The Moon's Legacy

No More Waiting

Willow POV

My heart was beating wildly as I shut the door of my room behind me. I fell back against it, trying to regain my bearings.

It was just dinner. I could handle sitting through one dinner. I just had to keep my head down, answer meekly, and play along. Simple.

Ivy was pacing in my head. 'I don't like this,' she said.

'I know. But it's just one night, and we only have to deal with three more days in this place. We can do it.'

I hurried to the shower. Father said seven, which meant that I had less than two hours to make sure I met his standards. And I needed time to hide any evidence of my plan in my room, in case he decided on a random inspection while I was otherwise occupied.

I took the time to dry and straighten my hair. Keith preferred it that way, and it wouldn't hurt to act as though I was on board with the mating. After a touch of light makeup—another thing Keith preferred—I stepped to my new wardrobe.

My best chance of getting through this dinner unscathed was to look and act the part of the biddable daughter that Keith thinks I am. Even the thought tasted like ashes in my throat, but now was not the time for pride. I'd let them all think that I was the meek mouse I used to be.

Flipping through the hangers, I found a cream-colored dress. It had long sleeves, a modest neckline, and fell just above my knees. I added tall brown boots, and when I was done, I examined myself in the mirror.

I looked like an Alpha's daughter. Refined, aware of expectations, innocent. Unless you were looking for it, you wouldn't notice the determination in my eyes.

Once I was satisfied with my appearance, I gathered all of my escape supplies and tucked them away in the closet. Years ago, I'd made a cubby in there for things I didn't want my stepsisters or my stepmother to find, and it was serving me well now. I placed the cover back on the hole in the wall and arranged my new clothes in front of it, masking it completely.

I checked the time. Fifteen minutes to go. With a deep breath, I fortified myself. "You can do this, you can do this," I muttered. I gripped the handle of my door and opened it.

Allison, the Beta's mate, had her hand raised as if she were going to knock. She stepped back, startled, before she collected herself and looked me over. "Good. You're ready, and you look like you're actually taking this seriously. Let's go." She turned, leading the way to the private dining room.

Once upon a time, Allison had been nice to me. She was friends with my mother, and I remembered playing with her son as a child. We were close to the same age. She turned cold after Luna Eliza and her daughters joined the pack, though I'd never really understood why. It was just another poor relationship that I was going to leave behind.

I followed her into the room where my father was waiting with Alpha Keith. Luna Eliza was standing next to them, and Beta Timothy was in the corner speaking with the omegas who were carrying pitchers of water and wine. Fleur and Sonya were already seated, heads together as they looked at something on one of their phones.

Luna Eliza met my eyes as Allison went over to her mate. "Ah. She's here. We can go ahead and get seated, then."

Father took his place at the head of the table, Luna Eliza to his left and Beta Timothy to his right. Allison sat on the other side of Timothy, while Sonya and Fleur were beside her. That left two chairs beside my stepmother. Alpha Keith inclined his head to me.

"I'd be honored if you'd sit next to me, Willow," he said, sending Sonya and Fleur into a fit of giggles. Father shot them a sharp look, and they settled down.

I walked over to the empty chair he'd pulled out for me and sat down. He pushed it in, acting the perfect gentleman, except for the light caress along the back of my neck as he stepped away to take his own seat.

Goosebumps flew over my skin as the memory of his hand on my neck from my last life washed over me. I could almost feel the weight of his grip, the way his fingers pressed tightly against my pulse point, as he forced his control on me one last time before I died. I could have sworn I smelled the coppery tang of blood. I dug my fingernails into my palms, grounding myself. I would not be that meek little mouse again.

He chuckled lowly, pleased with my visceral response to his touch. I'd heard that chuckle hundreds of times over the years, every time he'd drawn a flinch from me or caused me to tremble in fear. It told me he believed he was already winning.

Omegas served the first course as Keith and my father continued a discussion about business investments. I ate, taking small bites because my stomach was churning and I didn't want to risk causing a scene by getting sick. Being so close to the man who pushed me to my death and pretending everything was fine had my anxiety buzzing, but I pushed it down. I could do this. I would do this, and I'd escape, no longer the meek mouse just waiting to be drained. I would build my own life, one where fear didn't rule.

Keith noticed the tremor in my hand as I reached for my water glass and leaned over, his lips close to my ear. "Nervous? There's no need to be, my dear mate," he whispered. "Perhaps spending some time together…privately…may help?" He raised an eyebrow at me, his intention clear.

Ivy's hackles rose, and it was all I could do to keep her growl in. 'Now is not the time, Ivy!'

She snarled lowly and stayed alert, but settled down.

I took a sip and met his gaze once before lowering my eyes like a good, submissive mate. "I'm sorry, Alpha Keith. It's just that I never expected to be mated to an Alpha such as you. I promise I'll have my nerves under control by the ceremony," I said quietly.

His fingers ghosted over the back of my neck again, and I barely suppressed a shiver. His lips were almost on my ear this time. "Don't worry, Willow. I'll come visit you later and show you that you have nothing to worry about." He placed a light kiss just behind my ear.

The conversations around me faded as I went still, the sound of my blood rushing in my ears all I could hear. His meaning was clear. He wasn't going to wait for the ceremony to claim me, and once he had, my window to escape would close. I'd bear his scent, so deep even Ivy couldn't mask it. If he forced the mark, the bond would be a tether he could trace. He'd be able to increase the guards around me, all in the name of welcoming and protecting his new Luna. I could not let that happen.

Sound came back in a wave, the voices around the table overlapping. My grip tightened on my fork as the next course was served. I shoved down my nerves, my anxiety, my fear. There was no place for them at this table. In my last life, I was naïve enough to believe that waiting, that complying, was the answer. Now, I knew that wasn't true. And I knew, beyond a doubt, that I needed to leave tonight. Waiting was no longer an option.