12. Your name.

LILLIAN.

I stood frozen, my entire body locked in place, as the image from a few minutes ago replayed mercilessly in my mind.

Scott… carrying her.

That human girl had been in his arms—held so effortlessly, so naturally—as if she belonged there.

My fingers curled slowly into fists at my sides.

I, his chosen mate… had never been carried like that. Not once. Not even close.

And yet, for her—for a mere human—he had gone as far as punishing my maid.

The thought alone made something bitter rise in my throat.

So ridiculous.

My jaw tightened, my expression hardening as the echo of that moment refused to leave me. The way he had looked at her… the way he had acted without hesitation… It was infuriating.

By the time he disappeared completely from sight, my stillness broke. I turned sharply, my gaze landing on the new human maid assigned to me.

I had asked her to get me coffee.

Humans had always irritated me—their scent, their fragility, their presence. But now… now it feels worse. Seeing one of them in his arms had ignited something ugly inside me. Something I could neither ignore nor suppress.

Slowly, I approached her.

She was kneeling on the ground, her posture low, submissive, exactly where she belonged. My eyes swept over her, cold and calculating.

And then I felt it—Jealousy and anger.

It lingered around her like a faint but undeniable aura, subtle but present enough for me to sense.

My lips curved ever so slightly.

She could be useful.

Very useful.

“Get up,” I said sharply, my voice laced with authority as I lifted my hand to cover my nose, unable to tolerate her scent any longer. Even standing this close to her was a test of patience.

“Yes, Luna,” she responded quickly, her voice low and obedient as she rose to her feet.

The title didn’t go unnoticed.

I wasn’t Luna yet.

But no one ever seemed to care about that distinction. To them, it was already decided—already sealed.

I let out a quiet breath, my eyes narrowing slightly as I studied her more closely now that she stood before me.

“Do you know the girl Scott just carried away?” I asked, my tone controlled, though the curiosity beneath it slipped through despite my effort to mask it.

For a brief second, she hesitated.

Then she nodded.

“Yes,” she said, her voice steady, though something flickered in her eyes. “She is Kayla Wood.”

The name settled heavily in the air between us, lingering longer than it should have, like it carried more weight than just a simple introduction.

“We were classmates before calamity befell us.”

Her voice was steady, almost too steady, as if she had carefully chosen how much to reveal, and how much to keep buried beneath the surface.

I held her gaze, my expression unreadable, giving nothing away.

But inside…My mind had already begun to move, to calculate, to connect the pieces forming quietly before me.

Kayla Wood.

So that was her name.

Interesting!

The word echoed slowly in my thoughts, deliberate and measured, as I turned it over, examining it alongside everything else I had just learned. There was something about the way it all fit together—something that didn’t quite sit right.

They knew each other.

That much was clear.

Not just in passing. Not as strangers thrown together by circumstance.

There was history there.

Shared time.

Shared experiences.

Something deeper than coincidence.

And yet…There had been no warmth in Laura’s voice when she spoke of Kayla.

No softness.

No trace of familiarity that usually lingered between people who once knew each other well.

Only distance.

Only restraint.

It was subtle, but unmistakable.

My lips curled faintly, a quiet trace of disdain slipping through before I could stop it.

They both seemed to know each other well…And yet, somehow, they couldn’t stand each other.

That alone told me more than words ever could.

Pathetic humans.

Always divided. Always torn apart by emotions they could neither control nor conceal.

It was almost laughable.

“Follow me,” I muttered under my breath, my voice low but firm enough to carry authority.

I didn’t need to turn to know she obeyed.

The soft shuffle of her steps behind me, the slight dip of her head—submissive, compliant—told me everything I needed to know.

Good.

At least she understood her place.

“Your name,” I added after a moment, my tone clipped as I continued walking, my pace steady, unhurried.

“Laura,” she answered from behind me, her voice quiet but clear as she followed closely, careful not to overstep.

Laura.

I repeated it silently, letting the name settle.

Humans were fragile creatures—not just in body, but in mind. Their greatest weakness had never been their lack of strength.

It was their hearts.

Soft. Vulnerable. Easily swayed.

And that… was something I could use.

A slow, knowing smile formed on my lips as the thought took root.

If I played this well—if I handled her carefully—Laura could become more than just a servant.

She could become a tool.

Someone who would act without question.

Someone who would do exactly as I wished.

All I needed to do… was win her heart.

“From now on,” I began, my voice smooth, almost casual, though every word was intentional, “you will be in charge of my chambers.” I slowed slightly, just enough to let my words sink in before I continued.“I appoint you as my personal maid.”

The smile on my lips deepened, though it held no warmth, only quiet calculation.

A pawn, after all, must be kept close.

Very close.

I didn’t wait for her response.

Instead, I quickened my steps, the familiar path to my chambers stretching out before me as my mind moved ahead, already weaving possibilities, already setting plans into motion.

Behind me, I could still hear her following, faithful, obedient.Exactly as I wanted.

Kayla Wood…

The name surfaced again, sharper this time, heavier.My gaze hardened slightly as I walked.

‘See you soon, Kayla Wood,’ I muttered under my breath, the words barely audible, meant for no one but myself.

A promise.

Or perhaps… a warning.

‘I need to pay you a visit.’