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Christopher delivered me to my father’s office door with a word. It was dark oak with the symbol of our pack carved into it — a wolf’s body with a snake’s head wrapped in a flame to show we were as clever as we were ferocious. It was gaudy but that was the point.
I took the knocker in my hand and tapped it three times. The door opened a moment later, and there stood my father, alone. I lifted my brows, surprised by this. It was hard to find him alone at all, whether he conferred with the pack council, whether he had guards present, whether he was teaching a class. But after the door was gently tucked shut, I realized it was just the two of us.
“Sit,” he commanded gently, gesturing at the chair in front of his pristine desk.
I obeyed, still looking around, trying to figure out if there was someone present and simply hiding.
“I’m glad you came.” My father slid into his seat in front of me. Off to the side, I made out the peels of a grapefruit sitting on a green napkin, the scent of tangy citrus still hanging in the air. I wrinkled my nose, ignoring the thought of telling him he didn’t leave me much of a choice.
I hummed my response instead.
“I find this conversation relatively difficult to have, especially with you,” he said slowly, keeping his calculating eyes on me. “I want you to know, first and foremost, just how much I love your mother.”
I sucked in a breath, trying not to be obvious about it. I already knew where this was headed, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear any more of it.
“However,” he said, “as Alpha to our pack, there are particular expectations placed on me that not even I can get out of.”
He glanced down at his hands, resting flat on the surface of the desk. Fiddling with his old wedding ring, the gold shine reflecting off the flickering candles, he pursed his lips, deep in thought.
“I’m expected to marry, Adrya,” he said, eyes flashing up to meet mine. “And, unless I want to take my chances in the ridiculous lottery that is this Marriage Law pact, I will have to make my choice soon.”
I wasn’t sure what he wanted me to say to that.
I didn’t like that my father would be looking for a bride, but he was Alpha. What could he do? It was expected of him…just like it would be expected of me.
“I understand, Father,” I said, tucking my chin slightly.
“I knew you would.” He offered me a rare smile before reaching out and squeezing my hand.
I almost flinched at the contact. It wasn’t often he touched me, even to show me affection.
“You know you will always come first, don’t you?”
I bit back a smile. While I appreciated the effort, I was also aware that this wasn’t exactly the case. How could it be? Another reality I had to accept was I would never be his first priority. The pack was, and nothing would change that.
Embyrlyn
Ileft the meeting with a chill in my bones. I was so focused on what I learned about the Scarlet mission, I almost bumped into Adrya’s brother, a dangerous look on his chiseled face. Master Grey wasn’t kidding when he said he had to meet with everyone. I didn’t want to think about what could make Matthyw King so angry, especially with his reputation.
Rolling my shoulders back, I resumed my original line of thinking. I wasn’t sure how I felt now that I knew the mission Grey wanted me to partake in. I had already agreed to it, so it wasn’t like I could back out. And he was giving me until after the full moon before he expected me to leave the academy. Apparently, I would have an escort, a contact, who would be going with me and working on this mission, but as of right now, Master Grey hadn’t revealed who it was.
My heart thumped loudly against my chest, drowning out the sound. By this point, it was almost lunch. I could have returned to my alchemy class, but, for some reason, my feet led me elsewhere.
To the training pit.
I needed to train.
There was a burning sensation in my chest, one that started when Master Grey brought up the Light Bringer dens. But it only turned more enflamed the second he said I was supposed to go there. And what was worse – Dade was there. Could be.
No, Embyrlyn.
I couldn’t get ahead of myself. Reports weren’t actually the truth. I couldn’t assume…
But then, if I couldn’t, what was the point? Why should I risk it?
I wished there was something more tangible for me to hold onto. Something I could fight towards. I always thought that was Dade, and it still was. Even now, thinking about him, I knew I was still in love with him, which only made me more foolish. I knew that. He chose to leave. And the way he left me when I went after him, what he did…
I clenched my teeth as my eyes burned with tears. The fact that this still hurt me for some reason just showed how foolish I truly was. Did I think it would be any different? He never cared about me in that way, not really. We were friends, sure, but I was the annoying younger sister, and anyway, he was more concerned with being better than Felix. Their rivalry was nearly as strong as actual siblings. I was the third-wheel between them, someone completely insignificant because I was out of my league in comparison.
