The Fair Lady with the Fairy voice

CLAUDIA.

“Attention, calling all maids to the throne room.”

I freeze as the announcement blares through the speakers. I’m in the maid’s quarters, looking for something in my drawers, and I have to admit that this is an interruption.

My friend Maia, another maid, watches me with boredom as the announcement continues to echo in the room. “Give it up, Claudia. Stop trying to prove that you were friends with the Alpha King when you were kids. You’re a maid and what would Alpha Achilles want to do with you?”

I don’t answer her. I just flip over my bottom drawer until all my socks fall out. But along with the socks comes a small folded parchment, containing the words, “To Claudia, from Achilles.”

“Aha!” I shove the paper right into her hands. “Feast on that.”

Maia rolls her eyes, but she just reads it aloud. “Dear Claudia, I hope this note finds you well. I refused to open the door for you because I believe I made things clear. We are no longer friends.” She chucks the paper at me. “How old is this note?”

My face heats up. “Maybe eighteen years?”

“So he sent that to you when he was twelve and you were… six?”

“Yes,” I mutter, pocketing the note. “It’s important to me, okay?”

She laughs at me. “Why? Because you’re hoping you could be close again? He’s the Alpha King now, Claudia. And our duty is to keep this place and the people running. Get over yourself and let’s go before we get thrown out.”

Everything she said was right. It’s a stupid thing to hold onto, but I can’t let it go.

Even when Maia drags me to the throne room, I find myself bursting with hope. All the maids are now gathered for some sort of meeting, and instead of worrying about what it’s for, I’m craning my neck, trying to look at the golden thrones on the dais.

But the only person I find standing there is Beta Carlos, a tanned, dark-haired unit of a man who handles everything minor for Alpha Achilles.

He surveys the room with indifference, as a person of his standing usually does, clearing his throat before speaking. “I gathered you all here because we need one maid to come with us to the Moonlight Grove Pack for the annual winter solstice meeting tonight. Since we are short-staffed, we decided to see if anyone volunteers first.”

I wait for hands to shoot into the air, but there are only whispers rippling among the crowd. The maids are all avoiding Beta Carlos’s eyes as though they would evaporate if they made eye contact with him.

I understand why. Rogue attacks have been notorious lately. Our pack, Sangria Amori, is the biggest and the strongest, which is the reason why we haven’t experienced any breaches yet. But the smaller packs have, and it’s enough for some of our maids to quit to be with their families.

The only ones who are stuck here are the single maids or the ones who are desperate for money. Then you have people like me, loyal servants for generations.

Beta Carlos’s frustration is clear now. He opens his mouth to say something but he stops when the curtains behind him suddenly open.

And out comes the Alpha King himself, Achilles.

The world stops. My heart picks up its pace, beating so fast that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I stare at him as he stands next to Beta Carlos, towering over him by half a foot. Everyone inside the room sinks into a bow, but I don’t. I can’t. The only thing I can do is stare at him.

It’s like he has his own gravitational pull on me. I’m unable to look away from the shiny waves of his black hair and the coolness of his blue eyes. Despite the raging snow outside, his skin has a touch of gold, complimenting the bloodred coat he’s wearing. His presence is almost divine. Even the chandelier lights from above seem to be drawn to him.

As though it can’t get any better, he meets my eyes.

And just like that, I raise my hand. “I volunteer to come to the solstice meeting.”

“What are you thinking?” Maia hisses at me, trying to tug at my uniform to get me to lower my hand.

But Beta Carlos already saw me. Alpha Achilles did too.

However, his face darkens with disapproval.