ROTTEN LOVE - Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Perhaps, I am asleep. It's the only explanation. There is no way I am here having dinner with my werewolf mate, being proposed a marriage deal with my vampire childhood crush.
But a cold hand grabs my hand, bringing chills across my body. My gaze snaps to my left and grey eyes greet me.
Marisa wants to make sure she did not hear wrong either.
This is real. It's no dream.
As confirmation, a warm hand holds my other and squeezes, thawing the ice that had frozen me in place. Zain is barely holding on. He is going to lose his marbles and it brings me to action.
"Maddox is a pureblood," it's the only rebuttal I need. It's the sole fact that has constantly been present in my mind for the entirety of my life.
The reason why Maddox and I never crossed the line. The reason why Marisa has to marry Emmett and can't be with Adam. I don't have to remind them but I will, so that they can stop playing games.
I am not ignorant of their ways. The quicker they are aware of it, the quicker we can go on with our lives.
"Yes, he is. The youngest male pureblood to be specific," Arthur emphasizes.
I have no idea why he decided to bring this up. I also never thought about it. I don't keep up with the news in their world.
'I have a mate. That's the only response these bloodsuckers need,' Zain links me.
His hand seems to get warmer.
'I will handle it. We need to know what are their intentions. I want to know why my witches had to die. What was the point of everything?'
'And that's the only reason they have their head,' he gives me a look that sends shivers down my spine. But not in a good way.
Death is what he is promising. He is waiting for the opportune time for an execution.
I have to make sure they keep moving it along. If they keep up with this nonsense, then Zain won't be able to be merciful for long.
I reply, "Wasn't Maddox's punishment not a result of trying to intermix the species? That is in fact why you so call decided to punish him with the death of my witches. It's my suffering you wanted to be on his conscious, yet you expect me to believe that now you want to unite us."
"Lord Maddox had to learn a lesson. We act for the benefit of the race. His actions did not align with that so he had to be reminded of the consequences. Now, he has learned. We hold no grudge. He is too young to know any better. We must focus on what's the real issue at hand."
Marisa answers, her patience wearing thin, "which is."
"Ah, Lady Malfatto, soon to be Lady Ambrose, something you should very well remember before interjecting," Arthur glares at her.
She does not shrink but eyes Emmett. She is worried. Not like she is scarred about Arthur but concerned that she placed Emmett in a disfavored position.
I keep the observation in the back of my mind.
"As my Lady asked, what's the real issue at hand," I reiterate Marisa's question.
"The Malfattos are the last pureblood born. There have been no more purebloods after them," Arthur states.
The confession brings my eyebrows up in surprise. I never would have thought about it. Marisa and Maddox do not seem surprised but are taken aback by the importance.
Maddox interjects, "There haven't been any new marriages."
"You don't need to be married to produce offspring," Charles says. The way he says it makes me feel like he has participated in some way.
Charles is not married but he most definitely has had his share of bedding vamps. You can tell by his tone, the way he diminishes marriages.
"Charles means that our couples were not producing so some of them have tried to share for the benefit of the race. No babies. No heirs. You and Marisa are the last and only ones who have not tried," Arthur says.
"You mean to tell me if Marisa cannot produce an heir with Emmett, you intend to whore her around with the other purebloods. Same for Maddox," Jason speaks up. His face was appalled that the girl he grew up with could have such faith.
Arthur eyes my brother, "That was the first plan but it won't work."
I'm surprised he admitted it.
Maddox replies, "And you know this because."
"Because we have reason to believe that Cheryl Thorn hexed all of us with the help of her little ciphers," Charles finishes for Arthur.
Hearing my mother's name shocked me. She has been dead almost 20 years and her name is coming up. I want to straight out call him a liar but there are many things I didn't know about my mother.
"Me and Jason have done no such thing. My mother died when we were like four. I have no idea what you are talking about," I say in disbelief.
"Please Miss Thorn, do not think we are faulting you. We think we have a pretty good idea of the events. Let me share with you some facts. Fact number one, there has been no pure blood born since Marisa and Maddox. Fact number two, Cheryl Thorn was a part of the Blood Moon Pack," Arthur continues.
Zain interrupts, "She left her pack for the vamps."
"Nonetheless, her upbringing centered around your world. One can argue she would never harm you lot."
I look at Maddie and Zain. The way their eyes contain contemplation. They do not agree with Arthur but allow him to continue.
"Fact number 3, ciphers have an unlimited amount of power. They can do about anything, as long as they have a power source. Am I wrong?" Arthur looks at me expectantly.
Giving him a run down on my abilities isn't my duty but I want them to fear me, "no. You are not. There has not been one thing we were not able to do with an adequate power supply."
It was not a lie. Jason and I have been able to do whatever we put our minds to as long as we had the magic.
"So what do those three facts tell us," Arthur questions the table.
"That you blame others for your karma," Maddie mumbled under her breath but everyone heard.
Arthur raises an eyebrow at his son. Charles answers, "Ever since Cheryl Thorn started her servitude with the Malfattos none of the three other lines have been able to produce an heir. She has a motive, loyalty to her pack. She also had the means, her two cipher children."
"You are trying to say that my mother hexed the pureblood lines, seriously? You are misinformed. She left her pack. She was blindly loyal to the Malfattos so much so that she tied us to them, for their wellbeing," Jason shared.
Arthur responds quickly like was expecting this reply. "Was she loyal to them or using them? She gave you guys an eternal power source and she gave them chains," he looks at Maddox and Marisa.
When he puts it like that, it sounds convincing. I can see Marisa clenching her hand. She is losing her temper. Perhaps, because she does not like what she is hearing. Maybe she is even doubting.
She responds, "Get to the point. I do not like these guessing games. I want to know who, what, when, where, and why. Not rhymes."
Arthur does not look pleased but he answers her nonetheless. "Fine. Your family has been betrayed all these years by the Thorn Coven. Cheryl did not care for you. She used you and your brother to hurt all of us. For what? So that her precious pack thrives. So that their whole species gets ahead of the game."
"You're lying. My mother would do no such thing. She left them for our safety," I counter.
"It's never struck you as odd that your mother would leave her pack and start working with the opposite species."
"She wanted to protect us from Alpha Nathaniel, which led her to the Malfattos," I answer fast.
"Or did Nathaniel lead her to them," Arthur shares.
We are all quiet. We have no idea what is going on. We don't know what to believe.
I did think it was weird for her to switch sides. Things were not adding up. I am finally getting some answers.
"Let me end your suffering. I won't have you guessing any longer but I think it's better if you hear the information from the source itself," Arthur declares.
A silent moment passes and in comes my presumed dead uncle Jerry from the entrance.