Chapter 6

I changed into a pale green dress and carefully arranged every strand of hair in front of the mirror.

Then I walked through the corridor, past the garden, and, with all eyes on me, gracefully walked out of the gates of Briarwood Manor.

No one asked where I was going, and no one dared to.

*****

Late autumn in Foxeburg was gray: the sky, the stone paths, and the sycamore leaves that blanketed the streets.

I made my way down Foxeburg's busiest commercial street, quickly disappearing into the bustling crowd.

No one noticed when I slipped into a narrow alley, nor did anyone see me vanish into an unimpressive gray building at its end.

Someone was waiting for me inside. "Ms. Blackwood." There came a woman in her early sixties, wearing a dress of a wolf witch.

Her face was covered in wrinkles, so ordinary she looked like any vendor at the market.

But her eyes were bright and sharp, with a hint of viciousness.

I said, "Where's what I asked for, Heba Yaga?"

Heba Yaga handed me a slip of paper.

I unfolded it to find a string of ancient runes.

But the moment I saw them, I knew what they meant.

As I read the words, a faint smile tugged at my lips.

Declan was so obsessed with his precious first love, so I'd like to see if she would sacrifice everything for him.

"Ms. Blackwood, do you need me to do anything about Ivy?" Heba Yaga asked.

I shook my head. "No. Have our folks keep an eye on her. That's enough."

Hearing my words, Heba Yaga handed me another slip of paper.

After reading it, I thought to myself that, as I suspected, Silas was not an ordinary werewolf.

"If anything happens in Northfeld, let me know right away." With that, I raised the slip of paper. In an instant, it glowed with a ghostly blue light and burned to ash.

"Yes, Ms. Blackwood," Heba Yaga replied.

As I stepped out of the building, it began to rain.

*****

When I returned to Briarwood Manor, Declan was already gone.

The servants said he had gone to Weston Mansion.

I knew why Declan went there.

"Madam, would you like me to arrange dinner for you?" a servant asked as he approached.

I nodded, feeling in a good mood.

*****

In the days that followed, Declan was swamped. He left early every morning and didn't come home until late at night.

I settled comfortably into the role of his sensible, dutiful mate.

I could see the exhaustion and anxiety written all over him, but I knew what was behind it better than anyone else.

One day, after dinner, I was sitting in the garden, reading a book.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over me.

I looked up and saw Silas, who'd been away for half a month. Deep down, I wasn't quite surprised.

He saw my expression, and his golden eyes showed a rare hint of nervousness. "Sorry, I've had some things to take care of these past few days."

I took a sip of my coffee and raised an eyebrow at him. "What's the point of telling me this, Lord Silas?

"Whatever you've been up to, it's got nothing to do with me. You don't need to explain yourself."

Silas's nervousness vanished, replaced by a grim, cold, and steely look in his eyes. "Really? You think it has nothing to do with you?"

I nodded casually. "Of course."

The next instant, my wrist was grabbed.

*****

Before I could react, everything spun, and I was on the bed in the bedroom.

Silas loomed over me, pinning me down with an undeniable force. "Lyla, everything about you belongs to me."

As he spoke, his golden eyes flashed with a wild red.

I retorted, "No, I'm not. We only hooked up. I—"

Before I could finish my sentence, his lips crashed down on mine, swallowing the rest of my protest.