A MEETING OF FATE

Ginnie**

The Blood Moon Pack villa towered over us, high walls wrapped the estate, guarded by tall Lycan soldiers in black uniforms. Everything about this place screamed power.

But it wasn’t the good kind…

I swallowed hard, clutching Lily’s tiny hand as we made our way further inside. “Mommy,” Lily whispered, her voice trembling slightly, “Do you think…we’ll be okay?”

I squeezed her hand. “We will, baby. I promise.” The lie cracked on my tongue, but I had to say it anyway. It was the only thing that had kept both of us upright.

We walked forward, and one of the guards immediately stepped toward us, forming a wall of muscle with his glowing predatory eyes. “Humans don’t enter through this gate,” he growled, lips curling in disgust.

“She has an appointment,” Lily said sharply before I could speak, her small frame bristling with courage that shouldn’t belong to a child her age.

The guard sneered. “How cute. Does the human pet speak for you now?”

Heat flushed my face as I bowed my head, fighting the humiliation clawing inside me, “I… I’m here for the maid position. I was told to come today.”

They looked at me again—slowly this time, as if picking apart a carcass they weren’t impressed by. “Fine,” the guard grunted, “Try not to bleed on the floors, We Lycans hate cleaning up human mess.”

Lily stiffened beside me, and my grip on her hand tightened. I was supposed to be protecting my child…but all I could do was lead her straight into a lion’s den as the guards grudgingly opened the gates.

Inside, the villa grounds were breathtaking, towering white pillars, and stone paths lined with moonlit roses, fountains that sparkled as they ran on liquid silver. Everything felt like a dream, reminding me just how breakable Lily and I were.

A middle-aged woman stood at the entrance, her hair pulled so tight I wondered if she could even blink. “Name?” she snapped.

“Ginnie,” I said. “I’m here for—”

“I know what you’re here for,” her gaze flicked to Lily. “Who’s this other thing?”

“S…she’s my little sister,” I replied, even though the lie tasted bitter on my tongue. 

“Humans aren’t allowed to bring in unwanted baggage.” She hissed, her eyes scanning Lily from head to toe.

“I have no one to leave her with.”

“That’s not my concern,” she turned and began making her way inside.

“Please,” I whispered, panic clawing its way into my spine.“She’s sick.”

The woman paused and turned to face me, her eyes narrowed, “Then she’d better not die on my floors.”

“I’ll keep her in the staff quarters, she won’t leave. I promise.”

Her voice dropped lower, like she didn’t want anyone apart from the both of us to hear what she wanted to say. “If any Lycan catches her wandering these halls, they will rip her throat out and no one will stop them. Do you understand?”

I nodded.

“Fourth corridor, last door by your right,” she hissed, tossing a small key into my hand. “That is the staff quarters where you’ll be staying while working here. You begin immediately.”

Before I can open my mouth to thank her, she walks away without glancing at me for even a second. Lily looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear, “Is it safe for us to be here, Mummy?”

“No,” I whispered. “But we’ll be careful.”

We began making our way into the staff quarters, which were dim and smelled of dust and cleaning supplies. Our room was small, only a narrow bed, a small dresser, and a window with bars. 

But it was better than nothing at all.

“You must stay here,” I said, kneeling in front of Lily, “ No matter what, do not leave this room.”

Her bottom lip trembled. “What if I get scared?”

“Then you hide under the bed, or the closet. But you do not open that door for anyone except me.” I cupped her small face, “This is how we survive.”

She nodded, lying down gently on the bed as I pulled the blanket over her tiny legs. “Rest, baby. I’ll be back soon, okay?”

“I love you, Mummy.” Her voice was a fragile whisper, her words melting me in ways I didn’t want to accept.

“I love you more.”

I shut the door behind me and began to walk away, every step away from Lily felt like torture. “You’re to clean the master’s study today,” the middle-aged woman from earlier blindsided me in the hallway, thrusting a small apron into my hand. “It’s on the third floor of the east wing. Do not touch anything except what needs dusting. Do not look through drawers and do not read anything!”

 “I understand,” I murmured.

“We have rules in this villa,” she said sharply, leading me through an endless hallway, “Humans do not speak to Lycans here unless spoken to, they don’t dare to touch anything personal to them. And you must always keep your eyes down…do not dare to look at them or they’ll rip you apart.”

My heart hammered as I followed her, each step echoing too loudly against marble floors.“Break any of these rules, and you’re dead.” Then she opened a dark wooden door and gestured inside.

“This is the study you’ll be cleaning today. Make sure you clean the shelves, the floors, and the windows thoroughly. Be quick.”

“Y..yes Ma’am.” I nodded.

The door shut behind me with a soft, ominous click as she walked away, leaving me all alone. The master’s study was enormous, with high windows draped with velvet curtains. Shelves that stretched all the way to the ceiling and a massive desk, the size of my house. 

I inhaled slowly and began to clean. Dusting the desk, wiping the window frames, and organizing stray papers. I moved quietly, making sure my footsteps were soft on the polished floor.

Then it dawned on me—I forgot to bring a duster for the top shelves.

“Damn it!” I whispered under my breath.

How could I go all the way back to meet that old lady? Not with how she looked ready to hang me the moment I slipped. So I scanned the study for anything—cloth, an old rag, something to use instead.

Nothing.

I sighed, hating myself as I turned to leave the room quickly so I could return with the right tool. But as soon as I spun around… I crashed into something.

A strong, unrelenting body collided with mine, and the impact knocked the breath out of me. My palms pressed against a wall of muscle as large hands gripped them instinctively, steadying me as I gasped.

“I—”

The apology rushed to my lips, conditioned from years of bowing and surviving. I opened my mouth to speak—

And the whole world stopped.

I stared into a terrifyingly familiar eyes I had prayed to never see again after all these years, the man who had laughed while breaking me.

Varkos.