Chapter 7 - The Calm Before the Execution
Paul swallowed hard, instinctively lowering Lily until her red shoes touched the floor. He stepped back, trying to maintain his tough demeanor, but his hands were trembling slightly.
"Don Mateo," Paul stammered, pulling his suit jacket straight. "Mr. Julian said the child was disturbing your rest. I was just taking her back to her mother—"
"If you ever put your hands on this child again, Paul," Mateo said, his voice dropping into a chilling whisper that echoed down the quiet hallway, "I will personally skin you alive and feed you to the hounds in the east yard. Do you understand me?"
Paul’s face went chalk-white. "Y-yes, Don Mateo. Forgive me."
"Get out of my sight," Mateo commanded.
Paul didn't hesitate. He turned and practically ran down the corridor, vanishing down the service stairs.
Lily ran straight into Mateo’s suite, shutting the heavy doors behind her. She threw her small arms around Mateo’s neck, burying her face in his shoulder.
"Mr. Mateo!" she sobbed quietly. "They're going to kill you on Friday! The bad doctor and Mr. Julian said they are going to give you double the bad sugar!"
Mateo slowly raised his arms and wrapped them around the trembling child, holding her safe against his broad chest. The iron willpower that had allowed him to walk through excruciating agony in the basement was now completely locked into place.
"Shh," Mateo whispered gently, stroking her soft hair. "I know, Lily. I know everything."
"Are we going to run away?" she asked, looking up at him with tear-stained eyes.
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Mateo looked at her, his face setting into a mask of terrifying, absolute power.
"No, little one," Mateo said softly, reaching into his desk drawer and pulling out a small, brilliant gold necklace adorned with a tiny diamond cross—a heirloom that had belonged to his mother. He fastened it around Lily’s small neck. "We don't run. On Friday, we invite the wolves into our home... and we show them who truly owns the forest."
