ELODIE’S POV
The second royal ceremony felt very different from the first.
The first time Damon had brought me into one of these gatherings, it had felt like humiliation wrapped in silk and gold. I had stood beneath towering chandeliers and watched powerful wolves pretend not to stare while stealing glances at me when they thought I would not notice. The hidden mate. The forgotten one. The girl Damon kept hidden behind palace walls while Nyra stood proudly at his side. This time felt worse, Because this time Damon was trying.
That frightened me far more.
“Stand still.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as an omega adjusted the sleeve of the dark emerald gown I had been instructed to wear. It fit too perfectly. The fabric expensive. Elegant. Carefully chosen By Damon. That alone made
