Delilah's pout was perfectly measured.
"Is that so?" Claudia said, tilting her head.
Delilah turned to Eric.
"Would you like to take me to the awakening party, Alpha?"
There were about three seconds of silence.
One.
Two.
Three.
"No, I will not be attending."
"But the party is for you," she insisted, her smile becoming a bit tighter, a bit more brittle.
"I didn't ask for a party," Eric answered, finally glancing at her with a neutral expression.
Claudia jumped in smoothly. "Ignore him. He is always grumpy."
Eric glared at her. Claudia ignored it and poured herself more tea.
At that moment, footsteps echoed down the stairs.
Sera came down just then, rubbing a bit of sleep from her eyes, her hair slightly disheveled in the most dangerously endearing way.
She said her good mornings.
"I'm so sorry," Sera said. "I slept quite late. I'll get on with breakfast immediately, Mrs. Blackwood."
Claudia waved a dismissive, affectionate hand.
