Emily's POV
This is bad. This is really bad. I can't go to the pack house. An alpha can sense another alpha, and if the Alpha meets me, he'll know I'm not just any wolf.
"Or not," Mia said casually from the back of my mind.
"What do you mean or not?" I snapped.
"Well, I can lock myself in your subconscious when he's around and not come to the surface. He'll think you have no wolf at all," she explained, like it was no big deal.
"Wait… you can do that?" I was baffled. "But what happens when he sees me shift?"
"Oh wow, you plan to shift in front of him? That's brilliant, Emily. Given our massive alpha size, that definitely won't raise suspicion." Her sarcasm was thick enough to slice.
"So, great. I'm going in as an omega serving her princess. When I find out which elder did this, I'm going to rip him apart limb by limb."
The carriage stopped so suddenly that I almost faceplanted into the floor.
I heard the guard chuckle. "Apologies. I only care for ladies, not peasants."
I stepped out and marched up to him. Behind me, I heard Josette hiss something like, "Come back! You'll get yourself in trouble!"
Too late.
I stopped inches from him and stared him dead in the eye. "Listen, you piece of shit. Just because you make a slightly higher wage than us doesn't make you special. We both work for the Alpha family. So before you call anyone a peasant, look in the mirror."
He blinked, stunned. His gaze darted to the other guards, probably feeling their judgment. Predictably, like every fragile man with an ego the size of a peanut, he raised his hand to slap me.
"You useless bit—"
I caught his hand mid-air.
He tried to yank it free, but I squeezed tighter.
"That was a dumb move. Now all your little friends get to see how weak you really are."
He gawked at me, completely thrown off. I smirked and turned back to Josette.
"You have to teach me how to do that," she whispered.
"Do what?"
"Talk back to a man. No woman is allowed to do that."
Her awe was flattering.
We stood there for what felt like hours until Alfred returned, walking beside a girl about our age dressed in elegant clothing.
"Your Highness," Alfred said with a bow, "these are the girls I found to fit your description."
Wait… what?
Her Highness?
In the twenty-first century, Alpha families didn't walk around with royal titles. Sure, they were respected, but no one got called "princess." My sisters and I were just Emily, Emerald, and Ember.
The girl gave us a once-over and turned back to Alfred. "Fine. I'll take it from here. Have the servants prepare the room next to mine."
Alfred looked alarmed. "But Your Highness—"
"That's an order, Alfred. Unless you want me to tell the Alpha you disobeyed me?"
He paled. "No, Your Highness."
As soon as he scurried away, her demeanor changed completely. The stern command melted into a warm, friendly smile.
"Hi. I'm Elizabeth. So, which one is Emily and which one is Josette?"
"I'm Emily. She's Josette," I said.
Elizabeth led us inside.
And wow.
This wasn't a pack house. This was a full-blown castle. No pack members were lounging around like they owned the place. Just guards and servants.
Elizabeth, surprisingly, was sweet. She asked us to call her by name when no one was around, gave us a tour, and even had a guest room prepared for us. Apparently, anything related to her needed to be "the best."
Bless her.
Our room was stunning. Big bathroom. Walk-in closet labeled "His" and "Hers" (filled with uniforms). A queen-sized bed. A cozy couch. Plush carpet. A balcony. Everything was a royal blue and soft white. Goddess, Mia would have loved this.
Too bad she was still tucked deep in my subconscious. I already missed her and it hadn't even been a day.
"After you've rested, come help me change. I have a meeting with the Alpha and the elders at noon," Elizabeth said before leaving.
Josette immediately flopped onto the bed. "Does she really expect me to get back up after lying on this?"
"Yes, Josette. She does," I said, joining her. The mattress was heaven. It reminded me of home.
Time slipped past, and suddenly it was noon. Josette and I found ourselves in Elizabeth's room, helping her get dressed.
Despite her calm appearance, I could tell she was nervous. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Elizabeth, why do you look so… not excited about this meeting?"
She sighed as I did her hair, styling it into a high ponytail with loose strands framing her face.
"The meeting is about marrying me off to an Alpha who isn't my mate," she said quietly.
Tears welled in her eyes.
"Why would your brother do that?"
"Nicholas listens to the elders. They said marrying Alpha Jack would strengthen the pack. And since women aren't allowed to speak up, I have to go along with it."
Her tears fell freely now.
"What about your mate? Is he dead? How old are you?"
She gave a watery smile at my rapid-fire questions. "No, he's not dead. I'm nineteen. But I haven't found him. And since it's rare for a she-wolf to go this long without meeting her mate, everyone assumes I don't have one."
"So what happens when Alpha Jack finds his? Does he toss you aside like trash?"
She looked away.
"No. His mate died in a rogue attack. And I'm terrified, Emily. He's ruthless. If I were his mate, I'd have protection from the bond. But I'm not. Which means he can hurt me… and no one will stop him."
She began sobbing again.
I wrapped my arms around her, letting her cry it out.
When she finally calmed down, Josette stepped in to fix her makeup.
Elizabeth looked in the mirror and smiled softly. "Who taught you how to style hair like this?"
"No one. I just saw your hair and the idea came to me," I said smoothly. Lying was starting to come too easily.
Then she turned to us, hopeful.
"Will you both come with me? I don't want to be the only woman in the room."
A meeting with the elders?
Oh yeah. That's my specialty.
And whether she knew it or not, Elizabeth just gained herself an ally. Because I will not let her marry that sick excuse of an Alpha.