"I told you to stop." The last of her words were a different note to her voice, providing the signs of her wolf threatening to breach the surface.
Cedric wanted to prod even more, but he resorted to raising his hands in surrender, sarcasm dripping from his voice as he said, "Okay, okay, calm down, Alpha wolf."
"Don't call me that either."
He raises a brow as he mentally wrestles back the smile that threatens to stretch onto his face. He was having too much fun with this and to keep it so, he had to control his facial expressions.
With an inquisitive loll of his head, he asks, "Really? Isn't that what you are?''
Marisol seems to have had enough at this point, and she's quick to jump at his words, "It's what you are too, and yet here you are, shut away like some degenerate." She spits back and Cedric almost chokes, covering it up with a snort instead.
Looks like the fun's over. She sure knows how to hit a sore spot. With the tables turned, Cedric opts to quickly change the subject, "You're hungry. Let's eat." He says, getting to his feet.
"What if I say no?" She counters, her tone impassive.
He pins her with a stare, not in the mood to deal with an attitude. "Save that attitude for my brother and his mate. You're in my territory now, and you will do as I say."
She rolls her eyes at that but follows after him. As they made their way to the dining hall, Cedric mentally debated asking why she hurried away that morning, ending with a decision to keep his questions to himself. He wanted nothing from her, other than her ability to keep him sane and humane.
The last thing he would want would be to create a bond between them because Cedric knew he couldn't afford to have anybody get close to him. He was a savage, accursed and not able to crave any human contact, and it was going to remain like that forever. He didn't need anybody, not even a mate.
Grudgingly, Cedric leads Marisol to the dining area, where lunch has been meticulously set out. As they approached the table, Marisol's stomach let out an audible growl, betraying her hunger. Cedric swallows back a smile and a smart comment at the sound of it.
It was always amusing to witness such raw hunger and unabashed desire for sustenance from her. It reminded him that he wasn't the only one with primal desires. They were all beasts.
As they take their seats, Marisol wastes no time in digging into the food before her, her movements swift and efficient as she loads her plate with an assortment of dishes, Cedric watching in silence, his gaze lingering on her with a mixture of curiosity and fascination.
He had questions, so many questions that begged to be asked. Questions about her past, her connection to him, the strange bond that seemed to tether them together, more importantly, how she found herself here and why she remained. He also wanted to know who exactly she was and where she was from. But he knew he shouldn't indulge in conversation with her, shouldn't let himself become entangled in her web.
So instead of speaking, Cedric remains silent, content to simply observe as Marisol eats. He finds himself entranced, watching with barely concealed amusement as she practically devours her food, her movements determined, yet graceful. She was so immersed in the need to sate her hunger that it wouldn't be too far-fetched to say she'd totally forgotten about Cedric's existence or that she wasn't alone in the room.
It was strange, Cedric thought, how everything about her felt so familiar, as if he had known her for a lifetime. He couldn't shake the feeling of warmth that washed over him whenever he was in her presence, a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time.
Lost in his head, Cedric hadn't realized it when Marisol paused her actions, now staring back at him with a curious head tilt. Despite knowing he'd been caught, Cedric still tried to save face, averting his eyes with the speed of light as he cleared his throat, hoping she wouldn't make a point of it.
Marisol smirks, her eyes crinkling at the corners in amusement. "Is there something on my face?" she teases, her tone sour.
It made him smirk in return. It was obvious that she was still feeling slighted by his teasing remarks from earlier.
Cedric shook his head to rid himself of the flush of embarrassment that'd crept up his neck.
"No, nothing," he mutters, cursing at himself for getting caught.
Marisol chuckles a sound that sends a flutter through Cedric's chest. "You know," she begins, her voice softer than he would've expected, "you don't have to be so rude and brash all the time. Whether we like it or not, we're stuck together until we figure something out."
Cedric's heart skips a beat at her words, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. He felt every fiber of his being itch with a need to reach out to her, to confide in her, to share the burden of his curse. But at the same time, he feared the consequences of letting her in, feared what she might end up seeing if she looked too closely.
Before he could respond, Marisol changed the subject, taking the silence as an answer. That did not sit well with Cedric for some reason. "I've always wondered how it is that the food is always just here at the right time. I thought you didn't let anyone into the hidden castle. It's like food appeared out of nowhere." She notes, her attention returning to her meal with renewed vigor. Cedric watched her for a moment longer, his mind swirling with unspoken thoughts and unanswered questions.