Chapter 4 A slip in the bathroom

I pretended not to notice his gaze. No matter what, I would work hard to live until I graduated and returned to the small town I was familiar with.

The gaze that had been lingering on me disappeared after a while. When I looked at the lawn again, the tall figure was no longer there.

I didn't know why I felt a sense of loss.

My belongings arrived shortly after Elaine departed, my memories confined to a few cardboard boxes. I stood in the middle of my new lodgings, alone and without family, like a wild animal that had been evicted from its den.

I rustled through the few articles of clothing I owned and found a simple but elegant black dress suitable for a formal gathering. I quickly finger-combed my hair out of my face and tied it back in a tight bun.

I wanted to honor Elaine’s request for formal attire, but part of me wanted to push the limits. I was tempted to don one of my old gowns. Most of my jewelry had been sold off to pay debts, so I couldn't even go overboard with accessories.

A petite young woman in a beige uniform appeared at the door and gestured for me to follow her. I trailed behind, weaving through a labyrinth of hallways that seemed to stretch on forever. There was no way I could find my way back on my own.

It also did not escape my attention that every worker I had seen so far was a stunningly beautiful young woman.

Armand was seated at a large banquet table at the center of a grand hall, its mahogany surface gleaming in the candlelight. I made my way to the right side of the table and took my place a few seats away from Armand's throne-like chair.

The table had been set for two—though there were twenty carved chairs ready to be filled. So, I was nearly certain it would just be the two of us.

Thanks to the awkward small talk we'd made while waiting to be served, I knew that he had been handling some werewolf business offsite and that this was as quickly as he could make time for me.

His sons didn't seem to award me the same attention despite their belief that I was their one true love. I hadn't seen or heard from them since arriving.

The waiter arrived with a bowl of creamy-looking soup and placed it in front of me. I slowly stirred my soup around the bowl with a spoon and listened as Armand began speaking again.

"Your father was more than just a werewolf," he said, "He was Beta to the Alpha King."

My heart raced as I stared at Armand, trying to process his words. He explained that while my father had chosen to leave werewolf society to live with my human mother whom he loved dearly, he hadn't been able to erase his obligations entirely.

Armand then reached into his pocket and produced a delicate necklace adorned with a pale blue gemstone. He told me it was a Moonlight Jewel necklace and had been my parents’ legacy to me, a token of their undying love.

My fingers trembled slightly as I took the necklace and cradled it carefully. I swallowed hard, blinked back tears, then muttered a thank you before forcing myself to move on, asking about Armand's sons.

After leaving Armand, I was guided back to the room that had been prepped just for me. As I crossed the threshold, I took in the scene with new eyes and new appreciation.

My gaze swept across the pink walls and furniture adorned with white lace, and I couldn’t help but feel touched by whoever had taken such care in preparing it for me. A mural depicting a vibrant forest at dawn emerged from one wall, and sparkling stars hung from the ceiling like tiny diamonds.

I felt my worries dissipating as I sunk into the edge of the luxuriously soft bed. Contentment filled my bones, and despite what had happened earlier, I found myself feeling strangely peaceful. Not knowing what else to do with it, but wanting it close, I clasped the Moonlight Jewel necklace behind my neck.

As the gem settled against my chest, a warmth spread throughout my body and I felt an electric tingle run down my spine. I heard a faint whine, like a distant engine in the night sky, followed by a whisper that seemed to come from inside me. This was the second time I’d heard it.

Startled, I opened my eyes wide and looked around, sure I was losing my mind.

"Beryl," the whisper repeated. A sweet smell filled my nose like the winter air after a snowfall and with it came a sense of peace. I could feel my breathing slow as I closed my eyes.

The silhouette of a wolf appeared against the backdrop of distant snow-covered mountains. I squinted, my heart racing as she stepped closer, the full moonlight revealing her creamy white fur and delicate features.

