Chapter 180

[Arthur’s POV]

I felt like I was truly walking on thin ice with my family...Or, better yet, they were all walking on thin ice with me.

After that little stunt Aaron pulled, trying to yank information out of Ella as though she was some sort of hostage, I was ready to return home and tear the place apart.

And now to hear that my mother was currently waiting for me in the administration office—for what possible reason, I had no idea.

This woman was devious and unpredictable. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what possessed her to want to come out here.

Whatever. The sooner I get through this shit, the sooner I can head back to class and take my spot beside Ella.

I tried to sway my mind away from any possible thoughts of Ben trying to get close to Ella again. Last week’s performance of him attempting to convey his interest in her was anything but subtle. The guy practically lit up whenever Ella would acknowledge his presence, driving me clear up a wall.

I didn’t like not being next to her. God only knows what the hell I was missing out on.

Once I made it down to the office, one of the staff members led me to the room in which my mother was already waiting. Instead of a smile, I was greeted with pursed lips and raised a brow.

Patience was never her strong suit.

“Well, how nice of you to finally join me,” she said coolly. “I take it that the person who sent for you failed to mention the importance of my needing to meet you.”

“Oh, no, they told me you were here. I just didn’t see the need to rush over,” I commented.

She narrowed my eyes at my snarkiness while I took the open seat across from her.

“So, what brings you here, then?” I asked. “Surely you have more important things to be dealing with than muddling around a school campus.”

Her tone was sharp. “Don’t test me, Arthur. After the little discovery I made over the weekend, you’re lucky all I want to do is talk.”

A line formed between my brows. What the hell was she talking about? What discovery?

“And what ‘discovery’ would that be?” I dared to ask.

A snake-like smile curved her painted lips. She leaned over to reach into her bag. I took out what appeared to be a printed photograph and slapped it down on the table between us. I kept my resolve firm in place as I gazed down at the picture of Ella and me.

Of course, it had to be the one when I’d snuck up behind her in the pool. The same damn picture in which her birthmark was nearly on full display.

Fucking hell, these damn photos are going to be the death of us all.

Over the weekend, the three of us had talked about possible ideas as to why someone would want to send these photos to Aaron. Ella thought that maybe they were meant to defraud her relationship with Liam.

Because, on top of every other issue we’ve been trying to keep secret, the world couldn’t know about our double bond, which meant that Ella and I weren’t necessarily able to be publicly together.

Then there was my possibility...I’d suggested that perhaps this person wanted to expose Ella’s identity which could ultimately lead to getting her killed. It wasn’t exactly an easy thought to swallow but it had to be considered.

From what we all assumed, Aaron had seen the birthmark on Ella’s abdomen and was merely looking for clarification. But based on the fierce look my mother was giving me over the same photo told me that there wasn’t a single ounce of doubt in her mind.

She didn’t need clarification—what she wanted was an explanation.

“You know that whole act you put on for your grandfather was actually convincing,” she said with an heir of praise.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. “I genuinely wanted to know why the Winslows were such fucking cowards and saw the need to irradicate an entire group of people.”

The venom in my voice was my way of telling her that I wasn’t going to be toyed with. Cecilia practically went stiff in her chair and gaped at my disdain for the Winslow name.

“Have you lost your mind?” she hissed.

“Call it developing a sense of clarity,” I remarked.

Her mouth twisted in a sneer. “It’s because of that Belmont girl, isn’t it? I’ve seen the other photos, I know the way you’ve looked at her and the way she must make you feel.”

“Be careful, mother,” I said darkly. “Now it is you who shouldn’t be testing me.”

“She’s truly gotten under your skin, hasn’t she?” She folded her arms over her chest and gave a light smile. “Good.”

Wait, what?

I felt like the literal atmosphere in the air had just taken a complete turnaround.

“I don’t follow.”

“This girl, by some miraculous chance of fate, happens to be one of the last of her kind. An actual Moon Wolf,” she said with a hint of marvel in her voice.

I got up from the chair and shook my head in sheer denial. “No. I think you’re starting to lose your mind.”

“That birthmark on her—”

“Is nothing but a normal mark,” I countered. “I know, this may come as a shock to you, but most people have birthmarks, mother. Whatever you think you’re seeing when you look at this photo, you’re wrong. Alright?”

I swiftly picked up my bag and flung it around my shoulder.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back so I can somehow beat Liam in this next ridiculous trial.”

Just as I turned to head out the door, three unexpected words came hurling at the back of my head.

“Bond with her.”

I was stopped dead in my tracks and feared for the sanity that was left dwindling over the edge in my mind. My voice came out rough, almost unrecognizable.

“What?”

“If you bond with Ella Belmont, then the trials become null en void,” she explained. “The two of you bond and then you would become an Enigma, the ultimate status.”

I turned to glare over my shoulder. “Even if any of what you’re saying is true? Why the hell would Ella ever bond with me?”

Cecilia waved her hands about. “You act as though the Winslows have nothing to offer her.”

Something inside of me snapped. One moment I was standing near the door and the next thing I knew, I was standing mere inches away from her. Both the chair and the small table that were placed between us had been thrown across the room.

“The Winslows are the ones responsible for destroying her lineage!” I growled. “What the actual fuck do you think we could offer her in exchange for what we’ve taken from her?”

My mother’s complexion paled several shades lighter.

“I consider myself lucky that she’ll even bother to look at me,” I admitted. “You’re going to forget this delusional idea and you’re going to leave.”

“You’re making a mistake by letting this opportunity pass,” she commented weakly.

“Ella is not an opportunity,” I bit out.

I watched my mother leave while I was left to regain my calm. God knew I couldn’t return to class in the state that I was in.

Ella is not some opportunity to be taken advantage of. She’s so much more and deserves nothing less.