12

Jade’s POV

We kept our feet moving right behind Alpha Nicolai as he guided us out of the courtyard and through a set of massive, towering double doors that led directly into the central palace.

The moment I crossed the threshold, my breath completely caught in my chest.

Wow.

The sheer beauty of the space hit me like a physical force. Every single surface was carved from polished marble and dark, gleaming wood that reflected the light from massive crystal chandeliers hanging far overhead. I couldn't even bring myself to pretend or lie to myself—this place was beyond anything I had ever imagined. Standing here in the grand hallway, a sharp realization washed over me, making me feel painfully naive. I began to realize that my father, Alpha Vincenzo, was truly backward and local in the way he ran things. The Crestwood Pack—the only home I had known my entire life, where I had once foolishly believed that being a princess was a grand privilege—was nothing more than an old-fashioned, ugly ruin compared to this. The sight stretching out before my eyes left me utterly stunned, my mouth hanging open in complete awe.

We continued walking through the long, sprawling corridors. The palace was alive with constant movement. Scores of young men and women—maids in neat uniforms and palace servants—were rushing back and forth, carrying silver trays, folded linens, and heavy crates. The palace wasn't just huge; it was towering. The vaulted ceilings reached so high into the air that the carved archways seemed to touch the sky itself. The whole building hummed with an intense, busy energy. It made me realize that the throne room we had been standing in earlier wasn't even the main palace structure; it was just a small outer hall compared to the endless maze of this main fortress.

As we walked further, I noticed groups of male workers gathered near one of the high stone walls, laying down new marble tiles and carving detailed patterns into the stone pillars. I blinked in confusion. What on earth could they possibly be building? This palace was already absolute perfection, yet they were still expanding and refining every single corner of it.

Every time we passed a group of servants or guards, their eyes immediately flicked toward the four of us. They paused their work, whispering softly among themselves as their gazes tracked our every step. I shifted uncomfortably, pulling my clothes tighter around myself. I guessed it was because the four of us were wearing completely different garments from the rest of the workers—our clothes were dusty, rumpled, and marked us instantly as newcomers.

After taking several turns through the wide hallways, Nicolai led us down a short flight of stone stairs and opened a heavy wooden door that led straight into the main kitchen.

The room was massive, filled with the rich smells of roasted meats, fresh herbs, and baking bread. Heat radiated from large stone hearths where pots of soup bubbled over open flames. Nicolai walked us past rows of long wooden preparation tables until we stopped in front of a woman who looked to be in her early fifties. She carried herself with sharp authority, her hair tied up neatly and her eyes quick and observant as she wiped her hands on a clean white apron.

Nicolai paused, stepping to the side as he gestured toward her.

"This is Alicia," Nicolai announced, his voice smooth and clear as he introduced her to the four of us. "She is the head cook of the main palace."

Alicia lowered her hands, her sharp eyes sweeping over Abigail, Rita, Bakito, and me, evaluating each of us in a single glance.

Nicolai turned back to face us, his expression growing serious as he laid out our primary duties. "The Alpha has ordered that the four of you will serve as his personal servants. You will be responsible for handling everything directly related to his personal care."

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "Because of this, the four of you will take turns helping out here in the kitchen. You will assist in preparing his meals and personally serving the Alpha his food every single day."

A faint, knowing smirk flickered across Nicolai’s lips as his eyes narrowed slightly, taking in our pale faces.

"Now... I know what some of you might be thinking," Nicolai added, his tone laced with a calm, dangerous amusement. "You might be sitting there thinking that you can secretly mix poison into his wine or food to get your revenge for being brought here. But let me give you a quick, friendly heads-up to save you the stress and trouble..."

He tapped his chest lightly, leaning forward as his voice dropped into a steady whisper.

"...Poison does not work on the Viper Alpha. It doesn't work on me, either. Our Lycan bloodlines will burn right through any venom or toxic potion before it can even touch us. So do not bother trying."

Nicolai straightened back up, his face hardening as he delivered the final, sobering warning to the room.

"And another very important thing you need to understand: you cannot run away from this place," Nicolai warned softly, his dark eyes locking onto each of our faces one by one. "Alpha Lucien has already stationed hidden, secret guards across every single inch of this pack territory. They are watching the four of you right now, and they will track every single step you take no matter where you go inside these walls. You cannot go anywhere unnoticed."

He pointed a long finger back toward the direction of the main palace gates.

"You cannot even think about escaping through the main gates," Nicolai concluded, his voice flat and absolute. "The guards stationed at every exit already know your faces inside and out, and they have already been handed your photographs. So if any of you are dreaming of running away... I suggest you forget it entirely, because escaping this fortress is going to be completely impossible."