FATED MATES IN THE SHADOWS

*SELENE*

Walking up the magnificent stairs of Mr. Orion’s mansion, my pulse pounded like a trapped bird.

The mansion loomed over me, enormous, menacing, and entirely strange. I had never seen something so beautiful… or so terrible.

Today wasn't only about stepping into a new environment. It was entering into a new life.

I halted at the finely carved wooden door, the pattern seemingly suggesting mysteries of what lay beyond. My palm trembled as I knocked, each whack on the wood reverberating louder than the previous.

Everyone in town spoke about him, Mr. Orion. Mysterious. Rich. Ruthless. And now, my employer.

Becoming his maid wasn’t a fantasy. It was desperation. With rising healthcare bills and college dreams, I had no choice. Ariel and Chris had the luxury of homeschooling and werewolf privilege. But me? Just a human girl struggling to live in a town inhabited by wolves and mortals alike.

As the door creaked open, I took in a breath.

There he stood.

Tall, Distant, Alpha.

His eyes skimmed over me, keen, inscrutable, even cruel in their serenity. My mouth felt thick, my knees threatened treachery.

He said nothing at first, His eyes roamed over me, calculating, detached,before his lips parted.

“What is your name?” His voice dropped like ice into still water.

“Selene,” I responded, barely above a whisper.

“And your age?”

“Seventeen. I’ll be eighteen next month.”

His gaze narrowed slightly. “Are you ready to work as a maid here?”

I nodded fast. “Yes, I am.”

He watched for a moment longer, then turned slightly. “Welcome, Selene.” The words were nice, but his tone was far from friendly. “You may address me as Mr. Orion.”

He led me in. The home was as eerily gorgeous inside as it was outside, with rich dark wood, velvet draperies, and chandeliers that appeared older than myself.

“In this mansion,” he said, his back to me, “there are rooms you’ll clean, and there are doors you must never touch. Never.”

The command landed like frost on my skin.

I nodded again, swallowing hard.

He didn’t glance back. “My assistant will show you around. His name is Beta Jay.”

With that, he departed into one of the mansion’s many passageways, leaving me to ponder everything and brace for the unknown.

I hardly had time to appreciate the magnificent, vintage decor when a silky voice behind me pierced through the air.

“Hello.. I’m Beta Jay, and you are?”

I turned.

If Mr. Orion was ice, Jay was sunshine. His sea-blue eyes twinkled, his grin, childlike and friendly, He extended a hand.

“Selene,” I murmured, faltering slightly as I shook it. “The new maid.”

“Well then,” he answered with a grin, “shall we?”

And with a gracious gesture, he escorted me around the mansion, showing out the maze of stairs, drawing-rooms, libraries, guest wings, and, most ominously, a specific door I was not to enter under any condition.

By the conclusion of the trip, he had to excuse himself for another assignment, leaving me alone to begin.

I rushed to the maid’s room, changed quickly, and brought out my phone to message my buddies.

But something bizarre overcame me. A blend of humiliation, pride, and uncertainty. I typed quickly:

“I got the job, guys. Chat later ❤️.”

With a deep breath, I tucked the phone away and stepped out to start working.

The days blurred into weeks.

Mr. Orion was a man of shadows and silence. He barely spoke to me unless necessary, and I learned quickly to keep my head down, do my work, and not ask questions.

But what I couldn't ignore were the women.

Every evening, without fail, another woman would arrive. All beautiful, all confident, all clearly charmed, or deluded, by the mysterious Alpha.

My job required me to clean the guest rooms after each visit. And while I never said a word, each encounter chipped away at something inside me.

I didn’t understand the feeling. Was it envy? Annoyance? Something more dangerous?

I shook the thought away and focused on the rhythm of my chores, letting the silence of the mansion fill my ears.

Until the doorbell rang.

Ring, ring, ring.

It was urgent, sharp, unusual.

Wiping my hands on my apron, I made my way to the front door and opened it.

Standing there was a woman enveloped in beauty. Dark hair surrounded her beautiful face, and her eyes, piercing and observant, met mine with a calm authority.

“Good day, madam,” I said cautiously. “May I ask the reason for your visit?”

She cocked her head, a little grin pulling at her lips. “I am Lady Evelyn, a family member of Mr. Orion, Is he available to receive guests?”

Family?

Something in her voice made me hesitate. I wasn’t sure if it was the confidence or the weird glitter in her eyes. Still, I pressed respectfully, “Forgive my caution, Lady Evelyn. We've had… many guests lately, many claiming closeness to Mr. Orion. May I enquire how you're related?”

Her smile broadened, but it wasn’t harsh. It was… knowing.

“My dear,” she whispered, “the heart sees what the eyes cannot. I tell you, my relationship with Mr. Orion runs in the blood.”

Blood....

Her words lingered in the air like smoke.

There was something about the way she handled herself, as though the air itself moved in her presence. Her perfume was subtle but unmistakable, a combination of wildflowers and something old I couldn’t name. Her eyes, a remarkable shade of silver gray, watched me with startling ease as if she could see through me, beyond the uniform and the title of “maid,” and into my thoughts.

A cold danced up my spine, but I hid it with a respectful nod. Whoever she actually was, Lady Evelyn wasn’t just another guest.

“Very well, Lady Evelyn. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. I shall tell Mr. Orion of your presence.”

And with that, I stood away......