Everywhere was covered in thick darkness, and the depth of the blackness seemed to wrap around me, pressing down. I felt a chill as if the air itself carried weight. Suddenly, I heard voices-a man and a woman-whispering nearby.
“We need to do this once and for all,” the man said, his tone sharp. “She needs to die so we can finally have peace and enjoy ourselves.”
“Yes,” the woman agreed in a cold voice. “I can’t live freely as long as she’s alive. Killing her will bring me peace, and we can enjoy our marriage.”
Hearing this, my curiosity was piqued, and without thinking, I moved slowly toward the voices, my footsteps nearly silent. I was shocked when I saw a woman standing before Alpha Derrick and Mona. They both held swords pointed at her, and she stood there, frozen, not even making a sound. Fear gripped me for her.
Before I could react, Mona took the sword from Alpha Derrick and, without hesitation, slashed the woman’s throat. She collapsed to the ground, lifeless, blood pooling around her body.
Then the most terrifying thing happened. As her body fell, her face turned towards me, and I stared in horror-it was me. I was the woman they had killed. I saw myself lying in a pool of blood, lifeless.
I screamed, my entire body shaking with fear. I jolted upright, gasping for breath. My body was drenched in sweat, my heart racing. It was just a dream. But it felt so real, like I had actually died. Goosebumps covered my skin as I tried to calm myself down.
“What kind of nightmare was that?” I muttered, still trembling as I sat on the cold floor. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I had just experienced.
I was still trying to regain my composure when a knock on the door startled me. I jumped, hesitating before getting up slowly to answer. I opened the door and found the chief maidservant standing there.
“Greetings, ma’am,” I said, feeling unsure of what time of day it even was.
Her expression was stern, not the least bit pleased. She stared at me for a moment before speaking.
“Do you plan to keep Ma’am Elena waiting forever?” she asked sharply, her eyes narrowing at me. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Her words reminded me of what Ma’am Elena had instructed earlier-that I was supposed to meet her later that evening, dressed appropriately. I had completely forgotten!
“I’m so sorry, ma’am,” I said, quickly trying to explain. “I overslept. Please give me a minute. I’ll change into something more suitable and join you right away.”
I dashed back into my room, my heart still racing from the dream. As quickly as I could, I changed into a more presentable outfit. Ten minutes later, I was ready and stepped outside to meet the chief maidservant, who was waiting for me at the open field.
Without saying a word, she turned and began walking. I followed closely behind, trying to keep up. As we walked past the garden, I caught sight of Mohandia and her friends sitting nearby. They were watching me, their eyes full of anger and resentment. I could feel Mohandia’s hatred burning into my back, but there was nothing she could do while I was with the chief maidservant.
I forced myself to focus on the path ahead, pushing thoughts of Mohandia out of my mind. My curiosity was growing by the minute. *Where are we going? Why does Ma’am Elena want to see me?* I wondered.
Unable to hold my thoughts any longer, I finally asked, “Ma’am, do you know why Ma’am Elena wants to see me?”
The chief maidservant didn’t even glance at me as she replied, “You’ll find out soon enough. Be patient, and everything will be revealed in time.”
Her words offered no comfort, but I nodded in agreement, understanding that pushing further wouldn’t get me any answers. Instead, I tried to calm the storm of thoughts in my mind.
*I just need to play my part and gain Ma’am Elena’s trust,* I thought, determination settling into my chest. *Once I do, I can start planning my next moves.*
After what felt like a long walk, we finally reached a massive castle. It loomed before us, larger than anything I had ever seen. My imagination ran wild with thoughts of what could be inside, who might be waiting for us.
Suddenly, the chief maidservant stopped and turned to face me, her expression deadly serious.
“Listen carefully,” she said, her voice low and intense. “Whatever you see or hear in this place must remain a secret. If a single word of it gets out, or if you disobey these instructions, you’ll have only yourself to blame for the consequences.”
Her words sent a shiver down my spine. I hadn’t expected this. I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into, but I knew there was no turning back now.
“I understand, ma’am,” I replied, my voice a little shaky. I tried to sound confident, but the fear was hard to hide.
