Chapter 2

Elara's POV

I later discovered that the person the Luna was talking to on the phone was my father. And as much as the subject of their discussion was none of my business, I couldn't help but marvel when Thalia, the head of the servants, received a message that we should start preparing the castle for the visit of someone very important.

We were instructed to cut the grass, repaint walls, and repair broken equipment in the garage. The castle was bubbling with life, and I could feel the excitement in the air. As we filed out to begin trimming the compound that morning, I decided to satisfy my curiosity and ask Thalia what was going on.

"Alpha Ryker of the Alpha Lord's family is coming."

"Oh, really?" I said with widened eyes as we descended the long staircase. The name was strange to me, and I wondered what it had to do with the intense redecorating. "Do you know who Alpha Ryker is?"

"No?" she asked, rolling her eyes in irritation. "Is there anyone in the whole werewolf land who doesn't know Alpha Ryker?"

"Well... I don't know him."

She paused and threw another irritated look my way. But as she turned to walk past me, I hurriedly reached out and pulled her back.

"How can you not know who he is? Are you living under a rock?"

I raised my shoulders in a slow, resigning shrug. She huffed angrily and leaned against the staircase railing.

"Well, Alpha Ryker is the only son of the Alpha Lord of the kingdom. He is tall and heavily built, with broad shoulders and ocean-blue eyes." She stopped and wrapped her arms around herself, gushing. "He is so pleasing to the eyes, and he's a multimillionaire."

She stopped talking as a group of servants walked past us, then turned to me again. "Being his only heir, the Alpha Lord wants his son to marry early so that he will have a sense of responsibility. Since he'll also be inheriting their million-dollar enterprise soon, his father wants him settled so he can focus on preserving their generational wealth."

"Wow."

"Yes, it's a huge deal. Let's go," she said, grabbing me by the arm to lead me away.

"But what does that have to do with the Silvercrest Pack?" I asked. "What does it have to do with us?"

"Alpha Ryker is coming here to pick a wife." Time stood still as Thalia made the announcement. I robotically turned to face her, expecting her to burst out laughing, but she remained completely serious. "The Alpha Lord heard that Alpha Kaelen has three female children, so he's asked Ryker to come and make his choice." She took a deep breath with a dreamy look in her eyes. "I wonder who the third female child is, though. Do you know her?"

My mind had already wandered far away from the conversation. Of course no one knew that I was the Alpha's third daughter, because I was treated no differently than the servants. But why would they plan the visit without me? And most of all, why would my father not say a word about me? I understood my place in my supposed family at that moment. The only plan they had for my life was for me to wither and waste away in the shadows.

As Thalia and I stood by the window later, spying on my cousins as they tried on their lavish clothes, I tried to imagine myself among them: laughing and giggling, waiting for my handsome Prince Charming. The one who would love me forever. The one I'd been praying to the Moon Goddess for. But how would I ever find a mate if I were permanently stuck down here?

"Can you do me a favor, Thalia?" I asked after a while.

"What's that?"

"Can you fill in for me?"

"What? Why?"

"I want to watch the ladies meet Alpha Ryker."

"Why?" Her hazel eyes burned with irritation, but I looked away. She wouldn't understand why I needed to witness my sisters meeting the charming prince. "Is that not a silly thing to do?"

"I'll add your chores to mine for the rest of the week."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. Just let me off duty for today."

"It's okay then, but don't forget your promise. I'm taking on more jobs than I can handle because of you. Keep your end of the bargain."

Thalia left, and I continued to watch my sisters. I observed their entire dress-selection process, and when they eventually finished preparing, I crept away from the window and went to hide on the high staircase overlooking the council hall, where the meeting was to take place.

Faye had settled on a purple ball gown, styling her auburn hair into a French braid. Siena, on the other hand, added a silver tiara to her midnight-black hair, the jewels in her yellow gown sparkling under the chandelier.

"I wish that useless slave girl could see us now," Siena broke the silence as soon as they settled down in the hall.

"Do you mean Elixir?" Faye asked.

"Don't even mention her name. It's disgusting."

"Yes, it's disgusting. All her beauty is going to waste."

