Chapter 3

Frightening but Charming

Seraphine’s POV

“Don’t ever let him see you.”

Those words sent a chill down my spine. The head maid’s voice? Sharp enough to shave your soul. She looked at me with those eyes that could cut glass, like she had already seen my fear leaking out.

“If the Alpha finds you in his chamber,” she leaned in real close, her breath all coffee and something sharper, “You won’t walk out alive. Got it?”

I nodded, probably looking like I was about to hurl. “Yes, Head Maid.” She just sneered.

“The last girl who thought she could handle this…” Her lips twisted into something ugly. “…she ended up in pieces in the square. Dogs nibbled her bones. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She lets out an ugly smile.

My heart skipped a beat, my palms got all sweaty, I almost dropped my broom. “So why me?” I asked frightfully. The other maids giggled, pretending to fold sheets. But really, they were watching me crash and burn. Nobody wanted this job.

The head maid straightened up, fixing her scarf before she responded.

“Why you? Because everyone else is too chicken to step foot in his room after last time. You were easy to shove up front. Disposable.”

Laughter rippled behind me. The kind that feels like nails on wounds. My chest tightens. So that was it. It didn’t matter how hard I tried to fit in. They had just been waiting to toss me into danger.

The head maid snapped her fingers at me. “At dawn, he had gone training by then. You get exactly one hour. Don’t push your luck, Omega.”

I ducked my head, chewing back a shiver. “Yes, Head Maid.”

The next morning, the sun had barely come up. There I was, standing in front of the Alpha’s door. My heart was beating faster than usual, I gripped my bucket so hard it hurt my fingers.

The door was massively made of gold. It has wolves carving that seemed to be sneering at me.

Don’t let him see you…remember her words again.

I pushed the door open with hands that wouldn’t stop shaking. The room? Couldn’t even call it a room. It was more like a lair.

Black velvet curtains everywhere, swallowing up the light. Weapons lined the walls, blades catching whatever little sun managed to sneak in. There were furs on the floor, wolves, maybe bears, maybe… honestly, I didn’t want to know.

And the bed... a monstrous thing.

Dark oak, carved with moons and weird symbols, almost humming with something that prickled my skin. Black sheets, softer than sin, spilling everywhere. And the smell of cedar, smoke, and something wilder, something that made me dizzy.

I had to force my body to get moving.

Dust the shelves. Wipe the tables. Don’t even look at the bed, or you’ll get swallowed whole.

I finished in record time, heart doing somersaults, and slipped out before the sun could rat me out.

Still breathing, Still alive thankfully.

For a while, that was my only lifeline. Sneak in, scrub, sneak out, and pray I didn’t run into the Alpha. I got so good at it, I could’ve cleaned the place blindfolded. Every time I left, my knees almost buckled from relief.

But fate isn’t exactly known for playing fair.

It went sideways on a night when I was already running on fumes.

I was filling in for a maid who was sick. The head maid had told me to fill in for her. I had just finished with the library section when another maid bumped into the shelves and the books fell down. I had wanted to scream at her, but she beat me to it.

“Why can't you seem to do things right?” she said.

I felt like I was dreaming. Was this lady talking to me like this instead of apologising?

“Excuse me? Aren't you supposed to be apologising?” I asked, raising my brow.

She scoffed, leaving me shocked. How brazen.

“Was this the attitude you give your parents at home? It's no wonder they ended up selling you to the palace? How pathetic,” she sneered.

“The last time I checked, you were also sold by your parents,” I said, not wanting to admit how much it hurt recalling that ugly memory.

“At least I knew I was being sold. Unlike someone who thought she was getting married to the Alpha's, how crazy can you be?” she asked.

As much as I didn't want to admit it, I knew she was telling the truth. How stupid could I have been? To think I was going to get married to the Alpha?

“Well, my parents had a valid reason to do what they did,” I defended.

“I guess your family must have been really greedy that they were willing to sell their daughter,” she spat out. I felt my blood boil.

“Don't talk about my family like that,” I warned.

She stepped forward to meet my eye level.

“Or what?” she asked.

Without realising it, I raised my hands and slipped over her.

Just as my hand landed on her face, I was met with the whip of the head maid.

Apparently, she just happened to come in when I was slapping her. Good timing.

I whimpered.

“How dare you raise your hand on someone else, you lowly omega?” The head maid spat out.

“She started it,” I defended.

