Chapter 7

The days that followed, Ravencroft Manor stayed closed to outside visitors.

The Sterling family sent people to see me several times. I didn't meet with any of them.

One afternoon I was sitting in the courtyard taking in the sun when a servant came to tell me Meredith Sterling was kneeling outside the Manor gates and refusing to leave.

I sighed and went to the front.

Meredith was kneeling on the stone steps, her hair loose, her eyes swollen red.

When she saw me come out, she shuffled forward on her knees and grabbed the hem of my dress.

"Luna. Please."

She held my dress, tears running down her face.

"Luna, you grew up with Cain. Please — for the sake of all those years — save him."

"Luna, you and Cain have known each other your whole lives. He'd save every piece of good food for you. You haven't forgotten, have you?"

I looked down at Meredith. "I haven't forgotten."

Meredith looked up. A flicker of hope crossed her face. "Then you'll—"

I cut her off. "I also haven't forgotten what he said when Vivienne shaved my head."

Meredith went still.

"I haven't forgotten what he said when he told me to come in as his secondary mate."

Meredith's face went pale.

"Cain didn't think things through. But your family — Sterling Pack — has never once shown any real sincerity either."

"If you looked down on me from the start, why come asking now?"

I said, "Meredith, please go home."

Meredith's eyes filled again. "But Luna, Cain does love you. He was just — Vivienne had him confused—"

I said, "An Alpha King's decree cannot be undone."

Meredith's words caught in her throat.

I stepped back and pulled the dress from her hands. "Safe travels."

I turned and walked back through the gates.

Behind me, I heard Meredith sobbing. But I didn't care anymore.

That night, Dorian came to my room.

He sat across from me and watched me take off the hairpiece, exposing the short dark stubble already growing back.

Dorian said, "You're very calm about all this."

I touched the back of my head and smiled a little. "It'll grow."

Dorian leaned forward. "I'm honestly curious. How did you completely let go of Cain overnight?"

My hand stilled.

He kept going. "I thought I'd be waiting for you much longer."

I turned to look at him. "Waiting? What do you mean?"

His eyes were serious. No trace of a joke. "I mean I've been in love with you for a very long time."

I went still.

"The day you had your coming-of-age ceremony and Cain claimed you as his Chosen Mate, I thought — that's it. No chance."

"Then he went to the border, and you waited for him for three years straight. I thought — that's it again. Your heart belongs to him."

"Then later, the Alpha King asked me if I wanted a Bond arranged. He said you'd been waiting too long."

Dorian smiled a little. "I didn't sleep at all that night. I was too happy."

I looked at him and couldn't find any words.

"I kept waiting. Waiting for the day you'd finally stop holding on."

I found my voice. "What if I'd been stubborn about it? What if I'd insisted on Bonding with Cain anyway? Would you have waited for nothing?"

Dorian raised an eyebrow. "Then I would've torn down Sterling Pack and taken you anyway."

I stared at him. "That — that's not how this works."

He laughed. His eyes curved with it. "Ravencroft Pack outranks Sterling Pack."

"Taking someone by force — the Alpha King would've had my head."

I gave him a look.

Dorian let the smile drop and looked at me honestly.

"Elara, no one is ever going to make you wait again."

He reached out and ran his hand lightly over the short stubble at her scalp.

"Until the hair grows back, I'll have the Pack make you extra hairpieces to rotate through."

I couldn't help it. I laughed.