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I opened my eyes and found the alpha's shadow high on the tent wall. Someone had left the curtain of the tent open. How many more acquaintances would burst inside to question the alpha on his choice of me? How many would it take before he changed his mind?
"Of course not, my lord. However, there now remains an issue for you to address as our esteemed alpha. The price exchanged between Lord Posy and myself for the honor of his daughter." Mr. Evans made no effort to quell his voice, and I wondered if I might conjure another round of vomiting now, rise from the cot and coat him in it. But now that I was lying down, my previous bout of anxious queasiness had passed, and I was loath to draw attention to myself.
"Send the receipt to me, and I'll settle it myself," Lord Cadogan said, his own voice dropping gently.
"No, my lord. I told the gentleman I could manage it myself. I fully intend to. There was no need to bring this to you."
"Don't trouble yourself, Lord Posy. I'm more than happy to take on the burden in exchange for the boon of your daughter."
I snorted and then froze, hoping the sound was muffled in the pillow. Thankfully, they carried on without me.
"You're very generous, my lord," Mr. Evans said, all silk and slime now that he'd gotten his way. "And I quite preferred the Huberts girl anyway. So isn't this a happy circumstance?"
"Our alpha has chosen an omega for the first time in almost a century," Hugh Gamesby said, low and smooth. "'Happy' isn't the word."
"Indeed. And now, if you gentlemen wouldn't mind, I'd like to tend to the young woman in quiet."
"Of course you would. What an auspicious begi
There was a shuffle of steps and then a small and familiar clearing of a throat. "Gwenievere and I would…be grateful for a chance to say goodbye to our little mouse before you leave, my lord."
"Of course, Lord Posy. I'm sure we'll be out directly."
My father hummed, paused, and then his feet scuffed over the grass. The alpha's shadow vanished, and the light in the tent dimmed.
I must've expected the earth to tremble as the stage had, because I nearly leapt off the cot as a hand touched my back.
"You can stop pretending to sleep now," the alpha—my alpha said.