THE ALPHA'S HUMAN MATE

CHAPTER TWO: THE BEAST

I walked over to the trays of hardened bread and cold tea, taking bread from it as I scooped it down as fast as I could. Holding back the vomit that threatened to come out, I drank the cold, disgusting tea, washed out my cup, and set out to work.

I hurried down the steps and scurried through the crowded hall that was getting filled with other servants doing their daily work. I walked over to the cleaning room, taking out my cleaning tools before making my way back to the steps of the castle, walking to the fifth floor where some kitchen maids and I had been assigned to work.

I huffed, walking towards the first room for the day. I knocked on the door, resting the side of my face on it to hear if anyone was in there. I opened the door slowly, my eyes cast down. After being certain that no one was in the room with me, I lifted my head up.

A weak sigh left my mouth when I saw how messy the room was. A frown formed on my face, and I began picking up the clothes on the floor and bed, placing them on the couch to be sorted later. I carried on picking up the trash on the floor, putting it into the trash can I had brought in with me.

I dusted the bed, fixing it before walking back to the clothes, selecting the ones that needed to be washed, then putting the rest back where they were supposed to be.

In the closet.

I swept the floor, putting the rest of the things thrown on the floor in their rightful places before walking into the bathroom.

Holding back a gag, I reached for the lavatory, ceasing my breath as I unclogged it, flushing it off.

I moved to the sink, washing my hands off. A look of pure disgust danced around my face.

“I should be used to this.” I whispered to myself again.

I finished up with the first room; I hurried along to the remaining six rooms I had to clean up. Knowing I needed to be fast before the royal came back, it would be disastrous if any of us were found still in the room.

I stopped by the maid's small room where the maids usually gathered to see who I was to assist since it was already dark outside.

My head ached, and I felt my legs begging to give out, to rest. But I didn't; I couldn't. I need to get my work done before nine pm, unless I won't be getting any food for the night.

I took my brush, along with five other maids, and we started sweeping the ballroom. I took in a few deep breaths, placing a hand at the back of my neck to ease the stiffness I felt. Taking in another deep breath, I inhaled and exhaled, relaxing a little while carrying on working.

By the time we were finally done cleaning the ballroom, it was already 8:30 pm. We hurried out of the hall back to the kitchen, where our dinner was laid.

Like breakfast in the morning, we were served cold, tasteless porridge. We all gathered around, taking an old, rusted bowl given to us as we lined up to have the head maid serve us our dinner. We walked out of the kitchen to a small lounge room where we had the maids gathered to eat.

Taking a seat on the ground at the far end of the room, away from the others, I slowly drank my soup.

“Who do you think will be taken to the Blackthorn Palace tomorrow?” A soft voice whispered a few seats from me to her friend beside her.

I instantly recognised the two, Mireya and Brielle. They weren't the kind of people any of the maids would want to associate with or trust, as they wouldn't think twice to betray you.

“I, personally, wouldn't mind being sent to the Blackthorn Palace,” Brielle said, a smirk on her face as if she had everything all planned out.

“Are you crazy? Why would you want to do that?” Mireya whispered, looking at her friend like she had lost her mind.

I sat in the dim room, pretending not to be listening to their conversation while taking another bite of the horrible porridge.

“I intend to get the attention of the king,” Brielle said again in a cocky tone filled with confidence. “With the king by my side, no one would ever look down on me.”

“I don't know if that's going to work, Brielle. This could go so wrong in numerous ways. You know what the rumour says about him, Brielle. He shows no mercy.” Mireya's voice quivered at the end of her words.

Even I knew Brielle’s plan was downright idiotic. Who in their right mind throws themselves at a psychotic, crazy bastard? It was like asking for a death wish on a silver platter.

I stopped listening to their conversation, drinking the soup in time before the head maid came to dismiss us for the night. I dropped the bowl as the door swung open, and Madam Celeste stood there with her usual scorn on her face.

“Don't forget to do your dishes and be in your room before ten. Is that clear?” She asked in an authoritative voice.

“Yes, Madam Celeste.”

She scorned at us one last time, walking out of the room as I stood up with the rest of the maids.

We walked back to the kitchen, doing our dishes and putting the bowls back in the worn-out rack, and made our way to our respective rooms. I looked around the room that always managed to give me warmth, getting rid of my clothes until I was completely naked.

We were given few clothes, and most of them were maid uniforms. This was one of the reasons why I started sleeping naked. Making sure to bolt the door locked, as I didn’t want anyone coming in, I walked over to the bowl of water and washed my face.

Puffing out a breath, I climbed into the hard rock bed and drifted off to sleep.

