Charlotte's POV
The knock on my apartment door made me drop the coffee mug I was holding.
It shattered on the kitchen floor, hot liquid splashing everywhere, but I barely noticed. My heart was hammering from that frightening text last night. The one who said the ball would be my last party ever.
Another knock. Louder this time. "Charlotte? It's just a delivery guy. You gonna open up or what?"
I let out a shaky breath and unlocked the door. A bored-looking man in a brown uniform stood there holding a big white box tied with a silver ribbon. "Charlotte Harris?" "That's me." "Sign here." He shoved a tablet at me.
My hands were still shaking as I signed. The delivery guy dumped the box in my arms and left without another word.
I closed the door and stared at the box. It was surprisingly heavy. And beautiful, the kind of fancy package I'd only seen in store windows, never actually owned.
There was a small card tucked under the ribbon. I opened it with shaky fingers. "For my clever analyst. See you at the ball. -M" Marcus. This was from Marcus.
All the fear from last night melted away like snow in the light. Marcus had sent me a gift. A real gift. He'd never done that before.
I tore open the box, pulling away layers of tissue paper until I saw it.
A dress.
The most beautiful dress I'd ever seen in my life.
Silver cloth that seemed to glow in the light. Simple but beautiful, with delicate beading that sparkled like stars. I pulled it out carefully, scared I might damage it somehow.
It was perfect. Absolutely amazing.
And it would fit me, I could tell just by looking. Marcus knew my size. He'd paid attention to details about me. That meant something, didn't it?
I held the dress up to my body and looked in the mirror. For the first time in my life, I didn't see the invisible omega girl everyone overlooked. I saw someone beautiful. Someone worth watching.
Someone a General might actually love.
My phone rang, and I jumped. After last night's creepy texts, every sound made me nervous.
But it was just Jamie. My friend from the tech department. "Hey, Charlie! Just checking if you're still living. You never texted me back last night." "Sorry. I got home really late and just crashed." "You work too hard. Anyway, I'm coming over. I left some files at your place last week, remember? Need them for a meeting this afternoon." "Oh. Right. Um, okay." "Be there in ten minutes."
He hung up before I could say anything else.
I looked at the mess in my kitchen, a broken mug, coffee everywhere, and now this expensive dress thrown over my couch. I should clean up, but I couldn't stop staring at the dress.
Marcus sent this to me. Marcus, who was handsome and strong and could have anyone he wanted. But he picked me.
The scary texts from last night seemed stupid now. Probably just someone playing a game. Or maybe I'd accidentally seen something in those files that I wasn't cleared for, and some security person got nervous.
It didn't matter. Tomorrow night, I'd be at the ball with Marcus. Wearing this amazing dress. Finally showing everyone that I wasn't nobody.
Another knock on my door. Jamie.
I opened it, and he walked in holding his usual energy drink and talking before he was fully inside. "Okay, so about those files, I think I left them on your" He stopped dead, looking at the dress on my couch. "Whoa. What is that?" "A dress. For the ball tomorrow."
Jamie picked up the empty box, studying it. His eyebrows went up. "Charlie, this is from Delacroix. That's like the most expensive boutique in the city. This dress probably cost more than I make in three months." "Marcus sent it."
Jamie's face changed. The excitement vanished, replaced by something that looked like worry. "General Steele sent you this?" "Yes. Isn't it beautiful?" "It's..." Jamie put the box down carefully. "Can we talk for a second?" "If this is another lesson about how Marcus is too good for me," "It's not that." Jamie sat on my couch, moving the dress aside gently. "Charlie, I'm worried about you. Something feels wrong about this whole situation."
My good mood started collapsing. "Why? Because a General likes me? Because someone finally treats me like I'm special?" "No. Because you've been dating him for six months and nobody knows about it. Because he only meets you late at night when no one's around. Because he's never taken you anywhere public or introduced you to anyone." "That's because of military rules." "There are no military rules against what you two are doing," Jamie interrupted. "I checked. Generals can date enlisted troops as long as they're not in the same direct chain of command. You work in intelligence research. He oversees field operations. There's no problem."
I felt cold suddenly, like someone had opened a window in winter. "You're wrong. Marcus said, "What did Marcus say exactly? Did he ever actually explain the exact rule you're breaking? Or did he just say you had to be careful?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. Marcus had always been vague about the reasons. "Military protocols," he'd say. Or "It's complicated." But he'd never given me specific details. "Charlie, listen." Jamie's voice was gentle now. "I know you like him. But from the outside, this looks bad. Secret bond. Expensive gifts. And now he's taking you to the most popular event of the year? Why suddenly go public now after six months of hiding?" "Because he's ready! Because he cares about me!" "Or because he wants something from you."
The words hit me like a slap. "That's not fair. You don't even know him." "You're right, I don't. Because he's never let me meet him. He's never let anyone meet him. Don't you think that's weird?"
I grabbed the dress off the couch, holding it protectively. "You're just jealous. You've always had a crush on me, and now you can't stand that I'm happy with someone else."
Jamie flinched as I'd hit him. "That's not what this is about." "Then what is it about? Why can't you just be happy for me?" "Because I've been hearing things at the base. Rumors about General Steele. About how he uses people. About how he's not the hero everyone thinks he is." "Rumors? That's what you're basing this on? Gossip?" "Charlie," "No. I'm done listening to this. Marcus is good to me. He makes me feel important. He's taking me to the ball tomorrow, and we're finally going public with our romance. That's all that matters."
Jamie stood up slowly. "Okay. I can see you're not going to listen. But Charlie, please, just be careful tomorrow night. If something feels wrong, if anything seems off, call me. I'll be working the overnight shift at the base, but I'll have my phone. Promise me you'll call if you need help." "I won't need help." "Promise me anyway."
I sighed. "Fine. I promise. Now, can you please leave? I have a lot to do before tomorrow."
Jamie looked at me for a long moment, his face sad. "I hope I'm wrong about all of this. I really do."
After he left, I sat on my couch holding the silver dress.
Jamie's words kept ringing in my head. No military rules against dating. Marcus never explained exactly why we had to hide. Rumors about him using people.
No. Jamie was wrong. He had to be wrong.
Marcus loved me. This dress proved it. Tomorrow night proved it.
I held up the dress again, studying it in the light.
That's when I noticed something I'd missed before.
Sewn into the lining, so small I almost didn't see it, was a tiny tracking device.
The kind used to follow someone's exact location.
Marcus hadn't just sent me a beautiful dress.
He'd sent me a way to track everywhere I went.
My hands started shaking again as a horrible thought entered my mind.
What if Jamie was right? What if I weren't Marcus's girlfriend?
What if I were his target?