Chapter 12 : : : : : Welcome to Whitelark

*Ember*

“Get up, Princess!”

I groaned, blinking the sleep from my eyes. I had expected my gaze to be met with the gentle light of dawn, but it was still dark.

“Come on, hurry up,” the voice urged. It took me a moment to realize who was speaking–the Alpha of Whitelark’s blond-haired Beta. What was his name? Rhys?

I sat up in bed, drawing the thin blankets over me protectively. Rhys shot me a good-natured grin as he tossed a bundle of fabric onto the end of the bed. “We’ve got to get going,” he said. “Get dressed as quickly as you can.”

I frowned at him. It seemed like a crime for somebody to be so energetic so early in the morning. A million questions zinged through me. Where were they taking me? What were they planning on doing with me… or to me? Before I could even utter a word, Rhys disappeared through the door to the hallway, leaving me alone.

Huffing with the indignity of it all, I sped through my morning routine. I toyed with the idea of washing my face, but the water