I put my uniform back on, putting on my worn-out slippers as I walked out of my room and up the stairs to the hall, where some maids stood, waiting for the head maid to arrive. I took my position in line, my hands strapped behind my back.

My eyes scanned the hall, watching the other maids race into the hall. We didn’t have to wait long when we heard the familiar footsteps of the head maid walking into the hall, but she wasn't alone. She walked in with two massive men and a lady. The three of them stood behind her while her eyes peered around the room.

Taking her time, she carefully inspected each and every one of us, occasionally nodding her head, and the lady behind her would jot down something on a piece of paper without any of them uttering a word.

That was one of their gifts; they were able to communicate through their minds. You might be wondering how I knew this. It was all thanks to Liora. I had no clue how she was able to know so much about them, but she did. It was like she was watching every move of theirs.

I kept my head down like the rest of the maids. You could smell the tension in the air since none of the beasts were saying anything.

“Heads up,” Madam Celeste ordered, and we complied, lifting our heads up.

“Like I told you yesterday, there will be a routine change done today.” She starts, her cold eyes scanning us as she paces up and down. In front of us, both hands are put at her back.

“Some of you would remain working here, going back to your old jobs. While the lucky few would be sent to the Blackthorn Palace.”

Lucky few!

She can't be serious, right?

How is being sent to the Blackthorn Palace an act of luck or any form of privilege? It was a death sentence to us humans because only a few make it past the first day before they end up being killed or killing themselves.

So how could she stand there spitting those words in our face, like we should be grateful and grovel at their feet?

Yet again, here I was screaming inwardly. My hand formed a fist behind my back, and my jaw clenched.

I looked back towards the head maid and found her glancing at me. Her eyes stayed on me for some time, and I was sure I had ceased breathing.

I could feel my palm being too sweaty, and I unclutched it, resisting the urge to rub it on my dress.

She snapped her gaze away from me, looking back to the centre of the room, and she cleared her throat, preparing to speak again.

“We are yet to decide who will be going and who is to stay, but hopefully the decision will be made before the end of the day.” There was a small pause. “Carry on with your work, and you will be called back when it's time for the announcement to be made. You are all dismissed.”

Just as she had come into the room, she left with the three beasts trailing behind her. The moment they were out of sight, there was another outbreak of conversation among the maids, and just like yesterday, I was left alone by myself.

I stood there rooted in my spot, watching as the rest of the maids communicated with each other, expressing their fear of being chosen as a maid in the Blackthorn Palace.

Deciding it was best to have breakfast and start the day's work instead of pondering about whether I would be assigned or not.

There were up to a thousand human maids in the palace in general, so the chance of me getting picked would be 0.0001 per cent.

I have been here since birth, and I never got picked, so I doubt I would now.

The kitchen, like the hall room, was filled with chatter. The maids made guesses among themselves about who was likely to get selected and who wasn't.

Like usual, I stayed out of it, not joining in their chatter while devouring the bread and tea given to us.

Breakfast went by faster, so I carried on with my task for the day, not bothered about the routine. I am confident I won't get selected.

I was tasked with helping out in the kitchen for the day, which meant I was in charge of doing the dishes. I did the dishes while those in charge of cooking prepared food for the royal, consisting mostly of meat.

By the time I was done washing the plates, the cooks began making lunch, yet the talk about the Blackthorn Palace still carried on.

“I don't think I would mind being taken to the Blackthorn Palace.”

One of the maids says, cutting the vegetables. “Hannah's cousin's friend's sister was assigned to the Blackthorn Palace two years ago, and she won't stop gushing to Hannah about how handsome the king was; he had not only his kind but also the female humans swooning after him, trying to get him to notice them.”

“I would be quiet if I were you.” The maid beside her says, nudging her shoulders. She points towards Brielle, who was clearly listening in on their conversation. Her lips pursed down in a frown, a dead glare was sent to the maid who had been talking.

I rolled my eyes, looking at how dramatic and equally stupid she was being right now. It was obvious she was making a claim on the devil king when she wasn't even certain if she would get selected or not.

Not that I mind. At least if she does get chosen, then we wouldn't have to worry about seeing her again.

“What appears to be amusing, Elara?” Brielle's cold tone brought me out of my thoughts. I didn’t realise my lips were raised in a smirk, with the rest of the maids staring at me.

“No...nothing.” I stuttered out, keeping my head down.

That was who I was, a coward. I couldn't stand up to myself, except to rant about it in my head.

“Thought so,” she scoffed, sending the maid one last glare before storming out of the kitchen.