The head maid didn't even wait to hear anything else. My back still ached from the beating. The head maid had me scrubbing floors till dawn, arms burning, and blisters everywhere. By the time I walked into the

Alpha’s room, I was barely awake.

My hands shook on the shelves. Dropped the rag. Twice. My head spun.

Just the bed left. One more thing.

I started smoothing the sheets, and mehnn....the velvet was so soft. My knees just gave out. Next thing I knew, I was lying on that massive fluffy bed.

Sleep dragged me under, in what seemed like seconds, I awoke before I even had a chance to panic, a massive manlike shadow cast over me.

Would I have to reject her?

Her scent hit me with wild lilacs, rain-soaked earth. It clawed at my sanity. The pull between us roared through my fury, tangling up my instincts. I should’ve killed her. Should’ve, but didn’t.

Her eyes fluttered open.

She saw me. Panic exploded across her face. She scrambled up, pressing back to the headboard, hands shaking. “Ple…please,” she croaked, voice scratchy. “Do..n't..don’t kill me.”

Something in me cracked at the sound. I almost laughed, her terror was so real but the bond wrapped steel bands around my chest. I hesitated.

Me! Hesitated?

I should’ve ended her. That’s the law. That’s what an Alpha does. But looking at her, I realized: shit! I couldn’t.

Not her.

I forced myself to be cold, and put all my authority into it. “You broke a rule. That means punishment.”

Her breath caught. She pressed against the wall, bracing for the end.

“But…” I went on, narrowing my eyes, “You won’t die. Not today.”

She blinked, confusion flickering in with the fear.

“From now on, you’ll serve me. Here… In this room. You don’t leave unless I say. No one sees you. If you step out of line, I’ll end you myself.”

She opened her mouth maybe to argue, maybe to beg, but thought better of it.

She just nodded.

I leaned in, letting my shadow swallow her. “Call it mercy. Don’t mistake it for kindness.”

Her fear was so big that I could feel it. Somehow, my wolf purred, happy she was close even though I wasn’t sure I wanted her there at all.

I turned away, sucking in air like I might drown. Needed distance. I needed to think. Hell of a night for fate to get clever.

Marek was already sprawled out in my study when I walked in, eyes sharp as a hawk, tracking me the second I crossed the threshold. Guy’s younger than me, built like he could break a door frame just by leaning on it, and shocked he can’t sit still for five seconds.

“You wrapped up the council early,” he said. Not a question. Zero emotion. “They’re not going to love that.”

I shrugged, grabbing the whiskey. “I don’t care if they love it. They just got to listen.”

Marek crossed his arms, in full dramatic mode. “Kael’s getting gutsy. Word is he’s cozening up to the Black-moon rogues. If he pulls them together…”

“He’ll be rotting under the snow before the first frost,” I cut him off,

The thing is, his warning rattled me. Kael’s a snake too smart, too hungry. If my pack splinters anymore, we’re toast.

“Keep your ears open,” I muttered, my voice dropping. “I want every scrap of Kael. Even the rumors.”

Marek gave this stiff nod.

A couple of hours later, I’m back in my room. She’s still there. Seraphine. Passed out cold. On my damn bed.

You’ve got to be kidding. I walked closer, expecting her to flinch or run.

Nope!.

She was oblivious to her surroundings. Her mouth slightly ajar. She looked like she hadn't slept for a long time. Did she seriously not know how much danger she was in? Did she not realize I could end her with a word?

My fingers twitched. Should’ve tossed her on the floor. Should’ve reminded her who the boss was.

But all I did was stand there. Staring like an idiot.

Something about her, peaceful like that, made me uneasy. She should have been a mess. Begging, shaking anything but this....

Why aren’t you scared? I almost said it out loud. And worse, why was my wolf, usually a raging beast, suddenly happy just watching her sleep?

It practically purred.

I clenched my fists, anger rising within me. This bond would ruin me if I let it. Still… I couldn’t wake her.

Couldn’t even touch her. I turned away, jaw tight. But the thought wouldn’t leave.

She was mine.

And the Moon Goddess? Yeah, she had obviously cursed me with her. The next morning, the sun was leaking through the curtains, and someone pounded on my door. Didn’t even get time to answer before the head maid started yelling.

“I’m sorry, but the new servant’s missing from the servant’s quarters. I’m afraid something’s happened.”

My eyes quickly snapped to the bed.

But it’s empty.