Chapter 112

Fiona

Checking off my last item on today’s to-do list, I press send on the email and sit back with a sigh. Today was exhausting, and not because of any work Ethan gave me to do, but because I was up all night. I probably only got four or five hours of sleep once we came inside from the yard and got in bed.

Then, my brain wouldn’t turn off all night. It ran wild with so many different scenarios of how Ethan would turn down the marriage. Would he be able to do it without problems breaking out between him and Angela’s parents?

A shiver of unease hits me, and I push it away. I don’t want to think of the bad things that could happen, but I can’t help it. There’s still so much I don’t know and probably won’t know if this marriage is forced to happen, and I can’t rule that out as a possibility.

After last night, I want to believe Ethan and Zev can figure out how not to marry Angela, but what if someone else higher than Ethan interferes?

Sighing, I rest my cheek in my hand and look to my right when the elevator dings. Patrice, the mail lady, smiles brightly at me, and I sit up, forcing my own smile. She’s always so nice and sweet that I don’t want her to think I don’t want to see her.

“Hi, Patrice,” I say when she rolls her cart up to my desk.

“Hi, honey. You look pretty today,” she tells me, motioning to the light blue dress I’m wearing. I glance down at it and bite back the smile. When Ethan so kindly kidnapped me from Isla’s house last night, I didn’t have any clothes with me other than the pajamas I was wearing. The dress was lying on the bed this morning when I came out of the shower.

It’s not my usual work attire, but it was pretty and a gift from Ethan, so I didn’t refuse it.

“Thank you,” I whisper, moving around my desk. “Do you have anything for me today?”

She wouldn’t be here otherwise, but I still ask to steer the conversation away from my dress. I don’t want more rumors spread around, not that I think she’s the gossiping type. I just want to be careful.

“I have one for you, but there is no return address, and it’s unusually wrapped,” she says, pulling out a box with pink gift wrap. “I found it just an hour ago in the remainder of my pile after I took some mail down to the first floor of the building. As you can see, all that’s written is your name.

She passes the box to me, and I see what she means. My first and last name are written in sharpie across the pink paper with nothing else there.

“Do you know who delivered the package?” I ask, turning it over before gently shaking it. Something inside clatters with soft thuds, but it doesn’t sound dangerous.

Patrice shakes her head, answering, “No. I was away from my cart for a moment to use the restroom. Maybe someone put it there in that time.”

Confused and cautious, I try to think about who would’ve sent me a gift like this. It’s strange that they wouldn’t include their name, which also makes me nervous. Are they trying to hide something by leaving their name out?

“Maybe you shouldn’t open it,” Patrice says softly, reaching for the box. “What if it’s… well, what I mean is, unmarked packages aren’t always a good thing.”

I glance up at her and offer a comforting smile. Carefully, I tear the pink paper away until it reveals a black box underneath. It’s not large, but it fits across both of my hands easily. With another look at Patrice, who is watching me intently, I slide the lid off the box.

She gasps, “Oh, my God.”

On a white silk pillow lay a matching set of diamond earrings and a gorgeous diamond necklace. They sparkle under the light beautifully.

My hand flies to the wolf pendant at my neck, rubbing against the cold stone until it warms beneath my touch. Ethan wouldn’t have sent this jewelry, not like this. He would have given it to me instead of trying to hide his identity, even if it was meant to be a surprise.

Turning, I peer into Ethan’s closed office. He’s on the phone, pacing behind his desk while yelling and motioning with his arms. I can’t make out everything he says, but I do catch three words: mate, marriage, and alliance.

From that, it’s easy to realize who he’s yelling at. His father.

Last night with Ethan and Zev was amazing but seeing him so worked up and angered brings me crashing back to reality. This closeness between us won’t last much longer, and as I think about it, I feel like a broken record. They’ll force him into this marriage, leaving me behind and alone. I try not to think about it, to trust Ethan and give him the time he asked for, but the louder he grows, the more I want to hide.

Is this marriage something he could truly refuse?

My eyes meet Ethan’s, the bright green shining with both rage and sorrow as he ends the call and takes several deep breaths. I find myself breathing deeply with him, and after a few moments, he makes his way out of his office, dismissing Patrice while walking toward me.

He looks me up and down, the usual appreciation shining in his eyes, but this time, it’s overshadowed by the sorrow.

“You can’t get out of the marriage, can you?”

Ethan growls, his jaw clenching so hard his teeth audibly grind.

“They have no right to force me into this marriage,” he spits, looking me right in the eye. “I will set up a meeting with the council to convince them to forbid this forceful marriage. I will fix this, Fiona. I swear.”

I nod, feeling the weight of his words.

“I hope you’re right.”

Gentle hands cup my cheeks, tugging me to him as his forehead rests against mine. Green eyes search mine, and I do my best to show him my trust.

“Fiona,” Ethan whispers, his thumbs tenderly brushing my cheeks. “Losing you is not an option.”

Then his lips are on mine in a soft, warm kiss that sends tingles through my entire body. This kiss is short and sweet, a promise from Ethan to me.

“Are you ready to go?” He asks when he pulls back, and I nod, but then I remember the mysterious gift. I grab the box from my desk, hold it up between us, and remove the lid.

“Was this from you?” I hope I’m wrong and that Ethan did send the jewelry, but I can tell the moment his eyebrows furrow he didn’t.

Ethan takes the box from me and studies the jewelry, then he picks up the discarded paper and sniffs it. I have to force myself not to smile as he sniffs the box like a curious puppy.

“What are you…”

“There are too many scents that I can’t make out who sent it,” he answers, dropping both to my desk. I nod, not realizing he could do that, but I shouldn’t be surprised. He could smell me from his office. Of course he can detect people by their scent.

A question pops into my head. I debate whether to ask it or not, but I find the words coming out before I can stop them.

“If I were to get lost or be somewhere where you couldn’t see me, could you find me by scent?”

Ethan’s eyes jump to mine, narrowing in question. He studies me for a second before pulling me close again, this time by wrapping his arms around my waist. Like Zev did last night, Ethan buries his face in my neck and inhales.

“I’ll always find you, little mate,” he growls, those beautiful glowing eyes finding mine when he pulls back. “I will never forget your scent, and if you’re ever lost or out of my sight, all I’ll have to do is follow it to reunite with you. Even if I were blind and deaf, I would find you.”

I slap my hand over his mouth, “Stop. Don’t say things like— Ah!”

His teeth softly bite at my hand, not enough to hurt, but enough to make me pull away. A grin sits on his lips, and I scowl at him.

“Zev, why’d you bite me?”

“Because you smell and taste delicious, little mate,” he rumbles just as his eyes flicker between gold and green. He huffs in annoyance, looking down at me and promising, “I’ll see you soon.”

Then, his eyes are green again and Ethan is back with a shake of his head.

“Damn horny wolf,” Ethan grumbles, making me laugh. They’re almost like siblings bickering over their favorite toy. He shakes his head again and smiles down at me. “Now, come with me. I have a surprise for you.”