Music Recommendation: Poetry of Madness- Secession Studios

In the town of Woodlock and in the mansion that belonged to the Sullivans family, Lady Hilda sat on the chain of the balcony of a room. She held a teacup in her hand but stared at the street next to their family mansion without taking a sip of tea.

"Milady," came a voice that brought her attention back to where she was sitting.

Lady Hilda turned to look at the man, who didn't work in the mansion, but he worked for her. She asked him, "What news do you have, Falcon?"

The werewolf's eyes were slanted and he offered a deep bow before standing straight. He responded, "The couple are in the North. Visiting the royal family."

"Did you find out what they were doing there?" Lady Hilda asked the person named Falcon.

"They took a tour to the tombs of the Gauntlet family and didn't go anywhere else," Falcon informed the lady, who didn't look thrilled by the news, and her lips set themselves in a thin line.

Lady Hilda stared into space before she said, "Keep a close eye on Vincent Moriarty. He has been up to something, and I can tell it because of his visit. You can leave now and let me know if you find anything suspicious. I doubt he went with his bride to just visit the family," she dismissed the man from there.

At the same time, Jeffry Sullivan, her husband, entered the room, crossing paths with Lady Hilda's man, who offered him a bow. Jeffry reached where Lady Hilda was sitting and kissed her cheek, which she accepted with a smile.

"What have you put Falcon up to?" Jeffry asked his wife.

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"I sent a gift to the Chamber's family and he was here to let me know that it was received. I want to make sure that there is still an opportunity between Anaya and Noah, then they look for another suitor for the young lady. What do you think?" Lady Hilda asked with a calm and polite tone that barely changed.

"That was a wise thing to do," Jeffry agreed and said, "Did you speak to Noah on why he refused to marry her? I was sure that you would convince him for the marriage."

Lady Hilda replied, "He seems to have changed... to want to do things his own way. He mentioned that his heart was occupied, and it makes me wonder..."

"Do you know who this woman is? If she is from a high social standing werewolf family, it should be perfectly fine," Jeffry responded to his wife before waving his hand, and one of the maids quickly stepped to the balcony to pour tea into the teacup for him to take. "Who is it?"

"I am not sure, and it seemed like he didn't care much about it. He will come around," Lady Hilda responded. Like every other time, she believed Noah would listen to them because her son knew what was good for their family. Her family.

Her eyes narrowed slightly at the thought that it could be the woman her son had walked down the aisle a few days ago. But that lowly woman was Anaya's friend. Not Noah's friend. After a while, footsteps were heard approaching the balcony, and within seconds James Sullivan appeared.

"Join us for some tea, James," Jeffry invited his brother, but James only smiled.

"I have to go visit Darthmore. Visit the Council so that I can know if there's any progress regarding the search of our missing butler. Noah said it will take time even though he has put his word as the Council has been buried with more cases recently, but I thought I would go take a look with Noah not in town," James answered.

Jeffry nodded, while Lady Hilda stared at James. The previous Duke of Woodlock said, "Noah has been conducting the duty of being a Duke better than anyone and I cannot tell how proud he makes me as his father."

"Anyone would be proud to have him as a son, Jeffry," James agreed with a bright smile and turned to Lady Hilda, "It makes me envious that I don't have a son like him."

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"You should marry someone James and it isn't too late. There are plenty of she-wolves, who would be willing to marry you," Jeffry said to his brother before continuing, "Just a moment ago, Hilda was telling me how Noah isn't showing interest to marry anyone, and I hope he doesn't take after his uncle now," he laughed. Though James laughed along, Lady Hilda continued to hold a passive expression.

James said, "I would have but it seemed like I have run out of luck or have something better waiting at the end of the road. It has been hard, especially after I lost one of my eyes." He brought his hand up to his eye and touched it, and once he dropped his hand to his side, that eye turned pitch black.

"I never took you to be someone who is clumsy, James. Losing your eye because of the arrow during the hunt, I can only wish that I was there to prevent it that time," Jeffry replied to his brother, and then said, "But that's fine as I am still with you. I will always take care of you, and we are family. Families can always depend on each other. And if not me, you have Noah and Hilda to rely upon."

"That I do, brother," James smiled and then said, "I should get going now. I will see you at supper," and he walked away from there.

After a minute, Lady Hilda said, "I forgot something in the drawing room that Mrs. Bakers brought it this morning."

"We can have the maid fetch it," Jeffry said to his wife, but Lady Hilda had already stood up and smiled.

"It is a delicate object, and I don't trust the maids to handle it well. I will be back soon," she leaned and kissed her husband's lips before leaving the little table on the balcony.

Lady Hilda walked in the direction that led towards the entrance, but then she noticed James in the other corridor that led to his room. With her face stiff, her feet quickly made their way towards him. She called him when the servants weren't around,

"James."

James turned around, and his eyebrows rose as if surprised, "Yes?"

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"What do you think you were doing back in there?" Lady Hilda demanded with her eyes narrowed.

"Did it ruffle your calm feathers?" James softly chuckled with a hint of cunningness and said, "I was merely speaking the truth."

He pulled her inside his room by grabbing her hand and pushing her against the wall, while he pressed himself against her.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Lady Hilda demanded in panic, and she tried to push him away. "Get away before someone notices us!"

But James's hand had already made its way between the woman's legs to quieten her through her desire. She breathed sharply. He said,

"Are you sure that is what you want me to do?" James asked her in a whisper, while he leaned closer towards her. When she stifled her moan, he said, "I know what you want. I have known it better than anyone. After all, it is I, who had eyes on you before my brother did. I wonder how Jeffry would react if he were to know that you were the reason why I didn't marry. Look what you did, Hilda."

"Don't blame me for your cowardly thoughts--ugh!" Lady Hilda tried to lower her voice when James moved his finger in her. "If you didn't wait so long, you would be married to me and not me married to Jeffry."

"Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad for me to kill him then," James murmured nonchalantly, which had Hilda glare at him. "How does it feel to be doted on by two men?"

"I never asked you to stay unmarried and stay here with us," Lady Hilda's arms had turned weak, making it difficult for her to push the man away from her. The man with whom she had been having an affair was the same person who was her husband's brother. "Stop this--"

James clicked his teeth and said, "How could I ever do that to you and Noah. You might not be my wife, but you are the woman who birthed my son."

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