SELIN'S POV.
The room itself was enormous, bigger than any house I'd ever lived in. And the ceiling…gods, it was high. A massive chandelier hung there, sparkling with crystals that caught the light from the fireplace. I reached out and touched one of the carved pillars, tracing the swirling patterns.
"Who decorates like this?" I mumbled. "Royalty? Or people with too much money and zero hobbies?"
Then my eyes fell on the window. It wasn't really a window, more like an open archway overlooking the courtyard. Moonlight spilled across the floor, silver and soft, and for a second, I forgot to breathe. It was beautiful.
Beyond the courtyard were towers, their spires gleaming faintly against the night sky. Torches burned along stone walkways, and I could hear the faint sound of wolves howling somewhere far away.
I swallowed hard. "Okay. Maybe not that beautiful."
Still, I couldn't help but lean closer, pressing my palms against the cool stone as I stared out. I'd never seen anything like it, not in my tiny, flood-soaked village, not anywhere. Then It hit me again…I didn't belong here. I was supposed to be cleaning fish stalls, complaining about the smell of the river, not…this. Whatever this was.
Before I could sink too deep into my thoughts, the door creaked open behind me.
I spun around to meet another maid standing there. This one looked younger, maybe my age. She was small and pale, her eyes darting nervously around the room like a mouse that had wandered into a lion's den.
When she saw me, she nearly dropped the folded stack of clothes in her arms. "Oh!" she squeaked.
I blinked. "Uh…hi?"
The girl quickly lowered her head. "Forgive me, miss…His Majesty ordered that you be given fresh garments."
His Majesty. Yeah. That definitely meant the King.
She shuffled closer, holding out the clothes like they might explode. I took them carefully…it soft fabric, lighter than anything I'd ever worn. The color was a deep gray, simple but elegant.
"Thanks," I said awkwardly. "Uh…you don't have to call me 'miss.' I'm not, you know, important or anything."
She shook her head so fast I thought it might spin off. "I must."
Right. Of course.
I glanced toward the corner of the room where a large basin sat, steam rising gently from it. My eyes widened. "Wait—are you telling me that's for me?"
The maid nodded timidly. "Yes. You may bathe before you rest."
"Oh my gods." I ran a hand through my tangled hair, trying not to cry out in joy. "Actual hot water? You have no idea how long it's been since I had a proper bath."
The girl hesitated. "Would you like me to assist—"
"No!" I blurted out a little too quickly. "No, no, no. I mean…uh, thank you, but I can wash myself."
Her brows furrowed slightly. "It is my duty, miss."
"Yeah, and it's my duty to keep my dignity, which is already hanging by a thread," I said, hugging the clothes to my chest. "So we'll skip the awkward naked bonding time, if that's okay."
The maid blinked at me, clearly confused. "Bonding…?"
"Forget it," I said quickly. "Just…thank you. You can go."
She nodded, still looking wary, before she turned to leave.
But before she reached the door, I blurted out, "Wait!"
She froze.
I bit my lip. "What's your name?"
She hesitated, as if answering might be a trap. "Ayla," she said finally.
"Ayla," I repeated softly. "That's pretty."
She blinked again, clearly not used to compliments.
"Thanks for the clothes," I added. "And…the water. I appreciate it."
Her eyes darted up to mine for the briefest moment before she looked away again. "You should not thank me, miss. I only obey the Alpha's orders."
I frowned. "Right. The Alpha. Him again."
She hesitated like she wanted to say something, then lowered her gaze. "Be careful," she murmured so quietly I almost didn't catch it. "Some here do not wish you well." And with that, she was gone.
I stood there for a moment, holding the clothes and staring at the closed door. "Well," I said to myself, "that's not terrifying at all."
I turned toward the basin, peeling off my filthy dress and sinking into the warm water with a sigh that could've healed souls. The heat soaked into my skin, washing away layers of grime and fear.
"Oh gods," I whispered, eyes closing. "If this is captivity, I might forgive it for a little while."
I scrubbed myself clean until the water turned cloudy, then slipped into the fresh clothes. They were far too fine for me…soft, delicate fabric that fit perfectly, like they'd been made for someone important. I caught my reflection in the mirror on the wall. For the first time in forever, I didn't look like a drowned rat. My hair, though still messy, actually looked like hair, and the color in my cheeks had returned.
"Not bad, Selin," I said, giving myself a small smile. "Still doomed, but cleaner."
I wandered to the window again, this time calmer. The night air brushed against my face, cool and gentle. Below, the courtyard was still lit with torches, and I could see figures…men, mostly, moving with uncanny grace. Guards, maybe. Or whatever these people called themselves.
Somewhere out there was that man. The Alpha. The one with the impossible eyes and the voice that made the air itself listen.
I crossed my arms. "Probably glaring at someone right now," I muttered. "That's his hobby, I bet."
Still…a tiny part of me couldn't forget the way he'd looked at me in that room. Cold, calculating, but with something else buried deep under it. Something I didn't understand, and that scared me almost as much as the wolves had.
I backed away from the window, crawled into the ridiculously soft bed, and pulled the covers up to my chin.
"Tomorrow," I whispered. "Tomorrow, I'm finding a way out of here."
But as soon as my head hit the pillow, the exhaustion of everything…running, fear, hunger, and confusion, finally won. Within minutes, I was asleep, and for the first time in years, I had a good dream.