Prince Jorlan instructs me to prepare and have breakfast, then announces that I’ll be meeting Queen Juneth for tea. The idea leaves me uneasy. The Queen. He didn’t refer to her as his mother, which makes me suspect his family operates with the same level of stiff formality as he does. That thought alone weighs down my spirits.

As he heads toward the door, he halts abruptly and turns back to face me. “Why is your link to me closed?” he asks, his voice steady yet pressing.

“I shut all the links when you marked me,” I admit with a small shrug. “I don’t know how to just open one while leaving the others closed.”

His gaze sharpens, and I can feel its intensity settle on me. It makes my stomach twist nervously. “What was your practice with links in your pack?” he inquires.

“I left all of them open,” I respond simply. “There wasn’t a need to close them.”

“Was that because there truly wasn’t a need—or because you weren’t strong enough to?” His tone carries a quiet challenge that makes my chest tighten.

“I didn’t use to be this weak,” I insist, a flicker of frustration rising.

“That weakness appeared, no doubt, when you began handing your food over to your sister,” he surmises. I nod silently, unwilling to look at him. He presses further. “Were you even able to manage linking before I claimed you?”

“I can link,” I defend myself firmly. “But it exhausts me.”

He exhales heavily, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as if deep in thought. “You need to eat more,” he states.

Without another word, he exits, leaving me stewing in a mixture of irritation and embarrassment.

Hestrel enters moments later, catching me mid-sigh. I throw my hands up in frustration. “He has no idea what it’s like to struggle or to be poor!” I exclaim, nearly pacing as the exasperation spills out.

She offers me a warm smile and a little bow. “In fairness, ma’am, you don’t know what it’s like to live a life of wealth either.”

Her words sting with truth, though she clearly means no harm. For the first time, I consider that maybe he’s struggling to adjust to this situation as much as I am.

“I apologize, Princess Celestine,” Hestrel says sincerely. “I shouldn’t have run to him like that. I panicked when I couldn’t find you.”

“No need to be sorry,” I assure her with a long, drawn-out sigh. “I was overwhelmed. I’ve never been in such a massive place before.”

Her smile softens as she replies, “Let us get you ready. You don’t want to keep the Queen waiting.”

She orders breakfast delivered to my chambers, and I eat while she styles my hair. My mother would brush my hair on occasion, but never anything elaborate. Now, Hestrel is curling and pinning it into an intricate updo that feels foreign to me.

“This will suit Queen Juneth well,” she says with confidence. She retrieves two dresses from the wardrobe, holding each one up for me to assess. “Which do you prefer?”

One dress is a light blue, soft and shimmering. The other is a deep, regal burgundy. Both are breathtaking.

“These are too fancy,” I tell her, eyeing the garments uneasily. “Aren’t they meant for balls or grand events?”

To my surprise, she chuckles and shakes her head. “Oh no, ma’am, these are hardly ballgowns. Your attire for such occasions hasn’t arrived yet.”

After hesitating, I choose the light blue gown. I find myself smoothing my fingers over the smooth, luxurious fabric—silk, I suspect. Something so fine and expensive feels absurd, but I remind myself that such indulgence now comes with my title.

Looking at my reflection, I see someone transformed. The mirror shows a young woman who looks polished and elegant, but also someone I don’t recognize. “This dress alone could feed my family for weeks,” I mutter.

“Perhaps, when you’re done with it, you can send it to your sister,” Hestrel suggests lightly, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Her words stir a mix of emotions I can’t quite decipher.

A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. Hestrel opens it to find Jorlan standing in the hallway. He steps into the room, giving me a once-over.

“You look... acceptable,” he states blandly.

The comment sinks in like a misplaced dagger. Acceptable? Is that all he has to say? I worked so hard to make a good impression, and all I get is ‘acceptable.’ Resentment bubbles up, but I bite back my retort and let him offer me his arm. I take it grudgingly and follow him, though part of me wants nothing more than to slap him or stomp away.

“My mother is not as forgiving as I am,” he murmurs as we walk. The words surprise me, making my eyes widen. Forgiving is definitely not a quality I’d use to describe him.

“I’ll manage,” I reply with a tight, forced smile. After surviving him, surely I can handle whatever his mother brings.

Prince Jorlan leads me to what appears to be an expansive library. Books tower and line every wall, more than I’ve ever imagined in one place. I can’t help but gape in awe.

“Stop gawking,” a firm voice chides sharply. “Show some decorum.”

