Page 17 of Wolf's Redemption

That's too much packaging for a letter, I thought and hurried to tear the wrapping with the blunt scissors I kept in the only drawer of my old nightstand.

As I tore the wrappings, a letter fell out that read: These jewels are no match for your beauty, Eric.

I felt butterflies in my stomach and couldn't help but remember his handsome face, deep voice, and intense gaze and sighed, wondering if he was thinking of me too.

I was impressed by the speed at which he sent the package. To me, there was no possible way that could have been done, but someone with his position can accomplish the impossible with a snap of his fingers.

Inside were three boxes stacked. The first had a silver necklace adorned with diamonds dangling, simulating rain. In the other, a simpler necklace with but an emerald in the shape of a heart, and in the third, a pair of gold earrings in the shape of a cylinder encrusted with diamonds.

I stood in front of the mirror and tried on the necklace and earrings, and I couldn't believe how well they suited me.

This is too expensive, and Eric must have spent a fortune.

My thoughts began to fly, and I imagined a different reality where Eric and I met in a different way and got married, one where this jewelry was not a tribute but a gift.

Linda entered the room accompanied by a maid for her to take away the boxes on the bed.

"Give me that necklace," she demanded.

"You're crazy; I'm not giving you anything," I yelled back.

Linda reached over and snatched the necklace from me. "You are an illegitimate daughter. This jewelry is not for someone like you!" she screamed.

I tried to snatch the necklace from her hands, but she gave it to her maid and waved her out of the room. Linda then took the letter and read it aloud.

"You must have done a good job in the bed," She hinted. "Well...his mate is an invalid, so you sure were more 'entertaining'."

My blood began to boil, and I wanted to pounce on her, but I knew how it was going to end, and this time there was no one to help me.

"Just go away," I yelled at her. "You got what you wanted, so leave me alone."

Linda smiled and knocked over the lamp before leaving the room.

I felt frustrated, I wanted to yell, but I couldn't because it would alarm the pack, and I couldn't charge her with my father either because he would end up supporting her.

I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to figure out what was wrong with me, and just as I was about to cry, I could see flashes of light coming from behind my hair. I separated the strands and saw my earrings. Since they were covered with hair, Linda didn't notice them and didn't bother to check the boxes either.

I quickly took them off and hid them in my little drawer, right at the back, where I knew no one would find them.

***

About two months had passed since my father’s party. I woke up in the morning with dizziness. I had started feeling nauseous weeks ago, and no matter how much medicine I took, it wouldn't go away. At first, I thought it was the essence I used to make the perfumes, so I started using masks with filters, but that didn't work. I went to the doctor, but my tests didn't show anything altered or out of the ordinary.

"You're worrying me," Morgan said, patting me on the back with a disgusted look on his face. "Are you sure you're not..."

"No, I told you I'm not, besides that happened two months ago. I'd notice if something was growing inside my womb," I replied, but before I argued, I threw up again.

"It's better if we find out for sure, don't you think?" she told me.

"And what do you want me to do? Go to the family doctor for a pregnancy test? And if it comes out positive, my father will find out," I replied. "And it won't end well for me."

"But if you don't, there'll be no way to cover it up. You can't hide a swollen belly, let alone a baby," she said.

My best friend was right, but I refused because I was afraid she was actually right, and I was really expecting a baby.

Morgan went to work, and I spent the day locked in my room with the excuse that I had a terrible allergy.

The day passed slowly, I read a book, wrote in my notebook of different ideas for new perfumes, and got lost in my thoughts, and when I came out of that trance, I found myself unconsciously writing Eric's name over and over again.