Chapter 13

Sarah POV

However long I live, I will never forget the sight of Ella those next few seconds as the smug joy on her face drained away to leave a pale, icy expression of disdain.

“For Sarah?” she asked, voice tight.

“Not all my presents can be for you, dear,” Zane told her with amusement. “Sarah will be seen with my children. Do you want her wearing sackcloth and ashes?”

That snapped her out of it. “Of course not, darling.” She flashed a smile that could power a mid-sized apartment building and laughed lightly. “I’m thrilled you thought about that, to tell you the truth.”

Liar, liar, pants on fire, I thought, but I smiled back at her and then gestured to the betas that they should take their packages to my room.

“It was actually Chloe’s idea,” Zane said next, going over to his daughter and picking her up to put a kiss on her cheek, much to her obvious delight. Then he gave Grace a kiss as well.

“This one helped too, didn’t you, sunshine?” he asked her, then turned to make sure the betas were going in the right direction.

I may have imagined it, but it seemed as though Grace looked at Ella with fear for just a moment before Zane turned back and she smiled up at him. “Yes, Daddy. It was fun.”

“It was,” he said. “Coffee?” he asked Ella.

“I’d love some,” she said. “But as you reminded me last night, I have an early shoot, and I’m about to be late.” She gave him an air kiss. “See you later, darling!”

She was gone in a whirl of expensive perfume.

To my surprise, Zane turned to me with a serious expression. “That must have been awkward for you. I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to do with you,” I said. “I mean, I can understand how she didn’t realize the clothes were for me. I’m only concerned that I do nothing to interfere with your relationship with your sister-in-law and the girls’ aunt.”

“You didn’t, and I’m certainly not going to give her your things because she’s forgotten she’s not the only woman in the world.”

Chloe snickered.

“Now,” I said, kneeling down next to her and refusing to be distracted by how well my pants fit, not digging into my stomach or pulling at my knees. “You will grow to like Ella in time. Think of her as a new girl in your school. As you get to know her better, you’ll be glad she’s in your life.”

Chloe’s eyes obviously disagreed with me, but she only said, “Yes, Mommy.”

“Thank you,” Zane said to us both as I stood back up. He looked at Grace. “You’re going to be celebrating your first birthday with your sister tomorrow.”

Grace beamed. “I already asked, and Chloe says she likes chocolate cake too.”

“Does she now?”

Chloe nodded. “With strawberries.”

I almost gaped in shock when Grace looked disappointed and shook her head.

“What is it, sweetie?” I asked.

“Baneberries are better,” she all but whispered.

I held back a wince. Baneberries, highly poisonous to humans, were a werewolf delicacy quite out of my shopping budget. I braced myself, but all Chloe said was, “They are?”

Grace nodded definitively. “Yes.”

“We’ll have both strawberries and baneberries,” Zane said. And that was the matter settled. He looked to me.

“It’s a tradition in our household that the birthday child gets treated to speeches by their relatives,” he told me. “You only need to speak for a moment or two, but I would like you to prepare something.”

He paused and actually looked uncertain, it didn’t suit his face at all. “I was hoping you would say something about Grace as well as Chloe.”

“Of course!” I looked to the girls. “Chloe, will you help me with my speech for Grace?”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“And Grace, will you help me with my speech for Chloe?”

Grace looked thrilled a peeped, “Yes!”

Zane laughed.

The next day, I found myself wearing my new blue dress and holding very still while a professional makeup artist did my eyes and lips, her werewolf-steady hands applying the powders and liquids with perfection.

I still wasn’t completely sure what I would say in my speech to the girls, except that I wanted to keep it simple, but I knew Zane felt this birthday, the first he would ever have with both his girls, was extremely important. I had been surprised when the beta beautician had arrived with her large makeup kit in her arms, but I reminded myself I was representing the household of an alpha wolf and straightened my spine.

I had been up a little late the night before finishing the girls’ headbands and then wrapping them.

In my study of werewolf society, I had learned that the wrapping and presentation of a gift were as important to werewolves as the gift itself. I had managed to buy some lavender tissue paper while the girls weren’t looking and studied an elaborate folding method on YouTube that I followed with some difficulty but finally managed, sealing the wrapping with just a small piece of tape on the bottom.

I had been excited to give the girls their presents, though I knew they would be nothing compared to the lavish gifts their father had doubtlessly bought them. So early this morning before breakfast I had given the packages to Chloe and Grace and wished them happy birthdays.

Both girls had been rapturous, flattering me greatly, and proceeded to wear their headbands to breakfast. Zane had very nicely complimented them on how stylish they looked and then thanked me for making a gift for both his daughters.

“Of course, and it was my very great pleasure,” I told him and the girls, sighing happily at them all and feeling like a queen.

“Hold still, please,” the makeup artist said politely, and I realized I had been smiling.

“There,” she said after another few minutes. “Perfect, if I do say so myself!”

I smiled at her, then looked into the large hand mirror she held up.

Goddess, I hardly recognized myself. Were those really my eyes? Since when did my lips have such a pronounced cupid’s bow?

“I’m going to become terribly vain,” I blurted. I looked at the beta, whose brown eyes were glowing. “You’re going to spoil me completely!”

She laughed and began to pack up her things. I turned at a knock on the frame of my bathroom door, which I had left open, to see Zane standing there looking impossibly handsome in a navy blue suit.

“Are you ready?” he asked. Then his eyes widened. He looked me up and down with open admiration, and under the foundation my cheeks went hot.

“You look exceptionally lovely,” he said after a moment.

“Thank the artist,” I said, smiling at the aesthetician, who smiled back.

“I had a lovely canvas,” she said, and for a second she almost seemed flirtatious. Then she schooled her expression and left.

“The girls will love that you wore that dress,” Zane said next, holding out his hand, which I admit I stared at for a moment before realizing he was offering his arm.

“How could I not?” I asked, glad for the strength of his arm as I walked on heels a little higher than I was used to, especially on the stairs.

I had wandered through the formal banquet room of the villa on my second day there, but it had been empty, and the chandeliers hadn’t been lit. Now, it was nothing less than a wonderland. I could hardly believe the opulence considering everything was so tasteful. There were silver and gold balloons, tables adorned with delicacies, a string quartet playing on a platform, a champagne fountain, and a huge cake I assumed was chocolate with five (not yet lit) candles.

“Oh, my goddess,” I murmured, a little overwhelmed.

“It’s not as pretty as you,” Zane said in my ear, and I laughed.

Two little girls in birthday attire, their headbands sparkling in all the lights, ran toward me. I bent down to gather them in my arms.

“Mommy!” Chloe squealed so loudly I almost didn’t hear that Grace said it too.