Chapter 7

What I heard shocked me to the core. It's like I was struck by a thunderbolt; every corner of my system is experiencing waves of electricity.

"I trust you, mother," Vivian said.

"Once you go upstairs, I can't help you anymore. You're on your own, and you have to do well or else everything that I did will be futile. You understand, dear?" Aunt Violet sounds scarier than ever.

An automatic answer came out of my sister's mouth. "Yes, mother."

"Great!" Aunt said, satisfied. "This is our greatest shot to change our lives forever, Vivian. Your father's pack is nice, but we deserve more. We need power for us to climb to the top, and your engagement with Archer Sinclair's going to give that to us."

"I understand, mother. I will try to do my best," Vivian assured her mother.

"Don't just try, dear. Do it. Do whatever it takes."

Ever since my father brought Aunt Violet home after my mother died, I knew she was different. Growing up with her ways, I could say that she always craves more. She always pushes Father to form a peaceful alliance with different packs for our pack to gain connections, but it still shakes me that her ambition and hunger for power will lead to this.

This is another level. It's the heir to the Alpha throne, which is what we're talking about.

"I'll do whatever it takes, mother."

Of course, my sister will. The only thing that she hates in this world, aside from me, is disappointing her mother and showing everybody that she is a failure.

She always wants to prove that she's not like me and that she's better.

"It's about time," my aunt said.

"Where is it? Can I bring the bottle just to make sure?" Vivian asked.

For a moment, everything went silent. They stopped speaking, and there was no noise that could be heard in the place where I could hear my heart, like it was just beating right next to my ears.

"My goodness!" My aunt's voice was laced with panic. "Where did I put it?"

I shouldn't be here.

I stepped back so I could turn and walk away before they could sense that I was here and that somebody had heard their whole conversation.

However, I bumped into a metal object, which created a loud thud that echoed in the hallway that we are in.

I covered my mouth with the palms of my hands.

"Who's there?" My aunt asked.

"Somebody heard us! Oh gosh! Somebody knew—"

"Silence, dear. Do not speak a word," my aunt warned my sister after cutting her off.

"I don't recognize the smell. It must be somebody we don't know," she added.

I thank the heavens that I changed the scent of the potion that I was wearing to smell like a werewolf.

I heard footsteps coming in my direction, so I immediately ran towards the end of the lengthy and dusky hallway.

Then I found a huge staircase that led upstairs. I had no choice but to run on it, so my aunt couldn't catch me.

However, I stopped when I got distracted by a tiny vial with a suspicious red liquid on it. It was sparking, so it really caught my eye as I was climbing the stairs.

"What is this?" I asked myself. "Somebody must've dropped it."

Remembering that I have no time to idle around, I slipped it into the tiny pocket of my dress, and it fitted there well.

I'm huffing from trying to catch and stabilize my breath as I stop running now that I am safe inside a room. I also locked the door knob, so if anybody tries to enter, they can't.

"There's nobody here, right?" I said to the air.

The room is probably three or four times larger and fancier than my room. Shades of black, white, and silver are the colors that are popping on the walls of the room.

It looks simple, yet very masculine.

"Excuse me? Hello?" I called again just to make sure that nobody was inside but me.

They're all busy downstairs, so whoever owns this room might be having fun at the ball right now.

Out of curiosity, I walked towards the center of the room. There is no hint of who might own this room.

"Who are you?" A voice said, which sounded like a man.

I almost jumped from where I was standing when I heard it. Then I froze when I realized that I was not alone in this room.

I looked around and figured out that the man was standing near the huge window that I couldn't see well because of the wall that was dividing the two of us.

"Oh—" I trailed off. "I'm sorry for barging in like this into your room. I swear, I meant no harm or whatever. I was just...uh... I got lost."

"You got lost and somehow found yourself inside the last room of this corridor?" he questioned.

I closed my eyes. I want to smack myself for giving him the lamest excuse that I could ever think of.

Now, I really do sound and look like I have ill intentions and am up to no good.

"I'm sorry, I'll just go out. I'm just hiding from somebody, and I thought I could hide here," I honestly told whoever it is I'm speaking to.

I moved my feet and turned around.

"Stop," he commanded.

Again, I froze on my feet for a moment. I gathered myself and stepped again. I may be the one to barge in, but I don't know who I am talking to, so I figured it would be simple and easier for me to get out before everything gets complicated.

I continued to walk.

"I said stop, Leila," he said with more conviction.

When I realized whose voice that was, I nearly fell to my knees.

"I fancy seeing you again, Leila Pierce," he said. "I told you I'd see you at the ball, didn't I?" Archer Sinclair voiced out.