JESSICA

Morning came quicker than I thought.

I woke up wrapping my arms so tight against my chest. Thinking about Kaelen—the way he’d breathed me in, the way his heart had hammered against mine—was the only thing giving me a sense of peace. It was a secret, dangerous anchor in a sea of lies.

A soft knock at the door shattered the quiet.

"Lady Jessica? It’s Anne. Everyone is waiting."

"Coming," I croaked.

Anne walked in, already holding out a dress that looked like a summer sky. It was beautiful, expensive, and I hated it. As she brushed my hair and pinned it back, she kept chirping about the breakfast menu. "The King and Queen are already seated, and Prince Nathan arrived early. They’re in the grand dining hall."

My heart did a hopeful little skip. If Kaelen was my protector, he’d be right outside my door, wouldn't he? I finished dressing and practically threw the door open, my eyes searching the hallway.

Empty.

There was a guard at the end of the corridor, but it was just some boy from the southern barracks. The disappointment made me lose my appetite. I felt a stinging behind my eyes that I had to blink away. 'He’s avoiding me,' I thought. 'After last night, he’s running.'

I dragged my feet toward the dining hall. The closer I got, the louder the laughter became.

When I walked in, the table was loaded with food—fruit, pastries, meats—but the sight of it made me nauseous. My father sat at the head, looking regal, while my mother sat to his left. Nathan was already there, looking perfect in a crisp white shirt, laughing at something my father said.

I didn't realize how mean my face looked until I sat down.

"Jessica," my mother whispered, leaning in. She caught my eye and gave me a sharp, pointed look. She curled her lips into a fake, wide smile, signaling me to do the same. 'Smile, Jess.'

I forced my lips to smile. It felt like my skin was going to crack.

"There she is," Nathan said, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. "My beautiful Luna. I was just telling your father—my pack members are already sending messages. They’re decorating the town square. They can’t wait to meet you."

"That’s... lovely," I said, trying so hard to sound genuine.

"They’ve even started a countdown," Nathan continued, oblivious or just not caring that I was dying inside. "Everyone is excited for the new era we’re going to start together. It’s all anyone talks about."

The conversation droned on. It was all “Luna this” and “wedding that”. It was irritating. Every word out of Nathan’s mouth felt like another brick being added to the wall of my cage. I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw the orange juice glass at the wall just to hear something that wasn't a polite lie.

I just wanted to think. I wanted to be alone in the dark again where things felt real.

Then, the doors opened.

I didn't have to look to know it was him. The air in the room just... changed. Kaelen walked in, his gaze at anything else but not me. He walked straight to Nathan and leaned down, whispering something into his ear.

Watching them was torture. The atmosphere became unbearable, I felt like I was losing my mind. I stood up so fast my chair scraped loudly against the floor.

"Jessica? Is there a problem?" my mother asked, her fake smile disappearing for a second.

"No," I said, my heart racing. "I just... I need some air."

"Sit down, sweetheart," my father said, though his tone wasn't mean. "We aren't finished discussing the ceremony."

"I’ve heard enough," I said, trying to find a lie that worked. I looked at Nathan, forcing another one of those plastic smiles. "I was just thinking... since I’m about to be your wife, I should probably spend today getting my head right. You know? Getting ready for my new life. It wouldn't be fair to bring my old self into our new home. I need to adjust. I need to move forward."

Nathan’s eyes softened. He actually looked proud of me, it made me want to throw up. "I understand, Jess. A little meditation before the big change. That’s very wise."

"I'll go alone," I said, already backing toward the door.

"Alone?" My father frowned. "Jessica, have you forgotten? Kaelen is here for a reason. There are rogues, and you are the most important person in this pack right now."

"It’s just the garden, Dad. I’m not leaving the walls."

"It doesn't matter," my father insisted. "Kaelen, follow her."

"I don't want anyone around me!" I snapped, the frustration finally bubbling over. "I just want five minutes where I don't feel like I’m being watched!"

"He isn't there to listen to your thoughts, Jessica," my father said firmly, his Alpha voice starting to edge in. "He’s a guard. He’s there to protect, nothing more. Kaelen, go."

I turned my head and looked at Kaelen. He was standing like a statue with that same blank expression I hated. He was looking at a spot on the wall three inches to the left of my head. He wouldn't even give me the satisfaction of a glance.

I rolled my eyes, a hot flash of anger and hurt washing over me. I walked out of the room.

I could hear him behind me. He wasn't right on my heels—he was keeping his distance, maybe ten feet back—but I could feel him. I could feel the heat of him, his gaze on the back of my neck even if he wouldn't look at my face.

I reached the garden and didn't stop until I was deep in the maze of hedges, near the old fountain that didn't work anymore. I leaned against the wall, slowly trying to calm my nerves.

'What am I going to do?' The question popped in my brain.

I looked up at the sky. 'How am I going to cope? If I marry Nathan, is the moon just going to watch me suffer? Is it ever going to get easier to look at Kaelen and pretend I don't want to die when he leaves the room?'

It wasn't going to get easier. I knew that.

A terrifying thought started to take root in my mind. It was crazy. But the more I thought about it, the more it felt like the only way to breathe.

I need to run. I needed to go somewhere where there was no one to control or rule my life. If I could just get away from the chaos, maybe I could find my sanity again. This life—this lie—was driving me insane.

I looked back. Kaelen was standing near a rosebush, his arms crossed over his chest. I wondered why a man like him wouldn't even smile.

"Do you ever get tired of it?" I called out, my voice echoing in the quiet garden.

He didn't answer. He didn't even move.

"Tired of being a tool?" I pushed, walking toward him. My anger was the only thing keeping the tears back. "Tired of standing there while they talk about me like I’m a piece of land they’re about to trade?"

Still nothing.

"I’m talking to you, Kaelen!"

He finally shifted his gaze to me. His eyes were dark, filled with something that looked like exhaustion. "My job is to guard you, Lady Jessica. Not to have conversations."

"Stop calling me that," I hissed, stopping just a few feet from him. "You know what happened last night. You know what we are."

"Last night was a mistake," he said, his voice a bit high. "I was tired. You were scared. It was the adrenaline."

I let out a bitter laugh, trying so hard to act like that lie didn't hurt me. "You're a coward." I whispered then walked away.