sl

en we hear a male voice demand

cover my face, pain radiatin

g's belongings and disrespectful to me. I was simply teaching her a

to the room. He is tall with dark blond hair and white shoulders. His green eyes are focused on the oth

he demands. Is h

him. If Mrs... whatever her bloody name is, is allowed to hit me in

r my mattress, but his eyes are as cold as ice as he looks from me, to the housekeeper. His nostrils flare, shoulders tightening as he leans to whisper something into the e

r room, Mrs. Worsthingshorethinshire. No one asked you to teach her anything. I can't imagine she did anything

ly as she swallows. "Well, she bumped a tab

he takes another step toward her, Mrs. Whateverhernameisshire bumps into the tabl

hem are dressed in guards' uniforms. They are large, muscular

ease," she says.

urself to slap her until her face is bleeding. So... I think Daniel and

egins to slap her across the face. It only takes a few smacks for her n

out to touch the Beta's shirt sleeve, but I fall short

turns now. He snaps his fingers and they stop, letting her go in the pro

nyway. Even though she is an awful person, and s

.. different," he assesses, and I don't know if that's good or bad. "Daniel, take Mrs. Worst

ls the woman up off of the ground by her

iring her

obvious thing in the world. "You haven'

ch, but we have moved on, and as Beta Seth open

.. my roo

me. "King Maddox wanted

rway for a moment

and makeup, if I had any makeup. Just down from there is a plush blue chair that looks cozy and inviting. A large wi

er, and the bedding matches the rest of the fabrics in the room. The mattress looks so plush and divine, I can't wait

athroom, and a clawfoot tub looks so inviting, I want to jump right in. The tile on the floor

nt. The mantel has some beautiful blue vases and over it i

that matches the other furniture, and there

e in the same cherry wood finish with fo

's a large throw rug that has

ks as I stand there

er was right," I say, noting that he is

horethinshire say, dare I

th, sir," I begin, bowing my head in respect, "I went to my Alpha to borrow money to repay a debt, and he brought me here to repay

des. "No one told yo

der in my chest as I try to guess what his words ar

r duties shall be... in o

. "No, sir. No

e one to tell you, but if it isn't going to be King

kind. I'd like to hear it f

what he has to say. I have no idea w

our debts by becoming th

wasn't exp

*

dd

al dinner we'll be having. We have many points to discuss, and I need to

y strongest allies, but he's also q

m to take advantage of me if

nd off of the girl, a

, so there's no need for me to even let

nd am I crazy for even letting Alpha Ernes

ede

ime ago, back when Lunas had trouble conceiving male heirs and Alphas wanted to make

anyone doing it in decades di

. the g

until it was covered in blood and reddened by violence of some kind. I assumed she'd shown up here like that. That hadn't

ng this small, innocen

were to do this, I needed someone strong. Someone sharp witted and intelligent. I didn't want sons whose eyes watered the second someone threatened

for being a cold, cruel, uncompa

the bedroom? Could sh

the truth of the matter was I hadn't slept with many women at all since my

ecca

it wouldn't. Even when I wished her memory would fade to th

or brought me ou

fice. He knew he could walk in any time I wasn'

sting. She's... a tiny thin

dd

I'm sure, if you decide to really go through with this. She's quite l

esk, I leaned toward h

t a lamentable sigh as he sat down in a chair ac

I asked you to assign her to another maid, someone younger a

had just met the girl, and when I asked Mrs. Worsthingshorethinshire why she'd reacted in such a way, she said it was because the girl had knocked into a tab

elieving my ears. My housekeeper did this?

taste of her own medicine." He looks down at the floor, a bit embarras

crack a joke, but Seth doesn't seem to think I am funn

ight maid to take care of her. I will also have some dinner sent to

breeder business... it's probably not for me. Espec

's something about her that's quite striking-and before you say it-no pun intended

? The striking part?" I ask, putti

she's used to being knocked around. And that sort of seemed sad t

suit. "Thanks for letting me know," I say. "Alpha

om, and I go back to my notes about my meeting wi

hink about