Chapter 7

Morning came too quickly.

I sat at the desk in the main office, my fingers stained with black ink. The stack of white envelopes sat in front of me, ready to be mailed. I had stayed up all night addressing every single one by hand.

My eyes burned, and my head pounded. But the worst pain was in my chest.

I could still feel Juan’s hands on my waist. I could still hear his voice whispering against my neck, telling me he wanted to tear the house down to keep me. And then, I remembered the cold way he walked out, leaving me alone in the dark.

The door opened. I did not look up. I expected it to be one of the kitchen staff bringing my morning tea.

"Are those finished yet?"

I froze. It was Edith.

She walked into the office, wearing a pale pink dress that looked flawless. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled. She looked like a true Luna. She looked like the woman Juan was going to marry.

"Yes, Edith," I said, keeping my voice quiet. "They are all done."

She stepped up to the desk and picked up the top envelope. She studied the handwriting for a long time. The silence in the room felt tight and uncomfortable.

"Your handwriting is very plain," she said finally. She dropped the envelope back onto the pile. "It lacks elegance. But I suppose it will have to do. The post office closes at noon, so you need to take these into town right now."

"I have to prepare Juan's morning schedule first," I replied softly.

Edith’s eyes narrowed. "You will address the Alpha by his title, Cora. You are just a maid. Do not speak his name as if you are his friend."

I bit my lip, tasting the faint metallic flavor of blood. "Yes, Edith. I have to prepare the Alpha's schedule first."

"I will handle his schedule today," Edith smiled. It was a sharp, unkind smile. "He is my future husband. I should know his daily routines. You take the invitations to town. And take a walk while you are at it. You look terrible."

She turned around and walked out of the office before I could say a word.

I looked down at the pile of envelopes. Each one was an invitation to the worst day of my life. I packed them into a brown leather bag and slung it over my shoulder.

When I walked out to the front steps of the pack house, the morning air was cold. A few guards stood near the main gate. One of them noticed me and walked over.

His name was Caleb. He was a beta wolf, a few years older than me. He had kind brown eyes and always smiled when I brought coffee to the training grounds.

"Good morning, Cora," Caleb said, stopping in front of me. "You are out early today."

"I have to go to the post office," I told him, trying to return his smile.

Caleb frowned, looking closely at my face. "You look exhausted. Did you sleep at all?"

"A little," I lied.

"Let me drive you into town," Caleb offered. He pointed toward a grey truck parked near the gates. "It is too cold to walk today. Plus, I need to pick up some supplies for the guard cabin anyway."

I hesitated. Edith told me to walk, but my legs felt weak. The thought of walking all the way to town with a bag full of wedding invitations made my stomach sick.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Positive," Caleb smiled. He reached out and gently took the brown bag from my shoulder. "Let me help you with this."

As soon as his fingers brushed mine, a low, terrifying growl echoed across the courtyard.

Caleb and I both jumped. We turned around.

Juan stood at the top of the stone steps. He wore a dark grey suit, looking completely put together, but his eyes were pure fury. The wolf inside him was pushing against his skin, turning his eyes a shocking, icy silver.

He walked down the steps. Every guard in the courtyard immediately lowered their heads in submission. Caleb took a quick step back, dropping his gaze to the dirt.

"Alpha," Caleb said quickly, his voice shaking slightly.

Juan stopped right in front of us. He did not look at Caleb. He stared directly at me. His jaw was clenched so tight I thought his teeth might break.

"What are you doing?" Juan asked. His voice was quiet, but it carried a deadly threat.

"I am going to the post office," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "To mail the invitations. Like Edith asked."

Juan slowly turned his head to look at Caleb. "And what are you doing, Caleb?"

"I was just offering Cora a ride, Alpha," Caleb answered. He kept his head down. "It is cold outside."

"Cora is my assistant," Juan said coldly. "She works for me. She does not need you to carry her things. She does not need your rides. Return to your post immediately."

"Yes, Alpha." Caleb turned around and quickly walked back toward the gates.

Juan snatched the brown bag from my hand. His fingers brushed mine, and the familiar spark of electricity jumped between us. He flinched, but he did not pull away.

"You do not talk to the guards," Juan ordered me, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper.

"He was just being nice," I argued, my anger finally bubbling up. "Someone in this pack actually treats me like a person. Is that a crime?"

Juan took a step closer. The scent of rain and pine surrounded me, making my head spin. "You are mine to protect. Not his."

"You are not protecting me," I whispered, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. "You are just locking me up. You are marrying Edith. You made me write the invitations all night. Do not act like you care about who talks to me."

Juan stared at me. The anger in his eyes faded slightly, replaced by a deep, hollow pain. He looked down at the bag of invitations in his hand.

"Take one of the pack cars," Juan said quietly. "Do not walk in the cold."

He handed the bag back to me. Our fingers touched again, and this time, he let them linger for a brief second before pulling away.

"Go," he said, turning his back to me.

I watched him walk back up the stairs. He was fighting a war inside himself, and I was the one paying the price for it. I turned around and walked toward the cars, my heart breaking a little more with every step.