Chapter 7

ANNALISA

He squeezed my shoulder once—a gesture so casual and comforting it made my chest ache—then retreated to take the call.

I stood there for a long moment, then made my way up to my old room on the third floor. I couldn't afford a new dress, not with everything I had going to my escape fund. But I had something else. Something I'd saved for years, never quite knowing when the right occasion might be.

The garment bag hung in the back of my closet, carefully preserved. Inside was the dress Samuel had given me for my eighteenth birthday—a gorgeous creation of deep emerald silk that had probably cost him a fortune. It was slightly outdated in style now, the cut more vintage than contemporary, but it was beautiful. Timeless in a way that transcended fashion.

"This was your mother's," Samuel had told me that day, his eyes sad and kind as he'd pressed the bag into my hands. "She'd planned to give it to you when you came of age. She wanted you to know that you come from beauty and grace, Annalisa. Never forget that."

I'd cried then, holding the dress like a lifeline to a past I barely remembered. I also didn't know the identities of my parents or their background. I only knew that they loved me enough to plan for my future, even though they never got to see it.

Now, I slipped the dress on carefully. It fit perfectly, hugging my figure. The color brought out the green flecks in my hazel eyes, made my dark hair shine.

I looked like someone who mattered. Someone worthy of standing beside an Alpha.

"Where do you think you're going in that?"

Brooke's voice cut through the hallway like a blade. I turned to find her standing at the top of the stairs, her face twisted with that familiar contempt.

"Antonio invited me to the banquet," I said calmly. "I'm accompanying him as his wife."

"In that ancient rag?" She laughed, the sound cruel. "That dress is at least a decade out of style. You'll embarrass him. Embarrass the whole pack. But I suppose that's nothing new for you, is it?"

"The dress was a gift from Samuel." I met her gaze steadily. "And I'll wear what I choose."

"Of course you will. You've always been selfish that way." Brooke descended a few steps, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Clinging to my son, forcing him to play house with you, pretending you have any real place in this family. But we both know the truth, don't we? In a few weeks, you'll be gone, and Christiana will be Luna. All of this—" she gestured dismissively at my dress, "—is just a pathetic last grasp at relevance."

"I have no intention of keeping Antonio," I said quietly. "I've never had any delusions about that. But for the next few weeks, I am his wife. And I will act accordingly."

I brushed past her, heading downstairs before she could see the tears threatening to spill. I wouldn't let her cruelty ruin this evening. I wouldn't let her take this small joy from me.

Antonio was waiting by the car, looking devastating in the suit I'd chosen. His eyes widened slightly when he saw me, something flickering across his face too quickly for me to identify.

"You look beautiful," he said simply.

And despite everything, the mockery from Brooke and the cruelty from Christina—those three words made me feel like I could fly.

The banquet was held at the neutral grounds between territories, a grand hall that hosted inter-pack functions. The space glittered with crystal chandeliers and decorations, filled with Alphas and Lunas from packs across the region.

"Annalisa!" Marcus Thorne materialized from the crowd, his warm smile genuine. "I'm so glad you could make it. I was hoping we might continue our discussion about resource sharing between pack schools."

"I'd love that," I said, feeling myself relax into familiar territory.

The evening passed in a blur of conversations and introductions. I found myself holding my own remarkably well, discussing curriculum with educators, sharing insights about pack programs concerning integration needed for immigrants who needed a place to stay, I was also offering suggestions for mental health initiatives. People listened when I spoke. They respected my opinions.

Antonio stayed close, I noticed. Not hovering, exactly, but present. Watching me interact with a kind of focused attention I wasn't used to.

"You've done impressive work," Elena from Riverbend said at one point. "I mean it, Annalisa. If you ever want a position with our pack, the offer stands."

Before I could respond, music began to play—the opening notes of a waltz signaling the dancing portion of the evening.

"May I?" Marcus extended his hand with a friendly smile. "I promise I won't step on your toes."

I glanced at Antonio instinctively. He stood a few feet away, engaged in conversation with another Alpha, but his eyes tracked the exchange with an intensity that made my pulse quicken.

Just as I was about to agree to the invitation and place my hand on Marcus, Antonio showed up out of nowhere, grabbing my hand.

"I'm afraid this dance is spoken for," he said smoothly, his other hand finding the small of my back with a possessiveness that sent shivers down my spine. 

Marcus smiled politely, completely unshaken by Antonio’s Alpha aura. “Alpha Antonio, don’t you need to dance with your fated mate? I heard that—”

“Annalisa is my mate,” Antonio cut him off and looked at him with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. “And my wife.”