Chapter 13: Locked

Florence

I fixed my dress, smoothing out the fabric after washing my hands, and faced my reflection in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, I forced a smile onto my face, a habit I had developed over the years to encourage myself in times of stress or when things didn't go according to plan.

It was always up to me to uplift my spirits, as no one else had ever done so for me. In my 25 years of existence, apart from my wolf, I had never had someone to boost my morale or offer encouragement. It had become the norm, but that didn't mean I didn't yearn for it at times.

"Why am I thinking about this now?" I muttered to myself, my tone dry.

With one last sigh, I opened the door, only to be met by the man who always seemed to be by Nicholas's side. Earlier, I hadn't had the chance to thoroughly scrutinize his appearance, but now, with the bright light and a close-up view, I couldn't help but notice his curly brown hair falling over an innocent and charming face, complemented by clear gray ey