Chapter 31 031
Chapter 31 031
Claire's POV
After Lucien left with Austin and Shark, I found Marcy in the main hall supervising the evening preparations. She looked up when I approached, and I could see the question in her eyes before I even spoke.
"Thank you," I said quietly. "For believing me when no one else did."
Marcy set down the linens she was folding and studied my face for a long moment with a smile on her face. "I have been working in this castle for twenty years, child. I know good character when I see it."
She reached out and squeezed my hand. "You have a good heart. I could tell that from the first day you arrived here, terrified and trying so hard to be brave."
Something warm spread through my chest. After everything that had happened, after being accused and nearly condemned, having someone see me as more than just a suspicious outsider meant more than I could put into words.
"You are a good girl, Claire. Do not let anyone make you forget that or make you forget who you are or what home feels like"
I nodded, not trusting my voice to stay steady. Marcy gave me one last smile before returning to her work, and even as I headed back to my room, her last words keep repeating in my head.
No doubt that I hadn't thought about my family lately and it was obvious that I was starting to forget what home feels like.
Right now, I don't know if my family still thinks about me or have moved on, but I know that even if others moved on, mother would still talk about me from time to time.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of chores and whispered conversations. Word had spread about what happened in the dining room.
Some of the servants looked at me with curiosity now instead of suspicion. Others still kept their distance, but their stares felt less hostile than before.
I tried not to wonder what Lucien was doing right now or whether my warning had been enough. not knowing how things were going ate at me, but there was nothing I could do except wait.
By lunch hour, I was in the kitchen helping prepare the afternoon meal. I was chopping vegetables while while Marcy was preparing the turkey
I came to find out the reason she was the only one ever preparing the Alpha's meal is because he never trusts easily and she happens to be the only person he trusts in his kitchen.
Despite the fact that Lucien and I had met on a very bad note, I was still glad that he let me work in the kitchen.
By the time I was done chopping the veggies, Marcy was already steaming the turkey, I moved close, the aroma emanating from it made my stomach rumble and I stayed close, trying to learn all her recipes.
But just then, the door swung open and I heard my name being called out.
"Claire."
I looked up to find Tracy standing in the doorway. Her arms were crossed, and there was a silly smirk in her expression that made my stomach tighten.
She had been avoiding me since yesterday, and now here she was, looking at me like I was a puzzle she was trying to solve.
She motioned to me to follow her. I glanced at Marcy, not sure if it was okay for me to leave in the middle of making a meal.
“It's fine. Go ahead and see what she wants” Marcy urged me with a small smile.
I followed Tracy out of the kitchen and once we were alone, she ask;
"Did you speak to the Alpha about what we discussed?" she asked, her voice sweet but her eyes hard.
A smirk pulled at my lips before I could stop it. "No, I did not."
She narrowed her eyebrow inquisitively at me. "Why not? I thought you wanted to leave."
"Why would I want to leave?" I rested my back on the wall and folded my hands "I am like a princess here, Tracy. Good food, warm bed, no one beating me for looking at them wrong. Why would I trade all of that to go back to being a human slave?"
Her jaw tightened. A muscle twitched in her cheek, and I knew I had struck a nerve. She glanced around as if trying to be certain no one was listening before she turned to me again.
"What is wrong with you, You realize that you will die if you stay here," she said, her voice dropping low.
"No," I said, and I was surprised by how confident I sounded. "I will not."
Tracy's eyes narrowed into thin slits. "And what makes you so sure?"
Instead of answering with words, I reached up and pulled the collar of my shirt down, exposing my neck. The bite marks were still there, two perfect punctures just above my collarbone. They had faded some since last night, but they were still visible enough to make my point.
Tracy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Her eyes went wide, and the color drained from her face before flooding back in an angry red.
"We had a very wild night," I said, keeping my voice casual even though my heart was pounding so hard I thought everyone could hear it. "And if he was going to kill me, he would have done it then. Instead, he was gentle. Called me sweet names. Treated me like I was precious."
I wasn't sure what Lucien might do to me if he found out that I was making up such lies about him, But watching Tracy's face turn red, watching her hands ball into fists at her sides, I could not bring myself to care about the lie. She had tried to scare me, tried to make me run. Now it was her turn to feel uncomfortable.
Heat flooded her cheeks. Her whole body went rigid with rage, and for a moment I thought she might actually hit me.
"You… you do realize what you are getting yourself into?" she started, her voice shaking with barely contained fury.
But before she could finish whatever she was going to say,
The front doors slammed open so hard they made a banging sound. Austin and Shark rushed in, and between them they were carrying Lucien and I could see traces of blood on his lips.