The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Madeline felt her blood drain from her face. Her throat went dry by looking at the person who stood at the door. She had seen James lock the door and had heard it click too. She had thought it would be safe with no one witnessing James who had stepped inside the powder room, but she should have known better that Calhoun would know.

Calhoun always knew, and there was no hiding anything from him.

For a person who turned the fork into a bunch of rose petals, she doubted if there was anything that he couldn't do.

"I was looking for the restroom," said Calhoun with a cold smile on his lips, "I didn't know we had a common room." He took one step forward and Madeline instead of taking one step back like she always did, took two steps ahead and quickly made her way to where Calhoun was.

She was scared for James on what Calhoun would do. Madeline knew what Calhoun was capable of. He was an expert when it came to beheading people. He could do it with closed eyes and still get it right. She didn't want Calhoun killing James, even though what James did was utterly stupid. He should have waited for her to step out of the powder room. A locked room with a man and woman did not give any clean ideas in one's mind, but would question what they were doing that needed to be hidden from the public's eyes.

"Nothing happened," Madeline whispered to Calhoun, her brown eyes anxiously looking up at Calhoun who was staring at James unblinkingly.

Madeline knew that all Calhoun would have to do is twist James neck to get him killed but James didn't deserve it as he was only being drive by his emotions right now. James and Madeline had no idea that they would be seeing each other this soon. They would have sorted out their mind if they knew it beforehand. But Calhoun didn't know about it either, and he had played things to his benefit like he always did.

James stood there with his hands clenched tightly into fists while staring at the King.

Calhoun then shifted his gaze to look into Madeline's eyes that looked scared. He raised his hand to place it on her face, "I know that, Maddie," one side of his lips moved up to a half-smile.

She felt his hand that was oddly warm. Was it always warm? She wanted to take Calhoun out and away from James.

"Milord," came James' words and Madeline's eyes snapped to look at James, hoping he would not speak something that he shouldn't. Especially not when they were caught together in a locked room. James had a confused expression on his face of how Calhoun had stepped into the room when he had locked the door, "I came to the wrong room. Allow me to be excused," he bowed.

Calhoun continued to look at James with the crooked smile, "I am sure you did but," he paused to look at Madeline who didn't back away from his touch, who now willingly stood in front of him. Letting him have the skin contact between each other, "I think we need to establish something here because it didn't go through your thick skull."

Madeline felt her soul starting to leave her body with the tension in the room. Calhoun then moved his fingers over Madeline's cheek, caressing it, "Don't try to steal what is not yours. If you so much as look at her, I will have you shackled with chains in the dungeon so that I can see you tortured," her eyes widened hearing this, "This is a warning, only because sweet Madeline and I are trying to build a relationship," he turned to Madeline and said, "Why don't you join the others in the room."

Madeline had a worried look. She didn't want to leave James here with Calhoun. Her heart started to pound in her chest, and she gave him a pleading look, "Go on," said the King to her and Madeline looked at both the men before dragging her feet out.

When Madeline left the room, looking at James, Calhoun smiled, "Marry Catherine and leave instead of meddling with something that didn't even belong to you in the past."

James grounded his teeth, "You cannot force Madeline to do your bidding. She has a kind heart-"

"I know how Madeline is. I don't need you to tell me. Not someone who didn't have the balls to ask her before but now is interested as she is going to be someone's wife," Calhoun said to him, a chuckle escaping his lips, "I thought you would have understood last time, but you haven't, which is alright. Let me tell it out loud and clear, forget Madeline and move on, if you are looking for a peaceful life."

James had come here intending to speak to Madeline. He had made sure to wait for the King to leave Madeline's side so that he could clear some things with her. He didn't know the King would open the lock which he had locked.

"And what if I don't?" asked James. His eyes were intently looking at the red-eyed King.

The smile on Calhoun's lips faltered before it disappeared from his face. He walked to where James was, pushing the man right against the wall with a loud thud. Calhoun glared at James whilst his hand was around the human's neck who struggled to get away from the hold, but Calhoun was stronger than any walking person on the land.

"I thought you were naive, but I didn't know you were this stupid to stand up against me, by thinking you can challenge me by your brave words," Calhoun's hand went to squeeze the man's throat before he let the man breathe with his hand still around James' neck, "I am letting you off this one last time just because Madeline doesn't want you dead. Like you said she has a kind heart, but that doesn't mean it's going to stop me from torturing you. You will wish you were dead than being alive," Calhoun lowly threatened, his red eyes flared to narrow down at the useless mongrel, "Try something like this again, and I will make sure I turn your life to a living hell."

Calhoun finally let go of James' neck and took a step away from him as the human coughed for air. James had brought his hands up to his neck, running it to soothe the skin which had been tightly held,

"Do it, and Madeline will never accept you!"

"Hm, still talking like a useless bird," hummed Calhoun, his voice low, "Time will tell that, won't it. Not to forget, the way you and Lady Catherine seem to be tight. I wonder what Madeline must be thinking," he tched with an unimpressed look.

James returned with a glare in his eyes, "Nothing is going on in between us."

"Are you sure about it? No man goes along with another woman when he could use the same time to woo the girl he likes. You broke her heart. But that's okay," Calhoun responded, "I am here to help Madeline, to heal and love. You are not needed, step away before you regret it."