Chapter 2: Cold Floors and Dangerous Bargains

Scarlett’s POV

I forced the words out. “I accept, Ember.” 

“Luna Ember,” she sneered, viciously.

“I accept, Luna Ember,” I corrected.

She grinned widely and raised her glass. “Good. Now be useful and bring me another bottle of champagne. On your knees. Crawl.”

The crowd howled with laughter.

I lowered my head, pressed my palms to the ground and crawled.

Behind me, Ember’s laughter rang loud and sharp. Enzo stood beside her, arm around her waist, watching me with indifference in his eyes.

It was obvious. He never loved me.

After the celebration;

“I’m sure the past three years of your life must have been hell. I’ve heard a lot of bad things about the solitary confinement. How dirty and nasty it is. Urghh, if only you didn’t kill the meant-to-be Alpha. But, let’s put that behind us. Follow me,” she turned around. “Let me take you to your room.”

I began to follow her. 

“Who would have thought you’d end up as my maid?” she laughed. “I used to envy your relationship with Enzo, back then. And now, it’s been two years with him. I’ve never been more proud of myself.”

We walked through the corridor and arrived at the end of it.

Ember opened a door. 

“This is where you’ll be staying. I know it’s very small and dissatisfying but if I were you, I'd be grateful,” she shrugged. 

I looked inside the room. The room was too small even for a nine-year-old. There was no trace of a bed in the room. 

“And as for what you’ll wear, I’ll have the maids get you your uniform,” Ember said, eyeing my dress. 

I stepped inside the tiny room, my fingers brushing the cold stone walls. There was barely enough space for me to stretch both arms. The single small window was cracked and covered in dust, and the only source of light was a flickering bulb dangling from the ceiling like a noose.

“This used to be one of the storage rooms,” Ember said casually, leaning on the doorframe. “But I thought it would be fitting for someone like you.”

Her words stung, but I forced myself to nod. “Thank you, Luna Ember.”

She let out a delighted laugh, clearly savoring the title. “I like the sound of that.”

I stared at the floor. If I needed a way out here, then I had to be an obedient servant to her.

She clapped her hands together, as if suddenly remembering something important.

“Oh! One more thing. You are not allowed to address Enzo as ‘Enzo’ anymore. You will refer to him as Alpha, understood?”

I clenched my jaw. “Understood.”

“And obviously, you are not allowed in his private wing. Unless you’re summoned. Which will probably never happen,” she added with a smirk.

“Of course.”

She tilted her head, as if searching for the tiniest spark of rebellion in my eyes. “I’ll have the other maids show you your cleaning duties in the morning. Rest well, Scarlett. Big day tomorrow.”

She turned and shut the door behind her with a soft click, locking me inside.

I exhaled slowly and leaned against the wall until my legs gave in and I slid to the floor. 

For a long moment, the silence wrapped around me like a heavy cloak.

So this was what I gave up everything for.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips, and before I could stop myself, I pressed my forehead against my knees and began to cry. Silently. Exhausted. Broken.

How could I get over everything? My love for Enzo. The promises I had held unto for years.

It was definitely going to be hard.

A faint knock on the door made me lift my head. Before I could even move, the door opened and a young girl wearing a maid’s uniform stepped inside. She looked no more than sixteen.

She held out a folded uniform. “Luna Ember said to bring this to you.”

“Thank you,” I whispered and took it.

She stared at me for a moment, her eyes softening. “My name is Ivy. I… I know what they did to you was unfair.”

My throat tightened. “I’ll be fine.”

“I heard Luna Ember say on the phone that she’s going to make your life a living hell and make you wish you had chosen death instead,” Ivy whispered. She looked around anxiously and stepped back toward the door. “I’ll take my leave now. Good night.”

She slipped out as quietly as she’d come, shutting the door again.

I stared down at the uniform in my hands. Plain, gray, lifeless.

Just like me.

Slowly, I wiped my eyes and stood up. My reflection in the cracked window stared back, swollen eyes, bruised soul.

My life right now was a living hell, and I would be damned if I remained here.

I changed into the uniform, folded my dirty dress carefully and placed it in the corner. Then I laid down on the cold floor and stared up at the ceiling until I fell asleep.

The next morning;

A loud knock banged against the door. “Wake up. You’re late!”

I jolted awake and scrambled to my feet as the door opened and an older maid with graying hair walked in, her lips pursed in disapproval.

“I’m Martha. I run the servants’ quarters. You will do what I say, when I say it. Understood?”

“Yes,” I replied quietly.

“Good. You’ll start with cleaning the Alpha and Luna’s dining hall. Breakfast must be ready in thirty minutes. Move.”

She handed me a bucket and a cleaning rag. Without another word, she turned and walked away. I followed quickly down the long hallway. The Packhouse was busier this morning, warriors training outside, Omegas rushing around with trays of food, servants greeting each other.

Every now and then, someone would point at me and whisper. I kept my head down and focused on my steps.

“Here,” Martha said, pushing open two large double doors. 

The dining hall was massive.

“Wipe every corner. And don’t break anything. If you do, you’ll wish you were back in prison.”

She walked off.

I swallowed and got to work.

For the first twenty minutes, I worked in silence. Then I heard footsteps behind me.

“You missed a spot,” a deep voice drawled.

My breath froze. I turned slowly.

A tall good-looking man in black suit stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets, his blue eyes fixed on me with unreadable intensity.

He looked familiar. 

I looked back at the floor and saw the spot I had missed. 

“Thank you,” I said and continued to clean.

He stepped inside the dining hall, his boots echoing against the marble floor. 

His gaze flickered to my bucket and rag. “Seems you’ve been promoted from criminal to maid.”

Did he know me?

I said nothing.

He stopped a few feet away from me. His gaze dropped to the bucket in my hand. “So this’s what you’ve become? Enzo’s little floor-scrubbing pet.”

“I’m not complaining,” I whispered.

“You’re wasting your time here,” he said flatly, as he crouched in front of me. 

“I have no other choice. If I decide to leave the Packhouse, they will have me thrown back into the prison,” I said, before I could stop myself.

I immediately regretted it.

The man before me seemed like a very close friend to Enzo. I couldn’t trust him.

“Come with me. My people know nothing about what happened here. They will accept you as my woman. In return, you will help me.”

Help him?

I almost laughed. I was nothing but a common servant. How could I possibly help him? 

I didn’t even know who he was.

“How can someone like me help you?”

He didn’t blink. “You’ll belong to me. You’ll be my tool against Enzo. After all, we both want revenge against the same person.”

The room was silent. His words pressed against me from all sides. 

This stranger was offering me help, a chance at revenge. But at what price? My freedom. He wanted to own me.

I shook my head slowly. “No.”

One of his brows lifted. “No?”

I nodded.

I would find another way to escape.

He stood up, towering over me. “Have it your way, little wolf.”

His phone began ringing dismissively. He glanced at it and started walking towards the door, his boots echoing. 

I stood frozen in the middle of the dining hall, doubt creeping in as I watched him leave.

“Alpha Jackson, Enzo will soon be here,” Ember said, walking into the dining hall minutes later. 

Her eyes searched the room. “Where’s Alpha Jackson?”

Had I just turned down an offer from Alpha Jackson Thorn?

The most feared and ruthless Alpha in the region had offered me a way out, a chance at revenge, and a place where I wouldn’t be hated.

And I had foolishly rejected him.

I stared at the doorway, my heart pounding.