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The arrivals took the better part of three hours, the final one being Reagan James, the only submission from the Pacific Northwest pack. She was only an inch or so taller than me, and curvy, but she looked quite strong, as if she’d been training hard all her life. She also looked remarkably like her older sister, Sydnee, with her pale skin and long black hair, though her personality was the polar opposite.
“Hi,” she said, her voice bubbly and her dark brown eyes full of sparkle. “I’m so excited to be here.” She gave me a wide, friendly smile that didn’t seem forced at all, and I liked to think I was a good judge of character.
“Welcome to Wilder Manor,” I said, liking her right away. She seemed sincere and took in the magnificent gilded foyer that opened up all the way to the fourth-floor domed ceiling with a look of awe. She didn’t seem presumptuous, but I was careful not to make any judgments too soon. I knew all too well from my own experience that some of the most vile women were extremely skilled at hiding their true nature. While we needed to pay attention and be careful that Reagan wasn’t Sydnee 2.0, I had a feeling she wasn’t just putting on a show.
After everyone was checked in and had been escorted by their assistants to their rooms on the second floor, I called a quick meeting with my three personal assistants to check the status of the plans for the rest of the day.
“Make sure there are escorts with the girls at all times,” I reminded them, a rule that had been put in place after a terrifying attack in my own Contention that I would continue to enforce during Garrett’s. “How are dinner plans coming along?”
We chatted for about fifteen minutes until I was satisfied that they knew exactly what was expected of them and had it under control. Then I went in search of Kayden. I found her in her office with her own assistant, Faye, who was doing her best to convince Kayden to wear an elaborate ball gown for the evening.
“You’re the alpha’s wife,” Faye insisted while shaking the gown for emphasis as I entered the room. “You need to look better than everyone else.”
Kayden rolled her eyes. “This isn’t about me this time. You just want an excuse to dress me up like a doll again.”
Faye huffed out a breath, and I covered my smile with my hand. That much was true. “And so what if I do?” She reached forward and fingered a strand of Kayden’s long, white-blonde hair. “It’s just so much fun.”
Kayden laughed and shook her head. “Go find something a little less Cinderella, and we’ll talk about the very small possibility of you choosing my hairstyle.”
Faye looked appeased at that, passing me as she headed through the door. “How is everything going, Jessica?”
“Well, I don’t know if any of the contestants’ assistants could ever compare to you, but well enough.”
A wide smile bloomed on her face, and she tossed her long blonde ponytail over her shoulder. “Glad you recognize.”
Kayden and I burst into laughter as she shut the door behind her. “You really shouldn’t encourage her like that, Jess.”
I grinned. “But it’s too easy.”
Kayden cocked her head. “How is everything going, really?”
I shrugged. “Pretty good. All the women are checked in and should be in their rooms until Willow gives them the grand tour in about an hour. Then their assistants will fuss over them for hours, getting them dressed up for dinner.”
Kayden grimaced. “I’d say I don’t miss that part, but I’ve really never escaped it.”
“Aw, come on. Faye’s harmless, and I know you love her.”
The affection in her eyes proved my point. “So, what’s next for you today? Want to grab lunch?”
“I’d love to, but I need to make sure the kitchen staff has everything they need, check in with Willow, and put some finishing touches on the dining hall.”
Kayden rolled her eyes, but she was smiling when she said, “It looked perfect to me when I stopped by earlier. But it will never be good enough for you, will it?”
I bit my lip. “What can I say? I want everything to be perfect. This is my chance to prove myself.”
“I’d say you’ve already done that.”
I hadn’t, but her compliment encouraged me as I made my way back downstairs to check in on everything. I ended up spending too much time fussing, leaving me very little time to get ready. Luckily, the black sequined dress I selected for the night was elegant and simple at the same time, not requiring any additional adornment for the formal dinner. I pulled my hair up into a French twist, applied natural-looking makeup, and then rushed to the dining hall with only thirty minutes to spare before the women arrived.
I stood in the doorway, raking my gaze over the room. It looked great, and once again, I was glad I’d had the place repainted. Still, I couldn’t help but readjust some of the bright orange and pink centerpieces and double-check that the elegant gold-plated china place settings had all the right utensils.
Suddenly, I became aware of another presence, and I whirled to find Garrett standing in the doorway, looking handsome as ever in a black tuxedo. For a moment, all I could do was stare.
“Everything looks beautiful,” he said, gesturing around the room, though his eyes remained fixed on me.
“Thank you,” I said, my cheeks warming. “I was hoping you’d like it. Are you ready for tonight?”
He shrugged. “As ready as I’ll ever be. I just wanted to check in with you before the women arrive.” Something in his eyes was darker, stormier than I’d seen before.
