Soft sheets beneath me, something plush supporting my head.
My mind floated in that strange space between sleep and consciousness, heavy and unwilling to fully wake.
For a few seconds, I didn’t even remember where I was, then I inhaled and my heart skipped.
That scent…Dark cedarwood.
That subtle, dangerously familiar fragrance that my body had already memorized far too well…
Louis.
My eyes snapped open in realization.
The ceiling above me was unfamiliar, high, elegant, detailed with carvings I’d never seen from the servants’ quarters, not even my family house had such detailed crafting.
I blinked rapidly, my thoughts scrambling to catch up as I pushed myself upright.
A slight dizziness hit me, forcing me to steady myself against the mattress.
“Where…” My gaze swept across the room, and i instantly recognized the place.
Louis’ chambers.
My breath caught as my memories resurfaced in fragmentt, I remembered faintly, his arms being around me, the steady strength of his hold, his voice low and reassuring, the way my body had simply… given in to the exhaustion as he carried me.
Heat crept slowly up my neck.”Oh no…” I hadn’t even realized I slept off while in his arms.
Carla stirred, finally awake?
Ignoring her, I threw the covers aside and slid off the bed.
My legs wobbled slightly, but I managed to stay upright this time, my pulse already racing.
Why would he bring me here?
I thought he would have taken me back to the servants quarters, but he brought me here and let me sleep in his bed too.
I glanced around again, but I couldn’t sight him anywhere.
A strange mix of relief and something else I refused to name twisted inside my chest.
I shouldn’t be here.
I dragged a hand through my hair, only then noticing how dry my throat felt.
Each swallow burned slightly.
“Tch… I need water…” No one would enter his chambers without permission, which meant no one would magically appear to serve me.
If I wanted anything, I’d have to get it myself.
I moved toward the door, opening it cautiously before stepping into the hallway.
The cool air immediately hit my skin, leaving a familiar sense of comfort.
I made my way to the kitchen quickly, hoping no one would see me.
Just as I neared the doorway, i could hear the quiet voices of several female servants talking.
I barely paid attention at first… until a certain phrase made my steps falter.
“…Banewolf princess?” I stilled, my curiosity awakening..
“Goodness, did you see the Banewolf princess?
She looks so weird.” “I know right, I’ve never seen anyone with white hair and such pale skin… but she’s beautiful.” “So she’ll be the new mistress of this quarters, right?” “Of course.
But wait… you all saw Alpha Louis carrying someone else in his arms earlier, didn’t you?
Her face was hidden, so I couldn’t tell who it was.” My chest tightened.
They saw that?
“I know her.
I’ve seen her with his highness before.” “Who is she?” There was a brief pause, my heart racing as I kept listening..
“It’s Lina.
The one who rejected Alpha Kain.” “Wait, her?
But I thought she was cast out by her family.
Isn’t she just a servant now?
What business does she have with Alpha Louis?” “I know right.
She got herself into such a mess, and now she’s trying to use Alpha Louis to climb out of the shit hole she created for herself.” The words sounded like a knife slicing through my ear.
Yeah that was enough, I wasn’t about to become the center of gossip for servants.
I stepped into the kitchen, deliberately coughing to let them know I was here, hoping they’d at least have a bit of decency not to badmouth me in my presence.
The chatter died instantly as three pairs of eyes snapped toward me.
“Ohh… here she is,” one of them said, her lips curling with mock amusement.
I didn’t bother acknowledging them.
If they wanted a reaction, they weren’t getting one.
I walked past them calmly, heading straight for the cupboard.
i reached for a cup and fetched water from the sink..
Silence lingered thickly behind me, but I could feel their eyes literally digging into me.
I had just lifted the cup to my lips when one of the servants smacked it off my grip, almost breaking my teeth in the process.
The mug shattered against the floor, water splashing across my feet.
I gasped in shock, as I looked down at the mess she had just made, and that was it…my mind went blank.
Then slowly… very slowly… I lifted my gaze to look back at the person who’d just done it.
The servant standing before me wore a smug, satisfied expression, her chin tilted high like she’d just done something admirable.
“What exactly are you trying to do?” she asked coldly.
“Go back to the servants’ quarters where you belong.” Something hot surged through me.
All the rage I’ve been keeping bottled up inside me surged with full force.
Before I even realized what I was doing, my hand shot forward, my fingers sinking deep into her blond hair.
She screamed, the other three behind her gasped in shock as I yanked hard, dragging her down and slamming her head sideways against the nearby table.
The wood rattled violently under the force.
“What the—!” She struggled, clawing at my wrist, but rage had already taken hold of my body.
I leaned closer, pinning her head firmly against the surface.
“Don’t you dare fuckin’ mess with me,” I whispered, my voice trembling with fury.
“Because the next time you do, I’ll pull every strand of this blond trash off your scalp until you start bleeding.” Her eyes widened, fear replacing arrogance in an instant.
A strong urge to slam her face directly into the table overwhelmed me, hoping to break her nose, but I just shoved her away, sending her stumbling backward into the others.
My chest heaved as I forced myself to breathe and calm down, my fingers curling tightly at my sides.
What the hell was that… Like nothing had happened, I turned back to the cupboard and grabbed another cup.
The remaining servants stood frozen.
I glanced at the mess on the floor, then back at them, offering a tight smile that held no warmth.
“Clean this up,” I said softly.
“Unless you’d like me to use the broken pieces to redecorate your faces.” They moved immediately.
Carla’s voice slid into my mind, edged with surprise.
I don’t recognize that temper, Lina… you’re usually not this explosive.
My grip tightened on the mug.
She was right, I wasn’t the type to lose my cool over something like this.
Or is Kain’s marking starting to affect you already?
She added.
My heart skipped a bit..
Fuck!
The marking, i had completely forgotten.
Carla’s tone shifted, now laced with dark amusement.
Not that I’m complaining though.
That was satisfying to watch.
I exhaled sharply.
“Just stick to one opinion, Carla…” I lifted the mug, taking a long drink, cool water sliding down my throat as I tried to calm the unsettling tension crawling beneath my skin.
But then, a presence brushed against my senses.
One that I instantly recognized to be Louis…but he wasn’t alone.
I turned around, and there he stood.
Hand in hand with someone who looked like she had been sculpted from snow itself —silver-white hair cascading down her shoulders, pale luminous skin, lashes as white as frost.
Goodness, she was…
heavenly.
But it wasn’t her appearance that made my chest tighten weirdly.
It was the fact that their hands were interlocked.
But why did that bother me.
She must be his fiance.
“You’re awake,” Louis said, relief softening his features as a quiet smile curved his lips.