{Elira}
~**^**~
This was the only ti I got to sit at the table and eat like the actual part of the family I was, and not the servant Regina and her mother made .
Uncle Marc had once said, "Elira is still family."
Lady Maren hadn’t agreed, but she hadn’t argued either. She had just narrowed her eyes like the word family tasted wrong when applied to .
Uncle Marc sat at the head of the long table. His presence was warm, but quiet.
But watching him speak to Regina and Lady Maren felt like watching soone try to keep a garden alive in a drought. He tried. But nothing blood.
Lady Maren sat beside him, composed and elegant as always, her hands draped delicately over her silverware. Across from sat Regina, all smiles and sugar-coated poison.
She still had it in her to keep up pretences after burning my back and treating like a plank a few hours ago.
And there I was, literally perking on my chair, trying to appear invisible. The bruises on my back pulsed with every movent, but I kept my posture perfect.
I couldn’t eat much. I rarely did. Not because the food wasn’t good—it was—but because eating while under their eyes made everything taste like guilt. And then there was the scene of Lady Maren forcing to eat spoilt food from the wastebin.
I felt Uncle Marc’s eyes on and looked up. "Elira, you are not eating."
"I will, uncle," I said quickly, reaching for my spoon. "I’m just taking my ti."
He gave a small nod. He didn’t notice anything out of place.
"Tomorrow is your birthday, isn’t it? Happy birthday, Elira."
He rembered?
A genuine smile finally crossed my lips. "Thank you, Uncle."
"Happy birthday, Elira," Lady Maren said sweetly.
Regina smiled cheerfully and wished as well. "Happy birthday, dearest cousin."
"Thank you," I said, forcing a smile. I wasn’t grateful.
Uncle Marc turned his attention to Lady Maren. "Did you get the birthday dress for Elira with the money I gave to you?"
A gasp escaped Lady Maren’s lips, pretending to be shocked. "It completely slipped my mind. I was only thinking about Gina’s engagent dress."
"The engagent talks haven’t been finalized. Aren’t you a little too fast?" he frowned.
"There is no harm in planning ahead," Lady Maren argued. "Besides, tomorrow is the mating ceremony. And if the moon goddess pleases, Gina might even feel the mate bond with Zenon before the engagent is finalized two days after.
Uncle Marc didn’t back down. He asked about .
"What about Elira? Tomorrow is her 18th birthday, and she will attend the mating ceremony. The new dress would have been perfect. What would she wear now?"
I would hate for him to argue with his wife for my sake. He might not know this, but it would never end well for tonight.
I had no idea he had given money to Lady Maren to get a birthday dress in the first place. And honestly, I didn’t care.
I was already very much satisfied and thankful that he rembered my day.
"Gina still has so beautiful gowns she hasn’t touched in her wardrobe. Elira can manage one of them for tomorrow," Lady Maren said.
"Yes. And we are the sa size," Regina added, looking happy to help.
Uncle Marc glanced at . "Elira, dear, are you okay with that?"
"I am, Uncle." I forced another smile and turned to Regina. "Thank you."
The rest of the al passed in silence.
And all I could think about through the sll of roasted venison and wine was the discreet punishnt I might be made to serve tomorrow.
---
I woke before sunrise the next morning without the help of ice water.
The ache in my body hadn’t faded, but today was too important for excuses.
I was eighteen. Finally.
But there was no celebration, of course. No candle. No cake. I didn’t deserve any. And today wasn’t about .
Tonight was the Mating Moon Ceremony.
The day when fate made its choices. The day when wolves found their mates, chosen by instincts deeper than blood, written in the stars, sealed beneath the full moon’s light.
And today, all eyes would be on Regina.
The future Luna. The pride of the Beta family. And the one the rumours said would be chosen by one of Alpha Cyprus’s sons.
I dressed quickly and tied back what was left of my hacked red hair. No one cared what I looked like. They only cared that I showed up when called.
"ELIRA!"
Regina’s voice rang through the house like a bell made of glass and venom.
I ran.
---
Regina made serve her throughout the day under the guise of spending ti with her. And she knocked thrice in the middle of my head with a wooden stick for responding to sothing she said two seconds late.
Finally, when evening had arrived, she handed one of her old black gowns from the depths of dirty luggage to wear for the night.
I had no complaints. At least she hadn’t cut the dress because I had nothing nice to wear. I simply put on the dress and returned to her room once again.
There were roses everywhere, and perfu was thick in the air. Her ceremonial gown, deep purple with silver threading, lay across the bed like sothing sacred.
Regina stood near the mirror in a robe, smiling like she knew her fate.
"Dress ," she said, like it was a gift. "You get to be the first to see beco the star tonight."
I stepped forward and began the routine: brushing, lacing, pinning, tightening.
She turned slowly in front of the mirror as I worked, admiring herself from every angle.
"I will bet all three of the Ashford brothers want ," she said, voice airy. "But I know Zenon’s the one. He looks like he needs soone polished. Soone worthy of a title."
She looked back at over her shoulder. "You wouldn’t understand."
"No," I said softly. I would never.
When we went downstairs, Lady Maren was waiting, already dressed in regal navy blue and gold. Her expression soured when she saw behind Regina.
She didn’t want to join them, but Regina smiled.
"Oh, let her co. What better audience is there than the one who’s always beneath you?"
I didn’t flinch. But I felt it.
Lady Maren hesitated, then waved off. "Fine. But don’t let her be seen near the front."
As if I would dare.
We left in silence.
The sky was beginning to darken. The scent of burning herbs drifted through the pack grounds. Wolves howled in the distance, their calls echoing like music before the ritual.
The Mating Moon would rise soon.
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