Elis
I paced my chamber, fists clenched, unable to calm the storm inside me. "She won't see me?" I asked for the third time, my voice low but strained.
Eunice leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching me with that all-knowing look of hers. "She's troubled, Elis. What did you expect?"
Tika stirred under my skin, his frustration matching mine. I had held her. Kissed her. Claimed her in the way only a bonded mate could. But now she shut me out, and I couldn't blame her.
"She's hurting," Eunice said again, gentler now.
"I know," I muttered, dragging a hand down my face. "But I can't even go to her. You and she both made it clear."
Eunice raised a brow. "You and Lily may know the truth about your bond, but rumors carry their own poison. Why do you think that hurts her so much?"
I stilled. Because this wasn't just about what we felt. This was about power. Politics. The crown. And right now, in their eyes, she didn't belong. "I didn't make any promises to Zeena," I snapped, more to myself than her.
"No," Eunice said coolly. "But you haven't denied the idea either. And silence? That's dangerous, Elis."
She was right. Damn it, she was always right. "I need time," I said.
"For what?" she asked, arms still folded, gaze sharp.
I looked at her, and something inside me settled with certainty. "For something to happen…something serious enough to end this agreement."
Eunice tilted her head slightly. "And if nothing happens?"
My lips curved into something dark. "Then I'll make something happen."
There was a long pause. Then, finally, Eunice gave a small, approving nod. "Good," she said. "Because the only way to win this game is to stop playing by the rules."
Lily's pov
When Sara delivered the news, I felt like I couldn't breathe. "One year," she said softly, almost like she regretted being the messenger.
I didn't speak. Just nodded like I understood, even though everything inside me screamed. After she left, I curled up on my bed, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees. The candle flickered on the dresser, casting shadows against the wall. I hated how small I felt. How easily my hope unraveled.
He was the Alpha King. Of course, he would choose what was best for the kingdom. But hearing it, that he had agreed to the engagement, publicly, and had asked for a year was like having my chest cracked open. A year. A year of pretending. Of watching from the sidelines. Of knowing that someone else wore the title that should've been mine.
The door creaked open. I didn't have to look to know it was Eunice. "Don't let this break you," she said gently, sitting beside me.
I gave a bitter laugh. "How can I not?"
"Because I know him," she whispered. "That year isn't for the council. It's for you. He's buying time to fix this."
Tears pricked at my eyes. "And if he doesn't?"
Eunice reached for my hand. Her touch was warm. Steady. "Then you decide whether he's worth fighting for. But I promise you, Lily, he's already fighting for you."