ALTHEA
Althea woke the next day to find flowers lined up in front of her room door.
Her eyes were puffy from crying herself to sleep, and just when she had finally managed to rest, she heard a loud banging on her door.
"What is this for?" Althea asked with a raspy voice, her throat still hoarse from her crying session.
The two girls before her giggled while nudging each other.
"The Alpha asked us to give this to you," one of the girls said, giggling as she passed her an envelope.
"You're so lucky, my lady! Not even Luna Hilda received such treatment," the other girl said excitedly, practically jumping on her feet.
"I never knew the Alpha was such a romantic…"
Althea stopped listening to their endless praise of that vile Alpha and focused on opening the envelope.
~I'll send you flowers every morning from today, Wildcat. Pray your morning is just as beautiful as you are.
Nathaniel.~
Althea frowned. That was all the letter said.
She huffed in annoyance and turned to the two servants, squeezing the envelope in her hand. "Take it back."
The two girls looked at each other in shock. "What?!" they chorused in unison. Neither of them could believe someone was openly rejecting their Alpha's grand gesture.
Althea threw the crumpled letter to the floor and spat, "Tell your Alpha I don't want flowers. I want to go home!" She turned back into her room and slammed the door in their faces.
She could already picture the ashen look on their faces, but she didn't care. Seeing the flowers had put her in the worst mood. A cruel reminder that she was still stuck here.
How could he threaten her and then send her flowers the next morning? That Alpha was truly a psychopath.
Forcing her tears back, Althea slid into her bed. She didn't even have any more tears to shed.
Her eyes suddenly snapped open when an idea popped into her head.
Letters.
Sebastian hadn't been sending her letters, but that didn't mean she couldn't send one.
She sprang up and began searching for a quill and paper. Once she found them, she drew out her vanity stool and cleared a small space on the table before her.
The quill trembled in her hand as she dipped it in ink. Her heart was racing so fast. Earlier, she had been eager, but now her mind was blank. She took a deep breath, tucked away her fear, and began writing.
~Dear Sebastian…~
NATHANIEL
Nathaniel sat in his study, a deep crease on his forehead as he buried himself in the scroll he was reading.
There was a suspicious rise in the number of rogues in the southern border of his pack. They had already claimed five lives. Pieces of filth.
He was about to sign the order for more soldiers to be dispatched to the area when a knock distracted him.
"Come in."
The door opened to reveal two female servants carrying baskets of flowers as they stumbled into his office. He could see their trembling hands gripping the baskets tightly. From where he sat, he could hear their fast heartbeats racing with tremendous fear.
"Why are you back with the flowers?" Nathaniel asked with a frown, even though he already knew the answer.
The girls looked at each other and then back at him.
"L-Lady Althea ordered us to bring them back to you," one of the girls said.
"She said to tell you that she doesn't need flowers… that… that… she would like to go home," the other girl added.
Nathaniel leaned back in his seat, stretching his long legs forward, the corner of his lips lifting into an amused smile. "I see," he drawled. "Take the flowers away. Go pot them somewhere else."
The two girls bowed and hurriedly left.
Nathaniel tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table, deep in thought. Did she not like flowers? Or was it the type of flowers? He had ordered the florist to prepare some of the best scents.
Zak prowled restlessly in his mind. "Mate! Mate! Must see her! Must have her!"
Nathaniel pinched the bridge of his nose, dragging out a long hiss. He already had so much on his plate, and his wolf wasn't helping.
"I told you, we must take it slow," Nathaniel said to his wolf, his voice slowing toward the end as if trying to convince himself rather than Zak.
He understood exactly what his wolf was going through. His eyes briefly drifted to the large bulge in his trousers. His body was reacting at just the thought of her. The mere idea of catching a whiff of her scent made his body go taut. No woman had ever made him this aroused. Not even Hilda.
Nathaniel closed his eyes, willing his wolf and body to stay put. He intended to give Althea as much time as he could. But he didn't have much time.
Nathaniel didn't know how long he stayed in that position, fighting his urges, before another knock came.
He sat up with a grunt. His body still hadn't calmed.
The door opened, and this time, it was a guard. In his hand was an envelope.
"Alpha." The guard quickly bent on one knee in greeting. He stood and marched toward Nathaniel, placing the envelope on the table.
Nathaniel eyed the envelope and then looked back at the guard. "Who is this from?"
"I saw the female servant of your second mate. She was heading somewhere, suspiciously turning around to see if anyone was watching her. I decided to follow her and saw her hand this envelope to the postman." The guard paused before continuing. "I didn't know what it was, but I thought it wise to bring it to you first. If there is no problem, I'll take it back to the postman myself."
Nathaniel studied the envelope on the desk before picking it up. He tore it open and pulled out the letter inside.
Spreading the paper in his hand, he read the first line.
~Dear Sebastian…~
His jaw locked instantly. There was no doubt Althea had written this. The letter was decorated with little hearts and drawings. Nathaniel squeezed the paper in his hand, his eyes darkening.
"What is your name?" he asked the guard.
"Darius, Alpha," the guard replied quickly, a proud smile on his face. But his smile soon faded when he felt the anger radiating from his Alpha.
"I need you to do something for me, Darius."
"What is it, Alpha?" Darius asked eagerly. If he did well in the Alpha's eyes, he might earn a reward—or better yet, a promotion.
"If any such letter appears at the post office again, it should be redirected here. Inform the postman. If another letter crosses the pack gates, your head will be my consolation prize. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Alpha!"
As Darius closed the door behind him, Nathaniel looked at the crumpled paper in his hand. He raised his hand to throw it away but paused midway.
A part of him wanted to fling it aside and forget it existed. Another part of him wanted to read it—to see Althea's heart written out.
"How dare that rascal steal the heart of my mate!" his wolf growled within him. "How dare he!"
Nathaniel silenced his wolf, unfolded the letter, and began to read.