Alex sat alone in his chambers, the fire in the hearth crackling softly.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands tangled in his dark hair.
Why did I call her mine? he thought angrily.
Why am I this upset over a mere maid?
He shook his head hard, as if trying to clear it.
"No," he muttered aloud. "I'm only doing this because she shouldn't suffer for something she knows nothing about. That's all."
He repeated the words over and over, trying to convince himself.
But deep down, a part of him he didn't want to acknowledge whispered otherwise. A part that hated seeing her hurt.
---
A few minutes later, the guards returned with Mira.
She stumbled into the room, supported by two of them. Her skin looked pale, and her steps were weak and shaky. Her hair, usually neat, hung in messy strands around her face.
It was obvious she had been denied food and water.
Alex stood up sharply without thinking, his heart clenching at the sight of her.
For a moment, he had the wild urge to run to her, to pull her into his arms and promise that no one would ever hurt her again.
But then he caught himself.
She's just a maid, he reminded himself coldly. Nothing more.
He forced his face to stay hard and unreadable.
"You," he said sharply, pointing at her. "Go back to work."
Mira blinked in surprise, swaying slightly where she stood. But she bowed her head and whispered, "Yes, my Lord," before turning to leave the room.
Alex watched her go, every instinct inside him screaming that she wasn't strong enough to even walk, let alone work.
But he ignored it.
He told himself he didn't care.
He only needed her alive and healthy enough to pour his wine, that was all.
Nothing more.
---
After Mira left, Alex turned to the servants waiting by the door.
"You, you, and you," he said, pointing to five maids. "Each of you will be assigned to serve one of the arriving Lunas. Make sure they are comfortable."
The maids nodded nervously, not daring to meet his eyes.
"And listen carefully," Alex added, his voice dark and commanding. "No one is to disturb me unless it's an emergency. Until I come out of my room, I don't want to hear a single knock on my door."
"Yes, Alpha!" they said in unison.
Satisfied, Alex turned away and walked slowly toward the window, staring out over the castle grounds.
---
Outside, preparations continued. Banners fluttered in the breeze, and soldiers lined the walkways, making everything perfect for the royal guests.
Alex's senior warriors — his most trusted pack members — had taken over supervision. They moved through the castle, making sure every detail was perfect.
They watched the Alpha carefully, their hearts heavy with hope.
They needed him to find his mate — not just for himself, but for all of them.
Only with his true Luna beside him would Alex's strength reach its full potential.
And they desperately needed that strength.
An old, powerful enemy had been growing in the shadows — a creature of dark magic and rage that had lived far too long.
Soon, a great war would come.
And if Alex wasn't at his strongest by then, their entire world could fall.
The pack leaders exchanged worried glances.
They couldn't afford failure this time. One of the five royal daughters had to be his mate.
For the sake of them all.
---
Meanwhile, Mira worked quietly in the kitchens, her body trembling with exhaustion. Her hands shook as she tried to knead the dough for bread, but no one helped her. No one dared.
Everyone had seen the way the Alpha had looked at her.
And no one wanted to get caught between them.
Stay strong, she told herself. Just a little longer.
She was never scared of the Alpha before, not truly.
But lately, she found herself being scared — not of his strength or his position, but of what he might be hiding inside, the side of him that was unpredictable.
She had no idea what he could do next, and that fear sat heavy on her chest.
Her fingers shook slightly as she wiped them on her apron.
Outside, she heard the sharp, cruel sound of the whip.
Mira couldn't stop herself from glancing at the window.
She saw the old head cook, the woman who had betrayed her, being whipped by the guards.
Mira swallowed hard.
She hadn't heard Alpha Alex order that punishment.
For a moment, she had hoped the woman had escaped it, just like Mira had somehow escaped worse.
Now, watching it happen, she didn't feel anger or happiness.
All she felt was fear.
Fear that in this place, one wrong move could destroy a person completely.
Fear that survival depended on being invisible.
She forced herself to look away, heart pounding.
She needed to stay focused.
She needed to stay invisible.
Just then, the kitchen door creaked open.
A woman in her mid-forties stepped in, smiling warmly.
Her hair was tucked neatly into a bun, and she wore the same uniform the head cook used to wear.
"I am the new head cook," she announced softly, her voice calm, almost too calm for a place like this.
Mira blinked, too surprised to speak.
"You can go back to work, dear," the woman added with a soft smile, her eyes kind.
Mira lowered her head respectfully and mumbled, "Yes, ma'am," before quickly turning away.
She walked back to her corner and picked up the basket of vegetables she had been sorting earlier.
Her hands moved on their own, peeling and chopping, even though her mind was spinning.
Everything was changing too quickly.
First, she was assigned to the gardens, then thrown into a cold cell, now back in the kitchen with a new head cook.
It felt like she was trapped inside a storm that refused to calm.
The kitchen around her buzzed with nervous energy.
Everyone worked faster than usual.
The rumors about the five Luna candidates arriving tomorrow had spread like wildfire.
No one wanted to make a mistake.
Everyone knew the Alpha's mood could shift in a heartbeat.
Mira kept her head down and worked silently.
Stay quiet. Stay unnoticed. Survive.
That was the rule she lived by.
But even as she tried to stay invisible, Mira couldn't stop thinking about the Alpha.
Why had he carried her to his chambers himself?
Why had he gone against his mother to protect her?
Why had he ordered the guards to bring her back?
She shook her head sharply.
Don't think about it, she told herself.
It doesn't mean anything. I'm just a maid.
Still, a small part of her heart whispered otherwise.
---
Meanwhile, in his chambers, Alpha Alex sat by the window, his arms crossed tightly.
He had told himself over and over that Mira didn't matter, that he had only saved her because it would be a hassle to train another maid.
But he didn't believe it anymore.
Not fully.
Her face kept flashing before him — the way she had looked so small and fragile when they dragged her in, the way she had quietly returned to work like nothing happened.
He hated the feeling growing inside him.
It made him restless.
Weak.
And Alpha Alex hated feeling weak more than anything else.
---
Back in the kitchen, Mira finished her work and carried the basket of peeled vegetables to the new head cook.
The woman smiled at her gently, patting her shoulder.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you?" she said softly, so that only Mira could hear.
Mira's fingers tightened around the basket, but she didn't answer.
She didn't trust anyone enough to speak.
The woman didn't seem offended.
She just nodded knowingly and turned back to her work.
Mira placed the basket down and quietly moved to her next task.
All around her, preparations for the Luna candidates continued — cleaning, decorating, cooking special dishes.
The castle had never looked more alive.
But for Mira, the noise and excitement only made her feel more alone.
She didn't belong to this world of powerful Alphas and elegant Lunas.
She was just a maid, trying to survive.
Still, as she worked, she couldn't shake the strange feeling that something bigger was coming — something that would change her life forever.