Giselle, seeing my faltering composure, basked in her victory. Hands on her hips, she announced, “The day after tomorrow, Griffith and I will be standing before Moon Goddess to seal our bond with a new contract. You should come and watch—see how a real fated bond is formed. You never even got the chance for that, did you?”
She left, humming softly, while I crumbled into the shadows of the dimly lit corridor, sobbing until consciousness slipped away.
When I woke up, it was already the next day.
Griffith was sitting beside my bed. The moment I opened my eyes, he pulled me into his arms. “Ellia, you’re awake! What happened? Why did you collapse?”
I let out a slow breath and curled my lips into a mocking smile. “Griffith, you know, sometimes… I envy Giselle.”
His expression stiffened. “What?”
“At least she gets to have a contract with you. If I had one too, then when you betray me, I would know right away.”
Panic flickered across his face. “Why are you saying this all of a sudden? Did someone tell you something ridiculous?”
“You don’t need a contract,” he hurriedly assured me. “Because I would never betray you!”
I said nothing. Just watched him.
Growing desperate, Griffith shot up from his chair and swung the door open, calling for a guard. “Bring every woman I’ve interacted with recently. Now!”
Before long, four or five women entered the room.
Griffith turned to them. “Tell your Luna how we met in the past few days.”
The first to speak was the town’s apothecary. “Three days ago, Alpha Griffith accompanied Luna Ellia to the clinic. That’s when I saw him.”
The second was a cook from the castle. “A few days ago, Alpha Griffith asked me about Luna Ellia’s diet.”
The third was a seamstress. “Yesterday, Alpha Griffith summoned me to tailor a new nightgown for Luna Ellia.”
One by one, they answered, and as they did, Griffith’s shoulders relaxed. Every encounter had been because of me.
He exhaled, as if reassured, as if he had somehow proven himself.
I, on the other hand, simply watched the performance unfold, unmoved.
Then, when silence settled, I finally spoke. “What about Giselle? She was here yesterday too, wasn’t she?”
His entire body stiffened. “Giselle? W-Why would you bring her up? You know I don’t like her.”
His denial came swiftly, but his voice wavered, unnatural and forced.
