Chapter 59 Mask

• We walk side by side down the stairs. Our gowns trail behind us as we face today and what it’ll bring. I push the thought of Shane to the back of my mind. If I focus on him today I’ll cry and lose my composure. I need to wear another mask today. One of indifference and obedience. Two guards lead the way in front of us and two more follow close behind. The handmaiden wasn’t dismissed. She follows the guards behind us with her head bowed low. Today is a busy day and Ava insisted that we keep her by us. We’ll need help from someone who isn’t a man.
• When we reach the bottom, Ava takes a step closer and links her arm with mine. When I look at her she doesn’t return my gaze. She takes another step and pulls me along with her. It annoys me but I don’t let my mask slip. I keep my mask in place and follow her to the front of the packhouse. We’re to wait here until our father and his Beta show up. The guests will be arriving soon and breakfast isn’t on the schedule for today. The heat from the sun glares down on us and I’m already ready for this day to end.
• My father, his beta, and his gamma show up and stand a few feet in front of us. Ava and I stand here as decoration. The Alphas that are coming will look upon us and compliment my father on how beautiful we are. We’ll bow to him and his wife and smile at his children before they are assigned a guard. We repeat this process over and over again until every alpha of importance is greeted.