SONIA’S POV

I rolled my hair that had slipped out of its band into a bun, and tucked the loose strands in.

The night air felt cool against my neck, carrying the distant sounds of laughter and the rich smell of roasted meats from somewhere deeper in the market. My mask sat crooked on my face, but I left it for now.

"Let’s find this thing, Sonia," I whispered to myself, trying to push away the knot of unease in my stomach.

I began to motivate myself with every step I took. So what if Ramon left me in the middle of nowhere, just like that? It wouldn’t even be the hundredth worst thing he’d ever done to me. The ground felt uneven under my feet, soft patches of grass mixed with packed dirt from all the footsteps tonight. Lanterns swayed overhead, throwing shifting pools of warm light that made shadows dance across the stalls.

At least I could be alone with my thoughts. They were very random thoughts. From wishing I had magical powers so I could use it to trap Ramon in a cage, to dreaming of all the places I could visit one day. Wide rivers that sparkled under open skies, bustling cities filled with colors and voices I had only read about in old books.

I wore a smile and began to hum as I searched. The melody was soft, something my mother might have sung, though I could barely remember her voice. I still didn’t know what I was supposed to be looking for exactly. The buffet spot was hidden, and the whole pack seemed to be playing this game of masks and secrets.

If I had not foolishly separated from Ivy, I wouldn’t be in this position. My thoughts overcame my consciousness again. I imagined everyone already finding the spot, whilst I walked around aimlessly. So many what ifs formed in my head. What if I walked round and right back to the snake?

What if it looked at me hungrily and moved to attack me? The thought made me shudder, and I increased the volume of my hum to drown out my thoughts. The vibration in my throat felt steady, a small comfort against the chill creeping up my arms.

I took a turn and almost slipped to the ground. My foot caught on a loose root, and the world tilted for a second. "Sonia?" Ivy’s voice called, and it woke my wolf’s quick reflex. She helped me stabilize my form, and a rush of adrenaline kicked in me. The night smelled sharper now, earth and distant smoke mixing with the sweetness of blooming night flowers.

"Thank you," I whispered to my wolf, and she purred in response. I chuckled just as Ivy made it to me. "Why didn’t you answer when I called?" She chided, her mask slightly askew but her eyes bright with concern behind it.

"I almost fell, and was trying to stabilize myself," I replied, brushing dirt from my hands. The fabric of my gown felt cool and light against my skin in the evening breeze.

"What happened to your mask?" She asked, drawing closer to me. Her steps were quick and familiar on the path.

"A snake chased me, and in a bid to escape it, I must have tossed the mask away." The memory sent another small shiver through me, the image of those scales still fresh.

She nodded in understanding. "You did say you were scared of snakes. Are you okay now?"

"I am, thanks to Alpha Ramon. He saved me from the snake, and then left me alone." The words came out quieter than I meant, the sting of his sudden departure still fresh.

"Yeah, he’s a bit of a weirdo, that one. Pay him no mind. Let’s go find the buffet." She started forward again, her energy pulling me along. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

I didn’t immediately move, because my tongue was burning to question her. She noticed I wasn’t coming along and halted on her tracks. Turning around, she regarded me questioningly, one eyebrow raised behind her mask.

"Why aren’t you coming?"

"Why do you talk about him so casually?" I countered her question with a question of my own. The words hung between us, heavier than I intended in the quiet stretch of path.

Her brow furrowed curiously. "What do you mean by that?"

"You always talk as if you have a relationship deeper than just a maid and an alpha relationship with Ramon." I kept my voice gentle, not wanting to sound accusing, but the curiosity had been building for days.

She frowned, and my heart skipped a beat. I had not meant to come out condescending or accusatory. I hoped she didn’t pick that tone from my question.

"I’ve been a member of this pack for a very long time. Practically grew up in it. I only speak this casually about the alpha because I’ve known him for that long. And also, only in your presence. But if you want me to talk about him so sternly in your presence, I have no gripe with that." She shrugged, her shoulders rising and falling easily under the mask.

She was acting nonchalant. Like it wasn’t that deep of a situation. I could still tell she was hiding something, but once again, didn’t want to push it.

"I’m just scared of someone eavesdropping and reporting back to him. Don’t you get scared of being punished?" The market sounds felt farther away here, the night pressing in with its quiet questions.

She chortled dryly. "I told you already, Sonia. Alpha Ramon is not brutal. He’s very fair in his assessment, really."

"But I saw you kneeling that night I came to him. He obviously punished you, despite the fact Lorena started first with you."

"Nope she didn’t," she smiled and moved closer to me. Her hand touched my arm lightly, warm and steady. "I know you want to defend me because we’re close, and I find that so sweet of you, but we can still be honest. I started with Lorena. She shouldn’t have tried to hit me, but I started it."

"But if he was as fair as you insist he is, he should have cautioned her for her actions too."

"And you think he’d do that in my presence? Like you said, Sonia, I’m just a maid. There are boundaries." Her voice stayed even, but I caught the faint edge underneath.

"I didn’t mean that in a condescending way, by the way," my head lowered pitifully. "I’m just shocked at how free you are with him. I’ve noticed his relationship with some of the other servants. There’s more sense of authority there, no doubt. But with you, and Blane, and Daniel—I guess he just really likes the three of you."

I decided to end it on that note, because I didn’t want any lingering awkwardness between us. The night air felt cooler now, carrying the faint scent of distant fires.

"Come here," she opened her arms, this time a genuine smile on her face.

I went in for a hug as she tightened her hands around me. The fabric of her dress felt soft against mine, and for a moment the market noise faded completely.

"You know what I’m going to pray for during the full moon ceremony?" She asked as we hugged. Her voice was warm against my ear.

"Are you sure you want to tell me that?"

"I would love to. But guess?"

"Uhmmm, maybe more food? Dresses?"

She burst into a fit of laughter, and I was amused by her reaction. Probably because I was dead serious, guessing away, and here she was laughing at my guesses.

"Sometimes I forget you’re still a princess. The shallowness comes out, and I’m like yeah, there she is."

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be shallow."

"Oh no, no, no—" she pulled away to hold my hands. "It’s not in a bad way. At least not like the way Lorena does it. Yours is cuter."

"You’re just defending me because we’re close." I used her template, causing her to chuckle again.

"Nice one," she bobbed her head. "Anyway, here’s what I would pray for in the full moon. Now you don’t have to tell me yours or anything like that. I just think you should know mine, okay?"

I nodded, ready to hear her prayer request. The drums in the distance seemed to slow, matching the quiet moment between us.

She pushed her mouth to my ears so she was directly speaking to them. Her breath was warm, carrying the faint scent of the herbs from earlier.

"I’ll pray for you to experience every aspect of Ramon, so that whenever this comes to an end, you wouldn’t want to leave."

My heart leaped because I could see how thoughtful that prayer was in her head, but to me—it scared me to death. The words settled heavy in my chest, a mix of warmth and fear twisting together. What if I did experience every part of him?

What if I couldn’t walk away when the time came? The night suddenly felt heavier, the stars sharper overhead, and I held tighter to her as the drums picked up again in the distance.