"She thinks she's prettier than us because she has long silver hair. Well, she's mistaken. I'll make sure she never marries a good man. I'll make sure she ends up miserable, or even dead. How dare she be flawless and perfect?"

"Our lives are beautiful, Ena. Mother is already going to deal with her."

Tears welled in my eyes, but just as they were about to fall, the giant doors of the council hall were thrown open, and Sylvia stormed in.

"The Alpha Lord is here, girls." She bent down and picked a stray candy wrapper off the floor. "You should comport yourselves. Siena, you sit here." She gestured to the cushion on the left. "Faye, you sit there. Your father has ushered the family in, and he is leading the prince here as we speak. Comport yourselves! Do not talk too much or laugh too loud. What did I tell you?"

"Poise and grace, courtesy and manners," they echoed together.

The Luna nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now, once the Prince arrives, I'll stay for a few minutes to welcome him and help settle him in. Then I'll leave you two to become acquainted. You are to charm him and make him fall in love, girls. I trust you to make me proud, as always."

Ma'am Luna sat down. A few seconds later, heavy footsteps approached. The double doors opened, and the Prince walked inside.

Alpha Ryker was exactly as they had described him. In fact, he was even more handsome and pleasing to the eyes. He stopped in the center of the room, his gaze sweeping over the girls as they bowed to him. Then, he began to scan the rest of the room as though he were looking for something.

When his eyes landed on my hiding spot up on the stairs, I hurriedly crouched and threw my arms over my head, terrified he would blow my cover. If that happened, the Luna would have me beheaded.

"Is anything the matter, Your Grace?" Ma'am Luna asked.

The Alpha paused, turned to her, and flashed a warm smile. "Why don't you sit down?"

"Oh."

He flashed her another smile. "The two ladies should sit down as well." He waved his hand at Faye and Siena, and they took their seats.

"You should sit too, Your Highness," my father offered.

But Alpha Ryker refused with a slow shake of his head. "I'm waiting for your third daughter."

"What!" Ma'am Luna exclaimed. She quickly plastered a fake smile over the pure shock in her eyes as she cleared her throat. "I meant... the girls are already here, and they're looking beautiful. Gentry, mannered, and beautiful."

Both my father and my stepmother gestured desperately toward Siena and Faye. But the young man's eyes only briefly swept over them; he apparently had no interest in them at all, and I wondered why.

"I thought you had three daughters," Alpha Ryker said, a tone of impatience edging his voice. "My father told me you had three grown-up girls for me to choose from. That is why I've come here. Please present her to me, or I shall leave."

All the while, my heart was pounding against my ribs. It pounded so loudly its rhythm filled my ears. I didn't even notice that the Alpha had started scanning the room again.

"Alpha Ryker," my father began slowly, "I think you should calm down a little."

"Is that your third daughter?"

"The third daughter has been abroad for a while now."

"Why did you lie to my father, then?"

"It isn't actually a lie. Good gracious, Your Highness... she's been sick ever since she returned. In fact, she's been bedridden and has become quite emaciated."

"I don't think she's as sick as you portray her, Alpha Kaelen," Ryker said smoothly.

"Why do you say so?"

"Because isn't that your daughter up there, gazing down at us?"

"That's impossible."

I was already crawling away on my hands and knees when Alpha Ryker called out. "I've already seen you, Milady. You should rise up and not try to run away."

I raised my head slowly over the foyer railing, and his eyes met mine. His lips curved into a breathtaking smile, and the warmth in his gaze washed over my cold skin.

"You're really clever, Milady. Dressing as a mere maid to conceal your identity. Will you do me the honor of a proper introduction, or perhaps Alpha Kaelen shall?"

"That girl up there is nothing but a common maid!" Ma'am Sylvia shouted angrily.

"It's unusual for common maids to have silver hair, and maids are not permitted to eavesdrop in the council hall. Please come down, Milady. I should like to talk with you."

My father cleared his throat nervously. "My mate mistook her for a maid, but she is my first child. Lady Elara Elixir Fitzwilliam of the Silvercrest Pack."

I didn't even know my father remembered all my names. And I didn't realize until that exact moment that my stepmother's blistering anger was capable of completely discoloring her face.