The next morning brought news that made my already sour mood even worse.


    “A charity auction?” I asked, staring at the invitation Gabriel had delivered along with our breakfast. “Tomorrow night?”


    “It’s been on the calendar for months,” Alexander said without looking up from his coffee. “I assumed you knew.”


    I scanned the invitation with a sigh. The annual Ashw Children’s Hospital Charity Auction- quite the mouthful-was one of the biggest social events of the year. Everyone who was anyone would be there, which meant more cameras, and most of all…


    More pretending to be the perfect mated couple.


    Which meant more fucking makeup to create my fake mark.


    Dammit, I had only been home from the hospital for two days, and already I was exhausted. But Alexander and I needed to go to that event, especially with the recent media attention. It was a good opportunity to donate to charity, and it was also a chance to quell some more of the rumors.


    The rest of the day passed quickly. I had to sit through another session with Lilith carefully applying the fake mark, each brush stroke a reminder of everything I didn’t have.


    By evening, I was ready. The fake mark looked perfect, my dress was stunning, and my smile was utterly bulletproof. I looked every inch the devoted Luna,plete with my mate’s mark proudly disyed on my throat.


    I also felt like aplete and utter fraud.


    “You look beautiful, dear,” Lilith said softly as she put the finishing touches on my hair. “But you seem troubled.”


    I met Lilith’s eyes in the mirror. “I’m just tired of all this pretending.”


    Lilith was quiet for a moment as she arranged a few loose curls around my face. Then she stepped back and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small jewelry box.


    “I have something for you,” she said, holding out the box with a smile. “Something that might lift your spirits.”


    Curious, I opened the box. Inside was a delicate silver locket, clearly old but beautifully maintained. The surface was engraved with intricate swirls and what looked like tiny flowers.


    “It’s gorgeous,” I breathed, lifting it carefully from the box. “Where did you get it?” Lilith beamed. “It’s been in my family for generations. My grandmother gave it to my mother, my mother gave it to me. I always nned to give it to my daughter someday.”


    My eyes widened as I met her gaze again in the mirror. “Lilith, I can’t-”


    “You can,” Lilith said firmly, taking the locket from my hands. “You are like a daughter to me, E. I told you that at the hospital, and I meant it This locket belongs with someone who will treasure it, and I know you will.”


    Tears pricked at my eyes as Lilith fastened the chain around my neck. The locket settled just below my corbone, the silver color popping against my pale skin like it was made for me.


    “Thank you,” I whispered, touching the locket gently. “This means more to me than you know.”


    Lilith squeezed my shoulders. “You deserve to have beautiful things, dear one. You deserve to be cherished.”


    The simple words nearly broke me. When was thest time someone had told me I deserved to be cherished? When was thest time someone had given me a gift simply because they loved me, not because they wanted something from me?


    “I love you,” I said softly, and I meant it. Lilith had be the mother I’d never had, the one person in my life who truly cared about my happiness. Her eyes shimmered with tears at my words, and she reached out and brushed her thumb across my cheek.


    “Oh, my dear girl…”


    As if on cue, a knock at the door interrupted the moment. “E?” Alexander’s voice called from the hallway. “We need to leave.”


    I sighed and pulled away, turning toward the mirror onest time. The sight of Lilith’s locket on my throat seemed to lift some of the weight of the fake mating mark right next to it.


    With a nod, I grabbed my clutch and headed out.