Minutes turned to hours and hours into days after Elsie made things clear that day
She was mostly indoors and secretly thankful that not many people knew of what happened between Edward and herself.
The house that once felt heavy with silence slowly filled with movement again.
Servants moved in and out of the halls carrying fabrics, decorations, and lists. Members of the pack visited almost daily, discussing arrangements, traditions, and preparations.
The wedding was approaching.
And to the outside world, everything looked perfectly normal.
Elsie stood in the large hall with a parchment in her hands, calmly reviewing the list of decorations. Her voice was steady as she gave instructions to the workers.
"The white flowers should line the aisle," she said. "Not the red ones. Move those to the reception area."
"Yes, Miss Elsie," one of the servants replied before quickly fixing the arrangement.
Elsie nodded slightly and continued down the list.
From the outside, she looked composed, efficient and focused.
Exactly what the Alpha had asked of her.
A few days earlier, the Alpha had called her into his study.
"The pack needs to see unity," he had said. "If you oversee the wedding preparations, it will show them that you support this marriage."
Support?
Blessing?
Goddess knew she really did not like the idea of this marriage
This words had once meant something to her when it came to matters of the pack but this time, Elsie simply nodded.
"I understand, Alpha."
And she had done exactly what he asked.
Every decoration.
Every invitation.
Every seating arrangement.
Everything passed through her hands.
To the pack, it looked like she had accepted the situation with grace.
But no one could see the quiet cracks forming beneath that calm surface.
Not even the way her chest tightened every time she wrote Edward and Sara's names together.
Not the way her wolf whimpered softly each time Edward entered the room.
She didn't allow herself to look at him.
never allowed it once to even think of twice
Instead, she kept working.
The more she worked, the less she had to feel, she kept saying this to herself.
And the less she had to face them.
Her distance from the family had only grown since the day she walked out of her room.
She avoided the dining hall during normal hours.
Every morning she woke before everyone else, eating breakfast alone in the quiet kitchen before the rest of the house stirred.
In the evenings, she waited until she was certain the family had finished supper before stepping inside to eat.
The servants had noticed.
But no one dared say anything.
It was easier this way.
No conversations and no pitying looks.
No reminders of what she had lost.
Still… there were moments she couldn't avoid.
Like today, she felt it before she saw it.
That familiar weight on her back.
Edward's stare.
It had become a constant presence over the past few days.
He watched her during meetings, during preparations and even from across the room.
Elsie kept her eyes on the parchment.
Pretending she didn't notice.
But her wolf didn't even hide her notice in her and she hated it
Her wolf stirred every time he was near.
Craving his attention.
Waiting for him to speak and look at her the way he used to.
Elsie clenched her hand slightly around the parchment.
"No.... noo" she said to herself
She refused to give in to that weakness.
Whatever bond remained between them would disappear soon enough.
She had already accepted that.
Footsteps approached behind her.
Soft.
Hesitant.
"Elsie…"
Elsie didn't turn immediately.
She knew that voice.
Slowly, she faced her sister.
Sara stood a few steps away, her hands nervously clasped together. Her eyes looked tired… red like she hadn't slept well.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Sara swallowed.
"I've been trying to talk to you for days."
Elsie waited silently.
Her expression unreadable.
Sara took a shaky breath.
"I know I don't deserve it… but I needed to say something."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"I'm sorry."
The words hung between them.
"I know this whole situation is horrible," Sara continued. "And I know I've been selfish. I should have told you sooner about… about everything."
Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach.
"I never meant for things to happen like this."
Elsie's gaze briefly flicked to the movement.
Then returned to Sara's face.
Still calm.
Still distant.
"I was scared," Sara whispered. "And now you're the one suffering for it."
Her voice cracked.
"You're my sister, Elsie. I hate that I hurt you like this."
She stepped closer.
"Please… forgive me."
Silence.
Elsie looked at her for a long moment.
Her face showed nothing.
No anger.
No sadness.
No warmth.
Finally she spoke.
"I see."
Two simple words.
Nothing more.
Sara blinked, confused.
"That's… that's all you're going to say?"
Elsie adjusted the papers in her hands.
"There are still many preparations left to do future luna" she said calmly. "If that is all you wanted to discuss, I have work to finish."
Sara stared at her.
The distance in Elsie's voice felt worse than any shouting could have.
"Elsie… please don't shut me out like this."
Elsie paused.
Then she spoke without looking at her.
"We are not children anymore, Sara."
Her tone was soft.
But final.
"I believe everyone has already made their choices and we should be bold enough to stand the consequences."
With that, she walked past her sister.
Sara remained standing there, watching her leave.
And for the first time, she realized something terrifying.
Elsie hadn't forgiven her.
But she hadn't hated her either.
It was worse than that.
Elsie simply… no longer cared. She no longer cared for her or the family. They were practically living with a stranger now.
Down the hallway, Elsie continued walking without looking back.
But the moment she turned the corner, her chest tightened painfully.
Her wolf stirred again.
Because across the hall, Edward was standing there.
Watching her.
Just like he had been for days.
His eyes followed her every movement.
As if searching for something.
As if waiting for her to finally look at him.
Elsie walked past him without slowing down. She didn't even greet or show respect like she was supposed to do.
Her face completely indifferent.
But inside…
Her wolf ached.
Craving the attention she refused to give.
And the harder Edward stared at her…
The harder she forced herself to act like he didn't exist.
Just as she reached the end of the hallway, Edward's voice finally broke the silence.
"Elsie."
Her steps paused for the briefest second.
Not long enough for anyone else to notice.
But Edward did.
Slowly, she turned her head just enough to look at him over her shoulder.
Her expression was calm.
Unfamiliar.
Almost cold.
"Yes, Future Alpha?"
The title fell from her lips smoothly.
Respectful yet distant.
Like he was nothing more than the leader of the pack.
Not the man who once held her heart.
Edward felt something twist painfully inside his chest.
And for the first time since all of this began…
He wondered if the woman walking away from him was already gone for good.
Behind him, his wolf growled uneasily.
Because somewhere deep inside…
It felt like they had just made the biggest mistake of their lives.
And it might already be too late to fix it..