Chapter 80
I stiffen, my heart pounding in my ears. “Why were you going through my stuff?” I ask, trying to keep my voice calm, but there’s a sharp edge to my words.
“I didn’t. Soren gave it to me this morning,” he replies flatly, his eyes returning to the road. “He thought it best we handle this sooner rather than later and said if it helps me learn to trust you, it won’t hurt, so we’ll do that first thing; it won’t take long.”
Maribel claps her hands together, oblivious to the tension. “Oh, that’s wonderful! See progress between you two! It’s high time we rid you of that rogue status, dear. It’ll be hard enough for people to accept you’re a werewolf, let alone a rogue. Honestly, I am surprised Soren didn’t register you as his pack the moment you both got engaged.”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. Her words are meant to comfort me, but they only serve to remind me of how precarious my position here truly is.
The drive to the council feels like walking to the gallows in some medieval movie. When we finally arrive, the building looms large and imposing, its gray stones cold and unwelcoming. We walk through the tall double doors, and I’m hit by the sterile smell of antiseptic and old papers. Damian leads the way to a small office, where a clerk waits with a stack of forms.
“Fill these out, please,” the clerk instructs, handing me a pen as if she was expecting us, which no doubt Damian called
0.00%
KA
Chapter 80
ahead. His eyes linger on me for a moment too long, curiosity and suspicion mingling in his gaze. I take the forms and sit, my hands trembling slightly as I begin to fill in the blanks with him watching over my shoulder.
Maribel sits beside me; her presence is a comforting warmth as she helps explain some of the more confusing legal jargon. Damian leans against the wall, watching, his expression unreadable.
The clerk takes the completed forms and scans them into a computer along with my sister’s birth certificate. “It will take about a month to process these,” she says, her tone neutral. “You’ll be notified by mail when everything is cleared.”
A month. It is a month of uncertainty, of waiting, of hoping that nothing would go wrong which I know it will. My stomach churns with nervousness.
After the stress at the council, Maribel seems keen to lighten the mood by doing some wedding shopping. As we reach the parking lot, though, I find it empty and glance around, where are all the cars and people.
“I think it’s closed?” I tell her as she climbs out of the car. I climb out and peer at the doors and around the empty parking lot.
“Nope, my husband and your future one are just
overprotective and called ahead, shutting the place down to the public. We have the place to ourselves!” she chirps excitedly.
As we wander through the place, every store is open, but I do not see a single shopper, making me wonder how much it costs to shut down an entire mall. Yet the oddity of it all does
III O
<
Chapter Bo
28 Vouchers
not dim Maribel’s excitement as we pick out linens and sample cake flavors; a part of me can’t help but feel a twinge of sadness. This is everything I imagined doing with my own mother, and though Maribel’s enthusiasm is infectious, it underscores what I’m missing and something I will never experience.
Despite these bittersweet emotions, Maribel’s warmth and excitement make the day more enjoyable than I expected. She has a way of making everything seem special, and her laughter is contagious as we dart from one shop to another with Soren’s credit card while Damian and her own guard follow closely.
Halfway through our shopping spree, Maribel claps her hands together with a conspiratorial grin. “I think it’s time for a little pampering,” she announces, steering me towards a quaint- looking beauty parlor nestled between a florist and a bridal shop.
As we enter, the scent of lavender and jasmine fills the air, a soothing welcome. But my sense of relief is short–lived when Maribel leans in and whispers, “We’ll take care of that fur issue.” My face heats up with embarrassment, and I’m about to protest when she ushers me toward the back of the parlor.
“Wait, I don’t think this is really necessary.” I blurt while Damian snickers. I cut him a glare.
nter AT
11 298 Vouchers.
Chapter 81
