Unease

Chapter Forty-three
Faelen’s POV
Sunlight pierced through the kitchen windows as I busied myself with my daily tasks the next morning.
But my mind was far from the duties of cleaning and cooking. It was beyond even the present.
The meeting with Raven last night had stirred something inside me. At first, seeing her had filled me with unease.
Her sudden appearance made me seriously question my own position. Was she here to replace me? Or worse, expose me?
But after she left, those fears had faded, replaced by a strange sense of purpose. If her story was to be believed, then Alpha Zodd hadn’t forgotten me after all.
He still needed me. And that meant something.
I scrubbed the kitchen countertop harder, my hands working automatically as my thoughts circled on Alpha Zodd.
It was almost amusing to think of him as the person who had my loyalty. He wasn’t the kindest, or the most compassionate of persons.
To the world, he was a power-hungry and ruthless Alpha. I’d seen the way he treated his enemies… and even some of his own people.
But to me… he was something else.
I paused, my gaze not focused on my task as I stared out the window. He wasn’t kind in the way others might expect, but he’d kept his word.
He’d looked after me since I was a little girl, taken me in after my parents died serving him.
Of course he could have thrown me out, left me to fend for myself or be included into the ranks of servants and slaves.
Instead, he’d given me a place. Maybe not in his palace and by his side, but a place where I was safe and provided for.
Even as a child, I’d understood that I wasn’t like the others. The servants and low ranking wolves… they’d always looked at me differently.
I’d grown up among them, yes, but they all knew I was Zodd’s property… a promise made to my parents that I’d be taken care of being kept.
And that made me special in some way.
I never felt special, though. I was just a girl, doing whatever I could to survive.
Zodd had kept his distance as a guardian though, never making me feel like I belonged in his world, but never making me feel like I didn’t matter, either.
It was a strange relationship between us, one I still didn’t fully understand to this day.
But now… I had a chance to prove myself. To show that I could be more than just someone under his protection.
I pushed back a strand of my red hair that had fallen over my face, dragging my gaze from the window, and resumed cleaning.
Regardless, the idea of gaining Alpha Zodd’s trust and being the one he turned to for this mission, made something inside me swell.
If I could do this right… I could become more than just the little girl he’d promised to look after. I could become really valuable.
That’s why, despite the cold indifference Raven had shown last night, I felt almost… proud.
Alpha Zodd wanted information. He was relying on me to get it. That meant he was paying attention.
That meant I was doing something right.
I moved on to the next counter, wiping it down as my thoughts spiraled on. Hunter and his pack were on the brink of war, and it wasn’t just about the gold.
Steeprock had some power backing them, and if I could just confirm that… find out which pack was involved, it might change everything.
But that also meant that I had to tread carefully. One wrong move, one slip, and I could ruin everything I’d worked hard for.
The rest of the day passed quickly in a routine of tasks, and my mind tried to stayed focused.
I watched the other maids and guards, listened for any conversation that might give me any clue.
Hunter still hadn’t sent for me, and I hadn’t seen him since I left his chambers the previous morning.
It strangely ate at me, the way his absence left a hollow ache in me I didn’t want to acknowledge.
A part of me had expected a guard to show up, telling me the Alpha wanted me. But more hours passed, and no one came.
Instead, I busied myself with my duties, keenly aware of the odd stares I was getting from some of the other girls.
They had their suspicions, of course. The way they whispered behind their hands, throwing glances my way when they thought I wasn’t looking… it was almost amusing.
I could hear them gossiping about me and Hunter. Some were convinced I was his newest bed partner, his “favorite maid”.
Their envy was almost visible, as they described me with a mix of hate and jealousy.
“Her hair, it’s like fire,” one of them had whispered this morning when I walked into the kitchen. “And her face… she looks like a damned angel. I swear she must be a witch or something. No wonder he keeps her around.”
I’d nearly laughed out loud at that one. If only they knew the truth.
I tried to ignore them, focusing instead on the mission. Because the truth was, I never mind their gossip.
It only meant they were distracted with me, and I thought, a distracted enemy was always easier to deal with.
The kitchen was now buzzing with the clatter of pots and pans as more girls stormed in, dragging my thoughts back to reality.
But when the head maid, Mrs. Garnet, stormed into the room, her presence alone sent a jolt of tension through the room.
And through my spine.
“Faelen!” she snapped, her voice ringing sharply in the room. “What is taking so long?”
I glanced up from my work, brows furrowing in confusion. Mrs. Garnet wasn’t one to be gentle, but this seemed unusually harsh, even for her.
The dishes were spotless, and I was on top of all my tasks. I hesitated, wondering what I’d done wrong this time.
“I’m nearly done, Mrs. Garnet,” I said, keeping my tone low. “I’ll finish up here and move on to…”
“Don’t bother,” she cut in, crossing her arms. “You’re needed elsewhere.
I glanced up at her again, this time more confused.
“The courtyard garden is a mess, and it’s clear you’ve had too much free time in the kitchen lately.” She spat.
My mouth fell open slightly in shock. The courtyard garden? That was usually left to the groundskeepers and the newer maids.
I’d been here long enough that I rarely got reassigned like this… unless I’d really messed up. But I hadn’t done anything wrong today.
Mrs. Garnet’s eyes bore into mine, and I could tell there was no point in arguing.
She had obviously already made up her mind, and the stern expression on her face warned me that any protest would only make things worse for me.
I quickly lowered my gaze, swallowing down the questions bubbling up in my throat.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said quietly, drying my hands on a rag.
I didn’t know what I was being punished for, but I’d learned a long time ago not to challenge Mrs. Garnet when she was in one of her moods.
Without another word, I headed towards the exit, feeling the curious eyes of the other maids on me.
But before I could make it out the door, a few of them burst into giggles, hiding behind their hands.
My steps faltered a little, and I glanced back at them. Immediately, recognition lit up in my chest.
Their smug smiles and pleasing satisfactions in their eyes… It all fell into place.
They’d set me up.
Rumors had spread around the castle, awkward versions of the truth that made me out to be someone who thought herself special.
I’d ignored them before, brushed them off as idle gossip. But now it seemed the head maid had heard enough to take action.
Maybe she thought I was getting too comfortable, letting the idea of being Hunter’s favorite get to my head.
I straightened my shoulders, lifting my chin as I met their gazes.
There was no use in giving them the satisfaction of seeing me upset.
They could say what they wanted. I wouldn’t let them win by reacting.
With a quiet breath, I turned and pushed the door open, stepping into the cool morning air.
The courtyard garden wasn’t far from the kitchen, just a short walk through the side entrance of the mansion.
As I made my way there, I kept my focus on the task. I finally reached the garden and glanced around.
The beds were overgrown, tangled with weeds that hadn’t been cleared. This would take hours of backbreaking work to put right again.
I sighed, kneeling down to start pulling the weeds. My fingers sank into the cold, damp soil.
I focused on the motion of my hands, yanking out one weed after another. And the again, and again.
The work was tedious, but I welcomed it. It gave me time to think, to sort through everything that had happened in the last few days.
I knew I couldn’t afford to get caught up in petty jealousies. I had to stay sharp and focused.
If the others wanted to believe I thought I was special, let them. It wouldn’t change what I had to do.
It wouldn’t change the fact that I needed to get more information for Alpha Zodd, that I needed to be here, even if it meant enduring their hostility.