Chapter 4. The To-Do List

Lilly’s POV

It has been two weeks since Beta Zack’s visit, and things are slowly changing for the better.

The warrior brothers, Jacob and James, are now practically living here with us, staying in the guest room. They were instructed to keep a watchful eye on me.

It felt good to finally be noticed—and safe. Well, sort of. Angelica’s and Sade’s glares remained nerve-wracking. I was never sure when the two would strike.

My wounds had healed, and the scarring was almost nonexistent—all thanks to Beta Zack’s proper care.

“Lilly,” James called down the hallway. He was the friendlier of the two brothers.

“In here,” I replied, setting down a dish in the drying rack.

A moment later, he and Jacob appeared at the kitchen entrance, each carrying a box. They were grinning broadly, looking excited about something.

“What’s this?” I asked, coming around the counter.

“Just a little something,” James replied, setting the boxes on the counter.

Jacob handed me a white envelope.

“For me?” I gasped in surprise. I’d never received a letter before.

Jacob nodded.

I glanced at the envelope, seeing my name neatly printed on the front.

Who would want to send a letter to me? I was a nobody.

I turned the envelope over and noticed the golden royal seal on the back. My body stiffened and a whimper escaped my lips.

Was I in trouble?

Had I done something wrong?

“Open it!” James urged.

With trembling fingers and a racing heart, I managed to open the envelope and found a neatly handwritten note inside.

Dearest Lilly,

I believe you need something special for tonight’s occasion…

We took great care in selecting this; we hope it is to your liking.

Best wishes,

Zack.

A strange, unfamiliar sensation twisted in my abdomen. I wasn’t sure what the feeling meant.

“Is this really for me?” I whispered as tears threatened to spill over. No one had ever been this kind or generous to me.

The two brothers smiled and nodded.

“Open the boxes,” Jacob urged, gesturing to the one he’d just brought in. “We want to see what they picked for you.”

“They? Who’s ‘they’?” Sade spat, coming down the stairs. She wore a silver robe, her hair already styled for tonight’s occasion. Was she eavesdropping on our conversation—again?

In the past two weeks, I’d received regular gifts from Beta Zack. They were mostly necessities—which made Sade envious and jealous. She couldn’t understand why someone of such high rank would like me.

“The future king and his Beta, of course,” James answered, smiling.

The air was knocked right out of my lungs. I hadn’t expected to learn that Prince Lex was involved, too.

Sade’s gaze darkened—she clearly disliked the idea of Prince Lex giving me any attention.

“Come on, Lilly,” James coaxed. “Show us what they chose for you!”

I hesitated, glancing at Sade. She stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

“Show us,” she sneered. “We all want to see your new private collection…”

“No, no, no,” I protested. “I’ll look at it some other time. Besides, the ball is only later tonight, and I’m still busy with my chores…”

“I insist,” Sade said, leaving a cold feeling running down my spine. “You must show us at once! You can’t keep the royal warriors waiting—they’ve been so fond of you. It’s the least you can do to thank them!”

I swallowed hard, my gaze shifting to the two brothers. They seemed a bit taken aback by Sade’s attitude.

“Please show us,” Jacob pleaded.

“We’re leaving in an hour,” James added. “We might not get to see how pretty you’ll look…”

“Okay,” I relented. “I’ll do it!”

I couldn’t believe I was being pressured into opening the boxes. Hesitantly, I reached for the first box and opened it. My eyes widened, and I let out a gasp.

“This… is… too much!” I whispered, removing the lid. “I can never accept this!”

“You really don’t have a choice here,” James teased. “You can’t offend the future king.”

I smiled weakly as my gaze traveled over the expensive accessories—each item neatly packed in its own container. The box held a white diamond-colored clutch bag. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I ran my fingers over it, too afraid to lift it out.

Jacob saw me hesitate and gently lifted it from the box, handing it to me—it was surprisingly heavy.

A screech escaped Sade’s lips, and I quickly set the bag back in its container.

“Try the shoes next,” James suggested. “A little birdie told me they were imported from a famous designer.”

My fingers trembled as I carefully lifted the white diamond-strapped stilettos from the box. They glittered in the late afternoon sun.

Sade’s eyes burned with envy.

“Rumor has it there’s only one pair in existence,” Jacob said.

“They’re really something spectacular,” James added.

I nodded in agreement and placed them back in the box.

The jewelry that accompanied the rest of the accessories was even more breathtaking.

I couldn’t bring myself to touch the jewelry—it looked far too expensive to even consider.

“The gown next,” James chirped, pointing at the larger box.

“Do I really have to?” I asked.

The brothers pouted, making me giggle.

“You two are the world’s worst manipulators,” I teased, opening the box.

My breath caught in my throat and a whimper escaped my lips. Inside was a soft, powdery yellow chiffon dress.

“I’m going to look like a real princess,” I muttered in disbelief, unable to take my eyes off it.

I slowly pulled the dress from the box and gasped.

It was made to my size. It was perfect. It was beautiful. It was my favorite color.

How did they know?

I held the dress before me and spun around. I felt so happy. I was so excited!

Someone cleared their throat and I froze, my gaze snapping toward the sound.

Angelica was descending the stairs, her face hard and her eyes cold. She passed her daughter and stopped in front of me.

“You’ll only be going when all your chores are done,” she said.

A smile formed on Sade’s lips—this was her doing.

I knew trouble was coming. Angelica was about to add more to the to-do list—just to make a point.

“That’s unfair!” James exclaimed.

“Yeah,” Jacob added. “Besides, all unmated she-wolves must attend the ball, including Lilly.”

“True,” Angelica agreed. “But the invitation didn’t specify a time she should arrive…”

I knew she’d find some loophole to try to keep me away.

“Is that so?” James asked, a mischievous smile on his lips. “Where’s the list of things that need to be done?”

Angelica hesitated.

“Come on, show us,” Jacob demanded.

With a glare, Angelica pulled a list from her pocket. Jacob snatched and unfolded it, showing it to James.

“When all those chores are done,” she said coldly, “your little Miss Muffet can attend the ball.”

James smiled, and a moment later, his eyes glazed over.