When Samantha returned to the Alpha’s estate, the night was quiet, the moon hidden behind dark clouds that moved lazily across the sky. She slipped in unnoticed through the servant’s passage, her heart still pounding from the excitement of the night’s encounter.
Her first step was to hide the vial. Clutching it tightly under her robe, she made her way swiftly to her chamber. The room was small but neat—her bed made, the oil lamp flickering softly against the wall. She hurried to the corner where she kept her chest of clothes, pushed aside a folded shawl, and hid the vial beneath a bag of neatly stacked garments.
A sly smile curved her lips. “Tomorrow,” she whispered, touching her chest. “By this time tomorrow, everything will change.”
With that, she straightened her dress, composed her
