Hey guys! Check out the Author’s Note at the bottom of this Chapter.

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Lorelei POV

I had never been to a charity event before, but Callista had attended plenty of high society events over the years.

Whenever she went to one, she was always dressed in extravagant gowns, dripping in expensive jewelry, with her hair styled into the most intricate designs.

That was exactly what I’d expected today.

And honestly, the thought of it had made me a little nervous.

So you could imagine my surprise when Darius told me I’d be wearing the most basic outfit imaginable.

A pair of dark jeans and a plain shirt.

"It’s a charity event, Ella," Skye said as she helped pack the few things I might need for the trip. Since she couldn’t come with me, she was putting extra effort into making sure I had everything, checking and rechecking my bag to make sure she’d packed everything from a light jacket to a few other essentials. "What were you really expecting?"

"I don’t know..." I admitted, flopping back onto the mattress and staring up at the ceiling. "Maybe expensive silk gowns, heels, and people sipping fancy wine while looking down their noses at everyone else. The whole thing."

Skye laughed as she placed the packed bag on a nearby chair.

"You really do have quite the imagination," she teased, turning to face me. "This is actually a charity event for orphans who are much less fortunate. If you showed up wearing a ballgown, you’d look completely out of place. You need to dress for the occasion."

The word "orphans" immediately caught my attention.

I sat upright so fast that the mattress bounced beneath me.

"High-ranking people actually attend events like that?" I asked, genuinely confused.

In my experience, the powerful rarely cared about those beneath them. I’d never seen, or even heard of, higher ranks going out of their way to help people like that.

"Of course," Skye replied. "The Alpha and the Beta attend twice every year. You know, the Beta is an orphan too, so this event is especially important to him."

"Wait... really?" I asked, my heart tightening at the revelation.

Darius?

The confident, powerful Beta had once been just like those children?

Instantly, Skye raised an eyebrow and shot me a look.

"Hello? Keep up," she said. "Everyone knows he was an orphan before the Alpha took him in and trained him as a teenager. That’s why he’s so passionate about this. Even the new maids who arrived after you know that."

Well, she couldn’t really blame me.

My movements around the estate had been heavily restricted until recently, and even then, I barely spoke to anyone.

But the words "new maids" pulled me out of my thoughts, reminding me of something.

"Any updates about your new roommate?" I asked.

Skye paused in the middle of folding a shirt before letting out a long sigh.

"Well, the good news is she keeps to herself, so she hasn’t caused any trouble," she muttered as she placed the neatly folded shirt into my bag. "The bad news is... that’s also the problem. She keeps to herself so much that it’s almost impossible to start even a basic conversation with her."

"That sounds lonely," I said quietly, leaning back against the pillows.

Skye shrugged, though I noticed the slight sadness in her expression.

"It is what it is," she replied. "She seems okay with it. She just stays in her corner, does her work, and disappears. I don’t think I’ve exchanged more than a few words with her since she arrived."

I found myself thinking about what she must feel like.

Being surrounded by hundreds of people in this enormous estate, yet still feeling completely alone.

Yep, I’ve been there before.

"Maybe she just needs time," I suggested softly. "Or maybe she just needs someone to show her that not everyone in this place is dangerous."

Skye looked at me, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Like you?"

I shook my head, letting out a quiet, bitter laugh.

"I’m not exactly the best example. I’ve barely been here three months, and look at everything that’s already happened to me."

"Well, you’re still alive," Skye replied with a small smile. "In this place, that counts for something."

I couldn’t help smiling back.

In a strange way, she was right.

Through nothing but sheer luck, I’d somehow managed to carve out a slightly better life for both of us.

Even if the price had been sleeping with the Alpha.

Come to think of it, I was pretty sure it had already been a month since we last had sex, and that had only happened once since our official agreement.

I also hadn’t seen so much as his shadow since the incident in his office.

Was he avoiding me?

The thought made me scoff inwardly.

If anyone should have been avoiding anyone, it should’ve been me. I was the one who got hurt. What gave him the right to be the one acting distant?

To think I’d actually been hoping to thank him properly for getting me a tutor. Partly out of courtesy, but mostly because I was genuinely grateful.

Now, how the hell was I even supposed to get the chance?

"Maybe I’ll try talking to her," I said aloud, forcing my thoughts away from that frustrating man even though my fists were still clenched tightly against the mattress. "When I get back."

Skye’s face immediately lit up.

"You’d do that?"

"She sounds like she could use a friend."

"Oh, you really are such a good person!" Skye exclaimed dramatically, pretending to wipe tears from the corners of her eyes.

I couldn’t help chuckling as I shook my head at her theatrics.

"Now," she said, pushing herself out of the chair, "you need to get ready. The Beta is already waiting."

At her words, I looked down at the simple outfit laid out on the bed before reluctantly getting up to change.

A few minutes later, I stepped out of my room.

That was when I realized that while Skye wasn’t allowed to come with me on this trip, Paul was.

The realization left me feeling both confused and a little sad.

Was it because of her criminal record?

Were they worried she’d try to escape?

I quietly let out a sigh as Paul led me downstairs toward the vehicles parked outside.

As we approached, I spotted Darius standing beside the passenger door of a black SUV.

He was dressed in a dark blue button-down shirt with dark jeans, looking effortlessly put together as always, and the moment he saw me, a warm, genuine smile spread across his face.

"Ready?" he asked.

I nodded, returning a small smile.

But as my eyes instinctively swept across the otherwise empty driveway, I realized Kaelen was nowhere to be seen.

"Where’s the Alpha?" I couldn’t help asking.

"He left first," Darius replied smoothly as he reached over and opened the passenger door for me.

Those words made my jaw tighten.

So he really was avoiding me.