Startled, I spot the source instantly—an imposing woman seated with a regal bearing. Jorlan places a hand lightly over mine, offering me a wordless cue. We both bow.

“Queen Juneth,” he begins formally, gesturing toward me, “may I present my mate, Princess Celestine.”

The Queen rises, her sharp gaze locking onto me. She circles me slowly, her evaluation piercing. “You shouldn’t have marked her,” she declares to Jorlan without hesitation.

“She is my mate, Mother. Resisting the bond proved… difficult,” he admits.

Queen Juneth regards him with what appears to be reluctant approval. She touches his cheek and smiles faintly. “You possess a great strength, Jorlan. The burden of such power is not easy to bear.” Her tone softens briefly before her attention shifts back to me. “But now that you’ve claimed her, we must deal with the consequences. She will not mark you back until she has been trained and can meet our standards.” Her pointed stare sends a chill down my spine. “Is that clear?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Jorlan answers obediently with another bow.

The Queen’s lips twist into a disapproving pout as her gaze sweeps over me once more. “She looks malnourished,” she notes coldly, as though I’m a poorly-fed animal instead of a person. “Far too thin.”

“She comes from the Aurithra Pack,” Jorlan explains. “Additional meals have already been arranged to rebuild her strength.”

“They should be high in fat,” Queen Juneth says dismissively. Then, suddenly turning to me, she narrows her eyes. “Does the girl even possess a wolf?”

Anger flares in me. Their callous scrutiny makes me feel invisible, as if my presence here is incidental to their conversation. Gathering courage, I finally speak. “I do,” I say evenly, though my voice shakes just slightly. “I have a wolf.”

Both of their heads swivel toward me, startled by my boldness. The Queen smirks derisively. “If you do, it’s undoubtedly weak.”

“She’ll grow stronger,” Jorlan insists firmly. His eyes meet mine with intensity. “I’ll see to it personally.”

The Queen says nothing more. With our audience concluded, Jorlan swiftly ushers me out.

“We’ll dine together moving forward,” he says while leading me down the hall. “I must ensure you’re eating enough.”

I roll my eyes, letting out a weary huff. “Let me guess: you only decided this because of what your mother said.”

He stops abruptly, gripping my arm as he studies my face. “Don’t mistake my concern,” he says in a low voice. “Or do I need to remind you who noticed your starvation first? Certainly not your family.”

The memory of my past stabs at me, but I remain silent. My parents must have known, but with our precarious circumstances, the burden had fallen on me to compromise so our pack could survive.

Jorlan accompanies me to my chambers and leaves for the evening, though lunch is later brought to my room. It’s a strange relief, though his absence leaves me both annoyed and contemplative.

That evening, he addresses me across a lavish dinner table. “Starting tomorrow, all meals will be taken together,” he declares. “Today was an exception since I had matters to attend to.”

I give a slow nod, picking at the overwhelming food on my plate. He personally piled it high, far more than I could ever eat. I nibble cautiously, as I’ve done for years when conserving food for Heliane.

“If it takes all night, you will finish it,” Jorlan remarks, his tone clipped. His attention locks onto me with unyielding focus.

“It’s too much,” I whisper, my throat tightening as tears prick the corners of my eyes.

“It’s an appropriate portion,” he counters quickly. “You’d know that if you hadn’t deprived yourself before.”

Hestrel steps forward, bowing delicately. “Your Majesty, if I may…” she begins. “The Princess isn’t accustomed to such rich food. An excess might make her unwell.” Her eyes meet his meaningfully. “And since she’s to stay in your chambers tonight…”

Jorlan considers her words, the tension in his jaw relaxing slightly. With a reluctant sigh, he relents. “Fine. But every meal will be more than you’re used to.” His gaze returns to me, softer this time. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I say sincerely. “I’m… trying.” It’s true—I’m not leaving meals hungry anymore.

“That much is clear,” he murmurs, his voice gentler than I’ve known.

Once dinner concludes, Hestrel escorts me out. We barely make it down the hall before Jorlan’s voice stops us.

“Maid,” he calls sternly. “Prepare the Princess for bed in my chambers tonight. I’ll be watching.”

My stomach knots. Watching? Hestrel glances back at me, her expression tinged with apology. She nods carefully before stepping back toward my room.

Jorlan’s hand wraps around my arm as he leans in. “Don’t worry,” he says too calmly for my liking. “I just enjoy knowing what’s mine.”