushed almost horrified. He pulled at his coat and scrunched up his face furious.

"Enjoying the grand house? Eating my food and sitting on my furniture you leeching peasant?" Evan asked while struggling to fix his tie.

I chuckled as I stood up and decided to fix the tie myself. "It's like heaven." I tightened it right up to his neck giving the impression I was about to choke him and with that he flinched, his gaze piercing into me like large silver daggers. My grin disappeared. "But you're here."

"How dare you?" He shoved me back but only a little so I just stumbled back knocking into the armchair. I heard Ella gasp however I couldn't pull my yes away from him, the disgusting despicable man. How dare he lay a hand on me? He glared behind me then gave a smug smile. "I'm glad they brought the good sister." He paced past me and sat on the love seat next to my blushing sister. I muttered curses under my breath and sat down on the chair the cat was on before burning my eyes into Evan's head. I wish I had the evil glare Alpha has and maybe Evan wouldn't come near me ever again. His hand rested over my sister's and I felt the urge to rise and attack him for it. Lucky for him a servant girl stepped in holding some berry drinks and I accepted one thanking her. She walked to the table placing the tray down but Evan scowled at her nearly tripping her over. "Move it you stupid thing."

"I'm sorry sir." She said rushing away and with my ability to turn empathy into foul wit I bought the drink to my lips but then placed in my lap ready to give him a mouthful of my wit. "It is said that a man who is cruel to women is insecure. Tell me Evan what parts of you let you down?" Ella shot me an appalled expression but I was not altered and neither was Evan himself.

He laughed darkly and it is the kind of laugh that even made Alpha seem like just a pup.  "I can assure you Lady Mystique, that there is no part of me that a woman has frowned upon."

"Wrong! I have frowned upon your entire being."

"You don't count."

"Why is that?"

"You're insignificant in this society." Oh we're going there are we? Just because he's in the higher ranks. "The only thing that would be giving you attention is an evil loup-garou himself." I shut up within myself at that. He noted it and turned his body my way while grinning cruelly. "Do you know what a loup-garou is?" 

"Never heard of it." I said too quickly.

"Oh I think you know more than just the meaning Luna. Where were you when those men and women died?"

"Are you accusing my sister of murder?" Ella questioned in my defence.

He snickered. "No as if she were capable of a murder."

"Then what are you accusing me of?" I asked feeling my tone of voice drop to a deadly level. Curse it! I'm letting him get to me, I make it too easy for him but by God he is wretched.

"Evan." A male voice interrupted just as Evan opened his mouth. A sigh of relief escaped me as I recognised the voice and looked behind my seat to look at Curtis. His hair disarrayed and coat the colour big oaks that enhanced a warmness in his eyes. "That's enough." He softened when we locked onto each other. "I am dreadfully sorry for his behaviour."

Yes but what caused it? What provoked him to make him ask and say such things about Alpha? What does Evan know? What does he know about the loup-garou? Does he know about Alpha? I can feel my heart speeding up in my chest so I pushed myself up to my feet. "I think I should go."

"You can't." Ella protested. "We only just got here and father..."

"She's right you only just got here." Curtis repeated walking towards me and we bowed because of common courtesy. Oh God, what if he knows? What if sweet Curtis knows that I am dealing with a monster? He must understand, that is if he does know, that I am doing it for the benefit of everyone else. How could he possibly accept that notion when no one else has?

Evan spoke up while I am at a loss of words. "I say let her go. The house is too crowded anyway."

"For once Evan you and I are in total agreement ." I glared at him and said through my eyes 'But just to spite you I'll stay'. "Are those cookies?" I pointed out the servant walking back in with a plateful. I picked one up when she walked past me and held it up to Curtis's face. he nearly went cross eyed looking at it. I giggled. "This changes everything."

He grinned baring full set of pearly white sharp-less teeth. It was a strange sight to behold and it made me feel so weird. Normal made me feel uncomfortable. "Good."

~*~*~

We took our food outside much to Evan's dismay, I made them all carry the trays to the veranda at the because I didn't want to disturb the servant girl. She had looked at me funnily as I held the tea tray and for some reason I entrusted the cakes with Ella who had been scoffing them down on the way through the house. Curtis led us and I followed right at his side trying to get used to the odour of man and not wood, or water, not earth or grass. Just the musk of a normal human male.

"I can't believe you are making me do this. We have servants for a reason." Evan scowled walking behind us.

"Oh hush Mr Crowly it is no like you have anything better to do." Curtis gloomily replied. And for once Evan had no witty remark or threw back an insult.

He stayed silent.

Interesting.

We set everything up under a gazebo with Roman pillars of white marble and sat at a tiny little round table with a pretty white rose emroided cloth over it.

"You have a fountain?" Ella awed from her seat between Evan and I and he began to brag about the way the garden is structured even though it is quite obvious he wasn't the one who designed it. Much less make it with his own bare hands. 

I rolled my eyes as I stood up and walked to the railing, leaning my head up and closed my eyes to enjoy the warm rays.

Nope.

Didn't work.

I can still hear his nasally voice and I sighed in annoyance trying to block him out.

"I bet you've never seen such a garden so grand." He said and I can feel him smiling smugly even while facing away from all of them. I terribly want to come up with a snide remark but then again it's better for Ella to find how disturbing he really is on her own.

