The Crown's Entrapment

While Clara rested her head on Gilas' chest, basking in each other's warmth, he suddenly murmured, "I almost forgot to relay this news to you".

Clara's body was still trembling, and she couldn't help but smile thinking about the number of times she and Gilas had done it through the night. It was like sleep no longer existed in their vocabulary at that point. Both of them couldn't have enough of each other so she didn't really mind him not stopping and making love to her the entire night.

She never thought that engaging in this kind of activity could be so addicting.  Was it because she liked the man she was doing it with?

[Like?! Are you sure you only "like" him?!] As usual her wolf Sheba won't let this go and would start with her nagging.

[What do you want me to say? That I love him? I'm still not sure if I've fallen in love with him but considering the fact that I don't regret giving myself to him and completing the Mate Bond, I'm pretty sure I'm on the way to falling in love. Be glad that I'm not denying the fact that I slept with him because I feel something for him and not because I was obligated to sleep with him as his mate. You can rest assured that it was not just lust] Clara lengthily explained.

She appreciated all the gestures Gilas was showing her and his efforts in making her feel so special. Her heart felt at ease whenever he was around here.

[Tsk... What else do you call that? Did you feel the same way around Darius? The way I see it... you're falling madly and deeply in love with Gilas at this point. Freya was definitely right in pointing this out to you. You're already in love!]

[Are you sure? I mean it hasn't been that long since I cried a river after being hurt by Darius... Is it possible to fall in love so quickly?]

[Yes... as fast as the seasons change! When it comes to heartbreaks, it's not about the amount of time you spend healing but rather about the right person helping you heal.]

Clara bit her inner lip, analyzing her wolf's words. She realized that Sheba was probably right.

"Are you alright?" Gilas asked, snapping her back to reality. Thankfully she put up her wall against him so he was not able to read her thoughts or feel her emotions.

She slowly moved and tilted her head to look closely at Gilas. He had that cheeky smile on his face as he jokingly said, "I wonder what's going through your head right now. You suddenly became so quiet."

She smiled back and cheekily replied, "Well, maybe I became quiet because I simply want you to be curious about what I think. Anyway, what is the news that you were talking about?"

She simply changed the topic as she was not ready to talk about the wall she put up or about marking him which would mean that there would not be any secrets between them.

"What is it?" Clara asked again since Gilas didn't respond. She saw his face lose the light smile and become serious so she could tell that it was bad news.

"It's about Osman and their convoy....  They were attacked on their way home."

"What?!" Clara exclaimed as she immediately jolted out of bed. "Why are you only telling this to me now?! Where is Bella right now?"

Bella was with that convoy.  Bella was so excited to join the convoy that she was smiling widely the last time the two of them departed and now Gilas was telling her that her friend was attacked?!

Gilas released a heavy sigh as he continued, "Osman was missing. Everyone died except for Sephiro and Bella... An updated report just came in and Bartos just arrived in their manor bringing Bella with him, unconscious."

She practically rushed to put on her clothes, bearing a deep frown on her face. She couldn't help the tightness inside her chest.

"I'm sorry about informing you about it only now. I will go with you too. I was-" Gilas was about to explain more but Clara cut him and said, "It's fine. I understand. Let's just hurry right now. I want to see and check on Bella immediately."

She wanted to make sure that Bella was really fine. She couldn't imagine what Bella was going through at this point. She was aware of Bella's feelings towards Osman so she knew  Bella needed someone with her. She wanted to be with her friend.

Clara did not bother to shift into her wolf form and simply rode on Gilas' wolf form as he suggested. She couldn't even bother to get annoyed at him for telling her this so late! As she could feel Gilas' emotions and even hear his thoughts, she knew he was scolding himself. The man was so consumed with nothing but her so it was only natural that he forgot to relay this news to her, especially when... Clara's face reddened thinking about it. She couldn't believe that she had the time to think of those perverted thoughts.

[His Majesty instructed us to keep this matter hidden so only a few trusted men know what happened. The search to find Osman is confidential,] Gilas telepathically explained to her as they were on their journey to Hindman Manor.

Clara quickly cleared her unnecessary thoughts and replied, [Alright, I understand...]

[His Majesty is personally leading the search along with the Queen,] Gilas added.

After a few hours, they arrived at Hindman Manor.  Clara got down and walked straight inside.

"Where is she?" she asked as soon as she saw Bartos who was talking to his father, Chancellor Talon.

"She's still unconscious. Jayra cast a spell on her but it will wear out soon. Thank you for coming, Clara. Please look after her. Aurelia is on her way to check on Bella too... I have to go back to that place. My wife is still there," Bartos explained.

Clara simply nodded and quickly ran to Bella's bedchamber. Inside, she saw Bella's mother at her bedside, tending to her wound.

"How is she?" Clara asked.

"These are just some minor wounds here and there but they are starting to heal..." Lady Livia informed. Clara sat on the opposite side of the bed and sighed.

There was a brief silence before Lady Livia added, "Bartos said she's really affected by what happened to Osman so he warned me to be careful about how Bella would react upon waking up. I still can't believe that this happened. Osman is a nice man and he put in a lot of effort to win my daughter's heart. I know he succeeded in doing so. I've never seen Bella so happy and glowing as she's been since Osman came into her life. This... She'll be heartbroken..."

Clara did not yet have the exact details of what happened but with Lady Livia's words... It sounded like there was no hope anymore for Osman to come back.

[What happened to Osman? Tell me what exactly happened. I need to know everything, only then I'll know what to say to Bella once she gains her consciousness.] she asked Gilas through their mindlink.

[He fell from a deadly cliff into the River of Misery and is badly wounded...] Gilas informed. Clara gasped slightly as she dragged her gaze back to Bella. There was no way Osman would have survived the fall!

She held her breath when Bella's eyelids moved and she slowly opened her eyes.

"Daughter... How are you feeling?" Lady Livia asked. She looked at Bella who simply stared at the ceiling.

"Bella," Clara called. She looked at Lady Livia before they both shifted their gaze back to Bella whose eyes suddenly welled with tears.

"Bella..." Clara called once more. She was not used to seeing Bella like this. She touched Bella's arms and gently shook her.

"Bella..." she called again but there was still no response. Bella continued sobbing as if there was no one around her.

"D-daugther. P-please d-don't scare me like this," Lady Livia stutteringly murmured as she leaned and hugged Bella.

"Mother... Osman is alive right?" Bella asked in between sobbing. Finally, Bella moved and quickly got up. She was about to get up from the bed but Clara stopped her.

"They are all searching for Osman right now. You need to calm yourself Bella," she softly reminded her. Bella stared at her with the tears that continuously flowed out from her eyes...

"Please, Clara. I want to go back and search for Osman too. Please let me find him. I can't lose him like this. I... I still have so many things to say to him. Please let me look for him," Bella cried as she helplessly slumped against the bed, crying.

"Promise me that you will calm yourself first Bella. I will let you go and even accompany you in the search but promise me that you will be rational and won't do anything stupid ..." Clara firmly stated.

"I promise, Clara, so please I beg you. I want to go look for him... Please..."

Clara helplessly looked at Lady Livia who gave her a nod of approval. She knew her daughter well, Bella would find a way to go even if they said no and stopped her. It would be best to let her do what she wanted and be by her side rather than letting her risk her life trying to escape from them to look for Osman on her own.

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