(Evelyn's POV)
The smell was wrong.
I still had the shopping bag in my hand-lamb chops, rosemary, garlic, and a bottle of red wine.I won the case today. I wanted to cook something with my own hands to mark it.
The Thorn villa was quiet, and as I pushed open the door, the scent of a different she-wolf made my wolf stir.
I followed the scent up the stairs. A wolf's scent. Jasmine. Permeating our bedroom.
I set the bags down. Opened the closet. Lucian's charcoal jacket, back of the rack. I lifted the collar.
Jasmine. Stronger here. And a strand of hair clinging to the lapel. Not my color.
I closed the wardrobe and crossed to the bed. I crouched down and opened the bottom drawer of the nightstand, the one Lucian always said was for old documents.
There was an envelope inside.
Three photographs. I spread them across the duvet.
The first was a beach, golden light, Lucian laughing with a woman I didn't recognize. The second was a restaurant, candlelit, her hand resting on his. The third was the inside of a car. She was asleep on his shoulder. He was looking down at her like she was something fragile he didn't want to disturb.The woman's profile resembled mine somewhat.
The date stamp on the earliest photo: five years ago.
We didn't meet until two years later.
At the bottom of the envelope was a bracelet. Moonstone, silver-white, strung on a delicate chain. I turned it over. The inner clasp was engraved: C.W.
I set it on the nightstand.
Then I unclasped my own bracelet. Moonstone, same design, same weight. I'd always thought it was chosen with care.
I turned mine over.
Blank.
I placed them side by side on the nightstand. One with a name. One with nothing.
I sat there looking at them for a long moment.
Then I reached back into the drawer. Beneath the envelope was a notebook, old, the spine cracked. I opened it to the middle.
The heading was written in Lucian's handwriting: "Evelyn Project."
A scoring chart. His handwriting.
Hair color: 7/10.
Build: 8/10. Much higher than C, deduction. Larger chest than C, - a plus. A fuller butt than C - a plus.
Clothing style: 5/10 - "needs guidance toward the type of dresses Celeste prefers → sent a sundress in month three, she's started wearing them."
The way she laughs: 6/10.
Speech habits: 4/10.
Personality: 5/10 - Too conservative, which isn't necessarily bad; easier to manage.
Overall resemblance: 6.5/10 - "sufficient to fill the gap." - "sufficient to fill the gap."
Enough to fill the void.
I read it twice.