The Rose That Never Withered (Wattys 2017)

‡Chapter 12 - Rose for a Lover‡

I wanted him to trust me.

"What troubles you young master?"

"There!!! You did it again!!" he started pacing away and I finally let out the breath I was subconsciously holding in. I remained standing in my place, senses on full alert. I wasn't going to let my guard down on these kinds of situations. I know I was walking on thin ice but he was my friend, I wasn't going to back down just because I was afraid.

I watched him stop pacing, his head tilting up to stare at the ceiling. My body had relaxed a little seeing he had calmed down a bit.

"Why can't you just say my name?" he finally whispered, exasperated "It was always him!" His head lowered and he slowly, cautiously, walked towards me. His pace was slow and cautious, like he was giving me permission to leave if I wanted to, and I didn't want to. His hands raised and he got me caged, his arms on either side of my head to the door. We were back on the same position as before.

He pressed his forehead to mine and tears were falling relentlessly from his eyes. It flowed from his face and it felt like rain as it dropped at the back of my hand. I rotated my hand to catch it in my palm, and brought it to his face. I cupped his cheek and softly raised it to meet my gaze.

"What are these tears for Regan?" I kept my voice low; afraid he would break if I spoke any louder. It was like Dianne's voice when she comforts me of my troubles.

His tears kept on falling as he answered "I'm sorry Rose. I- I..." he repeated, over and over again. "I made a mistake .... It was a mistake- I... I would never hurt you- mistake-" he was just repeating the same phrase.

He was in a trance.

I gave his head a slight shake, my hands on either side of his face, cupping it softly as a means of support. "Regan? Regan! Snap out of it!" my face was dead serious. I was eager to get to the bottom of this, and put an end to all of the secrets that haunt the manor. "Calm down and tell me what is the matter."

"I killed someone Rose... I'm so sorry..." His eyes were wide as the tears kept flowing. "Killed someone... Murderer... I killed-" by this time, I wasn't sure if I felt safe being in the same room as him. A sliver of cold air enveloped my body as beads of sweat formed as he repeated those words.

By what seems like the hundredth time he said those words, I had enough. I wasn't going to fare well with Regan's madness any longer.

"Who?! Who was it Regan!?!?" I was frustrated and screaming as well. "Tell me the bloody hell who you killed Reg-!!"

I automatically shut my mouth. He looked me straight in the eye with such crazed eyes before he leaned in close as his lips brushed against my ear lobe, whispering.

"Your Julianne, Rosabelle"

It was all he said before a breath left his body, something of spirits leaving his being, his body falling to meet the hard surface of the ground as he lost consciousness. His body fell on a heap on my feet, the soft carpeted floors cushioning his fall. I remained standing, my eyes wide in realization.

"Regan,"

Why did it have to be him?

"No.... It can't be..." now it was I who was crazed. "you couldn't... wouldn't.."

He was the creature that killed the person that meant the world to me. My sweet Julliane. My beloved mate and fated other half. If what he said was true, then he was the beast that killed Julianne Vilgrain that night.

My Julianne.

My legs gave out and I fell to the carpeted floors with a soft thud. "It can't be true..." I whispered. It seems as though I had said it more to convince myself rather than believe it. My eyes slowly glazed over at Regan's unconscious form beside me. I brought him to my lap to cushion his head. Such a sweet, funny, arrogant, thoughtful Regan. It couldn't be you, can it? Though the memory of that one faithful night still haunted me, something wasn't fitting the puzzle.