Understudy [ABO] [MxF] [18+]

T W E N T Y

Ally woke up the next morning in the guest room of the Conte house.

She wasn't entirely sure what had made her choose to stay. Even now, a part of her still wanted to run while she had a chance and leave all of this behind. To be free of her parents and all of the drama that they brought with them. To start fresh with her child and make a peaceful life for them in the countryside. Even if it meant never seeing her friends again.

Yet the look on Elias' face as he had offered her the chance to leave had almost broken her heart.

She didn't want to admit that she had stayed for him, but deep in her heart she knew that was the real reason, whatever she tried to convince herself. In exchange for her freedom from him, she would stay within his sight, if nothing else. She knew that somehow that would be enough for him, at least for now. It had to be enough for him. She wasn't ready to give him more than that.

After contemplating returning to sleep, Ally finally rolled out of bed and shuffled her way to the door, and opened it to find Gabe standing on the other side with his hand raised to knock.

"Ah, morning, sunshine," he grinned at what must have been a birdsnest of hair on her head. "Poppy has made us a breakfast feast and wanted to make sure you got to eat before our father came to collect you. She has a suspicion you won't see another bite of food until the ceremony is over."

"I would say she is right," Ally mumbled and followed her brother downstairs. "That damn dress is so tight, I don't think I'll be able to eat while wearing it even if I wanted to."

They stepped out into the main room, and saw that the rest of the household was already seated at the table and helping themselves to food. Pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs, fruits, yoghurt, and every other kind of breakfast food she could imagine were laid out in generous helpings.

"Good morning!" Poppy said cheerfully as she carried over a jug of what looked like freshly-squeezed juice to the table. "Dig in, quickly! So it has time to settle before the ceremony."

Ally glanced over at the table and her eyes met Elias'. She didn't miss the relief in them at the sight of her still there. She had known his words last night were mostly bravado, but it still made her skin tingle to see the way he looked at her as she took a seat.

By tonight, he would be her mate.

The thought swirled in her head as she ate. In an ideal world, this would have been the most exciting day of her life. To be bonded to her fated mate, and officially become a pair, but this wasn't an ideal world. Their relationship was ill-defined at best and broken at worst, and the ceremony was both forced and rushed. Still, she couldn't help a slight bit of excitement at the thought. Her mate. Mine, the thought sent a shiver down her spine.

A sharp knock at the door brought her back to reality, and everyone at the table looked up. No one made a move to answer it. Only when the sharp knock was repeated, more forcefully, did Elias stand up.

"I'll get it," he said, voice low, and vanished from the main room.

They had a few minutes of eating in silence before Elias returned to the room, eyes dark, with Antoine in tow. Ally went stiff at the look in her father's eyes, and she saw Gabe stand up between them reflexively.

"Time to go," was all Antoine said before turning and walking back out.

Ally glanced at Elias, who was glaring after Antoine's back, before getting up. "Well, I guess we will see you at the ceremony."

Poppy jumped up and wrapped Ally in a hug, "The next time we speak, we'll be family." The older woman pulled away and gave her a smile that warmed her from the inside out. "I hope you'll think of me as another mother. I always wanted a daughter as lovely as you."