The night of the ball had arrived. My heart thundered as I stood at the front of the line of Mate Trial girls outside the large ornate doors of the ballroom, waiting to be let in. I could hear Ava’s loud laughter from her place near the back of the line, obviously wanting to be the last girl in beca
Alpha Elijah led Thea and me out of the ballroom as Thea clung tightly to both of our hands. My mind swirled around the events of the night, continuing to land back on the birthmark on Thea’s neck.It sent shivers down my spine, the prospect that it really could be her—my daughter, the child that I
ElijahThe moment Agnes had walked down the stairs in the ballroom, I had been captivated. It was like she had been made to captivate all my attention. Even now, sitting in my study in her plainclothes, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her.From our very first encounter, my gaze had been drawn to hers
Gloria’s demeanor instantly changed when Elijah appeared.“Alpha Elijah, I am so sorry. I just assumed—”“Your assumptions were incorrect, Gloria. Thank you for your time employed here, but offending the Alpha’s mate is an offense that cannot be rectified. You’re fired.”My eyes went as wide as saucers as the housekeeper began sobbing. “Bu, bu, but—”“Leave,” he simply ordered. The woman scuttled away, but not without first sending a sour glare my way.I didn’t know what to say other than, “You didn’t have to—”“She’s been stealing cash from my office for weeks,” he said with a wave of his hand. “And besides, I won’t set such a precedent here. You deserve respect.”Those words took me by surprise, but before I could respond, Thea grabbed my arm.“Let’s go see your actual room! It’s right next to mine, and Daddy’s is right across the hall!”Thea was practically skipping as she pulled me down the hallway toward my new room, already chattering about tea parties and the like. I cast a glan
We spent the next few minutes sorting through the few items I had brought with me. As I pulled out a small, worn pony plush toy from my bag, I felt a pang of nostalgia. It was one of the things I had prepared years ago when I was pregnant.The pony, along with a few storybooks and baby toys, had been part of the little nursery I had put together in anticipation of my baby’s arrival.Thea’s eyes immediately lit up when she saw the toy. “Pony Bella!” she squealed, grabbing the plush from my hands.I froze, staring at her in shock. “What did you call her?”Thea hugged the toy to her chest, beaming. “This is Pony Bella. She’s my best friend! I tell her all my secrets.”My heart skipped a beat. How could Thea know that name? During my pregnancy, I had often spoken to my unborn baby, telling her stories and talking about how Bella the pony was waiting to meet her.It had been a name I had chosen out of the blue—something special, just for my baby.I swallowed hard, my hands trembling slightl
I lay in bed, feeling completely out of place. Everything about this situation was wrong, and yet, a strange warmth had settled in the room. What unsettled me even more was seeing Elijah—usually so distant and cold—display a rare hint of tenderness.It was clear that he adored Thea, completely convi
I carefully placed the strands of Thea's hair into a small cloth bag, taking care to stash it somewhere that no one would come across it.All it would take was a simple DNA test. And if the DNA matched mine, then the truth about Thea's parentage would finally be revealed, and I would have to confron
Just then, the door swung open, and a woman entered. She was tall and sharp-featured, her brunette hair pulled back tightly. “I’m here to collect Luna Olivia’s belongings,” she announced, not even really looking at me.I felt my pulse quicken.“You can’t take anything until Elijah returns,” I state
“Thea, sweetheart… We’ve talked about this before. I would love nothing more than to be your biological mother. But…” I swallowed hard. “I’ve already had you tested. You’re not my biological daughter, no matter how much I want you to be.”Her face crumpled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “But wh
AgnesThe following morning, I stood in the design department’s fabric storeroom, surrounded by endless bolts of luxurious materials. How long had I been in here? Minutes? Hours?The sketches for my new dress were complete, and the patterns were cut, but I still couldn’t decide on a color. After the
When we came together, it was like a dam breaking—intense, overwhelming, leaving me trembling in his arms. My chest heaved as I caught my breath, and Elijah held me close, his lips pressing soft kisses to my forehead, my cheeks, my lips.His touch was gentle now, a stark contrast to the ferocity of
AgnesI followed Elijah up the stairs, our fingers intertwined and our footsteps soft and quiet. The house was silent around us, save for the faint creak of the steps and the distant hum of crickets beyond the windows.But then there was my heart, pounding so hard against my ribs I thought for sure
“I’m glad,” he said softly. “You both needed something good after yesterday.”I leaned against the island, thinking about the sweet evening with Thea. “She called me her hero, you know. For coming to save her.”Elijah smiled. “Well, you were.”I shook my head. “I don’t feel like one after that incid
AgnesI rushed toward Elijah, my heart hammering in my chest. Even in the dim light of the entryway, his black eye was startlingly obvious—a dark, angry bruise circling the socket. He was slumped against the door, looking exhausted, but he straightened when he saw me, grimacing slightly from the eff
“Just like yours,” she said happily.“Just like mine.”Next came hair braiding. Thea sat on the floor between my knees as I gently worked through the tangles of her dark hair, separating strands for a French braid. My fingers moved automatically, muscle memory from years of doing my own hair. I humm
AgnesI pulled into the driveway around seven, exhausted after a long day of sewing, designing, and avoiding Maria’s knowing glances.The bathroom incident with Elijah had been the talk of the design department by lunchtime—whispers and stifled giggles following me throughout the afternoon. I’d buri
“Do you still intend to try and break your mate bond with Olivia?” I blurted out, then immediately regretted my bluntness.Elijah’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t pull away. “Of course I do. Why would you think otherwise?”I glanced down, unable to meet his gaze. “No reason. I was just wondering if… a