Chapter 19

• Elvira
• Watching Alpha Jaxon disappear into another room sent a ripple of unease through me. Had I offended him by withholding my past, despite his generous shelter? The weight of unspoken words pressed heavily on my chest. I lingered in the study for a while, the silence amplifying my thoughts, before deciding to retreat to my assigned room.
• As I approached the room, a sense of foreboding settled over me. Upon opening the door, I was startled to find Celina seated gracefully in the chair by the window, her legs crossed, arms folded, and an icy gaze fixed upon me. The air grew heavy with tension. Instinctively, I averted my eyes, a habit ingrained from years of subservience. Celina's demeanor bore an uncanny resemblance to Mother Felen's—stern, unyielding, and perpetually disapproving. What had I done to incur such disdain from her?