"She's safe with me."
"Thank you." I exhaled. "Also… don't tell her what we are. Not yet."
Aurora's eyebrows arched. "You don't think she should know she's living with wolves?"
"She already has enough to deal with," I said. "She thinks she's been bought, thrown into some palace of madmen. She's still blinking at the curtains like they're gonna bite her. Let's not throw the supernatural curveball yet."
I didn't know if this was a good idea, but a deep part of me so badly wanted to take all the burden far away from her for as much as I could. Even though that'd be so hard to maintain, considering this was an Alpha's mansion of all things.
Aurora gave a knowing nod. "Then what should she know?"
I dipped my hands in my pockets. "Tell her who's who. Let her know which maids will smile and whisper behind her back. Which guards to avoid. Who answers to Ciro. Who answers to me. And who will chew her up if she steps into the wrong room."
Aurora dimmed her eyes. "And who won't hurt her?"
"Just you and I for now," I said flatly. "The rest need to be earned."
She pressed her lips together, then gave me the smallest, warmest nod. "Count on me."
As she turned away, the scent of cinnamon and cedar clung to her skirts. It was a comforting scent. Like home. Like warm bread on a cold day. Sometimes, I wish my mother could learn a thing or two from her.
My mother – the whore, the one who is the Delta's mistress even after birthing a bastard child for the Alpha. She was the root of all of my problems.
I hoped to hell that she stayed away for now. At least, until Rose had fully blended in. I wouldn't want her embarrassing me in front of my breeder.
For now, Aurora would be Rose's anchor. I'd made the right call in appointing her.
But now I had a storm to prepare for. Ciro wasn't going to let this go. Not just because he hated me. Not because he thought I was going to ruin her.
No.
Because now, I knew. I knew Rose was his mate. And for Ciro, that secret was his last thread of sanity. A thread I had just snapped between my teeth.
The beast in me grinned. The man in me sighed. The brother in me mourned. Because now, there was no going back.
As I stepped out of my wing, the smell of steamed fabric, paperboard, and expensive perfume smacked me straight in the face.
I could see the Maids, maybe eight of them… no, ten—were pushing a large cart, piled high with Rose's new clothes and accessories.
Pale pinks, buttery creams, soft lavenders. A few were balancing towers of shoeboxes. One cart held what looked like a tiara tucked between hairpins and cosmetic compacts.
So, they'd gone all in.
"Good afternoon, Alpha," one of the maids chirped, curtsying so fast her stack of dresses nearly toppled.
"Ma'am," I replied, giving a single nod and the most aloof grunt I could manage.
Another one dared a smile. "We're just arranging the breeder's wardrobe…"
"I can see that."
I didn't mean to sound cold, but the truth was, seeing all those boxes felt like watching a storm roll in—one I'd personally invited. Rose didn't even wear luxury dresses. Bet she doesn't even look at her reflection without flinching. Yet here we were, dressing her up like the star prize in a beauty pageant for wolves.
The maids beamed as if I'd just handed them a small fortune. I pretended to check my pocket watch, which was a relic from a time before I inherited the mantle of Alpha and responsibility… and tried to keep my face as unreadable as the stone walls around me.
Of course, it didn't last. My phone buzzed in my coat pocket.
I checked the caller ID and saw Cassian's name flashing across it. Cassian was the one man in this entire godsdamned place who hadn't tried to stab me in the back…. yet.
"Speak," I grumbled as soon as I hit the green button.
"I hope you're not busy, Alpha."
I frowned. "Define busy."
"The Council has called a meeting. It's an urgent one."
W-what?!
I stopped walking. "Excuse me?"
He exhaled softly, like he was bracing himself for my inevitable eruption. "They didn't go through you."
"They what?" My voice dropped like a guillotine.
"They called it as a full panel. Entire council."
"Without my permission?"
"Yes, sir."
"They dare call a meeting without the Alpha's consent?" I barked, whirling around.
A maid dropped a shoe box and scurried to pick it up, like I might burn her where she stood. "Do they think this is a bloody democracy now?"
Cassian paused and proceeded to speak in a cautious tone. "It's about the breeder, Caligo."
Of course it was. Those corrupted self-aboarded bastards would definitely have something to say. Like how Rose wasn't befitting of the Luna position and how she wasn't even my mate.
A chilling cold flood filled my veins, heavier than fury. I rubbed the space between my eyes and took a sharp inhale. "I should've expected that."
"She's made quite the splash."
"She hasn't done anything."
"That's probably the problem."
I sighed through gritted teeth. "Fine. I'll be there in five."
"Want me to prep anything?"
"Just keep the fools from starting without me."
"Always."
As I moved to hang up, I paused. "And Cassian, are you back to work?"
Cassian's voice lost the edge. "Yeah. I'm back. I'll be waiting at the entrance."
I clicked off the call and slid the phone back into my coat. Great. Just perfect. A Council meeting over a girl who still thinks she has a choice or a say in her own life now.
Rose was going nowhere. No matter what anyone says. There was no point in dragging this out. If the council wanted a war, I'd give them one. I was the fucking Alpha for a reason.