I gazed at Curtis at the table who quickly whipped his head away from staring at me. I felt my insides tangle up. Is he suspicious? Does he suspect me? Oh but I've done nothing wrong! I need to calm down. I walked over to him and whispered in his ear. "Mind if we take a look rather than listen to him describe it?" He stood up immediately and I followed on behind him. The other two didn't notice and I began to wonder Evan's intentions. My sister, she is only fifteen and he is my age, eighteen. Once out of ear shot, down along the cute little brick path I asked eagerly. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Silence a Crowly." I said teasing him.

He tsked rolling his eyes. "Can we please talk about other matters? I feel like every time we meet you're complaining about my cousin." 

"That is not true we had very lively conversations with my friends." I linked my arm with his and he pulled closer to his side grinning ear to ear. 

"I was so drunk I don't even remember what we spoke about." He veered us down a narrow path amongst white roses and tangling branches that hung over our heads.

"Oh mainly embarrassing stories about your childhood." 

He groaned. "That always happens."

"You also tried to solve my war with Evan by dragging me to his house and slamming on the door in the middle of the night."

He shrugged his shoulders unashamed. "Amends have to be made."

"That's exactly what you said that, as you forcefully grabbed my hips and hauled me by my arm."

"I did not touch your hips."

"You're right it was more the waist."

He snickered. "I feel like I should be ashamed. But I feel pretty proud of the drunk Curtis... Unless you punished me for touching you."

"No I let you get away with it." I admitted.

The grin broadened. "You like me."

"I do not."

"Oh my heart! How cruel of you to tease it when it is so sensitive."

"See? I simply pity you."

"I believe you feel both."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I twirled away to admire the white rose. I delicately petted it and inhaled its pure untainted fragrance. Hi gaze is burning into my neck and making the hair on it rise on it. Why does he make me feel so guilty?

"Luna." 

I didn't turn around. "Mhm." 

"I am." He paused. "I am deeply guilt-ridden." He's guilty? "About what Evan said."

I snapped my head over my shoulder creasing my brow. "You're going to have to be more specific."

"He shouldn't be accusing you not even in jest. The werewolf is a serious threat." Surprisingly I didn't shiver at the word but now I realise I should have because he noted my forbearance.

Say something.

"You really believe in this werewolf story?" I asked trying to seem playfully but there's no more humour. It sank away like his grin. "

You do to but you are not as scared as you should be."

"Pardon?"

"You believe in the werewolf don't you? Who else would have torn up those bodies? Haven't you heard the howls?"

"Last I heard werewolves only come out under the full moon and he's not even in this city he's out deep in the woods in a far off village." He stared at me almost pained by my words. "Curtis?"

"Wha-what about the deaths here in this city?"

"How would a wolf lurk the streets unnoticed?"

His usual warm brown eyes darkened. "Maybe its huge form is covered in black fur that camouflages in the shadows." 

I felt this stone lodge itself in my throat and I spun around looking back at the roses so he couldn't see my the pain in my face. "Perhaps that's it. A giant beast flitted around Versailles unnoticed because of his invisibility pelt."

"Luna."

"Yes?" I feel like I might blurt out something I shouldn't so I pretended to be interested in the garden. Even when he closed up behind me and I felt his breath on my neck.

"I want our friendship to mean something. As in you would feel free to tell me anything and I would do the same. That we can trust each other..." 

"We can do that."

"Well then what do you think of the Beast of Versailles?"

"I have no opinion other than there are worse things out there." I replied remembering the demons.

"What makes you say such a thing?" He whirled me around abruptly by my shoulders. I gasped the force and glared up at him astonished. "What could possibly be worse than a werewolf?" 

"I don't know. Perhaps a Vampire? Or a demon or a maybe even fanged pixie! How can you take any of this seriously?" 

He let out deep sigh. "I have an opinion if you would like to hear it."

"You going to tell me anyway so what is it?" I threw his hands off me.

"It is a monster that would take no displeasure in killing us all and if I had the power to kill the werewolf I would." Lightening struck and I jumped staring up at the sky as drops of rain started to fall.

"You wouldn't even want to get to know the wolf first?" I hugged my arms.

"That's like asking me to reason with a human murderer. There is no excuse to kill and it's an animal Luna what could it possibly do to earn your trust?" 

I hesitated and thought about Alpha. He spared my life when I wasn't planning to spare his and he only has one request of me that can save so many. I swallowed my fear. "Well they are half man aren't they? There's a side-a chance of reasoning with- it."

"With this many kills I wouldn't bother with the chance." He said softly then he took my gloved hand. "Before you ruin your dress." We all ran inside discarding the cakes and of course Evan sneered an insult at me. Saying something about how the weather was all my fault. 

Ella spoke up this time. "Must you complain all the time?" She's already getting impatient with him. And here I am thinking that is no silver lining to this visit. I shared a glance with Curtis however the smile he had when we got here is long gone.

~*~*~

Thank you so much for reading this far! I am thrilled that you're here and are thus far enjoying this odd adventure! 

Leave a vote and a comment! And give me a howl! 

What are our views and opinions of Sir Curtis Bloomwood? And who is anticipating the return of Alpha Darius XD cos I sure am!

Hehehee

Meow for Now