The Moon's Legacy

Plans and Prep

Willow POV

I shut my door as quietly as I could. I didn't want to risk calling attention to myself.

'Ivy, why is he here already? Am I remembering incorrectly? I thought we had more time without him.'

'I don't know. I think…I think last time maybe we just didn't realize he was already in the pack.'

I dug into my memories from my first life, trying to focus on Keith's arrival. We met with Father, did the shopping with Luna Eliza…and then I was told to stay in my room until the ceremony. And I did. Which means I really didn't have any idea when he actually came to the pack.

'This complicates things, Ivy. Now I've got to avoid him as well as everything else while we prepare.'

'It will be okay, Willow. We stick to the plan. Take the time to prepare, and then we'll leave. We've got most of what we need here already. You can do this.'

I dragged air into my lungs in an effort to calm myself. Ivy was right. I simply needed to stick to the plan. I didn't see Keith before the ceremony last time, so unless something happens to change that, I shouldn't see him this time.

My steps mirror my heartbeat as I pace back and forth in my room. "Food, check. Medicine—not needed, my healing power is at full strength if the bird we healed yesterday is anything to go by. Clothes packed. Enough for a few days, anyway." I stopped at my desk and pulled out the stash of money I'd been accumulating. I thumbed through the bills, counted them. "Six thousand five hundred eighty-three dollars. Not enough to live on, but it will work to get me started."

I plopped down into my desk chair and ran my hands through my hair. "And if you don't stop talking to yourself, you're going to look like a crazy loon when you finally make it to the human territory."

Ivy's amusement bled through our bond as she listened to my quiet monologue. She didn't say anything, but at least I felt her. There were so many times before I died when we were so drained I thought I'd never feel her again.

Pulling out my phone, I opened the photo album. I hadn't been able to make copies of the patrol schedules, but I'd taken some pictures. I needed to figure out when there was a window, and where, for me to run. After staring at the notes until I felt like my eyes were going to fall out, I finally mapped a path that should work for us. The rotation would switch again in three days, just before the mating ceremony. I'd be long gone by then.

I needed to make one last pass through the pack house. My stepsisters had their own allowances from my father and, thanks to years cleaning up after them, I knew just where to find that cash. I'd feel worse about stealing from them if they hadn't spent the majority of my childhood treating me as their personal slave. Luna Eliza encouraged it, and Father turned a blind eye when it came to her little angels. And the more cash I could gather, the better my chances of escaping without a trace.

After briefly considering what I was wearing, I opted to change into one of the new outfits lining my closet. If someone sees me, it will look like I'm just visiting before my inevitable departure after the event. Once I'd donned the comfiest leggings I'd ever worn, a soft tunic-style sweater that fell off one shoulder in the palest gray, and a pair of black boots that came to mid-calf, I gave myself one last pep talk.

"You can do this, Willow. You just sneak up one floor, slide into their rooms, then back out again. It's almost dinnertime, so they're not going to be anywhere near their space. Easy peasy."

I cracked my door open and listened. When I was certain the coast was clear, I made my way to the servants' stairs at the end of the hall—opposite the main staircase and hidden—and slipped up to the Alpha floor. They'd moved me off the Alpha floor as soon as Luna Eliza moved in, as she didn't want to have to look at me, but that suited me just fine. Except for now, when being on the same floor would have been especially helpful.

I snuck into Sonya's room first, as that was closest to the stairwell. Just as I'd hoped, her desk was unlocked, and there was a nice stack of cash in the upper right drawer. I took it and put it in the small purse I'd grabbed to make it look like I was heading to or from somewhere—and to hide the money, of course. As quietly as I could, I made my way to Fleur's room. Even as I thought that this was just too easy, I heard voices coming down the hallway. Quickly, I ducked behind the door to Fleur's room while leaving it open just enough to listen.

"Everything is moving forward as planned, Alpha Keith."

My heart jumped into my throat when I heard my father addressing my future mate. I focused on controlling my breathing and keeping calm. Ivy had been blocking our scent to keep us from leaving any trace behind in Sonya and Fleur's rooms, which I was incredibly grateful for now. It meant they shouldn't be able to tell that I'm here unless I gave it away.

"Willow has been told her duty, and she will comply. There's nothing standing in the way of our alliance."

"It's good that you have such a…biddable…daughter, Alpha Ellis. That will certainly make her future…easier." Slime coated Keith's words.

"Willow has always done what she's told. She understands her place." Father waved the thought of anything other than full compliance away. "Now, when can I expect to send my fighters to your arena?"

"Once Willow and I are fully mated and marked, your buy-in will be complete. You'll be able to send who you wish after that."

They continued down the hall, their voices fading with the distance. I waited a few short moments to be sure they were out of sight, then dashed to the hidden stairs and made my way back down to my floor. I took a minute in the stairwell to steady myself, then pushed the door open and walked to my room as if I'd just come in from downstairs. As I reached my door, I heard my name. My heart sunk. I turned to see my father and Keith standing on the open landing of the main staircase, just down the hall.

"Willow! Come here for a moment." Father waved me over. Reluctantly, I turned and made my way to them.

"Yes, Father?" I kept my head down, voice soft. 'Play along, play along,' I told myself.

"Willow, I'd like to introduce you to your future mate, Alpha Keith Morvern."

I looked up briefly. Nausea churned as I met the dark brown eyes that have haunted my nightmares for years. "Hello, Alpha Keith," I greeted him. My voice was soft as I tried to tamp down the rage.

He smiled. It was sharp; a predator sighting in on his prey. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Willow. I'm looking forward to our union, very much."

I simply nodded, head down. My father laughed—a big, bawdy sound—as he placed a hand on my shoulder, gripping hard. "Our Willow is shy, Alpha Keith. Pay her silence no mind."

"We should work on that, Alpha Ellis. After all, I don't want anyone to mistake her silence for fear and think she's being forced during our ceremony. Why don't you join us for dinner tonight, Willow? We'll have some time to get to know each other."

Father's fingers squeezed harder. "She'd love to, Alpha Keith." He released me, then turned toward the stairs. "In the meantime, I'll finish your tour. Dinner will be served at seven in the private dining room, Willow." His voice whispered through my head. 'And you'd better not f**k this up.'