Scarlett’s POV
"You didn’t know the triplets’ sisters are here?" the girl continued, her voice full of excitent and gossip. "They arrived late last night. The Silver Lake Alpha’s daughters. They say each one is a perfect match for the brothers."
I stood there, paralyzed. I had no idea.
"I heard after the engagent today, the wedding will happen in less than a month," another maid chid in, clinking a stack of silver plates. "A triple wedding. Can you imagine the power that will bring to this pack?"
I couldn’t take it. The air in the kitchen suddenly felt too hot; I felt like I could collapse. I turned on my heel and bolted, stumbling out into the hallway. My eyes were clouded with tears, but I blinked them back with a fast intensity. My wolf, Zoe, was howling inside , a mournful, pain-filled sound that made my head throb. She felt the bond being suffocated, and for once, I didn’t have the heart to tell her to be quiet.
"Scarlett?"
I stopped and turned to see Ethan. He was leaning against the stone wall, looking every bit the Alpha in a tailored black suit that made his green eyes pop. After that kiss we shared, I didn’t know how to look at him.
He stepped toward , his brow furrowed. "Why are you crying?"
"I’m not," I lied, my voice cracking. I wiped my face quickly with the back of my hand. "Sothing just... sothing got into my eyes. The kitchen is full of flour and smoke."
Ethan didn’t look like he believed for a second. He reached out, his hand hovering near my shoulder as if he wanted to pull in but wasn’t sure if I’d let him.
"Don’t lie to , Scarlett," he said softly. Then, his expression shifted, becoming more serious. He looked around the busy hallway to make sure we weren’t being overheard. "Co with ."
Ethan led down a quiet corridor and into his guest suite, closing the door behind us. The sudden silence of the room was almost as suffocating as the noise in the kitchen. He turned to face , his gaze piercing.
"Are you crying because of the triplets’ engagent?" he asked. The question was blunt.
I couldn’t deny it anymore. The lie about the flour and smoke felt pathetic now. I lowered my head, a stray tear splashing onto the grey fabric of my maid’s uniform.
"They don’t deserve your tears, Scarlett," Ethan said, stepping closer. He didn’t touch , but I could feel the steady warmth of his presence. "If they are too weak to claim you—if they would rather trade a soulmate for a political alliance—then they don’t deserve a single second of your grief."
I nodded slowly, taking in a shaky breath.
"Can we leave?" I whispered. "Please... can we just go back to your pack? Today. Right now."
I knew if I wasn’t here to see it, it would be easier. If I didn’t have to watch them stand before the pack and present three other won to the world, maybe I could survive this. Maybe Zoe would stop screaming.
Ethan went quiet. He looked away, his jaw tightening as he stared out the window at the bustling courtyard below. "I wish we could, Scarlett. Believe , I want nothing more than to put you in my car and never look back at this territory."
"Then why can’t we?"
"I ca here for a reason," he said. "And I can’t leave until I’m done."
My chest tightened.
"What reason?" I wanted to ask.
But I didn’t.
"If you want to leave, I can send you to my pack today," he offered, turning back to . "I have loyal n who can escort you across the border. You’ll be safe there. I’ll join you as soon as my business here is finished. A week, maybe two."
I slowly shook my head. The thought of being alone in a strange pack felt scary.
"No," I said, my voice hardening. I wiped my face one last ti. "I’ll stay here and leave with you."
"It will be just for a few weeks," Ethan said, stepping closer until I could see the flecks of gold in his green eyes. "Two weeks at the maximum, Scarlett, and then we are gone from this place forever. I promise you."
I nodded slowly. The thought of two more weeks in this house felt like a lifeti, but if it ant leaving with him, I could endure it. I had survived two years of silence and chores; I could survive fourteen more days of their shadows.
Ethan watched for a mont, his expression softening as he reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "Do you not want to attend the coronation?" he asked. "We don’t have to attend. I can take you sowhere else. We can leave the territory for the day and find a quiet place. We could spend the whole day there, just you and ."
For a second, I wanted to say yes so badly. I wanted to hide. I wanted to pretend that the triplets didn’t exist, that none of this was happening.
But I shook my head.
"No," I said, my voice finally steady. "I will attend."
Ethan tilted his head, his eyes searching mine. "Are you sure? It won’t be easy to watch."
"I know," I replied, gripping the hem of my uniform. "I want to see if they can look in the eyes and declare their engagent with other won."
Ethan gave a slow, appreciative smile. It wasn’t the smile of a man who pitied ; it was the smile of an Alpha who recognized a fighter.
"Then we will go together," he said, offering his hand. "You will not go as a servant, Scarlett. You will go with ."
I looked at his hand, then back at his face. Standing with him would bring about a lot of gossip among the guests.
"I don’t have anything to wear," I whispered, gesturing to my grey uniform.
"Leave that to ," Ethan smiled. "I’ll make sure that when you walk into that room, no one will be looking at the sisters. They will only be looking at you."
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