FAYE
I had already arranged my things and gotten everything set up in my room. After freshening up, I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I called out, not really sure who to expect.
The door opened and in walked a beautiful woman–tall, graceful, confident, and smiling so brightly that I instantly felt disarmed. I’d been bracing myself for anything, but certainly not someone like her.
“I’m Irene,” she said cheerfully. “Alexander’s sister. And you’re his mate! I’m so excited–we’re going to be sisters!”
She moved with the kind of ease that made you feel like you’d known her forever, making a bit of a fuss about how close we were going to be and all. I smiled, trying to keep up with her
energy.
“It’s really nice to meet you, Irene” I said, offering my hand.
She shook it enthusiastically. “Oh, please, don’t be so formal. Come here!” she said, pulling
me into a warm hug that caught me off guard. “Goddess… you’re so beautiful,” she added.
“Wow,” I said, laughing lightly as we pulled away. “You’re… very welcoming.”
“Of course I am! We’ve all been waiting for you. Well, maybe not all,” she added with a mischievous wink, clearly referencing her brother.
I tried to laugh again, but before I could say anything, she did the one thing I completely saw
coming.
“Alright, Sage…”
She called me Sage.
My smile faltered a little, and I think she noticed it immediately. Her eyes widened. “Oh, no…I’m so sorry,” she gasped, waving her hands apologetically. “That was such a slip of the tongue. I’ve just had Sage’s name on my mind ever since I heard about the alliance. I knew she was supposed to be my brother’s mate, and it kind of stuck in my head.”
I took a breath and gave her a small nod. Honestly, I couldn’t really blame her. It could have been a simple slip–especially since I wasn’t even fully used to the idea myself. I wasn’t supposed to be here. My sister was.
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<Chapter 13
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“It’s okay,” I told her. “You don’t have to feel bad. It’s honestly a good thing that everyone here already knows I’m not the original plan, it kind of takes the pressure off. I don’t have to pretend I’m something I’m not or act like I’ve got it all figured out. I can just… be myself.”
She looked at me for a second, and then gave this amused little smirk that made me think she was genuinely impressed. “I love you already,” she said, grinning. “We’re definitely going to get along, I can’t wait for us to start bonding. As sisters, of course.”
I chuckled, relaxing a bit more. “You’re really different from what I would have expected. I don’t mean that in a bad way. Just… surprising.”
She tilted her head. “Different how?”
I hesitated. “You’re… really warm. Friendly, and open.”
Irene laughed again. “And you were expecting what? A cold, formal she–wolf….a female version of my brother?”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “Something like that.”
“Trust me, I get it. Alexander doesn’t exactly make the best first impression….or second…or third,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But he’s not all ice, I promise. He just takes some time to melt.”
I raised an eyebrow. “So you’re telling me there’s actually a person in there somewhere?”
She gasped dramatically. “A whole, real–life human being. Scary, right?”
We both laughed and the tension I’d been holding onto since I arrived started to fade.
“So,” she said, sitting at the edge of my bed like we were already best friends, “what do you think of the pack house so far?”
“Honestly? It’s beautiful. A bit overwhelming, I got lost in the hallway for like ten seconds just trying to remember which way the stairs were.”
“That sounds about right,” she said. “Even I still get turned around sometimes. The place is like a castle. And you haven’t even seen the gardens or the east wing.”
“There’s a garden?”
“Not just one. A rose garden, a herb garden, and a ridiculously massive training field disguised as a green lawn. I’ll give you a tour tomorrow…if you want.”
“I’d love that. Thanks, Irene.”
She smiled and leaned back on her hands. “You know… it’s brave of you to come here like
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<Chapter 13
this. With all the pressure and expectations, especially after what happened.”
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My expression softened. “I didn’t really have much of a choice. But… I made peace with it.”
She nodded, looking thoughtful. “Still. Doesn’t make it any less impressive. You’re doing
better than I would if our roles were reversed.”
“I doubt that. You seem like the kind of person who adapts quickly.”
“I’m the kind of person who talks too much when I’m nervous,” she said with a grin. “Which, surprise, I am right now. I really wanted you to like me.”
That made me laugh out loud. “Well, you didn’t have to try so hard. You had me at ‘Come here!”
We both smiled, and there was a brief, comfortable silence before she straightened up.
“Anyway,” she said, brushing her hands over her thighs, “dinner should be ready any moment now. Someone will come up to call you.”
I nodded, then paused. “Is there some kind of dress code?”
She laughed, that soft, melodic kind of laugh that made her eyes crinkle. “Not at all,” she said. “Wear whatever you feel like. It’s a private dinner, probably just the two of you at the table.”
Great. Just me and the Alpha Iceberg.
“Got it,” I said. “Do I have time to pretend I’m choosing an outfit and not just overthinking this entire evening?”
She stood and stretched. “Absolutely. And if you need me to come back up and pretend to help you pick something just so you’re not alone with your thoughts, say the word.”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll manage.”
“Alright then, Luna Faye,” she said with a playful salute. “See you later. Good luck breaking the ice at dinner. Literally.”
She winked and left the room, her laughter echoing faintly in the hallway.
I found myself still smiling when Nova made her remark, “This place is not so bad now is it?”
“It’s too early to judge, Nova. We’ll see about that,” I said.
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