7. #1 Escape Plan

Eira’s POV

“Luna here is your food,” the maid said, placing the tray next to me on the bed.

Sitting near the window, I turned my gaze to her. Out of all the omegas who had entered this room to serve me, she was the only one who had dared to strike up a conversation.

Although I was disappointed that Fiona didn’t deliver the meal, I appreciated that this maid at least spoke to me.

My eyes fell on the tray—peas, chicken wings, and vegetables. I guessed he’d tried to impress me with this selection.

“The Alpha said I should pick your favorite foods,” the maid added, drawing my attention.

Her black eyes sparkled with delight as soon as our gazes met. She tried to hide her concern, but I saw it clearly. There was something oddly familiar about her—brown hair in two ponytails, black eyes—yet I couldn’t place her.

“I chose these because I thought they were your favorites,” she continued.

Frowning, I glanced at the tray again. “They’re not my favorites,” I replied flatly.

“Huh?” she gasped. “The Alpha said they were.”

Of course, I wasn’t surprised. I’d only pretended they were my favorites because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He always said they were my favorites, and I played along every time.

I hated peas. I hadn’t eaten them in my life until I married Kieran. He had no idea how much I despised them.

The thought stung more than I wanted to admit. No, I couldn’t dwell on this. I needed to focus on escaping.

“I hate peas,” I said, pushing the tray aside. “He doesn’t know me at all. Take the food back.”

Turning my gaze back to the moonlit window, I ignored the maid. The silvery light shimmered into the room, illuminating everything. I wouldn’t force myself to eat peas anymore—not when I had nothing left to do with him.

Her voice broke the silence. “So Fiona was right,” she mumbled softly.

My head snapped toward her. Fiona? Did she know Fiona?

“How is Fiona?” I demanded, grabbing her hand before I could stop myself. My heart pounded.

“She’s fine…”

“Did she send you here?”

The maid nodded. “She told me to check if you’re willing to leave the Alpha.”

My breath hitched. “What?”

She repeated herself, each word stunning me further. “She said if you wanted to leave, I should help you escape. She’s waiting for you in the annex building, next to the garden.”

Fiona was waiting for me? I thought she’d given up on me after my position as Luna was shaken. She had every right to be angry, especially after I didn’t believe her when she warned me about Kieran bringing his mistress home.

And yet, she still chose to help me. Warmth blossomed in my chest at her loyalty. But suspicion quickly followed.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I asked, pulling my hand away.

Locked in this room while Vanessa roamed freely, I knew she’d try countless ways to get me into trouble. Was this part of a plan to ensure I missed my meeting with Magnus?

If I left and went to the annex, Kieran might be there waiting. Vanessa could pretend to be innocent while exposing my escape attempt.

“I can’t take that risk,” I muttered.

“Fiona expected this,” the maid said calmly. “That’s why she sent me. I’m not a maid—or an omega. I’m a Beta. Fiona’s mate.”

Her revelation caught me off guard. Fiona had mentioned finding her mate, but I had no idea it was a woman.

Still, her claim wasn’t enough to convince me.

“You smell like an omega,” I pointed out.

“That’s probably because Fiona’s pheromones are stronger than mine. She’s dominant,” the maid explained.

Silence hung between us as I weighed my options. If I got caught escaping, I’d spend even longer locked in this attic. But if Fiona was truly waiting to help…

Taking a deep breath, I sighed. “Fine. I’ll listen to you. How am I supposed to reach Fiona?”

The maid smiled warmly. “You can call me Natalie, Luna. I’ll explain everything.”

*****

A While Later

“Did the Luna eat her food?” a guard asked as I stepped out of the room, making me flinch. Balancing the tray in my hands, I kept my head lowered.

“The Alpha wants to know if she’s eaten,” the guard added.

The Alpha. I resisted the urge to lift my head. If they recognized my voice, the entire escape plan would fall apart.

Pretending to be Natalie, I had left the room while she stayed behind, posing as me. I was worried about leaving her there, but she insisted she had a plan.

“She ate everything,” I said quietly, trying to disguise my voice. “Would the plates be empty if she hadn’t?”

Before they could respond, I hurried away.

*****

Following Natalie’s directions, I made my way toward the annex. Fiona was supposedly waiting there, ready to help me escape. But even if we did, Kieran would surely find us.

My heart pounded as I neared the turn leading to the annex. Yet, instead of going that way, I paused and turned around.

I needed to find Magnus.

The guest room was in the main building, near the master bedroom and other important rooms. Getting there without being seen by Kieran or Vanessa would be nearly impossible.

Still, I had to try.

Slipping outside, I hurried to the side of the mansion, where I knew Magnus’s window was. The light was still on—a sign he was awake.

Relief flooded me as I looked up at the window, but it was short-lived.

How was I going to get up there?

His room was on the second floor, and I was outside on the ground floor. Did I need to climb all the way up there? Looking at the design of the mansion, I couldn’t find anything on the walls to help me climb up.

Then my gaze fell on the tree next to his window. If I could climb it, I could throw stones at his window until he opened it to answer me.

Without a second thought, I headed for the tree. As I reached it, I wrapped my hands around the trunk and tried to climb, but it was impossible. The tree was massive, and the branches were too high to grab onto.

Still, I refused to give up. If I didn’t act quickly, Kieran might see me if he looked out his window.

“Come on, climb,” I muttered under my breath, as though urging the tree to help me.

Just then, the sound of footsteps approached. My eyes widened as I froze, my heart pounding wildly.