Page 7 of Violet

Her smile falters. “You need to see her, you know. She won’t be happy to find out you’ve snuck onto the island without saying hi.”

As if that devious woman ever just wanted to do something as innocent as just say hi.

“No way,” I say. “Not even if hell freezes and the demons become angels.”

Penrith smiles again. “Oh, Stephan. You haven’t changed at all.”

CHAPTER

THREE

Violet

“Don’t bite your nails, Violet.” Mom swats my hand away from near my mouth.

“I’m not.”

“Isn’t it a beautiful day, girls?” Mom beams and sweeps her gaze around the park where people are wandering and kids zipping about. The warmth of the sun in the cloudless sky strokes my face and makes sweat cling.

“Perfect,” I say, even though I had prayed hard for rain.

A band plays on the small open sound stage. The music is non-confrontational and about twenty years old but not even cool enough to be called retro. Since the picnic’s only a guise for the Monarch—Sophine—who is head of the Council and lives on the isle during the Season to observe and pick out a “lucky” Omega to be deemed her Luxe. The most beautiful and desirable Omega of them all.

Why does she do this? Tradition? Boredom? No one really knows why she focuses so much on Sabine in the summer, but that’s how it’s been forever and no one dares question her authority.

It’s hard not to wrinkle my nose at such strange and almost archaic customs, but I’ve had years of practice being the perfect daughter. Even before Dad’s accident, and Heath stepping away from finding a mate, I’ve known that the first-born Omega daughter is a duty I have to wear like a crown.

Best behavior, perfect manners, and generally being someone an Alpha would want by his side.

“Imagine,” Iris says, coming up behind me as Mrs. Hyde hijacks Mom’s attention. She points at the woman’s brightly colored dress that’s too tight for her and pinches her body in all the wrong ways. “What do you think goes on under that over-fluffed hair of hers? I bet it’s just the whistle of the wind blowing through her ears.”

“Iris Anne Gardener,” I say, trying not to laugh. “That’s our neighbor, Mom’s friend, and your best friend’s mother you’re talking about.”

She rolls her eyes. “She’s cruel to Quinn. I hear stories. And it doesn’t matter how rich the Hydes are, or that her brother’s an Alpha. For some reason, a once-celebrated Omega gave birth to Beta girls.”

“They can still get mated. Everyone can.” Not participate in the Season, though—only Omegas and Alphas can do that. But Beta, Delta, and Gamma girls can still find a match. It’s just that no one watches them under a microscope like they do with us.

At least on Sabine.

But I push that out of my head and smooth my fingers down the pretty floral fabric of the summer dress Mom picked for me. I fix my gaze on my sister. “Now go, find your friend, and keep out of trouble.”

“And if I want to get into trouble?”

I clutch my stomach. It’s been in knots since I woke up this morning. “Don’t, Iris. Please. This is the first Season we’re taking part in, and Mom…” I flounder for the words, for breath.

“Don’t worry, Vi, I know. Mom wants this, and she misses Dad. But you?—”

“This is Mom’s first real outing after Dad’s passing. It’s important we support her and we be the perfect family. So if you’re going to act up…”

I run an eye over her outfit: a dark-blue dress ending above the knee, showing off thick black lace stockings, and her chunky boots on her feet. She’s at least got her hair pinned up, but the audacious makeup is still her signature.

“Then go meet Quinn somewhere. You need to stay here for at least thirty minutes. You need to last that long.”

“I’m wearing a dress. What more do you want from me?” she hisses.

“For me, Iris. Be good for me.”

“Fine.” And she stomps off in search of her friend.

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