The End of an Era

BLAISE

I look out the frost-colored window.

That girl. She hasn’t come today.

She had always come, eve up uh ry day for a week now, to knock on the door and ask for any Packhouse leftovers with her head held high. At first, I’d seen the maids threatening to throw her out to the dogs. That had been the first time I’d truly used my power as the mate of the Alpha, to literally give my order to the Head Maid to give the girl what she asked for, every time she came.

She was doing this for her family. And I thought it was right that she be rewarded for her bravery.

She had come every day after that, happily skipping out with a basketful of the day’s leftovers. Noel had sometimes even pitched in, to give her a handful of chocolates that he somehow always had in stock.

But this is the first time that she hasn’t come skipping.

I watch the maids throw out the leftovers, biting my lip as I turn back to the window. I had asked for them to keep it until now, but it was getting