Page 48 of The Alpha’s Heir

The dress didn’t even have pockets.

Katrina carried in a tray with a teapot and cups and little brightly colored cookies that had my mouth watering.

If I kept up my diet here, this dress wouldn’t fit in the next two weeks as it fell from what was left of my skin and bones.

“What do you think?” Helen asked Katrina.

She gave a curt nod. “Miss Meg looks beautiful.”

I tried to catch my friend’s eye and give her a smile. The dressmaker and Helen had already said as much, but coming from her, it actually meant something. Katrina was busy, though.

“Here, take a photo.” Helen handed Katrina her phone.

“Miss?” Katrina arched a brow.

“Oh, you know…” Helen waved her hand toward the door. “Get us both in it. Try and make the gown shine in this dreaded darkness. Give me something candid.”

“My gown will shine with or without the sunshine,” the dressmaker hissed under his breath.

“Of course it will, John.” Helen rolled her eyes, still motioning for Katrina to take another step back. “But this is just the sneak peek.”

I frowned as Helen turned toward me, crossing her ankles and resting her hands on her lap. From Katrina’s viewpoint, we looked like a mother and daughter bonding over the new dress I was getting.

Another pang of homesickness churned my stomach, and heat flushed my skin.

This wasn’t right. Not that I cared much about human traditions, but if I was doing this, it should be with my own mom and sisters. Not these strangers.

“Smile, Miss Meg,” Katrina said. It was only her genuine smile directed towards me that caused mine in return. She snapped some photos and gave the phone to Helen.

The councilwoman must’ve found a few that she liked. “There. The press will have these making the rounds tomorrow. You’ll be a headliner, John.”

The dressmaker beamed with pride, but I frowned again.

“Why do you keep staging all these photos?” I asked Helen.

She looked at me like I was stupid. “I guess you wouldn’t know about swaying public opinion, but I’m sure it’s similar to the way your aunt leads a pack. There’s a certain image we want to portray to keep the people calm and entertained so that we can continue to lead them in the way they need to be led.”

My frown deepened. Helen didn’t know me, so she didn’t know I was being groomed to take over the pack myself one day. And nowhere in any of my training did I learn that lying to the pack made for a good leader.

“You’re intentionally misleading them,” I pointed out. “Why not tell the truth?”

“Tell them what?” Helen laughed. “That the gods are coming back? That this arranged marriage is for their own good as we work to amp up our relationship with the mutants? What part of that do you think would not cause mass panic? No, dear. I’m sorry. We’ll dole this marriage out in palatable batches to the public, while working within the parameters we were given to appease these gods.”

Why does she sound like a villain?

Helen sipped her cup of tea.

My gaze went to Katrina, wondering if she was hearing the same thing I was hearing.

“Don’t worry about her.” Helen sighed. “My staff is loyal. They won’t betray my house.”

That wasn’t why I was looking at her, but Katrina nodded and curtsied before leaving the room. John poked me with another pin.

“Now….” Helen picked up her phone again. “Let’s see if we can find my wayward son.”

John had just about finished the dress when the front door opened. The tug in my chest drew my attention to the hall outside the sitting room, and I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw Roman.

Finally. For the first time in days, my wolf relaxed.