Chapter Two

The Alpha's son was my mate.

My. Mate.

No. That couldn't be right. This had to be some cosmic joke—fate's way of laughing at the girl who ran from one arranged bond straight into another.

Ezra looked just as shocked as I felt, his emerald eyes wide, his chest rising and falling too quickly. But then he blinked, and the shock vanished like it had never been there at all.

He gave me a soft and shy smile which was almost sweet as his hands moved gracefully through the air.

My name is Ezra. It's nice to meet you.

How was he so calm and composed…how was he just casually introducing himself as if nothing just happened? 

My chest was heaving, and I realized I was shaking badly as I stared at his sweet smile, then i swallowed hard forcing my own hands to coopearet.

I’m Sera. It’s nice to meet you too.

His smile widened, just slightly, and my traitorous heart did a stupid little flip.

Stop it, you fool. Focus.

"The chef will show you to your quarters," the Alpha said from behind me, and I'd never been more grateful for a dismissal.

I bowed—too quickly,—and ran after the chef, avoiding his gaze…but evn as i walked away, every instinct in my body burned with the urge to turn around and wrap myself around him, be near him…close to him. 

I gritted my teeth and kept moving, ignoring the pulling that was obviously a side result of tyhe mate bond.

This is niot what I was here for/ The only thing that matters to me right kow was, to work, get paid, have my freedom. I wanted to become educated and I wanted to write. 

I wanted to build a lufe that belonged to me.

Not to be shackled ny some eternal bond to the male species—no matter how gorgeous he was, no matter how those green eyes made my stomach flip, no matter how—

Stop.

We'd tackle this mate problem later. Privately. Right now, I had a job to focus on, money to save, and a future to build that had nothing to do with being someone's other half.

I was so lost in my internal tirade that I had no idea someone was appeocahing until I slammed into a body.

I stumbled back quickly and looked up, then gasped.

Oh no.

The princess was glaring right back at me, with cold eyes and anger written all over her face.

I gasped and dropped into a bow immediately. "I'm so sorry, your highness. I wasn't watching—"

The slap cracked across my face like a whip before I could finish speaking.

Pain exploded across my cheek. My head snapped to the side, and I tasted blood where I'd bitten my tongue.

I froze. Every muscle in my body locked down, screaming at me to retaliate, to show this woman exactly what happened when you put your hands on a princess of the Bloodmoon Kingdom.

But I wasn't a princess anymore.

I was a maid.

And maids didn't fight back.

"Watch where you're going," she snapped, "You just arrived and you're already being clumsy. Perhaps you'd like to lose your job on your first day?"

My fists clenched at my sides, nails digging into my palms hard enough to hurt.

"I apologize," I forced out through gritted teeth. "It won't happen again."

She looked me over slowly, taking her time, her lip curling with each passing second.

I knew that look. I'd grown up seeing that look of contempt it on every girl who wanted what I had—the pretty face, the body, the skin.

Jealousy wrapped in a bow of contempt.

"You're the new maid?" she asked.

"Yes, Your Highness."

She scoffed. "I know your type all too well. Girls like you come here with one goal, and I bet you are only here to seduce my brother for wealth and status." She stepped closer, and I could smell her perfume. "But let me make something very clear. I hate gold diggers. Even if my brother is practically useless and it would be good entertainment watching him fall for someone, I still won't stand by and watch him become prey to people like you."

"I'm just here to work," I said evenly, meeting her gaze. "That's all."

"Looking like that?" Her eyes dragged over my dress with open disdain. "Your dress is too short and revealing, anf you claim you are here to work?”

I glanced down. My dress hit just above my knees—perfectly modest by any reasonable standard.

"From now on," she continued, "you'll wear long dresses or skirts that cover your legs completely. And shirts with higher necklines. Do you understand? Or should I have my father terminate your employment before you even begin?"

I smiled obediently knowing that she was probably baiting me to react and I would not give her that satisfaction.

"I understand, Your Highness. Thank you for the guidance."

"Good." She stepped forward deliberately and slammed her shoulder into mine as she passed, hard enough to make me stumble.

I watched her walk away, my cheek still burning, my pride thoroughly trampled.

Then I smiled for real.

"I'm so sorry about that."

I turned to find an older woman in chef's whites standing a few feet away, her round face creased with sympathy.

"Princess Lyra can be... difficult," she said carefully. "But don't let her run you off. I can feel it in my soul that you will be the right one for the young master.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice yet.

"Come on. Let me show you to your room."

My room was tiny.

A single bed pushed against one wall, a desk barely big enough for a book, and a wardrobe that looked like it had survived a war. The window overlooked the servant's courtyard, and I could hear voices drifting up from below.

Compared to my chambers back home—the silk canopy bed, the walk-in closet, the private balcony—this was nothing.

I loved it immediately.

"You'll need to wake at five every morning," the chef explained, ticking items off on her fingers. "Prepare the prince's chambers, bring him breakfast, see if there's anything he needs throughout the day. Think you can handle that?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Lunch is ready now. Get settled, then take the prince his meal." She paused at the door, her expression softening. "And Sera? Good luck.”

Before I could ask what she meant, she was gone.

The moment she closed the door behind her i collapsed ojn the bed.

I had no idea if I should be happy, or nad or confused but somehow I was feeling a combination of all.

I am mated…to a mure prince. 

But it doesn’t matter if he is a mute prince the problem is…I do not want to be bound to any one…to any man. It was not in my bucket list at all so why would the moon goddess be so cruel?

This was my chance - and I will not let it slip by. I have to find a way to talk to him, ask him to reject the mate bond. 

I had to find way to convince him that this wouldn’t be good for him.

I closed my eyes tight in frustration and the first thing I saw was him…Ezra.

Gosh he was so beautiful, and looked nothing like someone who was meant to be timid and useless.

His arms, those muscles, the way his broad chest filled out the t shirt he was wearing, his tattooed biceps,,,and I wonder what he would taste like if I trail every line of those tattoes with my tongue.

Dear goddess, I’m doomed.

An hour later, I was carrying a tray toward Ezra's chambers, my stomach twisting itself into knots.

I got to the door and paused to look at the food again comvinced that there had been a mistake.

The portion of food was absurdly small. A piece of bread, some cheese, a handful of grapes, and water. Barely enough to feed a child, let alone a grown man.

I'd almost asked the chef about it, but something told me to keep my mouth shut. Asking too many questions on day one seemed like a bad idea.

But I would find out why they were feeding him like a dog.

I raised my hand up and knocked firmly twice…but there was no answer.

I waited, shifting my weight from foot to foot. Knocked again.

Still nothing.

The door was unlocked so I tested the handle carefully, and it swung open with a soft creak.

"Your Highness?" I called softly. "I have your lunch."

Silence.

Well, I can’t just leave the food out here…it was already getting cold.

So I pushed the door open, stepped into the room and my frown deepened.

What the?

The room was tiny. Smaller than mine, even. A narrow bed, a single desk, a wardrobe that had seen better days. The walls were bare, no decorations, no personal touches.

For the Alpha's son, this was... wrong. This looked like a servant's quarters, not a prince's chambers.

What the hell was going on in this palace?

I set the tray on the small desk, questions piling up faster than I could process them.

But was it in my place to ask questions?

Not at all.

I turned to leave then froze immediately. 

Ezra stood in the bathroom doorway.

And he was completely, utterly NAKED.

Completely, utterly, devastatingly naked.