Her amber eyes bored into mine, golden flecks glimmering within the glossy depths. A silver ring around her right eye made it look like she was wearing an eye patch. She moved gracefully, her long legs propelling her towards me, her thick tail flicking back and forth with anticipation.

My lungs expanded with breath—finally, I had access to my wolf. Tears stung the corners of my eyes as emotion overwhelmed me.

"I'm here now, Beryl," she whispered. "I will never leave you." I nervously asked, “What should I call you?”

The creature before her replied, “Wintyr. My name is Wintyr. We are with our mates. I can feel them nearby. We should go to them."

"Who?"

"The triplets."

I gasped in surprise as the realization sunk in—the triplets weren't wrong. I looked around, feeling a bit uncertain about this strange new world I'd entered.

Despite being told that Wintyr would confirm the mating once I turned eighteen, I was having a hard time believing it.

The intensity of my frustration was palpable as I whispered, "How can this be? I don't feel anything for them."

Wintyr sighed and shook her head sadly. "You will now that the block between us has been lifted."

"No," I said firmly, crossing my arms defiantly over my chest. "This is ridiculous. They hate me. And I have no affection for them."

My heart sank as Wintyr replied softly, "They most certainly do not hate you. They want you, quite desperately."

My heart sank as her words sunk in and I realized what Wintyr meant. I dropped her hands and spun away from her, crossing my arms defensively over my chest. No matter how beautiful they were on the outside, no one so seemingly callous and uncaring could possibly belong to me—or so I wanted to believe.

My breaths came in ragged gasps as I stumbled back. I couldn't believe how cruel fate had been to me.

"Their wolves maybe, but not the men."

"That will come in time. They can only fight their wolves so long."

I couldn't bear to say another word and collapsed into bed, exhausted from the day's events. Sleep eluded me, and I tossed and turned until I decided to ease my troubled soul with a hot bath.

I opened the tall, mahogany door to reveal a bathroom that seemed more like a fairy-tale palace than a mere restroom. Gleaming white marble floors and walls were edged in luminous gold trim and crystal light fixtures glittered from the ceiling.

The jewel of the room was an impressive clawfoot tub that stood proudly in the center with stemware-like spouts on either side.

Ruby red petals were scattered inside, their delicate fragrance already wafting through the air. As I turned on the taps, releasing a warm steaming flood of water. A few drops of jasmine oil created a heavenly aroma that filled the room.

I turned on my relaxing playlist on my phone, and the soft instrumental music filled the air as I slid into the water. My tense muscles relaxed as I sank deeper. The heat was just right and filled my nostrils with a fragrant steam. I felt the warmth of flower petals against my skin and closed my eyes as I allowed my playlist to fill the space.

I closed my eyes and began to sing, letting my voice echo off the walls. Lost in the moment, I hadn't heard the door opening. My heart jumped as a loud knock echoed throughout the room and I yelled out in surprise, "Wait just a minute!"

Nicholas's irritation weighed heavily in the air, "I wait for no one!" he shouted. My voice grew louder as I yelled back, "I'm taking a bath! Just give me a second."

Cheney's humorless laughter filled the room, his words dripping with sarcasm as he jeered, "I suppose princes should wait for their princess. But, she's not a princess is she?"

Rage bubbled up within me. "What do you even want?" I demanded. "Just give me a minute, okay?"

There was no trace of warmth in Nicholas's response. His hard voice cut through the air like a blade, "You have five seconds." The knocking on the door became more violent to demonstrate that he wasn't messing around.

I hoisted myself up over the edge of the tub, only to slip back down again. "Five."

Frantically gripping onto the side walls to keep me steady, I managed to lift myself out without a trip to the hospital.

"Four."

I reached for the large beach towel hanging on the towel rack.

"Three."

Fumbling with the towel around my body, I scrambled across the slick bathroom floor with wet feet.

"Two."

"Wait! Just one more second!" I hurried towards the door, my feet slipping from beneath me as they finished their countdown and opened the door.