Chapter 3

Approval for the undercover mission came through quickly.

The cancellation of my mate binding application with Orion, however, was kept strictly confidential.

I specifically instructed Dad to tell only Margaret, in private, that I would be taking her place for the undercover assignment. All she needed to do was resubmit her mate binding application with Orion.

I asked that everyone else be informed only on the day of her and Orion's moonlit bonding.

After reviewing all materials and intelligence related to this mission, I burned them up.

I considered it a surprise that I was preparing for Orion.

But Orion knew nothing about it. He seemed listless every day.

Whenever he had the chance, he went to the leadership, trying to get the undercover candidate replaced.

That afternoon, just after I walked out of the cafeteria, I happened to see Orion and Margaret sitting together in the garden.

Having learned that she could be with the man she loved, Margaret was smiling more brightly than ever.

"Orion, what are you weaving?" Margaret asked. "I've never seen that before."

Orion was holding several bundles of wild grass. His fingers bent and looped with practiced ease, and soon the grass took shape as a straw-woven grasshopper.

"Just some useless little trinket," he said with a brief smile.

I found it painfully ironic.

My mom taught him that straw-weaving skill.

When she was still alive, she used to weave things like that to amuse me.

After she sacrificed herself to protect the territory, the one who comforted me became Orion.

Then Margaret appeared, and even the little joy I had left was taken from me bit by bit.

I resented Margaret and my stepmother for stealing the affection that once belonged to me. I had even forced Orion not to accompany Margaret or play with her.

Orion, in turn, accused me of being unreasonable and making trouble out of nothing.

"What do you want?" Orion asked gently.

Margaret glanced at me, a playful smile tugging at her lips, her expression innocent. "How about making a rabbit?"

Orion froze.

I turned and walked away.

A straw-woven rabbit was the last thing Mom ever made for me.

Our former home had been attacked by Rogues and burned to ashes.

The only thing Mom was able to leave me was that final straw-woven rabbit.

Margaret had never cared about things like that. She only wanted to provoke me.

I did not leave calmly, nor did I dodge or hide.

When I turned my head, Orion was looking over, but I ignored him.

That night, a small box appeared outside my bedroom door.

When I opened it, there was a straw-woven rabbit inside.

The craftsmanship was distinctive. I knew at once that Orion had made it.

"How childish," I muttered.

I turned around and went back into my room, leaving the rabbit outside.

When I opened the door the next morning, the rabbit was still there.

I stared at it for a long moment, then finally picked it up and took it with me.