The Seven Heats

Ella’s POV

Laughter.

It echoed through the Grand Hall, loud enough to drown every other noise. The laughter of victory, of celebration.

Tonight, the royal army of the Alpha King had returned after three long months at war, and every noble, warrior, and servant had been ordered to attend the feast.

Well...

Attend wasn't exactly the right word.

I was here to clean after everyone else.

That’s what I do best.

Clean peoples mess. Funny, when I can’t clean my own.

Balancing a wooden tray against my hip, I slipped between rows of overflowing tables, collecting empty goblets and greasy plates while trying not to bump into anyone.

It’s a task here, trust me.

The entire hall smelled of roasted boar, warm bread, honeyed wine and burning candles.

It almost felt... happy.

Almost.

And despite everything, I liked it.

It was different from the endless routine waiting for me in the omega quarters, washing mountains of laundry, scrubbing soot-blackened pots, and cooking meals for hundreds of omegas every single day.

For one night...

The castle felt alive.

"Gods, I missed this."

One of the warriors laughed as his mate climbed onto his lap, stealing a grape straight from his plate.

"You missed me," she corrected.

He grinned.

"I missed both."

The table erupted into laughter.

A few seats away, another soldier wrapped an arm around his blushing girlfriend before kissing her cheek.

Someone wolf-whistled.

Hooting for them.

Someone challenged another couple to prove who had written the better love letters during the war.

The arguments were playful.

The laughter genuine.

Everyone belonged to someone.

Without thinking, my gaze drifted toward the raised platform at the far end of the hall.

The Alpha King's seat stood empty.

An imposing black throne carved from obsidian overlooked the celebration like a silent guardian.

It was always empty.

The Alpha King never attended feasts.

He preferred taking his meals alone in his private chambers.

At least, that's what the senior servants always whispered.

Not that someone like me would ever know.

Servants of my rank weren't even permitted near the royal wing unless specifically summoned.

If the Alpha King stood at the very top of the kingdom...

I existed somewhere beneath everyone's notice.

If he was the sun...

I was the shadow people laughed at.

A sharp whistle shattered my thoughts.

"Oi!"

I froze.

The voice was followed by a chorus of chuckles.

I already knew they weren't calling someone else.

Slowly, I turned around.

Derek sat there with four other young warriors sat around one table, each wearing the same amused grin I'd come to dread over the years.

Derek crooked a finger.

"Come here."

Keeping my head lowered, I walked over. I didn’t have a choice, I never had.

He is the head of the guards. I cannot say no to him.

"Y-Yes, sir?"

His eyes travelled slowly over my body.

My cheeks.

My stomach.

My hips.

He leaned back with an exaggerated sigh.

"I swear..."

He looked at the others.

"She got even bigger while we were gone."

Laughter exploded around the table.

My grip tightened around the tray.

Another of his men frowned dramatically.

"Really?"

He tilted his head.

"I thought she'd finally shifted."

A third snorted.

"Shifted into what?"

He looked me up and down.

"A bear?"

The table howled.

Heat rushed into my cheeks.

I forced my eyes toward the floor.

Just smile and ignore… they are not worth it.

Mom always said people get bored faster if you don't react.

So...

I smiled.

It hurt.

"Aw..."

Derek laughed, others followed.

"Look at that."

"She's smiling."

"Think she's happy we noticed."

Another pulled out a half eaten chicken roll from his mouth and dropped it onto my tray.

"There you go."

"You looked hungry."

Another roll landed on my tray.

Then another.

Within seconds, there was more food than dishes.

"Careful," someone shouted from another table.

"If she gets any bigger, we'll have to build the castle doors around her."

A roar of laughter followed.

"Forget the doors," another warrior sneered. "We'll need a stable. At least that's where livestock belongs."

The hall erupted again.

My throat burned.

I wanted to disappear.

Instead...

I bowed.

"T-Thank you."

The words tasted like poison. But I never had a choice. I had to do this to survive. To live. I don’t want to end up like my mom…. Dead.

I turn around to leave when I heard it.

"Wait."

My feet stopped before I could think.

One of the warriors stood. Unlike the others, he wasn't laughing. His smile looked...

Kind.

"You forgot something."

Confused, I looked down at my tray.

"I did?"

He stepped closer. Hope fluttered inside my chest. Maybe... Someone was finally being nice.

“ You got something there..”

I blinked.

"...I do?"

He pointed towards my cheek.

"Right here."

Embarrassed, I hurriedly rubbed at my face with the back of my hand.

"Did I get it?"

His smile widened.

" Let me.”

Before I could react, his thumb brushed across my cheek.

My entire body froze.

No man had ever touched me before. I never allowed anyone to-

"There. Much prettier."

Heat flooded my face. Did he call me pretty?

Maybe. Not everyone is cruel.

I lowered my gaze, unable to stop smiling.

"T-Thank you..."

For a heartbeat...

Everything felt different.

Then—

The hall erupted.

Roars of laughter echoed off the high ceilings.

Someone slapped the table so hard that goblets rattled.

"Oh, Moon Goddess!"

"She actually believed you!"

"I told you she is nothing but a desperate whore underneath that naive fascade!”

The young warrior who had touched my face doubled over laughing, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes.

"I owe you ten silver coins," another man wheezed.

"I can't believe she blushed!"

"I told you she'd blush before I even touched her."

More laughter.

My smile slowly disappeared.

Realisation hits me like a slap.

A bet. They have bet on me.

“ Did she really think someone would want to touch that? Oh please I better die.”

“ I really pity her mate. I bet he will commit suicide on seeing her.”

“ What a pig."

"She belongs in the gutters, not the palace."

Every word cut a little deeper.

I did what I was always good at.

I ran.

Blindly.

Tears blurred my vision as I stumbled through the corridors until I reached my tiny room.

The moment the door shut behind me, my knees gave out.

I collapsed onto the floor.

Not before yanking open the bottom drawer and pulling out the small glass vial hidden beneath my clothes.

Without thinking, I uncorked it and gulped the potion down.

Then I lay there, staring blankly at the cracked ceiling.

My wolf whimpered inside my mind, her voice soft with hope.

Ella... we can still try—

"No."

A sob escaped me.

"Didn't you see them? They're all the same."

"There is no hope."

"No one looks past the skin."

"No one ever will."

My words silenced her.

Tears rolled silently into my hair as I cried until my chest ached.

I should have known better.

Girls like me never became the ending of love stories.

We became the joke everyone remembered.

And I...

Ella Lockwood...

Was the biggest joke in the Alpha King's palace.