The heavy door clicked shut behind Elias, and the tight feeling in the room seemed to disappear all at once. Lara, who had been frozen beside me, let out a long, shaky breath. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked like a puppet whose strings had just been cut.
"He's so scary, my lady," she whispered, her voice still trembling a little. Her eyes, wide and a bit teary, looked at me with a mix of wonder and fear. "How do you talk to him like that? Like he's just nobody important?"
I simply shrugged, picking up my fork again to finish the delicious meal. The anger that had flared in Elias's eyes had been a small win. But it didn't truly change where I was.
Lara watched me for a moment, then sighed again, a bit louder this time. "I would never get used to him," she mumbled, shaking her head. "Never. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest just standing there."
After we finished the grand meal, which I truly enjoyed every single bite of, the young boy who had brought it returned to take the empty platters.
Lara helped him, her movements still a little shaky from being so nervous. Once he was gone, Lara sat down beside me quietly. Just exactly what I needed after going head to head with the Alpha.
A few minutes later a man I hadn't seen before entered the room. He was older, with kind eyes behind small glasses and a calm way about him.
He introduced himself as the pack's doctor. Lara, who was with me, stood a little straighter, looking nervous but also curious.
The doctor sat by my bed and spoke in a soft voice. "My lady, I've been asked to check on your recovery. You suffered a sudden collapse at the ceremony. From my observations, and given your previous diet, it seems you were suffering from severe weakness and exhaustion, made worse by a lack of proper nutrition."
He then began to explain more about why I had fainted. "Your body was simply too depleted," he said gently. "Without enough good food, your energy stores were empty. The stress and excitement of the day, even if you felt strong, pushed your body past its limit. It was a clear case of your system shutting down to protect itself."
He spoke about how the body needs certain nutrients to function, and how a prolonged lack of them could lead to such a sudden loss of consciousness.
He didn't outright say "they starved you," but his words made it clear. He advised me to continue eating well, to rest fully, and told me that with proper care, I would regain my full strength.
He also strongly recommended light exercise, such as short strolls, to help my blood flow and rebuild my stamina. He checked my pulse, looked at my eyes, and listened to my breathing, all with a gentle and professional manner.
He even made a note about needing some special tonics to help my blood. It felt odd to be treated with such care after being treated so poorly. It was all part of the act, I knew, but it was still a small comfort to have someone look at me with concern, even if it was a forced one. And then he finally left.
"What a nag" Lara said tiredly.
"Don't say such things Lara" I laughed.
"Yes my lady" She smiled.
I spent the next few days in this quiet room, focusing on just being still and getting better. My body still felt weak from not getting enough good food for so long, and the shock of fainting at the wedding had taken more energy out of me than I'd let anyone see.
The rich, tasty meals kept coming, which was strange compared to the scraps they'd given me before. It was clear that this sudden kindness was just a show, a way to make it seem like they hadn't treated me badly after I fell unconscious in front of everyone.
I ate every bite, letting my body soak up the strength it had been denied for so long. Every mouthful was like medicine, healing the emptiness inside me.
After about a week Lara came bearing good news.
"My lady," she said, her eyes wide, "the Alpha has decided that since you are no longer seriously ill, you are to be moved back to your old chambers."
My old chambers. The word felt strange on my tongue. This smaller, temporary room had served its purpose. I nodded, a flicker of interest in my eyes. Perhaps being back in a more familiar space would offer new opportunities for observation.
Within the hour, guards arrived. They didn't speak, they simply waited for me to stand. Lara helped me gather the few things I had brought with me.
I walked slowly, testing my strength, feeling the familiar ache in my muscles but also a new energy bubbling beneath it.
The halls were quiet, but I could feel eyes on me, even if I couldn't see them directly. News traveled fast in this packhouse.
Back in my former chambers, it felt strange. The larger space, the heavier furniture, the familiar view from the window was all the same, yet different. I was still a prisoner, but now I was a recovering one, and one who had caused a stir.
Over the next few days, as my strength returned, I began to follow the doctor's advice. With Lara often by my side, and sometimes with a silent guard watching from a distance, I started taking short strolls within the allowed areas of the packhouse.
At first, it was just around the quiet courtyard I could see from my window, a place with a few benches and some tired-looking flowers. Each day, I pushed myself a little further, slowly regaining my stamina.
These strolls weren't just for my health. They were a chance to observe. Every walk was a careful mission.
My eyes moved, quick and sharp, taking in every detail. I watched the daily routines of the pack members, how the guards changed shifts, the paths the servants took carrying baskets or laundry, and the way sunlight fell on different parts of the building at different times of day.
I noticed which doors were always closed, which windows were often open. I listened to the sounds, the distant clang of pots from the kitchen, the muffled voices from offices, the laughter of children from another part of the grounds.
Nothing seemed out of place, no obvious weaknesses appeared at first glance. Yet, I continued to watch, observing the tiny details that others might miss.
I watched the delivery carts coming and going, noting what they carried and who handled them. I watched the sunlight change throughout the day, trying to figure out the exact time without a clock. This quiet observation became my new game, my new mission.
The failure of my plan to expose Cynthia still bothered me. I kept replaying Elias's search of the kitchen in my mind. I wasn't expecting it, at least not immediately.
Cynthia was smarter than I had thought.
She had known exactly what I would do, predicting my words and making sure every bit of proof was gone.
It was a harsh, important lesson. My next move, whatever it was, would have to be much more careful, much more thought out. Going straight at them wouldn't work here. They were too clever, too powerful, too ready for direct attacks.
One afternoon, during one of my longer strolls through a less-used part of the courtyard, I heard sounds I hadn't expected. Not the usual chatter of servants or the heavy footsteps of guards.
These were light, playful growls and quick, excited yips. I followed the sounds carefully, my curiosity overriding my caution. Around a corner, hidden behind a large oak tree, was a small, open patch of grass.
And there he was. Elias.
He was on his knees playing with little. They bit on his legs and he pulled them off gently. He had a huge smile on his face.
It was a side of him I had never imagined, and it stopped me dead in my tracks.