Page 54

Eleanor looked from one daughter to the other. “How did you manage all this without my knowledge?”

“We were discreet.” Ivy smoothed a hand over the gown. “I wanted to give my sister something special, something that truly represented the Pack she would be joining.”

Something in me softened at her words. She’d put so much effort into making this for her sister, her real sister, and Lady Elowen would probably never know about it.

“Thank you, Ivy,” I said from the chair. “I absolutely love it.”

Her smile was so sweet that I almost jumped up to hug her. Even Eleanor was looking at her with an expression I couldn’t quite read.

“There is something else,” Nora said, and Ivy picked up the small box Nora had brought in and opened it.

Inside lay a black leather choker set with five polished stones: two shades of grey, one silver-blue, one amber-gold and one grey-blue.

“Each stone was chosen to match the eye colour of an Alpha in your future Pack,” Ivy said, bringing the box over and placing it in my shaky hands. “Alaric is the darker grey, Caius the lighter. Lucien is silver-blue, Leon is amber-gold, and Darius is grey-blue.”

I touched each stone in turn. Five colours for five men who remained little more than names.

She lifted the choker from the box and held it carefully between us. “I wanted you to have something made with your new home in mind.” Her expression turned shy. “I didn’t wish to dress you as a princess. I wanted you to look like the formidable Omega of a formidable Pack.”

“I think you nailed it.”

Ivy glanced towards the bodice. “There are no nails.”

I blinked. Right. “I mean, it’s perfect. I’d be honoured to wear it today.” I looked at Eleanor. “Would that be okay?”

Eleanor looked resigned. “If that is truly your wish, so be it.”

She was clearly unhappy with the decision, and I couldn’t help wanting to make her feel better. She wasn’t my mum, but it was getting harder and harder to remember that.

“Maybe I can wear the gown you had made the next time I have an important…” I searched for a suitably non-Earth word. “Event?”

“Very well.” Eleanor began typing on her pad. “I’ll have the gown packed instead.”

Ivy made a triumphant sound, but Eleanor raised a finger. “Do not make me reconsider.”

Ivy immediately fell silent.

“Thank you,” I told Eleanor.

With Ivy directing the women and insisting that nobody touch the wrong fastening, I was finally dressed. Once they’d settled the last fold of the skirt into place, I could barely recognise myself.

The midnight-blue bodice, the silver mountains and the five stones resting against my throat made me look almost regal. My makeup was so light I could barely tell I was wearing any. My skin looked fresh, my cheeks softly flushed, and my lips had only a little more colour than usual.

My hair fell loose down my back in thick, soft waves, much fuller than it had ever been. Two braids were drawn back from my temples and woven into a simple crown, leaving a few loose strands around my face. No jewels or elaborate pins, just my hair.

So much work had gone into making me look like nobody had done anything at all.

“You will take their breath away, daughter.” Eleanor’s eyes met mine in the mirror.

“I hope so.”

Please let them like me. Let them like me enough that if they ever find out the truth, they won’t hurt me. They’ll protect me.

Chapter 13

Elowen

“Do not sit on the cape.”