CHAPTER ONE.

Alora’S POV.

Splash!

The sound is followed by an intense feeling of wetness all over my body and a significant drop in my body's temperature. My eyes flutter open but my damp, heavy eyelashes pull them close again.

“She's still not waking up.” A voice remarks from behind me.

“Bring another bucket of water.” Another voice instructs and that gets me alarmed. I'm going to pass out if they pour another bucket of ice-cold water on me this morning.

To avoid that, I snap my eyes open again and quickly sit upright on the bed.

“Alora, why must you always choose the hard way?” One of the girls, known as Ella, asks but I don't give her a response. I don't have any to give her anyway. “I'm very sure you heard me call your name three times, yet you ignored me even though you already know the consequences you'd face. How pathetic can you be?” Another question comes through. I still don't have a response to give her so I stay silent with my gaze plastered on the floor.

I don't need to look to know that there's three of them standing in front me, probably smirking and smiling as they watch me undergo the bullying and humiliation they subject me to every morning.

Ella, Anita and Cassy.

My colleagues who are also my roommates. We all work as servants in this very wealthy household and share a room, but they have teamed up and made it their goal to make sure my days start and end in misery. For the past one year since I moved into this bedroom, they have not failed to make that happen.

“As you can see, we're already dressed for work. Normally, you were supposed to be awake before us so you could run our baths like you always do, but that didn't happen.”

“I'm sorry.” I croak as I finally make up my mind to look at their faces. Ella, the captain, is the one standing in front and doing all the talking while the other two are a few steps behind her, waiting to execute any command she gives them.

“What did you say?”

“I said I'm sorry, I… I was very exhausted, that's why I overslept.”

I still am, right now. They didn't let me sleep when I returned from the main mansion after working hours. They kept sending me on errands and made me bathe with freezing cold water. As if that was not enough, Ella took away my mattress, added it to her own bed and ordered me to sleep naked on the empty bed frame. I couldn't sleep all night because I kept shivering from too much cold and just this morning when I was able to catch sleep, she poured more freezing cold water on me.

It's a wonder how I don't feel feverish already.

“You’re sorry?” She scoffs. “Do you honestly think saying sorry will fix this?”

“No.” I reply dryly. “I don't think so.”

“Good. You have a brain after all.” My heart lurches when she advances towards me with a sinister smile on her face. I nervously try to back away from her overwhelming proximity as she leans closer to me, but there's only how far back I can go. She stretches her hand and grabs a chunk of my hair in a tight hold and I cry out in pain, begging her to stop, but my pleas fall on deaf ears. The ruthless girl grabs my hair tighter and yanks my head up so I'm staring straight into her wicked eyes.

“I have ten hours to think of many interesting ways to punish you tonight. I'm more than excited to start making that list.”

“Ella, I said I was sorry.”

“Since when have your pleas ever worked on me?” I go mute. She pulls on the chunk of my hair in her hands, keeping my head still as we both stare into each other's eyes. “When I ask you a question, I expect you to give me a response. Is that understood?” She asks between her teeth.

“Ye… Ye…” I stutter shakily, sniffling tears. “Yes. Understood.”

“So answer the question I asked.”

“Never! My pleas have never worked on you.” My throaty voice croaks.

“Better.” She pushes my head away, causing me to lose my balance and fall on the skeleton bed frame. “You'll start by bathing with ice-cold water.” She turns to her girls. “Take her away towards my head and a painful gasp escapes my lips when she fists a chunk of my hair and grabs it in a firm hold.

“Ella please…” I whimper, painfully. “Please, you're hurting me. Let go.” As usual, my pleas fall on deaf ears.

“Take her away and make sure every drop of water in that bucket falls on her body.” She instructs the girls who gladly nod their heads in understanding before they proceed to pick me up from the bed by my hands and drag me all the way to the bathroom.

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About thirty minutes later, I'm walking out of the closet, dressed in my maid uniform and shivering like someone suffering from a severe fever. My complexion is as white as chalk and my teeth are clattering against each other. I feel cold right to my bones. I'm definitely going to catch a fever.

The three witches are waiting for me in the bedroom with triumphant smiles on their faces.

I hate them.

I hate them so much that if I were given a gun and the opportunity to shoot all three of them dead right now, I wouldn't stop to think twice for one second.

They are demons sent from the pit of hell to torment me.

“Servant girl is…” Ella's potentially derogatory statement is cut short by a knock on our room door. The smile on her face wipes off as she orders me with her eyes and a head show towards the door to go get it. I gladly walk past her and go over to the door which I open up and surprise makes my entire body tremble when I see a guard from the mansion, standing before me with the same poker face and stoic expression all the guards always have on.

“Good morning.” I greet calmly, carefully.

“Good morning.” His serious voice nearly knocks me off my feet. “Alora, do you have a death wish? Your Mistress has been waiting for you at her chambers for over one hour now.” All colour drains from my face when those words hit my ears.

I was supposed to report to my Mistress’ chambers earlier this morning to help her prepare for a very important event. Because of my evil roommates, I overslept and now the most merciful punishment that awaits me from my Mistress is a solid smack on my jaw and a kick in my stomach for running late.