She studied me for a moment, then nodded before leading the way again. I followed her, trying to keep my breathing steady. My thoughts were racing. *What am I about to witness? And why do I feel like this is more dangerous than I ever imagined?*
As we neared the castle’s entrance, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for whatever lay ahead.
There was no room for fear now, only a chance to prove myself. I couldn’t fail-not if I wanted to survive whatever was coming.
Without wasting any time, we both made our way into the mighty castle. The moment we stepped in, I could hear indistinct voices. It was clear people were gathered nearby. My heart started racing. I was still trying to process what was happening when I heard a familiar voice close to me.
“What took you both so long?”
I quickly turned around and saw Ma’am Elena standing behind us, her eyebrows lifted in clear frustration.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” Morgana, the chief maidservant, quickly responded. “We had to make sure she was dressed appropriately, as you requested.”
I bowed my head respectfully, just as Morgana did, careful not to meet Ma’am Elena’s eyes.
“That’s fine, Morgana. You know what to do. Kimberly, you come with me,” Ma’am Elena said, her voice clipped and urgent. She turned swiftly, and I hurried to follow her.
We entered a room where several other women were standing, dressed in beautiful attire. I immediately felt out of place, aware of my own plain clothing.
“Kimberly, here,” Ma’am Elena said, handing me a similar outfit to what the other women were wearing. “Go into that small room and change quickly.”
I nodded, taking the clothes from her, and hurried into the small room she indicated. I changed as fast as I could, then took a moment to glance at myself in the mirror. The outfit transformed my appearance entirely. I almost didn’t recognize myself.
Feeling a little more confident, I stepped out of the room. The moment I re-entered, the other women and Ma’am Elena turned to look at me. Their approving glances told me I looked good.
“Listen carefully, everyone,” Ma’am Elena began, her tone serious. “You will be serving close to the Alpha’s table. Only attend to his important guests. Do not mingle with the other servants in the main hall. Your focus is the Alpha and the tables closest to his.”
I felt my heart drop the moment she mentioned the Alpha. My mind spun with anxiety. *How am I supposed to face him? And what about Mona?*
Fear gripped me as I thought about what they had done to me. I felt as though I couldn’t breathe, but I couldn’t let Ma’am Elena see my panic.
“Kimberly, are you listening?” Ma’am Elena’s sharp voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied quickly. “I heard you.”
“Good,” she said, her tone softening slightly. “Now, follow me. I’ll show you where you’ll be working.”
With that, she led the way out of the room, and we followed her through the large hall. I kept my head down, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. The memories of my past with the Alpha flooded my mind. I used to be destined to be his Luna, but now I was nothing more than a servant in his hall.
Finally, we reached the Alpha’s table, and Ma’am Elena positioned me at a table nearby. My heart pounded as I realized the Alpha and Mona hadn’t arrived yet. I took a deep breath, hoping I could handle it when they did.
We busied ourselves with serving the other guests, making sure everything was in order. My mind kept drifting back to the moment when the Alpha would walk in. I wasn’t sure how I would react when I finally saw him again.
Fifteen minutes later, I heard the booming voice of the announcer echoing through the hall.
“Everyone, rise to your feet and show your respect for the Alpha and his lovely wife!”
My stomach twisted painfully as the crowd stood in unison. I glanced up, unable to stop myself from watching as the Alpha and Mona walked into the hall, majestic and proud. People bowed to them with utmost respect. A lump formed in my throat as I imagined myself walking beside the Alpha, not Mona.
My hands began to tremble, and my heart raced faster than ever. The pain and rejection I had felt from both of them overwhelmed me. I couldn’t bear it anymore.
Without thinking, I turned and slipped out of the hall, heading for a small, empty room down the corridor. I closed the door behind me and fell to the floor, my chest heaving with sobs.
“This shouldn’t be happening to me,” I whispered between tears. “I don’t deserve this.”
I sat there for a while, crying silently, letting all my pain flow out. But then, as the tears dried, I remembered that I had a job to do. I couldn’t hide forever. I had to go back and face whatever awaited me.
I wiped my face, stood up, and looked at myself in the mirror. I forced a small smile. *I won’t let them break me. I won’t be subjected to shame.*
With newfound determination, I walked out of the room, heading back to the hall. The air felt cooler, my steps more certain as I made my way toward the Alpha’s table.
This time, I was ready.