Chapter 23: The Invitation

After leaving the minister’s office, Laurel threw herself into her work. If she kept busy, she wouldn’t have time to worry about Adolph, mates, or anything else.

Basil and Delia's wedding was coming up, so the entire castle was alive with movement. Sarah had been called from Laurel’s side to help due to the staffing shortage. Tina’s voice, shouting orders, echoed down the luxurious hallways of the castle as servants scrambled to put up decorations everywhere. The air was thick with the scent of lilies and roses.

The sight of it made her sick. Every newly shined candelabra and polished piece of silverware made her want to run back to her room and avoid the festivities altogether. Basil's attention to this wedding made her and Basil’s wedding looked like a joke. Roses were everywhere on the palace grounds for Delia, yet the only roses in Laura’s wedding had been the four in her bouquet.

She supposed that was the difference between a marked mate and a true mate.

She stopped at the grand