Delphine isn’t sure how she ended up in this position- a song bird with clipped wings and a gilded cage. Where did everything go wrong? The answer is the man who commands her to sing.
View MoreSurprisingly, Tiberius leaves Delphine to her own devices as he goes to his home office. She supposes there’s trust because of all the guards rather than any true trust in her. In the end, why he leaves her alone doesn’t matter as much as the fact that she is alone. Delphine feels devious, almost, that she access to the large house with little supervision. So she explores every nook and cranny so that when it’s time to run again, she’ll have some sort of advantage. The house itself is large enough to boast four bedrooms, not including the office, three and a half baths with an expansive living room. The living room leads into an equally massive kitchen with eight burners, two ovens, a walk in pantry, and a fridge to match. There’s also the three car garage they came through and the back yard with its built in fire pit and brick oven. If Delphine hadn’t grown up in an actual mansion, she would’ve said this house is one just based on the general sizes of everything. Delphine
Delphine feels as if she might start hyperventilating soon as Julian steps out of the house and cannot meet her eyes. She doesn’t think he sold her out, not intentionally anyway, but that doesn’t make her feel any better. Does he hate her now? Everything is changing because of her and no doubt he’ll get in trouble alongside Marcus for helping her. Then she thinks of Marie, who willingly betrayed her trust, and she feels her heart pick up speed in anger. What did she do to deserve this? Why does everyone want to control her? She zones out as Tiberius talks with Julian who, as far as Delphine can tell, is acting as head of the boarding house in Marie’s absence. She doesn’t hear their words, it feels as if her ears are stuffed with cotton and all she can focus on is the pounding of her heart. Delphine feels itchy as if she has to move, scream, or just do anything to expel all the nervous energy building in her. She has never felt this nervous before not even on her first performance n
Delphine decides she hates Tiberius, he’s controlling and entirely too handsy. He dictates what she dresses in, what she smells like- which is stuff she normally uses and smells like, but she doesn’t understand how he knows that- and where she goes. Delphine left home because this is exactly what her parents would do and more, taking all her choices and all her freedom from her. Her eyes tear up as they near the opera house and a calloused hand squeezes her knee. “Don’t be too down, Delphie, I promise this is for you,” Tiberius drives with ease, like someone of his status would. Delphine shakes her head and pulls closer to the car door, “You don’t get it. You’re just some alpha who gets what he wants!” Tiberius doesn’t say anything as he parks and they get out of the car. Delphine is tempted to turn and make a run for it, but she has a feeling he would catch her before she even makes it out of the parking lot. He slides an arm around her waist, pulls her close, and kis
Tiberius is momentarily disjointed when he nexts wake up especially because he remembers a little bird falling asleep in his arms and now said bird is not there. He wants to growl at the prospect of her having slipped out and escaped from him, but Tiberius tempers his rage to think clearly. If Delphine had run then one of his pack members would’ve awoken him the moment they couldn’t find her. Tiberius takes a deep breath to scent the air and calm himself before getting up and going downstairs. He finds Delphine there, sitting at the kitchen island with a mug of tea in her hands. The maid, Pollonia, must already be out and about with the cleaning, cooking, and other things Tiberius doesn’t have the energy for. Grey eyes cut over to him and he beams at the fact Delphine hasn’t tried to run again. He slides an arm around her shoulders pulling her closer to his chest before placing a chaste kiss on the top of her head. “You didn’t try to run and you’ve met Pollonia,” Tiberius sits in
Tiberius takes Delphine to the home he purchased in Reisling, the town she ran away to, and refuses to let her leave his side. If she runs again, he won’t be able to control what he does after. He’s found her, he’s tasted her, and he’s of the mind to do anything to keep her. Tiberius leans against the door to his- their- bedroom as she trembles in front of him. She’s cold, he can tell from the goosebumps on her arms and legs along with how her fingers curl to preserve warmth in them. “Are you cold my darling,” Tiberius’ voice is soft and low, he doesn’t want to spook her more. Delphine shakes her head, “N-no! No don’t come near me.” He approaches her anyway, “Now don’t be like that, you need your health. Soon Austerus Luscinia will be full of people every night. Almost every night, at least, there are still some where I wish to selfishly keep you to myself.” She doesn’t make to move away as he continues approaching and Tiberius knows she must feel the mate bond that pulls
Delphine is kept close to Tiberius after he gathers her from the attempted escape. It wounds him, ever so slightly, at the thought of his songbird fleeing from him. He’s been searching for her for years and he isn’t about to let her go now. Tiberius knows her family, the Polluxs, who are powerful old money that place a lot of stock on heritage. On stock. Tiberius didn’t have a chance at competing for their only daughter’s hand when he first presented. They had picked some geezer with a lecherous gaze, but apparently good genes for breeding. Tiberius wanted to run with her right then and there, but she did it herself. Fled just like she had tried to, tonight, but this time Tiberius had been prepared. Julian, her closest friend, has zero volume control and isn’t very aware of his surroundings. Marie the overworked manager all too eager to help in exchange for the money to retire and live comfortable for the rest of her days. And Marcus? The secondary Alpha put up no fight the moment
Delphine is distraught as the night ends and she returns to the boarding house by the opera. It’s where most of the cast and crew stay, and some, like her, live here full time. She gave up everything else in her life to pursue this career and what does she have to show for it? A small room in a house that’s falling apart and the attention of a mysterious dangerous Alpha who bought her life. Julian doesn’t understand why she’s so upset as she cries later in his arms, “Del, please, tell me what’s so disastrous as having a wealthy and attractive Alpha as our new boss? This is what you wanted, isn’t it? For someone to save Austerus Luscinia.” She wants to choke on her words, “I ran from a forced marriage to be my own person! Not to be someone else’s caged bird.” “Del… you never mentioned anything like that,” Julian has a deep frown on his face. “I thought your family just didn’t approve of your choice in career.” “They don’t approve of my career choice, but they also wanted to
Delphine is placed in a less ostentatious dress than her performance one, but it is no less fancy. Her hair is pulled back into a classic French twist before she’s sent on her way to the doors. Time to meet the crowd. Delphine must meet them as part of the effort to restore the opera. They all want to meet the esteemed singer, after all. The pretty bird who trills to the masses. Well, the wealthy masses now as it hasn’t been feasible to open the doors for those who cannot pay. She shakes the thought from her mind because hopefully all this work for their last performance will have been worth it. This won’t be their last performance and she will see to it that it will never be. Delphine walks out with her head held high as the manager introduces her. The most wealthy attendees- the potential patrons- all eye her up and down. Delphine hides the nervous swallow as she extends her hand and old, sleazy male after old, sleazy male kisses the back of it. More like slobbers on it, but s
Delphine is sat at her vanity behind the magnificent stage she is set to step out on in any moment. Her stylist is rushing about making last minute fixes to her already impeccable appearance because, in his words, ‘You can never look too immaculate.’ She steadies her hands on the changed lyrics and notes she is to hit tonight, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s the last of her worries. No, tonight is important because it’s her last night to get a new patron. For all the glitter and gold that is projected in the opera house, it’s known among those still working at it, that the decline has been steady. Delphine is the last singer to remain because truly she doesn’t wish to see the Austerus Luscinia closed. It’s the only place she has found solace and the only place to where she feels her voice can be heard. After all, everyone is there to listen to the emotion of a performance and not so much the lyrics of a dead language. “Now, now,” Julian, her stylist, interrupts her inner
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