Chapter 8: Dinner for Two

"What do you mean, I'll die?" Waverly asked, entirely distraught, her fearless nature shrinking. So many information had come at her in the matter of minutes, she had no method of processing it all.

"You'll die. Anyone who remains by Sawyer's side or who is present on the evening of the Lunar Eclipse, will face the same fate as him."

Waverly looked at Christopher, astonished. The faces of her parents, Finn, Isadore and Reina flashed by in her memory and all she could think of was the box sitting on the table by the window. If what Sawyer said was true, then that was her ticket to freedom. She turned her gaze from the box to her companion.

"How do I know I can believe your word?"

Christopher nodded in agreement. "You're absolutely right, you can't entirely. But I did bring you that sketchbook and I think being the Beta should give me enough credit, don't you?"

He was Sawyer's Beta? That would explain how he knew so much. Still, Waverly was reserved. "And you're willing to out your Alpha?"

Christopher's eyes caught a hold of hers, a look of sincerity reflected in them. "If it means saving my pack, yes."

Waverly found a sense of familiarity in this phrase. As the Alpha's daughter, she had heard her father say it multiple times regarding their own pack and with that, she let her guard come down a little more.

"Okay," she began. "So, what can I do?"

Christopher lit up and a grand smile parted his lips. "I have this idea. It'll take a while for me to put it all together, but in order to protect you and the pack, we have to get you to safety and free from here."

Waverly brushed her hair from in front of her face and then placed her hands in her lap. "So, you're really sure I'm not his mate?" she asked, timidly.

Christopher shook his head. "It's been 10 years. Each girl that has stayed here, in this room, was not it. I know Sawyer more than anyone and this…I just want to protect you and my pack. That's it."

Waverly let their conversation sit in her mind, wondering how she possibly got into this mess. "Alright."

Christopher stood up from his chair and reached into his pocket once more to fish out the keys. "Alright, I'll let you know when things are in order. Until then, enjoy your new chair and drawings." He threw her a wink and with that, left the room.

A hundred of Waverly's questions were answered today in a matter of moments, but now she had even more haunting her brain. An ancient law? What could he have done that was so treacherous that it put the lives of his entire pack at stake, as well as her own? She knew she would possibly die here, but she didn't expect it in this way.

She pulled out the sketchbook and flipped to the first page. She touched the tip of her pencil to ensure the sharpness and then started drawing. The pencil seemed to float on the paper as she drew the images she saw outside of the window. It was as if her hand knew the exact lines and motions to create and she found herself falling into a sort of daydream, which was stopped by a surprise knock on the door.

"Hello?" she called out, instantly making her feel ridiculous.

The door creaked open and a known face peeked around the frame.

"Hello, miss. Our Alpha has asked me to send for you for dinner and I remembered, from washing your clothing, that you did not have anything appropriate to wear for a formal event. So, I went to my closet back home and pulled a special gown for you."

Felicity came through the door, shutting it behind her. From behind her back, she brought out a long-sleeved royal blue knee-high dress that fell off of the shoulder on both sides. Tiny pieces of glitter flashed when Felicity turned it against the sun, casting colourful dots on the walls.

"Oh! And I can't forget the shoes!" From her other hand, Felicity showed Waverly a pair of gold high heels that picked up the small amount of glitter in the dress.

Waverly raced towards the outfit, feeling its cotton texture between her fingers. "Oh, Felicity…it's beautiful. But, why?"

Felicity smiled. "Ever since you arrived, you've been so kind to me and our conversation the other day made me realize, maybe you are the true mate. I just…I have a feeling. So, I wanted to show you my appreciation. Here," she stated. "Take it. I'll be back in an hour to gather you for dinner."

Waverly looked at her in awe. "Thank you. Really."

She continued to eye the dress as Felicity left the room. Maybe she could save the pack.

**

The night sky began to set in as dusk approached. Waverly took her long auburn hair out of its bun and let it fall, loose on her back. She fussed with it, messing it up and separating it with her fingers, praying that it looked half decent, which she always found hard to do without a mirror.

She slipped on the heels that Felicity had left behind, admiring how the colour complimented her skin tone, when there was a small knock on the door as it began to open.

"Hello, miss. Are you ready?"

Waverly smiled at Felicity as she entered the room. For the first time in days, she was able to leave her space and for some reason, she felt a little scared, but in a good way. She nodded.

"Oh, miss, you look fantastic," Felicity said as she glanced over Waverly. "I knew that would be a great choice for you. Come, the Alpha is waiting for us."

Felicity led Waverly down the long hallway that she barely remembered. The walls were painted a plain tan colour; however, the repeated symbol of the Crimson Shadow pack in red added accent.

Upon their arrival to the dining room, Waverly noticed the table set for two with an entire four-course meal prepared including chicken, pasta, salad and dinner rolls. Two candles sat opposite of each other on either side of the food with the same salt and pepper shakers sitting in the centre. Felicity announced Waverly and bowed out of the room, leaving her and Sawyer to themselves.

Waverly stood awkwardly at the entrance, unsure of what to do. Sawyer stood up from his chair and grabbed a bottle of wine from the mini-bar against the entry wall and poured two glasses half full. His black suit fit his body perfectly, emphasizing his features and light-coloured hair. His matching jacket was left open, with a purple patterned shirt underneath and the top three buttons undone, exposing a bit of his upper chest.

The rings on his fingers clinked against the bottle when he set it back down. He walked in Waverly's direction, his two-toned eyes staring into hers, as he handed her a glass.

"Oh, uhm, thank you," she replied, watching as he left without speaking and resuming his position at the head of the table. Waverly sat in the seat across from him where the second plate was set up.

"Everything looks delicious," she noted, noticing her voice tremble a little. "I could smell it from the stairs."

Sawyer nodded in response as he took a sip of his drink.

Waverly looked around, admiring the modern artwork on the walls. "This is a beautiful room. Did you grow up here?"

No response.

"I mean, you must have. From the looks of the photos in the room next door, your family have been Alphas for generations."

The space felt weighted as Sawyer remained silent, cutting the meat that was on his plate. His layered necklaces dangling against his chest.

Waverly took a gulp of her wine and picked up her fork, starting with the salad. She could feel her temper rising. He invited her to dinner and wasn't even going to speak? If this was the game he wanted to play today, she was ready. "Are you excited for the Lunar Eclipse next month?"

She looked up from her plate and noticed Sawyer had stopped eating, his eyes focused solely on her. Good, she finally had his attention.

"I personally can't wait," she said, answering herself.

Sawyer set down his fork and knife and sighed. "What did he tell you?"

"Who?" Waverly said, unsure whether or not she should actually answer his question.

"Chris."

"So, you know he visited."

Sawyer picked up his utensils and started eating again. "He's my Beta. I send him when I can't make it."

Waverly paused, her glass halfway to her lips. So, he was the one who got her the sketchbook. She took a deep breath and prepared herself before asking: "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing," he replied, not looking up at her.

Waverly was ready for him to scream, get angry for interfering and lock her away again. Yet, this was the response she did not expect, especially from an Alpha.

"Nothing?!" she said, filling with anger. "You're not going to protect your pack? Save them?"

Sawyer took another drink. When he set down his glass, his eyes were soft and she saw a hint of pain express itself on his face. "There's nothing I can do, Waverly."

The anger she felt moments ago faded as he spoke her name. How did he know it? He had never asked. The sound of it coming out of his mouth was almost soothing.

She glanced back into his eyes, the ones she had seen for months in her drawings, and smiled. "What if I told you there is?"