Robbing the Alpha

Ch. 4: Haunting

BROOKE

Trust no one.

That was it. Three little, ominous words written in angry, jagged letters. I scoffed when I read them. If he'd risked his life to tell me that, he was wasting his energy. I never trusted anyone, least of all him.

I did my best to push him out of my mind, but it was difficult, and dinner with Titan was nearly a disaster. No matter how hard I tried, I kept zoning out, daydreaming about things that would make Mother lay an egg. It didn't help that there were so many people there to witness my lack of attentiveness. Thankfully, I had a good excuse. After all, I'd gone through something very traumatic the night before. It was only expected that I'd be tired.

"I'll prepare some lavender tea for you after dinner," Aster had offered in her wispy voice. She was the pack salutary. At least, she had been. At one hundred and twenty-five years old, it was a wonder she could sit upright, and she often forgot she'd been replaced by modern medicine.

I hadn't been about to remind her. "Yes, Aster. That would be lovely. Thank you."

"Of course, dear." She'd smiled, revealing teeth so brown they looked wooden.

If society had its way, Aster would have disappeared to a private room decades ago. But no amount of power or money could make them brave enough to risk a curse. We may try to be like humans, but there were certain things our wolves wouldn't allow.

Titan had smiled at me, his eyes softening. It was no secret he had a strong bond with Aster. After all, he'd grown up with her in the castle his whole life. Another reason she was so untouchable. That brief interaction saved my life, and I made a mental note to remember that should I find myself struggling again.

If all else fails, be kind to Aster.

But in the back of my mind, I knew it wouldn't be enough. I needed to do a better job at pretending. I needed to try harder to forget. People did forget, didn't they? Eventually?

I avoided the garden, but it didn't stop the next note from coming. Mother and I were exploring the grounds when it appeared like magic on a concrete ledge. In the open. Where anyone could see. I snatched and shoved it into my pocket, praying Mother hadn't noticed.

Thankfully, she hadn't.

Do you always look so tempting, or are you trying to drive me insane?

A flood of heat; a sudden chill. I chewed my bottom lip. His recklessness was frightening, but it was the kind of fear people sought. Like riding a roller coaster or skydiving. He excited me, and no matter how counterproductive it was, I found myself constantly searching for the next square of paper, anticipating what he would say. Dreams of him intensified, coming night after night, taunting me with what could never be. So vivid. His hands roughly sliding over my skin, gripping me close. His harsh breaths, his eager mouth, my inability to hate a single second of it.

The third note took longer to arrive. So long in fact, I didn't think it ever would. Why say that then disappear? Perhaps he'd been caught. Would they tell me if he had? Of course not. Why would they? Images of him in that horrible dungeon, his wrists shackled above his head, surrounded by that stench, tied my nerves into knots.

I was on the brink of going down to check when the note appeared in the last place I would have expected.

A dress box.

I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. Mother had ordered us both clothes from the local boutique. It was neatly placed atop the tissue paper, as if he'd been the one to pack it. Thank goddess she hadn't checked the items before sending them to me.