Lorelei POV

I watched the entire scene unfold from across the courtyard.

The woman was beautiful. There was no denying that. She had sleek black hair, sharp features, and wore a figure-hugging black dress with matching heels.

She was yelling at the guards, but the way she spoke reminded me of spoiled daughters who had spent their entire lives getting whatever they wanted.

Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t getting what she wanted today.

"Let me in!" she shrieked. "Don’t you know who I am? My father could have your heads for this!"

"This is the Alpha King’s order, Miss Beatrice," one of the guards replied flatly, his posture never wavering. "You are not permitted on the estate grounds."

Her face drained of color before flushing a deep, furious red.

"That’s... that’s ridiculous! I haven’t done anything wrong!" she shouted.

When the guards still refused to respond, she stood there trembling with rage, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Then, as she seemed to be thinking of her next move, her gaze swept across the courtyard.

And then her eyes landed on me.

Instinctively, I almost lowered my head, years of conditioning as a servant threatening to take over.

But no.

I hadn’t done anything wrong. I didn’t even know this woman outside of what Skye had just told me, so why should I cower in shame?

Instead of looking away, I lifted my chin and held her gaze as her eyes slowly traveled over me from head to toe.

The moment she realized I wasn’t backing down, her expression twisted into something even uglier, becoming openly venomous.

"Who is that?" she called from across the courtyard, pointing a manicured finger directly at me. "Who is that woman?"

The guards at the gate exchanged uneasy glances the moment they noticed me standing there.

"We should go," Paul said from behind us, his voice carrying genuine panic as he quickly stepped forward and motioned for us to head back inside the estate. "Now."

"Is she the one?!" Beatrice screamed, her voice growing even more hysterical as the guards tried to hold her back. "Is she the bitch warming his bed?!"

Those words made my face burn with sudden, intense embarrassment, and I didn’t even protest as Paul and Skye quickly guided me back into the estate. They hurried me inside until her screeching voice was completely swallowed by the heavy stone walls behind us.

"So much for a stroll," Skye muttered under her breath.

I let out an equally disappointed sigh.

Just as we were trying to figure out what else I could do to pass the time back in my room, another guard suddenly approached us. He walked straight over to Paul and leaned in to whisper something into his ear.

Skye and I exchanged a curious glance, silently watching the interaction. When the guard finally nodded and walked away, we both looked back at Paul, who shifted awkwardly on his feet before clearing his throat.

"Miss Ella," he began, straightening his posture. "The Alpha King has arranged for a private tutor to teach you. She’s already waiting for you in the library."

My eyes widened in complete shock. "A tutor?" I repeated, almost to myself.

"Yes, Miss," Paul replied respectfully. "The Alpha thought you might... appreciate the opportunity to continue your education while you recover."

For a long moment, I simply stood there, too stunned to say anything as my mind tried to process what he’d just told me.

Was this because of what had happened in the courtyard? Was it because of the cruel things he’d said to me earlier? Did he actually feel guilty?

The thought made my heart flutter.

I was so nervous about returning to my studies after having that opportunity stolen from me so many years ago, but beneath the anxiety was real excitement.

"Ella?" Skye’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Are you okay?"

I blinked, suddenly aware of the tightness in my throat as a wave of emotion washed over me.

"Yeah," I answered softly, swallowing the lump in my throat as I fought to keep the tears from spilling over. "I’m okay."

Then I turned back to Paul. "Where’s the library?" I asked.

"This way, Miss."

With that, I followed him through the quiet corridors of the estate, my heart pounding harder against my ribs with every step.

A tutor.

He had actually gotten me a tutor.

Maybe he wasn’t as completely heartless as I’d convinced myself he was.

****

Paul led me to what everyone called the small library. The estate actually had two libraries, this one and the main library, though if you counted the enormous collection inside Kaelen’s private office, that technically made three.

Even so, this so-called small library took my breath away.

It was almost the same size as the main library back at my old pack, with towering bookshelves stretching toward the ceiling and sunlight spilling through the tall windows, making the polished wooden floors glow.

Standing by one of those windows with a book cradled in her hands was an older woman.

She looked up as the door opened, and her face immediately softened into a warm, genuine smile. Closing the book, she walked over to me.

"Miss Ella, is it?" she asked, extending her hand.

I hesitated for only a moment before reaching out to shake it.

"Ah... yes," I answered a little awkwardly.

Her grip was gentle, and her skin was warm in a way that instantly put me at ease.

"I’m Mrs. Whitmore," she said kindly. "I’ve been tutoring young women throughout the empire for over thirty years."

She gestured toward a plush chair beside the sunlit window.

"Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable."

I nodded and sat down, my hands immediately finding each other in my lap as my fingers fidgeted nervously.

"I understand you haven’t received a formal education in quite some time," she said as she settled into the chair across from me.

Heat rushed to my face, and I lowered my eyes.

"No, ma’am," I admitted quietly. "Not since I was a child."

"That’s perfectly alright." She smiled again, and there wasn’t a trace of judgment in her expression.

"We’ll begin wherever you’re most comfortable. There’s no rush, and there’s no pressure. We’ll simply take it one step at a time."

I looked around the room, taking in the endless shelves filled with leather-bound books, the soft golden light streaming through the window, and the absolute quiet peace of it all. I had dreamed of this once. Learning. Reading. Becoming something more than just a maid who cleaned up other people’s messes.

And now, somehow, miraculously, it was finally happening.

"Where do we start?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as though speaking too loudly might shatter the dream.

Mrs. Whitmore’s smile widened warmly. "Anywhere you’d like, dear. Anywhere at all."

And just like that, a new routine was born.

Every morning after breakfast, I found myself sitting across from Mrs. Whitmore with a fresh pen in hand and open books spread out in front of me. Day after day, I eagerly soaked up knowledge, losing myself in a world I had once believed was forever out of reach.

"Well, look at that."

A familiar voice spoke from so close behind me that I nearly jumped out of my chair.

I had been going through my notes after Mrs. Whitmore’s lesson ended, completely absorbed in what I was reading.

But I didn’t even need to look up to know who it was, and my lips curled into a smile before I could stop them.