Chapter 2 – Five Alphas, One Servant

“I expected a queen. Not a servant.”

The words cut through the room like a blade.

I do not lift my head.

I do not react.

But inside my chest, my wolf growls.

Careful, I warn her. Not yet.

The voice belongs to Damien Southwell. His tone carries open insult, the kind a warrior uses when he wants to test weakness.

“I was told an Alpha from the Shadow Pack would arrive,” Damien continues coldly. “Instead we get an Omega girl with a rag in her hand.”

Laughter follows.

Lucien’s laughter.

Smooth. Amused.

“I suppose the Shadow Pack thinks very highly of us,” he says lightly. “They send servants now.”

I keep my head down.

Not because I accept the insult.

Because I planned this.

Every word. Every reaction. Every step.

Still, humiliation has weight. It presses against my pride.

My wolf whispers again.

You are an Alpha.

Yes, I answer silently.

But tonight, the world must believe I am nothing.

Footsteps circle around me.

Slow. Curious.

Sebastian Southwell.

“I disagree with you, Damien,” he says with a playful tone. “This one is interesting.”

He stops close enough that I can feel his gaze on my face.

“I like her eyes,” he continues. “They don’t look like Omega eyes.”

Damien snorts.

“All Omegas look the same when they bow.”

Sebastian chuckles softly.

“You’re wrong. This one has teeth.”

My fingers tighten slightly around the cloth in my hands.

I say nothing.

Silence can be stronger than anger.

Then another voice speaks. Quiet but firm.

“That’s enough.”

I glance up slightly and see Ethan Southwell standing nearby. His expression is calm, but there is disapproval in his eyes.

He steps closer and notices my hands.

Bruises line my knuckles.

They came from training. Real training. The kind Alphas use.

But to them, it must look strange.

Ethan kneels slightly to see them better.

“Did someone force you into service here?” he asks gently.

The question surprises me.

Not because of its content.

Because of its kindness.

Most Alphas would never bother asking an Omega such a thing.

I answer calmly.

“I go where my Alpha commands.”

Ethan studies my face carefully.

His voice softens.

“That sounds like obedience… not choice.”

Before I can respond, Damien scoffs loudly.

“Why are you interrogating a servant?”

Ethan stands slowly.

“Because she’s a person.”

Damien shakes his head.

“You’re too soft.”

Lucien smiles slightly.

“No, Ethan simply enjoys rescuing helpless creatures.”

His gaze shifts toward me again.

“And I’m curious about this one.”

Throughout the entire conversation, Alexander has remained silent.

But I can feel him watching me.

Like a hunter watching prey that refuses to behave like prey.

Finally he speaks.

“Stand.”

The command is simple.

But it carries Alpha authority.

I stand.

Slowly.

Gracefully.

My movements are controlled. Too controlled for an Omega servant.

I notice Alexander watching that detail carefully.

His eyes narrow slightly.

“Walk,” he says.

I take three steps forward.

Then stop.

“Turn.”

I turn.

Silence follows.

Damien crosses his arms.

“What is this? An inspection?”

Alexander does not answer him.

Instead, he says quietly, “She moves like a fighter.”

The words land heavily in the room.

Lucien tilts his head.

“A fighter? She’s an Omega.”

Alexander looks at him calmly.

“Omegas don’t stand like that.”

My heart beats once.

Hard.

He noticed.

Of course he noticed.

Alexander continues speaking slowly.

“Omegas keep their shoulders lowered. Their heads bowed. They avoid eye contact.”

His gaze sharpens.

“She does none of those things naturally.”

The room grows quieter.

Damien steps forward suddenly.

“Fine. Let’s test that theory.”

Before I can react, Damien throws a training dagger toward my feet.

The blade spins across the floor and stops near my boots.

“Pick it up,” he orders.

I froze for a moment.

Inside my mind, calculations race.

If I refuse, I look suspicious.

If I hold the blade wrong, I reveal inexperience.

If I hold it correctly…

I expose training.

Sebastian watches with clear interest.

Lucien smiles slowly.

Ethan frowns.

Alexander remains completely still.

Waiting.

Always watching.

I bend down and pick up the dagger.

The metal feels familiar in my hand.

Too familiar.

For a second, instinct takes over.

My grip adjusts perfectly.

Balanced.

Precise.

The moment I realize my mistake, it is too late.

Damien notices.

His eyes sharpen instantly.

“Look at that,” he murmurs.

Lucien’s smile widens.

“Well, well.”

Sebastian laughs softly.

“I told you she had teeth.”

Ethan looks confused.

Alexander’s expression changes completely.

The air around him grows heavier.

He walks toward me slowly.

One step.

Two steps.

Three.

Then he stops right in front of me.

“Where did you learn that?” he asks quietly.

I lower my gaze.

“My previous Alpha trained his servants.”

Damien barks a harsh laugh.

“No Alpha trains Omega servants to fight.”

I force calm into my voice.

“Mine did.”

Lucien folds his arms thoughtfully.

“Which pack was that again?”

“I cannot say.”

“Convenient answer,” Damien mutters.

Alexander suddenly leans slightly closer.

Close enough that his scent surrounds me again.

His wolf stirs.

Mine answers.

For a brief second, the air between us becomes electric.

His eyes darken.

Then he says something that makes my chest tighten.

“Your scent changed.”

The words fall like a quiet bomb.

Lucien raises an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

Alexander keeps his eyes on me.

“It shifts when she lies.”

Silence crashes into the room.

My pulse jumps.

He can smell deception.

That is dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Damien scoffs.

“You’re imagining things.”

Alexander doesn’t move.

Don't blink.

His gaze remains fixed on me.

“My wolf isn’t imagining anything.”

Sebastian steps closer curiously.

“Now you’ve got my attention.”

Ethan looks troubled.

“Alexander, she’s just a servant.”

Alexander finally straightens.

But the suspicion remains in his eyes.

He turns away slightly.

“For now.”

The words carry quiet warning.

Damien grabs the dagger from my hand roughly.

“Enough of this. If she’s staying here, she works.”

He points toward the corridor.

“Training hall. Now.”

I bow my head slightly.

“As you wish.”

I walk away again.

But this time, I feel the weight of five wolves watching me.

Judging me.

Questioning me.

Behind me, the conversation begins again.

Damien speaks first.

“You’re overthinking this.”

Lucien disagrees.

“No. Alexander may be right.”

Sebastian chuckles.

“Either way, this servant just made the house more interesting.”

Ethan’s voice remains quiet.

“I still think she looks… sad.”

Alexander says nothing for a long moment.

Then Damien asks him directly.

“So what do you want to do?”

Heavy silence.

Then Alexander finally answers.

Cold. Decisive.

“Find out who sent her here.”

Lucien’s voice rises with interest.

“You think she’s a spy?”

Alexander responds slowly.

“I think she’s a liar.”

He pauses.

Then adds quietly

“And I intend to uncover the truth.”

I continue walking down the hallway, pretending I heard none of it.

But my wolf whispers urgently inside my mind.

The Alpha is hunting you.

And suddenly I realize something far more dangerous than my disguise being discovered.

Alexander Southwell has already begun searching for the truth.

And when he finds it…

What will he do to the Alpha queen who lied to him?