The Alpha Divorced Me, Now He Begs at My Grave novel · Chapter 1 of 24
Chapter 1: Papers and a File
Alastair divorces Rosalind to marry her sister and hands her his deputy's file; she signs, refuses the match, and gives him seven days, then meets Caleb and her lung stops aching.
My husband laid the dissolution papers on the sitting-room table on the night the new king was crowned.
A second file lay under them, thicker than the first.
My sister Ansley sat on the couch beside him with her hands folded in her lap.
His mother stood at the window with her back to us.
Six years ago the old king had signed an order that married me, a pack Alpha's youngest daughter, to Alastair Runciman, the Alpha of the north.
The whole gala knew Alastair loved my sister.
At the ceremony the pack healer tested us with a paper strip dipped in each of our blood, the old way.
Alastair read it first, said, "Blank, as expected," and put it in his coat.
I had let myself hope that someday I would count for more to him than my sister did.
Now the new king had asked what reward he wanted for backing the throne in the rebellion.
Alastair had asked for no rank and no council seat.
He had asked to be free of me.
"The king approved it this afternoon," he said. "The Crown will release you by the end of the month."
He pushed the thick file across the table.
"Caleb Ostrow, my deputy commander. Tarn Valley Pack, no registered mate, and parents who won't interfere. After we separate, you can marry him."
I opened the file and a short laugh came out of me.
"You're marrying Ansley. Fine. Why are you choosing my next husband?"
"I've spoken to your parents," Alastair said. "They're very pleased."
"Caleb serves under me. If anyone troubles you, I can still protect you."
Hortense turned from the window just long enough to watch Ansley reach over and squeeze my wrist.
"Ros, he only wants to see you looked after," she said. "Nothing changes between us. I promise."
Her hand was warm, and she smelled of the lavender soap we'd both used since we were girls.
Every decision about the rest of my life had been made before anyone asked me.
So I signed the dissolution page, took the file, and went to my room.
Keely, my assistant, was right behind me.
She held herself together until the door shut. Then she burst into tears.
"He's handing you to his own deputy so his mother's pick can wear your ring?"
"Yes."
I gave her the dissolution papers.
"Put these away."
She looked at the file in my other hand. "And that?"
"Go and tell Alastair to come back."
He was there within minutes. I set the file in front of him.
"I'll end the marriage. I signed it. But I won't marry Caleb, and I won't marry anyone you pick."
"Rosalind, I've decided on Ansley. That won't change, even if you never marry again."
"Do you really think a woman who turns down one man must be waiting for you?"
His jaw tightened, though his voice dropped.
"That isn't what I meant. Caleb is a man I promoted myself. You won't suffer with him."
"You've decided, then."
"I'll give you seven days to think it over."
"And if I still say no after seven days?"
He pushed the file back to me.
"The engagement can't be cancelled yet. Ansley is about to become Luna. If you publicly refuse the man I chose, everyone will say she took your husband and left you nothing."
So even my second marriage had to be arranged to protect my sister's name.
I told Keely to bring me the inventory of everything I owned in my own name.
Keely opened the safe and found, at the very bottom, a black pendant.
Six years ago Alastair was ambushed on the border, and I took a silver bullet for him.
It grazed my lung and left an ache that came back every cold season, and one winter it burned into a fever that kept Alastair sitting by my bed until dawn.
He had sealed the bent bullet in clear resin and given it to me on a chain.
I put it on the table in front of him.
"This stays with you."
He pressed it back into my palm.
"It's yours."
It was still warm from his hand.
"You'll end the marriage, but you insist I keep the keepsake," I said. "Do you want me to move on, Alastair, or do you just refuse to let me go?"
He didn't answer.
"Seven days," I said. "Then you'll have my answer."
I closed my fingers around the pendant and walked out.
I reached for Keely through the pack mind-link as I went, the way I had every day for six years.
The link was silent.
Alastair had already cut me off.
I turned the corner into the east corridor, and a man in a dark soldier's coat was standing there with his cap in his hand.
I had never seen him before.
In six years Alastair had always sent his deputy to the far border whenever I hosted anything.
He looked at me and went completely still.
"Caleb Ostrow," he said. "I didn't ask for that file, my lady."
I drew a breath, and it went all the way down.
For the first time in six years, my lung didn't hurt.
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