Saved By The Alpha King

1. RAVEN Walking down the impressive hall of the palace had once given me immeasurable joy but now it made me feel terrible. I imagined it was the same way captured sailors felt when pirates walked them down the plank. The whispers and hushed gossip came from everyone, especially the maids. It was all anyone could talk about. I'd gone through the highest shame that could befall a young maiden— being publicly rejected by her mate but what made my case so popular was the fact that my mate was the Alpha and the cherry on top— he rejected me for my cousin. I couldn't tell which crushed me more between the pitiful stares or the look of disgust and hate. I was getting an equal dose of both. This particular afternoon as I made my way to the kitchen, I managed to walk through the hall and past the corridor without running into a soul. I thanked the moon goddess for sparing me the day's humiliation but as I entered the kitchen I realized I had gotten ahead of myself. The kitchen was buzzing with so much activity it made a bee hive look like a vacation retreat. I jumped back and hid behind the wall at lightning speed. My heart banged heavily making my chest feel like a ticking bomb. I wanted to turn back and make a dash back to the safety of my room but my belly grumbled, reminding me why I'd risked the trip in the first place. You can do this. You can do this, Raven. So what if they talk? f**k them! After the internal pep talk I'd given myself I was feeling slightly confident but still not confident to walk in. “What are you doing out here? C’mon in, Cherie." I turned to see the smiling face of the Chef poking his head from the open doorway. He spoke with a foreign accent even though everyone knew the only thing foreign about him was his funny mustache. “Oh no, I —” "Nonsense.” He walked over and pulled me along. "You need some calorieee in your tummy.” He said and laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. “You look like a—how do you say it? A ehn, a cave person. Femme des cavernes?” My eyes scanned the faces of the maids and kitchen helpers but surprisingly none of them looked my way twice. It was like the moon goddess had granted my wish and made me invisible. He took me deep into the kitchen and then strolled around a table towards his assistant. His assistant was a plump woman that looked like she had gobbled children in her youth. There was nothing friendly about her and I flinched when she turned around and regarded me with beady eyes. “What is she doing here, Paul?" She asked the Chef. “I saw the poor thing outside, Bébé. She looks hungry. I'm just going to give her—” "You won't give her s**t!” The heavy woman yelled, slamming a big hand on the table. "Not in my kitchen, you won't.” I knew I should have used the opportunity to slip out before whatever was happening attracted unwanted attention but my joints felt like they had been reinforced with titanium. I tried to move but my body wouldn't let me. I just stood there and watched the hate in her eyes as she scowled at me. “Don't be like that now—” The Chef put his arms on her but her hips were too big to let his arms go round. "This is my kitchen and I'll be damned if we serve food to every Billy, Harry, and Jane that walks through those doors, especially a reject like her. She shouldn't even be here, for crying out loud!” Her voice was starting to draw the attention of the maids outside. I looked around helplessly at the small crowd starting to form. “Thanks but I think I should go." I said in a low voice wearing a weak smile. The Chef had meant well but I didn't deserve the kindness. "Do that, ya f*****g reject. And stay out of my damn kitchen!" She said harshly. Her words were like a whip that cut through my walls, reaching my core. I kept my head low as I turned around but even though I couldn't see their faces I could hear the laughter. Fragments of their mockery reached me making my eyes soften with tears. I ran into bodies on my way outside and stumbled until I crashed to the floor. Their eyes glowed above me like otherworldly creatures preparing for a feast. It was like I'd fallen into an endless pit of despair. My body shook as I struggled to my feet. With unsteady legs, I ran out of the kitchen and hid behind a wall to catch my breath. My chest felt heavy like a flaming rock and my lungs burned intensely. Tears dropped freely as I wobbled back to my room. The pain in my heart drowned the little strength I had left. I can't do this anymore. I can't. I stopped halfway at the sound of someone coming up behind me. I turned around to see one of the kitchen help rushing towards me. She held a stale loaf of bread that was bad enough to give rodents nightmares but it made my mouth water. “Here." She said, tossing the bread over to me. She ran off before I had the chance to thank her. The molds on the bread gave it a weird combination of sweet tastes that filled my buds with shockingly delicious mysteries. I was so excited with my breakfast that I didn't notice I wasn't alone anymore. “If it isn't the lowly rejected she-wolf." She said in a mocking tone. I'd smelled her cologne before I realized she was there. Venus. The one person I'd trusted with everything until she stabbed me in the back and took my place. “You look terrible by the way. Rejection doesn't do you justice." She mocked. The smile on her face showed how much she was enjoying my misery. The misery she caused. “If that's all, then I'd like to go back to my room." I said, keeping my head held up high. I wasn't going to give her the pleasure of seeing me wallow. As I made a move to reach the door, the maids standing with her stepped forward blocking my path. "I'm sorry, cuz but there's one slight problem with that." She smiled as she walked around me. “The room you're about to enter doesn't belong to a reject. It belongs to the next Luna of the realm." “But—" “You don't speak unless I let you." Venus snapped. Her eyes glowed angrily and I had a hard time believing she was the same girl I'd grown up with. She went on to order the maids to dispose of everything that belonged to me. They wasted no time carrying out her orders. Their brutal assault on the few possessions I still owned left me clutching my chest. They tore through my clothes like they were nothing but rags and packed everything else in disposable bags. I couldn't take it anymore when one of them grabbed my necklace off the dresser and was about to toss it away. “No! Not that." I said stepping forward but bright sparks flashed in my eyes. Venus's slap stunned me. “You will stand and watch." She ordered. “Is that clear?" I couldn't speak through the shock of being slapped by her. She moved closer, raising her hand to hit me again. “Is that clear?" She repeated, glaring viciously. The slap was harder than the first one and it stunned me longer. She ordered two of the maids to restrain me while she hit me over and over. The constant assault was nothing compared to the pain I felt in my heart. "I think I need to teach you a lesson.” Venus said. She grinned as she slowly drew out her vicious claws. I waited for the hit to land, closing my eyes for the impact but it never came. My eyes flickered open to see the broad back of a tall figure standing between us. He turned around and I saw the most incredibly handsome face looking at me with a worried expression as he asked, “Are you okay?"