ELISE’S POV.
I shifted my grip on the tray and forced another small smile.
“I’m really fine.”
His eyebrow lifted slightly.
It was obvious he didn’t believe me.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the energy to convince him or anyone otherwise.
“I should get back,” I said quietly.
The guests were waiting.
Maryse would be looking for me.
And if she discovered I was standing here talking instead of working, I already knew how that conversation would end.
I turned and started walking away.
I barely made it two steps.
Suddenly, the corridor tilted.
The floor seemed to shift beneath my feet, and my vision blurred.
A wave of dizziness crashed into me so hard that my knees immediately weakened.
For one terrifying second, I thought I was going to hit the floor.
Then strong arms caught me.
The tray slipped from my hands and clattered to the floor.
Everything happened so quickly that my brain struggled to keep up.
One moment I was falling.
The next, I was being held upright.
His grip was firm but careful.
My face immediately burned with embarrassment.
Oh, my Goddess.
I stepped back so quickly I nearly lost my balance again.
“Thank you.”
The words came out faster than I intended.
The stranger picked up the tray and placed it on a nearby chair before turning his attention back to me.
His expression had changed.
The mild curiosity from earlier was gone.
Now he looked genuinely concerned.
“You should sit.”
I shook my head immediately and quickly grabbed the tray.
“I can’t.”
“You almost fainted.”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
The response came so quickly that it caught me off guard.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then, before I could stop myself, the words slipped out.
“If I stop working, I’ll just get into trouble.”
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them.
My eyes widened, and I immediately looked away.
Stupid.
That had been stupid.
I bit the inside of my cheek and tightened my grip on the tray.
The stranger was quiet for a few seconds.
Long enough for me to realize exactly what I had revealed.
I hadn’t said I didn’t want to rest.
I hadn’t said I preferred working.
I had said I couldn’t stop.
There was a difference.
A very big difference.
The stranger seemed to notice it too.
His eyes studied me carefully.
Not in a judgmental way.
Not like he was trying to pry, more like he was taking notice.
Finally, he gestured toward one of the chairs nearby.
“Five minutes won’t kill anyone.”
A laugh almost escaped me.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was literally impossible. Of course, five minutes would kill someone, and that someone would be me.
If only he knew.
If only he understood what happened when I wasn’t exactly where I was supposed to be.
“You don’t understand.”
His eyebrow lifted slightly.
“Then make me.”
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it again.
He wanted me to explain?
Explain what?
Where was I supposed to start?
With the mother I never knew?
The father who hated me?
The mate who rejected me?
The sister who stole my mate?
The years spent being treated like a servant in my own home?
Some stories were too heavy for strangers.
Especially kind strangers.
So I simply shook my head.
“I can’t.”
For some reason, that answer seemed to tell him enough.
He didn’t push.
He didn’t ask more questions.
Instead, he studied me for another moment before asking something completely unexpected.
“When was the last time you ate?”
I froze.
The question shouldn’t have been difficult.
It should have been simple.
Instead, my mind immediately went blank.
Breakfast?
No.
I had cooked breakfast.
I never actually ate it.
Lunch?
No.
I skipped lunch while helping prepare the ceremony.
Dinner?
I had been too busy running errands.
The realization slowly settled over me.
I honestly couldn’t remember.
Heat crept into my cheeks.
“Not long ago.”
The lie sounded weak.
Even I could hear it.
The stranger stared at me.
His expression didn’t change.
But somehow, it felt like he knew immediately.
Because who forgot when they last ate?
Slowly, he reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
When his hand emerged, he was holding an energy bar.
He held it out toward me.
“Have this.”
I blinked.
Then immediately shook my head.
“I can’t take that.”
The words came automatically.
I had spent years learning not to accept things.
Not to expect kindness.
Not to inconvenience people.
The stranger simply kept holding it out.
“It’s food, not a marriage proposal.”
For the first time all day, I actually smiled.
A real smile, even though it was brief.
I quickly looked away before he noticed.
“Thank you.”
Carefully, I reached out and accepted the energy bar.
Then I unwrapped it and took a bite.
The effect was immediate.
The moment the food touched my tongue, I realized just how hungry I actually was.
I took another bite.
Then another.
Then another.
By the fourth bite, I was eating much faster than I intended.
The stranger watched the entire thing.
Amusement flickered briefly across his face.
“Careful.”
I paused.
“You’re going to choke.”
My face immediately heated.
I swallowed quickly.
“Sorry.”
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
The sound surprised me.
It wasn’t mocking.
