I knew Rowan was nearby in the castle, not too far from me. She stayed close but never crowded my space. She didn’t push herself onto me, which I deeply appreciated. I really didn’t want her near me.
Elias definitely felt sympathy for her since she was an abused wolf, but my perspective was different. I also understood that he was worried about me because I was shutting her out. I ignored her presence, and he feared it might genuinely affect me.
But I couldn’t focus on that right now.
I sat in my room at the vanity, with makeup laid out in front of me.
Elias entered and noticed the light purple bruises I had carefully painted on myself, along with a split lip and several other cuts and bruises that would show with what I planned to wear.
“Wow, these actually look so real. How did you
