I stepped into the Hale family's estate, and not long after, Alpha Edgar's gifts arrived, piling high in their courtyard.
Benedict announced each item, his voice clear. "By the Alpha's grace, knowing Aurora's haste to be bound tomorrow, he sends these treasures as a gesture."
The dazzling array would make anyone think Alpha Edgar cherished me, but I knew better. This was just his way of needling me.
I didn't care. I thanked him politely and let it go. Why would I care about someone who no longer mattered to me?
Once Benedict left, the Hale family seemed to snap out of a daze.
Raymond was their only pup, and with his passing, no one from their line had served in the Alpha's den for years. They'd only just heard I was to be bound to him.
Florence Hale, Raymond's mother, approached hesi
