I wanted to refuse, but Jacob’s hand on my arm silenced any protest. “We’ll go,” he said firmly.
The dinner was unbearable. Hera flirted shamelessly with Jacob while I sat in silence, suffocated by the weight of the pack’s expectations. Alpha Garett’s booming voice broke through my numbness midway through the meal.
“Calla, you must bear Jacob’s child soon. The pack needs it.”
My breath caught, and my heart pounded as his words sank in. Jacob’s smooth reply—assuring them that their wishes would soon be fulfilled—felt like a noose tightening around my neck. My gaze flicked to Felix, but he remained silent, his jaw tight, his expression unreadable.
When dinner ended, Felix lingered near me, his voice a whisper meant only for me. “Meet me tonight,” he murmured.
Hope sparked faintly in my chest. I nodded, my resolve hardening. Whatever he had planned, I would seize the opportunity.
Later that evening, I stood on the balcony of my room, the cool night air brushing against my skin as I waited. My thoughts churned, tangled with fear and anticipation. A knock at the door startled me, but when I turned, it wasn’t Felix—it was Jacob.