SELIN'S POV.
Oh. My. Gods.
I swear, I've never tasted anything like this in my entire life.
The moment the maid set the tray down, I didn't even wait for permission. My hands went straight for the roasted meat. It hot, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and for a second, I almost forgot I was being held prisoner in a creepy castle.
Everything melted in my mouth. Literally melted. The bread was soft, the meat tender, and the soup…gods, the soup, tasted like it came straight from heaven's personal kitchen. I made a noise I didn't mean to make. Kind of like a groan, but softer, and happy groan. And I didn't stop eating.
Fork? Never heard of her. I was using my hands like I'd just crawled out of a famine. I choked, came back to my senses, and continued devouring the food. I was halfway through my second piece of bread when I looked up and realized the maid was staring at me.
Her expression was plain. Just…blank.
I froze mid-bite, my mouth full with crumbs on my lips. "You're—uh, you're so pretty," I blurted out through a fake smile.
There was silence. Her eyes didn't even blink.
I swallowed quickly, heat rushing to my face. "Why did I even say that?" I muttered to myself, looking away. The awkwardness was practically crawling on the walls.
After a few seconds, I tried again. "Sooo…" I started, trying to sound casual while chewing another piece of meat. "Is that man also holding you hostage?"
The maid's head snapped toward me so fast I almost choked again.
"Do not address our Alpha as 'that man,' you filthy human."
I froze.
"…Filthy?" I repeated, blinking. "I mean…fair, I am filthy. You should've seen where I woke up this morning. Dirt, cage, fear, the full aesthetic, but did you just say Alpha?"
The maid didn't answer. She just gave me the kind of look people give when they're trying to decide if you're dumb or suicidal.
"Alpha," I repeated again, nodding slowly. "Right. Cool title. Is that like…a rank? Captain? Lord? King of the grumpy people?"
Her glare could've burned holes through steel.
Okay, wow. Tough crowd.
I sighed and leaned back, licking my fingers, which apparently, earned me another disgusted look. "You know, you could at least pretend to like me. I'm new here. Prisoners need emotional support too."
The maid's jaw tightened. "You should be grateful our Alpha hasn't had you executed."
"Executed?" I choked, coughing on air. "What—what kind of hospitality program is this? I didn't do anything! I was just running for my life!"
Her eyes narrowed. "Running from what?"
"Wolves!" I said before realizing how that might sound in this place. "Actual wolves! Not metaphorical ones! Real, big, teeth-baring wolves that wanted me for dinner! And they transformed into men!"
She blinked slowly, then turned away. "You talk too much."
"Wow," I said under my breath. "Okay. Noted. I'll just eat my life-changing soup in silence."
Except I didn't. Because silence and I are not on speaking terms. A few minutes passed, and I couldn't stop myself.
"So…this Alpha guy," I started, holding spoon. "Is he always this…dramatic? All that dark cloak, scary eyes, 'don't breathe near me' energy? Or is that just a royal thing?"
Her expression didn't move an inch.
"Right. No answer. Love that for me." I sighed. "He's probably got a complex. People with that much hair and that little personality always do."
That got a flicker. Just the tiniest twitch at the corner of her mouth.
"Ha!" I pointed my spoon at her triumphantly. "You almost smiled. I saw that."
The glare returned instantly.
"Never mind," I muttered. "Forget I said anything."
I took another bite, slower this time, trying to look civilized. Which lasted about three seconds before I got distracted again. "Hey, what even is this place? Like, where am I? A castle? A mansion? A cult headquarters?"
Her tone was cold. "You're in the royal domain of the Ghost Moon Pack."
I blinked. "The…what now?"
"The Ghost Moon Pack," she repeated, like I should know what that meant.
I tilted my head. "Right. Cool name. Pack as in…a group of wolves?"
Her lips tightened.
"Oh my God," I whispered, realization dawning slowly. "You people are part of some secret werewolf society, aren't you?"
The look she gave me said 'say one more word and I'll strangle you with this apron'.
I sat up straight and smiled awkwardly. "Okay! No more questions. Love the energy here."
She gathered the empty dishes without another word. I watched her move…stiff, controlled, almost too graceful for someone doing normal maid stuff.
"You know," I said softly as she turned to leave, "for what it's worth, you don't have to be mean. I didn't choose to be here."
She paused briefly at the door but didn't look back. "Then pray you leave before the moon rises, human. Our Alpha's mercy doesn't last long."
The door shut. I stared at the empty room for a long moment, the words echoing in my head.
"Alpha," I whispered, frowning. "Pack. Moon rises. Fantastic. I'm either in a weird kingdom full of cosplayers or I've officially lost my mind."
I slumped back in the chair, holding my full stomach and sighing dramatically. "Well, at least I got fed before I die."
***
Few minutes after the maid left, I sat there staring at the door like it had personally offended me.
"Well," I muttered, picking up the last crumb of bread, "that went great. Definitely making friends fast."
I sighed and leaned back, letting my eyes wander across the room. Now that I wasn't panicking or choking on dinner, I finally noticed how…breathtakingly expensive everything looked.
The walls were made of smooth, pale stone, carved with symbols I couldn't understand. Thick velvet curtains hung from gold hooks, and the furniture was solid, dark wood, polished to perfection, it looked like something out of a royal museum. Whoever these people were, they were loaded.
I got up slowly, wiping my hands on the hem of my ragged dress.
"Okay, Selin," I whispered to myself. "You're being held captive in some creepy royal mansion owned by a bunch of very serious people with anger issues. Don't freak out. Just…explore. Maybe find a door. Preferably one that leads outside."
That was the plan. But the moment I started walking, my curiosity completely betrayed me.