Chapter 3

Sadie resigned from the welfare office that morning.

By afternoon, she was Alpha Everett Blackwood’s personal aide.

To celebrate, he had the Blackwood family’s mountain estate prepared for a private party in her honor.

Miles sent me the invitation.

I typed back two words.

Not coming.

An hour later, Everett was standing in my bedroom doorway.

“Can you stop doing this?”

Still weak from the fever, I leaned against the doorframe and looked at him.

“Doing what?”

“Sadie’s crying.”

“I said I didn’t want to go to a party.”

“You know what she thinks this means.”

I looked at him. He hadn’t asked about the medicine beside my bed or why my voice still sounded rough.

“What about what I want?”

His jaw tightened.

For years, if Sadie wanted something, I was supposed to agree. If I didn’t, she cried, and they came looking for me.

On graduation day, they’d brought her flowers.

There was nothing for me.

Sadie noticed me looking.

“Oh, Audrey. Here. You can have mine.”

She held out Everett’s bouquet.

“No, thanks.”

Her smile crumpled.

“I was only trying to include you.”

Everett took her elbow.

“Sadie, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Then he looked at me.

“Can you please not make a scene?”

The photographer was already arranging everyone beneath the university arch.

They took the pictures without me.

By the time I asked whether we could take another, Sadie’s eyes were red, and Everett said, “Can you let it go? You’ve upset her enough.”

I never got a picture with the three people I’d imagined beside me at graduation.

Even the amusement park had been Sadie’s choice. She’d mentioned wanting to go, and Everett had booked it for my birthday.

He’d never asked what I wanted to do.

Now he stood between me and the hallway, waiting for me to make his life easier again.

“She spent years outside this pack, Audrey. She finally has people she can count on.”

“I know. I understand.”

“Then why are you making her feel like you don’t want her around?”

I was too tired to explain the difference between not wanting Sadie around and not wanting to keep being hurt.

“Everett, I’m still sick.”

His voice softened. “Babe, you don’t have to stay long. Please. I’m asking you.”

Everett Blackwood rarely asked anyone for anything.

I’d once thought that if he ever begged me anything, I wouldn’t stand a chance.

Now, he was begging me to show up for another woman.

I lowered my eyes.

“Fine.”

His shoulders relaxed.

“Thank you.”

Then he stepped past me and picked up the pendant beside my bed.

I reached for it.

“What are you doing?”

He slipped it into his pocket.

“Making sure you don’t change your mind.”

My grandmother’s moonstone.

She’d had a small protective rune carved into it when my wolf first began to weaken. She used to close my fingers around it whenever I was frightened.

After she died, I slept with it in my hand.

Everett knew that.

“Give it back.”

“You’ll get it tomorrow.”

“Do you even understand what that is?”

“Yes, Audrey. That’s why I know you’ll come.”

He said it so easily.

As though taking the last thing my grandmother had given me was a reasonable way to settle an argument.

“Otherwise, you’ll decide not to show up, and Sadie will spend the whole night wondering what she did wrong.”

He kissed my forehead.

“See you tomorrow. Try to have some fun, okay? You’ve been so tense lately.”

Then he left.

I stood beside the bed until his footsteps faded.

When my grandmother died, Everett had sat on this floor while I cried. He’d brought me water and stayed until I could sleep.

He knew exactly what he’d taken.

My eyes blurred. I wiped them with the heel of my hand.

One more night after the party.

Then I would leave this pack.

I wanted to reach a day when none of them could make me cry anymore.

The estate glowed against the dark mountain slopes.

White flowers covered the terrace railings. Strings of lights hung above a long table, and someone had arranged a velvet chair beneath an arch of roses.

For an aide’s first day at work.

“Audrey!”

Sadie hurried toward me, holding out both hands.

“I knew you weren’t really mad at me.”

“Congratulations.”

I let her take my hand for a moment before easing it free.

Everett stood near the fireplace, talking to Miles.

I went straight to him.

“My pendant.”

His smile stiffened.

“You just got here.”

“I came. Give it back.”

He lowered his voice.

“Can you at least try to look like you want to be here? She’ll notice.”

“I’m asking for something that belongs to me.”

“And you’ll have it when we’re done.”

He touched my elbow, guiding me away from Sadie’s line of sight.

“Relax. Nobody’s taking it from you.”

Miles glanced over.

“You’re really going to start something tonight?”

I looked at him.

“You don’t know what we’re talking about.”

“I know that tone.”

Across the room, Nolan stepped in front of Sadie and pointed toward the terrace. She followed his gesture, smiling.

He was keeping her from seeing us.

Once, he’d done that for me—drawn someone’s attention away while I wiped my eyes.

I swallowed. My throat still hurt.

“Just give it back.”

“After the celebration,” Everett said.

Before I could answer, Sadie settled into the velvet chair.

“Okay, I’m ready!”

Everett moved past me, nudging me aside as he reached for a large cake box.

He carried it to her himself.

The cake was decorated with the Blackthorn crest. Four little figures stood beneath it: Everett, Miles, Nolan, and Sadie.

“To your first day,” Everett said. “You’re part of my office now. Whatever you need, you come to me.”

“And you won’t have to keep staying in guest housing.”

Nolan placed a key beside her plate.

“The cottage near the packhouse is yours. It’s furnished. You can move in whenever you want.”

Sadie covered her mouth.

“Nolan…”

Miles dropped another set of keys beside his.

“A car. Figured you could use one.”

He grinned.

“No more waiting around for rides.”

Her eyes filled again.

“You guys… I don’t know what to say.”

Everett smiled..

“You don’t have to say anything.”

I looked at the four figures on the cake. There was no space left for anyone else.

For a moment, I remembered the little girl who’d believed three knights meant she would never be alone again.

Then I looked away.

I would stay until I had my grandmother’s pendant.

After that, they could have their celebration. And each other.

I am leaving tomorrow.