It wasn’t cruel.
It was warm.
“When was the last time you actually ate something?” he asked again.
This time, there was nowhere to hide.
I looked down at the half-finished energy bar.
“I don’t know.”
The admission felt embarrassing.
Humiliating, even.
But it was the truth.
Before either of us could say anything else, a familiar voice suddenly echoed through the corridor.
“ELISE!”
Every muscle in my body instantly tightened.
Fear shot through me so quickly it felt automatic.
Maryse.
Without thinking, I hid the energy bar behind the tray.
The stranger noticed, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
Not at me.
At my reaction.
Maryse stormed into the corridor a few seconds later.
Her heels clicked sharply against the floor.
The large pillar between us blocked her view of the stranger completely.
From where she stood, it probably looked like I was alone. Thank Goddess for that.
“What are you doing?”
I immediately lowered my head.
“I was just—”
“The guests need serving, and you’re hiding out here?”
Her voice was sharp enough to cut glass.
I swallowed.
“I only stepped out for a minute.”
“A minute too long.”
The stranger remained silent.
Watching.
Listening.
Maryse continued marching toward me.
“Don’t you have responsibilities tonight?”
I nodded.
“Yes, Luna.”
“Then start acting like it.”
Her expression darkened.
Honestly, if looks could kill, I would have died years ago.
“I swear you’ve become lazier every day.”
The words didn’t bother me as they normally would.
Maybe because I was exhausted.
Maybe because part of me was finally starting to understand that nothing I ever did would be enough.
Maryse opened her mouth to continue, then another voice called from somewhere inside the hall.
“Luna Maryse! Alpha Rafael is asking for you.”
Maryse stopped.
Annoyance flashed across her face, and she looked toward the hall before turning back to me.
“I’m going back inside.”
I nodded immediately.
“Yes, Luna.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Don’t make me come looking for you again, Elise.”
I nodded.
“I won’t.”
“Don’t make me tell your father how lazy you’ve become lately. You know he won’t like it.”
The threat landed exactly as intended.
My stomach tightened.
Maryse pointed toward the hall.
“You have five minutes to get yourself back in there.”
I bowed.
“Yes, Luna.”
Satisfied, she finally turned and walked away.
Her footsteps slowly disappeared into the distance.
The corridor fell silent again.
For several moments, neither of us spoke.
I stared down at the floor.
Embarrassment burned through me heavily.
I didn’t need to look at the stranger to know what he had just witnessed. I wanted the floor to open up and bury me in it.
Eventually, I gathered enough courage to look at him.
“I’m sorry about that.”
The words came quietly.
“I have to go.”
The stranger nodded.
I turned to leave, then paused.
Because I suddenly realized something.
I didn’t know his name.
This was the man who had fed me my first meal in a while, and I hadn’t even asked his name.
I looked back at him.
“Thank you for the food, Sir.”
The words trailed off awkwardly.
The stranger seemed to understand immediately.
A faint smirk touched his lips.
“Xander.”
I blinked.
“What?”
“You can call me Xander.”
The name suited him somehow.
Strong.
Simple.
Easy to remember.
I smiled and nodded.
“Thank you, Xander.”
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then I adjusted my grip on the tray before turning and hurrying back toward the hall.
I had only gone a few steps when movement at the far end of the corridor caught my attention.
Several guards were approaching.
At first, I thought they were heading out to welcome more guests, but then I noticed they were walking directly toward him—Xander.
I glanced back briefly.
There were quite a few of them.
For a second, I wondered if he was in some kind of trouble.
I watched their lips moving, but I was too far away to hear what they were saying.
Then, after a moment, Xander turned and started walking toward the exit, but the guards followed him closely.
My frown deepened with worry.
Why are guards escorting him away?
“You don’t think Maryse saw him with us earlier, right?” Mia’s voice sounded in my head, full of worry, and my stomach tightened.
I couldn’t tell for sure, but I hoped not.
Xander hadn’t done anything wrong.
He had merely tried to be nice when he saw my condition, that was all.
I hoped I hadn’t gotten him in trouble because of it.
Then I immediately dismissed the thought.
The entire pack house was overflowing with guests tonight.
Guards were constantly carrying messages, escorting visitors, and running errands.
Maybe they needed him for something.
Maybe Father had sent them.
With the Alpha King attending the ceremony, everyone had been rushing around all day for one reason or another.
Whatever it was, I hoped it had nothing to do with me.
Shaking the thought aside, I hurried back toward the celebration hall before Maryse could come looking for me again.
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