Serena's POV
I was scrubbing a particularly stubborn stain off a plate with only half my attention, while the other half was listening to Lily telling me some outrageous story involving two merchants, a stolen horse, and a runaway goat.
I was laughing so hard that I failed to notice Cassie walk into the kitchen, her expression tight with worry.
“Serena,” she called my name, and the laughter between Lily and me died down.
“Yes, ma'am.” I walked up to her, cleaning my wet hands on the apron draped around my maid uniform.
"I think you may have… made your dish a little too well this morning."
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
Cassie glanced around as if making sure no one else was listening, even though everyone’s attention was already on us. "The Alpha… he’s requesting an audience with you. Privately. In the dining hall."
A shocked silence filled the room, thick and heavy. I felt all eyes turn to me, wide and incredulous. My own heart skipped at least four beats. The Alpha… wanted to see me? Alone?
"Why?" I managed to ask.
Cassie gave a helpless shrug. "You’re the one who cooked that lamb stew. Whatever you put into it must have made quite an impression.”
Beside me, Lily let out a gasp, her eyes as wide as saucers. Another maid, who had been stacking plates nearby, dropped one in sheer shock. The loud clatter made us all flinch, but no one moved to pick it up.
I stared at Cassie, trying to wrap my mind around what she’d just told me. A grin slowly crept onto my face before I even realized it. Wasn't this exactly what I wanted? A way to get closer to Kaidon and prove myself invaluable, to earn his trust to the point that he might one day grant me a favor? I licked my lower lip in anticipation.
Thank you, Moon Goddess, I whispered inwardly, sending a silent prayer up to the heavens. I hadn’t thought my cooking would be what caught his attention, but fate had funny ways of making things happen. I’d have to be careful and play this right.
“Serena?” Cassie’s voice snapped me back to reality, and I glanced up, startled to find her watching me with a raised eyebrow. “Why on earth are you grinning?”
“Oh! Uh…” I quickly forced my expression to one of innocence, but I could see the knowing glint in Cassie’s eyes. She probably suspected I was up to something. She was right.
“I’m just… grateful,” I mumbled, glancing down at the floor, as though humbled. “It’s not every day that a maid gets noticed for her work. I… didn’t mean to smile so much. Besides, it’s just my first day. Just a bit of a shock, I guess.”
Cassie gave me a scrutinizing look before sighing, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “You better get moving before the Alpha thinks you’re avoiding him.”
She turned and motioned to Lily. "Take her to the dining hall, will you? Make sure she doesn’t get lost.”
Lily gave me an encouraging smile, though I could see the worry in her eyes. She linked her arm with mine and led me out of the kitchen. I felt the weight of every stare trailing after us—jealous, curious, and hateful gazes. The other maids’ expressions varied, but one emotion tied them all together: resentment.
As soon as we were a safe distance from the kitchen, Lily sighed and leaned closer. “Serena, I don’t know if you realize what’s happening, but this… this isn’t normal.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, feigning innocence, though I had a pretty good idea.
“You caught the Alpha’s attention,” she murmured, casting a wary glance over her shoulder. “That’s a dangerous position to be in. There are always power games here, even among the maids. They might seem harmless, but trust me, some of them would stop at nothing to bring you down if they think you’re a threat to their own ambitions.”
I glanced at her, eyebrows raised. “So… you think I’m a target now? Just because he wants to talk to me?”
“Exactly,” she said with a sharp nod. “Some of those maids have been here for years and have never even come close to earning his notice. And here you are, on your first day, being summoned by him.” Her gaze softened with concern. “Just… be careful, okay? Don’t trust too easily. You may have stirred up something ugly without even realizing it.”
A small smile tugged at my lips. I didn’t have time to worry about this now; I would deal with that later. Kaidon was my main focus right now.
“I’ll deal with them if I have to,” I replied, shrugging off her concern. “But right now, I’m focused on seeing Kaidon. Whatever comes next, I’ll handle it.”
The worry didn’t leave her eyes. “Just… don’t let your guard down. They’re not as harmless as they look.”
We reached the grand doors to the dining hall, and I took a deep breath, smoothing down my apron. My heart pounded as Lily gave me one last squeeze on the shoulder before stepping back.
“Good luck,” she whispered, casting me a look of both encouragement and warning. I gave her a nod, steeling myself for whatever awaited me inside.
I gave her a nod, pushing open the heavy doors and stepping into the dining hall.
At the far end of the table, Kaidon sat in his high-backed chair, staring off into the distance, his expression unreadable. For a brief moment, I thought he hadn’t noticed me, and I was almost about to cough to signify my presence.
But then, his gaze shifted, his chilling gray eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. I froze in place, feeling the weight of his stare as goosebumps coursed through my body.
“Breathe, breathe, breathe,” I muttered to myself repeatedly, my poor heart pounding aggressively as Kaidon rose from his chair. Before I could even process his movement, he was suddenly in front of me, his presence overwhelming, his gaze sharp enough to cut glass. It was as if he’d appeared out of thin air, closing the distance between us in a single heartbeat.
My breath hitched as he lifted his hand and tilted my chin upward, forcing me to meet his gaze. His fingers were firm yet surprisingly gentle, holding me in place as he studied me with that unnerving look. In the depths of those gray, stormy eyes, I could see a faint glow of crimson, which did a good job of unnerving me even more.
“I’ll ask you one question,” he said, his voice a low, commanding murmur that held an edge of danger. “And I expect nothing but an honest answer.”