**Tiana's POV**
After Fiona left me in the storage room, I spent the rest of the day organizing and taking inventory of the supplies. It was a lot more work than I had thought it would be. At first, when I entered the inventory and looked around, I thought I could get it done in no time since it did not look too bad. However, I was so wrong!
There were boxes of medical supplies, food, clothing, and other necessities that needed to be sorted and counted. My arms ached from lifting and moving heavy items, and my back was sore from bending and crouching repeatedly. The fact that I had to do this much work a few minutes after a tiresome training session with Peter was not helping. I wondered if I would even be able to attend training tomorrow.
I tried to keep my mind off Fiona's harsh words, but they kept echoing in my head. As much as I wanted to be angry with her, I couldn't deny that there was some truth in what she said. I had been enjoying the benefits of living with the pack without really contributing. I owe it to them, and to myself, to give something back.
By the time I finished organizing the last of the supplies, it was well into the evening. My stomach growled, reminding me that I had barely eaten all day. I was exhausted, my body protesting every movement as I dragged myself back to the main hall.
As I reached the hallway leading to the kitchen, I saw Fiona standing there, her arms crossed and a smug expression on her face. "Do you think you're done for me?" she asked, her voice cold and demanding.
I swallowed hard, my heart sinking. "I... I finished organizing the supplies," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Good," Fiona said, her smile widening. "Now, follow me. The organizing you did is not even up to a quarter of what you have leeched off us."
I followed her to the kitchen, where several servants were busy preparing the evening meal. Fiona clapped her hands to get their attention. "Alright, everyone, you can take a break. We have a volunteer who's going to help out."
The servants exchanged puzzled looks but obeyed, leaving the kitchen one by one. I felt a knot form in my stomach as I realized what Fiona had in mind.
She turned to me, her eyes glinting with malice. "Since you think you're so capable, you can handle the rest of the work here. There are dishes to be washed, floors to be mopped, and food to be prepared."
I opened my mouth to protest, but the words caught in my throat. I was too tired to argue, and I knew it would only make things worse. "Okay," I said quietly.
Fiona's smile widened. "Good. Get to work, then."
She left the kitchen, leaving me alone with a mountain of dirty dishes and a kitchen that needed cleaning. I sighed and rolled up my sleeves while trying to convince myself it was not a big deal because I had done this kind of work in my pack and even worse than this. It was just a pity I had gotten quite used to a lazy lifestyle, so it seemed tougher than it should have been.
I started with the dishes, scrubbing each one until it was spotless. The repetitive motion was almost soothing, allowing my mind to drift. I thought about Theo and how kind he had been to me. I didn't want to disappoint him, and I certainly didn't want to give Fiona any more reasons to hate me.
Just as I was finishing up the last of the dishes, a maid walked into the kitchen. She looked surprised to see me there. "Are you new to working at the palace?" she asked, her voice curious.
"Not really," I replied, drying my hands on a towel. "I'm a visitor who felt like I should give back to society because I've been treated so well by the Alpha's son."
The maid frowned. "As a visitor, you're not meant to do any of that. It's the servants' job to handle these tasks."
I shrugged, trying to brush off her concern. "It's alright. I don't mind helping out. I want to show my gratitude."
The maid looked at me strangely, as if she couldn't understand why I would be willing to do this kind of work. "Well, if you're sure... But you really shouldn't be doing this."
"I appreciate your concern," I said with a small smile. "But it's fine. I don't want to be much of a burden."
The maid nodded slowly, still looking unsure. "Alright, then. Just don't overwork yourself. Would you like some help?"
"Not at all, you look tired and should get some rest," I told her, smiling kindly.
"You're the one who looks tired," she chuckled nervously. "But if you say so, good luck!"
"Thank you," I replied, appreciating how sweet she was.
She left the kitchen, and I turned back to the remaining chores. My stomach growled again, but I ignored it. There was still a lot to do, and I wanted to finish as quickly as possible.
I mopped the floors, making sure every corner was spotless. My arms felt like they were going to fall off, and my legs were starting to shake from the exertion.
By the time I finished, I was completely drained. I leaned against the counter, trying to catch my breath. My vision blurred slightly from exhaustion, and I could feel a headache coming on.
Just as I was about to call it a night, the door to the kitchen swung open, and Amara and Layla walked in. Their eyes widened when they saw me, and I could see the concern etched on their faces.
"Tiana, what are you doing here?" Amara asked, rushing over to me.
Layla looked around the kitchen, taking in the clean dishes and mopped floors. "Have you been doing all this by yourself?" she asked, her voice full of disbelief.