*Hazel*
I suppressed a groan as my muscles tingled with protest. The sun was just beginning to rise and I had already been up for over two hours. My fingers were raw from scrubbing the floor and cleaning the bathrooms. I didn’t have time to dwell on how tired I was though. I needed to make sure I was downstairs and standing at attention in the kitchen in ten minutes.
I didn’t have much time according to my watch and I quickly wiped some sweat off of my brow before rushing down the steps of the expansive pack mansion.
“Cutting it a little close there, aren’t you?” asked the cook, a kind elderly woman named Clara.
I grimaced but offered her a smile in greeting. “I had a lot to finish this morning,” I said but quickly took my post just to the left of the Luna’s chair.
I barely had enough time to catch my breath when the Alpha’s family strode through the double doors leading into the dining room. The cook and the other servants straightened but lowered their eyes to our Alpha and Luna.
Alpha Henry and Luna Evelyn were the definition of authority. They were well-respected by every pack member but also feared. Alpha Henry’s icy blue eyes were cold enough to freeze over an entire room and Luna Evelyn’s matching cool exterior made even the toughest shifter squirm with nerves.
The three young men who strode in after them were clearly a product of the two pack leaders. All of us servants straightened even further as the three sons of the Alpha and Luna marched in.
My heart stuttered at their large forms. They had to come in single file or they would have completely filled the doorway.
Lucas Sullivan was the eldest of the triplets. Even though it was only by a few minutes, he exuded the confident air of the oldest brother.
Lucas met my gaze and I quickly looked down again to avert my eyes. Not quick enough though. I felt the sternest brother stop in front of me.
“Like what you see, little servant?” he drawled, his voice low and deep.
I clenched my jaw, hating the way he once again brought attention to how much lower I was than them in the hierarchy.
I heard his two younger brothers chuckle at the joke, further adding to my shame.
Lucas stepped away from me without a care and sat down next to his father, effectively labeling himself as the right hand.
A little bit of tension left my shoulders as the next brother came up to me. Liam wasn’t nearly as cruel to me as his other brothers.
That didn’t mean the more playful of the triplets wasn’t intimidating though. Like his brothers, Liam was broad-shouldered and rugged. His deep, dark eyes looked like they could penetrate through any soul, leaving nothing hidden.
I snuck a glance up at Liam as he walked by me, immediately regretting it when I realized he was watching me just as his brother had been. He looked like he was going to continue to his seat, but when we met gazes, he smirked and walked right up to me. I tried to duck my head but not before the middle brother flicked my nose, bringing tears of pain and shock to my eyes.
“Keep your eyes down next time,” he scolded before he too sat down at the dining table.
I couldn’t even relax, even though two of the three brothers were now seated and leaving me alone. An equally large figure appeared in front of my eyes. I kept my head down this time, refusing to meet the gaze of the owner of the toned male chest in front of me.
“That’s right, keep your eyes down,” Levi, the youngest brother said with satisfaction.
My cheekbones burned but I didn’t need to see Levi’s dark eyes to know that they were glinting with pleasure at my discomfort. Although Levi was the youngest of the three, he was still terrifying and fed off of my fear and on my pain, just like his other brothers did.
Levi scoffed when I didn’t respond and went to take his seat next to Liam.
“Well, what are you waiting for, girl?” Luna Evelyn demanded. “Begin serving us our breakfast at once!”
“Yes, Luna,” I squeaked before doing as ordered, putting eggs and bacon on each of their plates.
“Be quick about it, girl,” Alpha growled, watching me with narrowed eyes. He scoffed.
Luna Evelyn sniffed. “And to think we took you in and gave you a practical way to pay your parents’ debt. Such ungratefulness!”
“My apologies, Luna,” I said, keeping my head bowed.
After my parents died in an accident, I was taken in by the Alpha and his family. I was informed that my parents owed a great amount of money to the Alpha and Luna. They announced that I would be their maid in service in order to pay them back.
I was only ten years old when I started cleaning and waiting on the whole family. They were all cruel toward me, ordering me to work from sun up til sundown, coming up with tiring chores for me to complete before I finally collapsed in bed each night, completely exhausted.
“You have managed to remember that tomorrow is our sons’ birthdays,” Alpha Henry said in a hard voice as I scrambled to get their coffees poured quickly but without spilling a drop.
If I made a minor mistake like that, the punishment would be severe.
“Yes, Alpha,” I said respectfully.
“I expect the decorations to be immaculate,” Luna Evelyn cut in, glowering at me like if it wasn’t, her sons would be cursed or something. “Everything must go perfectly. You’ll know what to expect if it doesn't.”
I swallowed thickly but bowed to her, ducking my head. “Yes, Luna Evelyn. I understand perfectly.”
Although I felt rotten by how they were treating me. I refused to cry.
I was going to be strong and continue to live the way my parents would have wanted me to.
***
“Is this the best you could do?”
I turned to look at Jessie. She was the daughter of one of the higher ups of the pack and was studying interior design. She was sent to ensure that I didn’t mess up the decorations, despite the fact that Luna Evelyn put me in charge of them.
I tried to keep the annoyance out of my tone as I turned to face her. “What do you mean?”
Jessie gestured around arrogantly. “These are so typical, not special enough for the triplets’ birthday.”
I looked around the grand ballroom. I had chosen golds and bronzes to symbolize the status of the guys. There were balloons and bouquets of flowers strewn everywhere. The gold and bronze against the stark white table linens looked sophisticated to me, perfect for an eighteenth birthday celebration.
“These are some of the guys’ favorite colors,” I told Jessie as patiently as I could. “I’ve grown up with them so I’m fairly certain they’ll be accepting of the decorations.”
Jessie’s jaw dropped before her eyes narrowed. “How dare you imply that you know them better than anyone?”
Before I could protest that that wasn’t what I was saying at all, the door opened and the topic of our conversation strode in, their girlfriends hanging onto their thick arms.
I tried to school my expression. Melanie, Kira, and Annie were stuck-up and arrogant, so I felt they were the perfect match for the triplets. I wondered how long these girls would be around since the triplets go through women like they do clothing. It was rare for them to keep girlfriends for more than three months.
I heard Liam whistle low as he got a look at the ballroom. “Nice,” he said appreciatively.
“We’re here to check on your progress, little maid,” Lucas said as he approached, Melanie holding onto him tightly.
“You’re just in time!” Jessie shrieked, stepping forward. She pointed an accusing finger at me. “Hazel here claimed she would be the best mate to the three of you!”
I reeled in shock. “No-” I started to say.
“How dare you!” Melanie cried out, stalking forward. “You could never land our men!”
“Little bitch!” Kira snarled.
“You’re in for it now!” Annie added. “You’re nothing but a lowly maid!”
“Ladies,” I heard Liam warn, a clear warning in his voice.
I didn’t even have time to blink before a slapping sound rang out throughout the ballroom, a stinging pain accompanying it. My hand flew to my throbbing cheek and I stared at Melanie in shock.