Chapter 32. A Little Approval

Alison’s POV

The faint chill of the morning air brushed against my skin as I stood beside the bus, watching the castle staff hustle around me. Boxes of neatly packed food, wrapped in brown paper and tied with simple string, were being loaded into the vehicles. The faint clatter of footsteps, hushed voices, and the hum of engines filled the air as we worked to prepare for the trip.

I clasped my hands together, trying to steady the nervous energy that buzzed through me. Today mattered. I needed this to go well, not for my pride but for my survival in this pack.

“Excuse me, Miss Alison,” a timid voice called behind me.

I turned to see a young maid standing there, her hands clasped nervously in front of her apron. She couldn’t have been more than Twelve, her wide brown eyes filled with both fear and duty.

“Yes?” I said softly, kneeling slightly so I was closer to her eye level.

“Lady Katherine requests your presence,” she said, her voice barely