Agnes

I was jolted awake by the sound of my bedroom door swinging open. Squinting against the early morning light, I saw a group of maids bustling into the room, their arms filled with piles of fabric, brushes, and all sorts of random beauty tools.

“Good morning, Luna Agnes,” one of them chirped, setting down a tray of ornate hairpins on my vanity.

“What’s going on?” I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I glanced at the clock, and I still had a solid two hours before I was supposed to get up.

“It’s time to prepare you for your etiquette lesson,” another maid replied, roughly pulling back my covers. The cold morning air hit my bare skin, making me yelp with surprise.

Before I could protest, the maids suddenly whisked me out of bed and began their work. My hair was yanked this way and that, twisted into an elaborate updo adorned with too many bows to count. Layers of makeup were applied to my face, making my skin feel heavy and uncomfortable.

“Is all this really necessary?” I asked, glancing at my reflection with a grimace. I looked like a modern Maria Antoinette, and not in a good way.

“Absolutely, my lady,” the head maid insisted. “Appearances are paramount for your lessons.”

Next, they squeezed me into a stuffy pink dress, its corset tightened so much I could barely breathe. The fabric was stiff, the sleeves puffed absurdly at my shoulders, and the skirt was weighed down with layers of frills and even more bows.

“I feel like a cupcake,” I muttered under my breath.

“Nonsense,” one maid said with a tight smile. “You look perfect.”

Feeling more like a decorated doll than myself, I was escorted down the hallway toward the grand ballroom where my lesson was to take place. As I entered, I noticed Elijah standing beside an older woman with gray hair pulled into a tight bun.

He turned at the sound of my heeled footsteps, and upon seeing me, he let out a snort. His eyes flickered with amusement as he tried—and failed—to suppress a grin.

I felt my cheeks flush. “What?” I demanded, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

“Nothing,” he said. “You just look... different.”

The older woman stepped forward, eyeing me critically. “Luna Agnes, I presume?” she said in a clipped voice.

“Yes,” I replied, smoothing down the ridiculous skirt. “And you are?”

“I am Rosa, your etiquette instructor.” She circled me like a hawk, her sharp gaze taking in every detail. “This simply won’t do,” she tutted.

Before I could react, she began plucking bows out of my hair, letting the curls tumble down my back. “What are you doing?” I asked, bewildered.

“Correcting a travesty,” she replied sharply. She wiped a cloth across my face, removing the layers of makeup, and with swift movements, tore off the excessive frills from my dress, removed the layers of puffy underskirts, and pulled the sleeves down so they were off my shoulders.

Elijah watched the whole transformation with raised eyebrows. When Rosa stepped back, I felt lighter, more like myself. The simple dress now complemented my figure without overwhelming it, my hair fell naturally around my shoulders, and my face wasn’t caked with makeup.

“There,” Rosa said, nodding to herself. “Much better. A natural beauty.”

Elijah’s gaze lingered on me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “You look... lovely,” he said softly.

I felt warmth rise to my cheeks as I turned to a nearby mirror and took a look at myself. Rosa really did an excellent job. I wasn’t even sure if I felt this pretty at the Mate Trial ball.

Rosa clapped her hands, drawing my attention once more. “First lesson: a proper lady should never capitulate to her handmaids,” she scolded me. “If you’re not satisfied with your appearance, it’s your duty to instruct your staff accordingly.”

I blinked as the puzzle pieces began to fall into place. “Wait… Did you set this up?”

She gave me a tight-lipped smile. “I paid the maids to see if you would assert yourself. Clearly, we have much work to do.”

I sighed, feeling a little irritated, but also impressed at the same time. “I suppose we should get started, then.”

“Indeed,” Rosa agreed. “We will begin with the basics. Show me your curtsy.”

My eyes widened a little, glancing at Elijah in the background. He was watching me, leaning against the window frame. Taking a deep breath, I attempted a curtsy, bending my knees and lowering my gaze. It had been years since I’d practiced such formalities, and I felt awkward as hell.

“Hmm,” Rosa mused. “Not terrible, but not acceptable either. Back straight, eyes forward. Again.”

I repeated the motion, focusing on her instructions.

“Better. Now, let’s practice addressing a gentleman.”

Elijah stepped forward. “Good morning, Agnes.”

“Good morning, Elijah,” I said, trying to maintain eye contact.

Rosa tapped her cane on the floor. “No, no! Even as Alpha Elijah’s wife, you should still use his proper title with the appropriate honorifics when addressing him in public.”

I bit my lip. “Good morning, Alpha Elijah. It’s a pleasure to see you.”

Elijah’s lips twitched. “The pleasure is mine.”

“Good,” Rosa said. “But remember to enunciate clearly. Try one more time…”

As the morning went on, we moved on to other protocols—how to enter a room gracefully, the correct way to hold a glass of champagne, and the art of polite conversation. Despite having learned these things in my youth, I was rusty, and under Rosa’s scrutinizing gaze, I couldn’t help but feel inadequate.

“Remember to keep your chin up,” she instructed as I walked across the room balancing a book on my head.

I tried to focus on the tasks, but Elijah’s presence was unnerving. Every time I glanced his way, he was watching me intently. The way his gaze was always fixed on me, solid and unmoving, felt like I was underneath a microscope.

And it didn’t help any that he was dressed in a tailored suit, his broad shoulders straining ever so slightly against the expensive fabric and his long legs crossed at the ankles as he leaned against the window frame.

“Pay attention! Recite the names of the neighboring Alphas!” Rosa commanded.

Flushing, I cleared my throat and began to mumble out the names.

“Speak up,” Rosa ordered.

I blushed even more, but recited them more loudly this time.

Next, we began to practice conversation. Rosa had Elijah and me go through various mock conversations, everything from small talk to more complex topics such as politics and economics.

Normally, talking to Elijah wasn’t this difficult. I’d been waiting tables at the diner for years, so talking to people was definitely one of my stronger suits.

But now, with this much pressure, not to mention the kiss the other night… It was all too much.

I kept stuttering and tripping over my words, and it only got worse as time went on. I felt like a teenage girl, stammering in front of the handsome football captain with her most hated teacher glaring at her.

When I stumbled over my tongue for what felt like the millionth time, Rosa sighed in exasperation. “This won’t do. This simply won’t do.”

“I’m trying,” I murmured, lowering my gaze.

She shook her head. “Time for a different approach. Clearly, we need to build some rapport between you two.”

Elijah raised an eyebrow. “What do you suggest?”

A sly smile spread across Rosa’s face. “A dance exercise. But with a twist.” She retrieved a white feather from her pocket. “You will dance through an entire song with this feather pressed between your bodies. If it falls, you must start over from the beginning of the song. You may not stop until the song ends.”

I stared at the feather. “Is that really necessary?”

“Absolutely necessary,” Rosa declared. “It’s a common trust-building exercise. It will teach you how to remain calm under close proximity.”

Elijah extended his hand to me. “Shall we?”

Hesitating only for a moment, I placed my hand in his. “Alright.”

We stood facing each other as Rosa placed the feather at the point where our chests met. I could feel the warmth of his body, his heartbeat steady and strong against mine. It made my own heart stutter.

“Maintain this distance,” Rosa instructed. “Begin.”

Soft music filled the room as we started to move. I tried to focus on the steps, but the proximity was overwhelming. Elijah’s hand rested lightly on my waist, trying to guide me, but it only made it worse. All I could think about was that damnable kiss the other night, the way he tasted, the yearning for another.

Just then, I stumbled over my own feet, and the feather fluttered to the ground.

Rosa huffed and started the song over.

“Again!”