Isabella POV:
The morning sun did little to warm the chill that had settled deep in my bones.
Poppy braided my hair with practiced hands, her silence a comforting presence. In the mirror, I saw a picture of serene nobility. A high-necked gown of forest green, my family's sigil embroidered over my heart. I looked every bit the part of the dutiful Alpha's daughter.
It was a perfect mask.
"Sister! Are you ready?"
The voice was sickly sweet, a melody meant to charm snakes. Elfie stood at my doorway, a vision in virginal white. Her pale blonde hair was artfully tousled, and her blue eyes were wide and innocent. A harmless little Omega flower.
She glided into the room and took my arm, her touch a repulsive brand against my skin. I fought the urge to rip my arm away.
"Today is the day we go to the Moon Shrine to pray for Prince Hubert's safe return," she chirped. "You didn't forget, did you?"
I've been waiting for this day for five years, you treacherous bitch.
"Of course not, my dear sister," I said, my smile as brittle as ice. It didn't reach my eyes.
On our way to the carriage, we passed our mother, Luna Caren, in the main hall. Her gaze softened with pity as it fell on Elfie. Then, her eyes met mine, and a familiar flicker of disapproval, of blame, tightened her lips. As if I were somehow responsible for my half-sister's lesser station.
I felt the old, familiar sting, but this time, it was followed by a cold wave of clarity. Their love was a currency, and I had long been bankrupt.
The carriage was opulent, lined with velvet cushions and smelling of polished wood. The door closed, shutting us in together. The performance began.
Elfie sighed dramatically, her shoulders slumping. "It's just so difficult, being an Omega. No one takes you seriously. My only hope is to accompany you to the Alpha Citadel. To serve you. It's all I've ever wanted."
I ran my thumb over the runes on my bone bracelet, its cool surface a tether to my resolve. I listened, nodding in all the right places, playing the part of the sympathetic older sister.
My silence seemed to unnerve her. A flash of irritation crossed her face before it was replaced by a trembling lip.
"You know," she said, her voice a conspiratorial whisper, "Silas Croft has been asking about you. He seems quite taken. He cornered me just yesterday, asking about your favorite flowers."
A test. And a boast. She was flaunting her secret tryst with the man my father intended for me to reject.
I feigned a delicate surprise. "Oh? The Alpha of the Croft pack is so interested in me?" The double meaning hung in the air between us, sharp and unseen.
The carriage rumbled on, passing through a dense stretch of woods bordering our lands. Through the window, I saw him. A flicker of movement. One of Titus's most trusted men, leaning against a tree as if resting.
He met my eyes for a fraction of a second and gave a single, almost imperceptible nod.
It is done.
A real smile finally touched my lips. It was sharp and cold and utterly devoid of warmth. Relief washed over me, so potent it was almost dizzying. The first move on the board was mine.
"What is it, sister?" Elfie asked, startled by my expression. "What are you smiling at?"
I let the smile fade, schooling my features back into a pleasant mask. "Nothing. I was just thinking what a beautiful day it is. Perfect for... cleansing away filth."
A shiver ran through her. She pulled her shawl tighter, suddenly looking uneasy. For the first time, she seemed to realize that the sister sitting across from her was a stranger.
The carriage slowed, the horses' hooves crunching on gravel. We were here. The Moon Shrine, a simple, ancient altar of white stone nestled in a clearing deep within the forest.
My mind replayed the memory with perfect clarity. Here, Elfie would "lose" a priceless necklace. Here, she would accuse me. And here, a pack of hired Rogues would emerge from the woods to "corroborate" her story, sealing my fate.
I closed my eyes, taking a slow, deep breath. Not to calm my nerves.
But to savor the anticipation.
The carriage door opened. Elfie, her composure restored, practically bounced out, her face alight with cruel excitement. She turned and beckoned to me impatiently.
I took my time, smoothing the wrinkles from my skirt before descending with all the grace befitting my station.
My senses, heightened by my wolf, reached out. The air was still, too still. But I could smell them. The faint, unwashed scent of unfamiliar wolves, hidden amongst the trees.
The actors were in place.
Elfie grabbed my hand, her grip surprisingly strong, and pulled me toward the altar. "Come, sister! Let's not keep the Moon Goddess waiting."
I looked at her eager, triumphant face, and I felt nothing. It was like watching a ghost. A dead woman walking.
I glanced up at the sky. The sun filtered through the canopy of leaves, dappling the ground in shifting patterns of light and shadow.
Are you ready for your surprise, Elfie? I thought, a silent promise to the universe.
I placed my foot on the first stone step of the shrine. Each step was deliberate, heavy with the weight of retribution. Each one felt like I was treading on the neck of my enemy.
—-
