Vanc

ees grew thicker here, their branches weaving a dense canopy overhead that blotted out the afternoon su

oke, his voice a low rumble. "My ca

soothe my frayed nerves, a

re came into view. It was a log cabin, weathered by years of sun and

n my tiny room at the Vance house had been part of

ruck and cut the en

my side, opening the door for

be my new home. The air was clean and crisp with the scent of

s. He simply unlocked the door with

was a single room, containing a bed pushed against one wall, a small table with two chairs, and a st

d. "You can have the bed.

mediately, shaking my he

e bed is yours." He almost said something else, som

ip, too focused on hi

. I'm going to chop some wood for the fire." He seemed to

ty for him. He was just an Omega, like the rumors said, with nothing to his name. Yet he offered me everything h

didn't go straight for the axe. Instead, he leaned against the rough bark of an ancient

ht her to the cabi

ead, laced with concern. How is

eyes when I saw the cabin, but the quick, quiet accepta

. Harmless rumors have their uses-they keep political vultures at bay, and they let a man see who his true allies are. But this wager? Hiding the truth from your own mat

to set that aside for their schemes. I only agreed to their arranged union to put their hypocrisy on full display. If they are so certain fate holds all the answers, then let fate be tested. Let me see if this girl-a stranger dragged into our world-would truly stay wi

nation. And if you lose? If she accepts yo

around him. Then perhaps... the elders were right about something

it, splitting a log cleanly in two. He needed the physical relea

e world correct. But another, smaller part of him-a part h

st. I took out my mother's book of fairy tales, its cover soft and faded from

yself. It would be b