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“You always try to ruin things for me!” A heavy smack on my right cheek follows that angry statement from Daphne, my Mistress. My right hand instinctively touches the stinging jaw as I keep my gaze plastered on the floor below, tears burning at the back of my eyelids.

I'm sure she prayed for me to show up late so she could hit me when I showed up because it's her favourite thing to do.

“I’m sorry.” I whimper with a shaky voice. I'm still cold to the bone from all the freezing cold water that was poured on my body, but that's the least of my problems right now. The heat of the tension in this room is enough to warm me up in less than no time and I have to do my best to make it out here alive.

“You're lucky i dont have the time to punish you right now, but don't get excited because I will get back to you after my meeting with the Alpha. For now, get my hair done!”

“Yes Ma’am.” Within a heartbeat, I'm on my feet again, rushing into her closet. I bring out her hair kit from its locker and rush back into the bedroom to meet her at her vanity table where she's already seated, waiting for me to commence with fixing her hair.

Coming here late was a blessing in disguise. Yes it earned me a hard smack – which hurt like shit– but that's nothing compared to what I would have received if I had been present to prepare her bath and pick out her outfit.

The water is always either too cold or too hot and will only be at the right temperature after over ten attempts to adjust the temperature. The process of choosing an outfit for her to wear could last forever. And what’s an outfit-choosing session without incessant scolding and smacking and kicking and cursing my entire past and future generations? Her temper must have been worse today because she's actually prepping for a meeting with the Alpha of our Pack, Alpha Myles Leroy.

My deepest condolences to the servant who had to take my place while I was absent.

“What hairstyle would you like?” I ask as I take my place behind her chair, eyeing her gorgeous, thick brunette hair that falls all the way down to her waist. The curls I made a few days ago have begun to straighten out.

“Straighten out the curls completely and do a middle parting. I just want something simple.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” I reply calmly and get to work.

One hour later, she's all set and looking at her reflection in the mirror. I observe her at a safe distance. From the smile on her face, I can tell she likes what she's seeing and she now feels ready to meet with the Alpha.

He took interest in her at the last ball held at his castle and asked to take her out some time. Daphne was more than eager to accept his request and the day was set. That day has finally come and she's head over heels. I pray they hit it off well and he falls in love with her so he can marry her and take her away from this house.

It's true she's not the only one who hates me and makes my life miserable in this mansion, however, having one person less to torment me will go a long way to make my life better around here. I take a step back when she suddenly jumps around and looks at me.

“How do I look?”

“Gorgeous! You look absolutely breathtaking!” I reply immediately not wanting to offend her in any way.

“Of course I do!”

“Alpha Myles will definitely fall head over heels for you once he sets his eyes on you!”

“Of course he will!” There’s a confident smirk on her face as she turns to look back at her reflection in the mirror. I simply stand there, waiting and wondering when she’d leave so my agony will end.

Just then another servant comes in and announces the Alpha’s arrival. Daphne squeals with excitement and dashes out of the room ordering me with her eyes to follow her.

At the foot of the staircase, she stops and takes in three deep breaths and maintains a calm demeanour before proceeding to descend the staircase. I follow three steps behind, lost in my own thoughts.

It must be amazing being Daphne. She's the daughter of a wealthy man who has had everything served to her on a silver plate since the day she was born. She lacks absolutely nothing and has over ten servants on stand by, waiting to serve her in any way she demands.

I can only dream of having a life like hers.

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the sweet smell of melting chocolate mixed with vanilla filling my nostrils. I stop on the next step and close my eyes as I inhale deeply without even realising that that's what I'm doing.

Goddess that smell is captivating! It’s the sweetest scent I’ve ever perceived before. I wonder where.

“Alpha Myles…” Daphne’s soft voice interrupts my thoughts. I snap my eyes open and hastily catch up with her down the stairs with that sweet smell still raiding my mind. “You’re welcome, My Lord.” She greets formally and I raise my head to look at the person she’s talking to.

Something snaps in my chest when my eyes fall on Aloha Myles. My breath hitches in my through and I nearly jump out of skin when a small voice whispers the word

“Mate”

In my mind.

I look left and right, confused as to where the voice came from. My heart starts pounding uncontrollably.

“Alpha Myles…” Daphne's voice comes through again and when I look ahead, my legs nearly give way for me to reach the ground when I see him walking closer. My heart soars and plummets at the same time. I duck in a deep breath and try to convince myself that he’s walking closer to Daphne and not me, but he calmly walks past Daphne, whose smile drops and shatters completely on the floor as she watches in mortification as Alpha Myles makes his way over to where I’m standing. I nearly fall over when he stops in front of me.

Without saying a single word, he rakes his eyes from my head to my toes and back to my face with a blank, unreadable expression on his face. My eyes look over his shoulders and behind him at Daphne who looks completely dumbfounded by what’s going on.

I look back to the intimidating pile of masculine flesh standing before me and I swallow dryly. I do not have the audacity to look him in the eyes, so I quickly bow down my head and whisper the words;

“My Lord.”

I have no energy left in me. It’s a wonder how I’m still able to stand upright on my feet.

“Mate!” He growls under his breath and my head instantly jerks up when the word hits my ears. “You’re my mate!”