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Chapter 3

Author: Zoey
When the car pulled up out front, Kyle said, offhand, "Serafina's coming by in a bit too. I want to set a room aside for her at our new house."

I didn't say anything. I just quietly pushed open the car's back door and got out.

The whole ride over, Kyle and Serafina had sat up front, heads bent together, talking about the Moonlight Rite. The two of them looked so close, so at ease, that I felt like the odd one out.

I watched their profiles and finally understood. I had never been the center of this engagement.

The house was built on high ground by the lake, meant to be our bonding home. There was a skylight cut into the roof, and on a full moon the light would fall straight onto the bed at its center, ideal for completing a bonding and for a mated pair's wolves to merge.

The inside of the house was grander than I'd imagined, and none of it had been made with me in mind.

The moment Serafina walked in, she looked straight up at the space under the skylight, her eyes bright as polished silver.

"The moonlight's strongest right here. This is the perfect spot for the old scrolls and the moonwort."

Kyle nodded immediately.

"Then we'll clear out the inner room for you. Ella can take the outer one. She doesn't need that much moonlight anyway."

I stopped where I was. "Isn't this supposed to be the room for our bonding?"

Kyle didn't even look at me.

"It's just a room. Serafina's scrolls for the rite matter more. They can't get damp, and they can't go without moonlight. You'll be fine in the outer room. It won't hold up the ceremony."

I didn't argue.

I walked into the outer room and touched the cold stone wall. There was a small bed here, a lamp, a blanket.

I knew, once again, I'd been put second.

After we left the house, Serafina suggested we go into town to pick out a new evening gown. Kyle agreed without hesitation.

I'd assumed we'd all be choosing our ceremony outfits together.

But once we reached the shop, Kyle steered me toward a rack of dresses and said, "Serafina's attending the council dinner as the Moonlight Rite's High Priestess candidate. She needs something new. Help her pick something out."

I stood there. "What about me?"

Kyle blinked, surprised. "You? Don't you already have that custom gray gown? That'll do fine for the ceremony."

I almost wanted to laugh.

I was the one about to bond with Kyle, and yet somehow everyone still revolved around Serafina.

The clerk brought out several dresses, and Serafina tried on one after another, dissatisfied with all of them. Finally, her eyes landed on me.

"Ella, can I borrow that dark gray dress of yours? I remember wearing it once. It really brought out my presence."

Kyle jumped in right away. "Right, and it's not like Ella wears it much. Serafina, if you like it, just take it for now."

I looked at the two of them.

That dress had never been mine to begin with. It was one Serafina had worn a few times years ago and then tossed my way.

I'd secretly been happy about it for the longest time, thinking it was the first formal dress I'd ever truly owned.

Now I finally understood. Even that dress had never really been mine.

"Sure," I said. "You can have it."

Serafina smiled. "Thanks, Ella. You're the best."

Kyle relaxed too. "That's more like it. I'll buy you a new one sometime."

I didn't answer.

I stood in front of the mirror, looking at the plain black dress I had on, and it hit me that I'd been waiting for twenty-some years.

Waiting for my parents to see me. Waiting for Kyle to value me. Waiting for the day I'd finally stop coming in second behind Serafina.

But I wasn't going to wait anymore.

That night, back in my room, I gathered up every piece of clothing, every trinket Serafina had ever handed down to me, and set it all in a neat pile by the door.

None of it was mine. I didn't want any of it anymore.

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