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1299 Words
Morticia's POV
"What are you planning to do in the castle, to say the least?" Jake asks me as we both stare at each other.
"Uh... I don't know if there's a drawing room. I love drawing, but the palace maids are too robotic to entertain my questions." I snorted, and he smiled—a lovely sound to my ears. I pushed that thought to the back of my mind and cleared my throat.
"You like drawing, huh?" he repeats with that deep voice, and I nod.
"I like going out too. But obviously, they don't let me out because I'm the soon-to-be wife of Beta Jacob," I said with a sigh. I'm not going to marry Jacob, and I sense that the engagement will be announced soon. One day after the engagement party, I would be officially married to Jacob, and this palace guard would be nonsensical—a taboo, even.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Jake asks.
"A penny is too small," I tease, and he chuckles. "I'm just daydreaming about what my life will be like when I get married," I said. I sighed, taking my eyes back to the sky. Did Jake stiffen, or am I imagining it?
"What do you think it'll be like?"
"I don't know. When I think about it, I know it won't be the same as my dream of marriage."
★
The morning sun streamed through the tall windows of the packhouse, illuminating the ornate office where I sat across from Jacob and his father, Alpha Garret. The atmosphere in the room was pressurized—not due to heat but because of the tension surrounding us, like a dense fog. The alpha's imposing glance was inescapable, his gaze of steely determination unwavering as it locked with Jacob's; neither could wiggle out from under the weight of the resolution it carried.
I remained perfectly still, palms together in my lap, fending off an inner storm of anxiety with a veneer of tranquility. In contrast, Jacob appeared entirely bored; his slumped position and haggard appearance rustled the leaves beneath his unobserved guise.
"I've decided," Alpha Garret said, his booming voice resonating through the room. "The engagement ceremony will take place in two days."
The words hit me like a physical blow. My heart dropped, and I felt the breath leave my chest in a soft exhalation. Two days? The notion triggered a shock wave of fear, yet I managed not to betray any discomfort in my expression.
Jacob, however, was not as restrained. He sat up straight in his chair, jaw hanging open in shock. "Two days? That’s… abrupt, don’t you think?"
Alpha Garret’s gaze sharpened. "You’ve had months to prepare, Jacob. This is not just an assembly for you and Morticia but an opportunity to improve pack cohesion, help relationships become more resilient, and maintain stability. Delaying any further would be irresponsible."
I dropped my gaze to the polished oak floor as a weight from his implication fell upon my spine. I had always suspected this betrothal was more political than romantic, but hearing it spelled out so directly was more than I cared to acknowledge.
Jacob exhaled a deep sigh and rubbed his hair. "All due apologies, Father, but Morticia and I didn’t even get the chance to—"
"Stop," Alpha Garret cut in, his tone silencing all further debate. "The invitations have already been sent. The ceremony will proceed as planned."
Invitations? My stomach churned. This was happening. It was real.
I peered at Jacob and hoped for a sign of support, but his expression was one of annoyance and acceptance. He was very unhappy about this agreement with me for very different reasons.
"You'll both walk your way," Alpha Garret said, waving his arm as his eyes twinkled when they rested upon me. "Morticia, you've been most gracious and professional throughout this process. I trust you’ll continue to uphold the dignity of our pack."
I forced a polite smile and nodded. "Of course, Alpha Garret."
Inside, however, I felt like a bird trapped in a cage—my wings clipped and my freedom was stolen.
As the meeting finally ended, I jumped out of my shoes and practically ran out of the office, craving distance from the suffocating atmosphere. As I made my way down the hallway, my thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions—confusion, frustration, and a growing sense of dread.
The Weight of Silence
The rest of the day passed in a haze. I went through the motions—smiling, shaking hands—but my mind wandered. Each step seemed heavier; each breath felt more difficult as the weight of the approaching ritual settled upon my shoulders.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon—painting the sky in shades of amber and crimson—I was spent. Each night in my room brought hope that solitude would grant me some mental peace.
But peace was elusive.
I lay by the window on the floor at the foot of my bed and concentrated on the forest outside. The moon hung low in the sky; its silvery light cast long shadows across the room. Despite the stillness of night, my thoughts were anything but calm.
Jacob's face appeared in my mind—his exasperated look during our meeting replaying again and again. It was evident that he no longer wished for this marriage any more than I did; however, while he wished it not for another person as I wished it not for burdensome realities mine was bound to a far more intricate truth.
Jake.
The thought of him made my chest tighten; I pressed a hand to my heart as if that would somehow steady its erratic rhythm. He was everything Jacob wasn’t—strong, steady, commanding yet with a quiet gentleness that drew me in like a moth to a flame.
I had attempted to dismiss my feelings—to tell myself they were no more than a silly infatuation—but they grew stronger and more overwhelming with each passing moment.
It was wrong; I knew it was wrong. Jake was Jacob's best friend—off-limits. The moment our eyes met would unleash an unexplainable power—a bond that defied common sense.
"Foolish," I whispered to myself while shaking my head.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t banish images of his piercing eyes or recall how his voice warmed me when he spoke my name.
A soft knock on the door startled me out of my reverie. Quickly composing myself, I called out, "Come in."
The housemaid appeared carrying a tray with a hot cup of tea. She set it down on the bedside table and offered me a small smile.
"For your nerves, miss," she said kindly.
I managed a faint smile in return. "Thank you."
Just as she entered she exited quietly; once again leaving me alone. Grabbing the cup with both hands, I gazed into its dark contents.
Nerves indeed.
I took a swallow; warmth spread through me but did little to calm the house of cards inside me. Setting down the cup again, I leaned back against the headboard and shut my eyes—hoping to concentrate on anything but thoughts of engagement or Jake.
But no matter how hard I tried—the harder it became—my mind betrayed me by conjuring images of his face—the sound of his voice—and how his presence seemed to fill every room whenever he was near.
I groaned while pressing my palms against my eyes; this was madness! How could I focus on anything else when my future had already been decided?
And yet lying down to sleep—the name that lingered last in my thoughts was that man’s:
"Jake…"
- Writer
