The Descendant and Her Mates

CHAPTER SEVEN

ALICIA

I was shocked. Completely taken by surprise. I hadn’t seen it coming when Blaire suddenly slapped me.

I had hit the ground hard, and my hands had scraped the stone path. She had gone too far this time, but even now, there was nothing I could do. I had to stay calm. I couldn’t afford to lose control. Not here, not in front of everyone.

So I slowly got up, even though my hands stung. I patted the dust off my skirt, then the flour, keeping my head down. I refused to look at Blaire or her two minions who were still glaring at me like I’d just stolen something from them.

When I finally looked up, Blaire’s eyes were burning with hate. I had no idea why she hated me so much. I didn’t remember ever hurting her, but she was determined to make me miserable.

“Why aren’t you saying anything still?” she shouted at me.

Her loud voice pulled more attention toward us. The other maids who had been going into the pack house just moments ago suddenly stopped and turned around. They walked closer, forming a small crowd.

Blaire noticed and instantly turned toward them. I knew what she was doing. She was playing to the crowd now, trying to turn everyone against me.

“Can you believe this girl?” she asked them, laughing dryly. “I’ve been talking to her since I stepped outside, and she hasn’t said a single word. Not even one!”

There were a few mumbles, but no one spoke up clearly. That didn’t stop Blaire, though.

“She thinks that just because she’s the Alpha King’s mate, she’s suddenly better than the rest of us. But has anyone seen him with her since that one time? No! Not even once! She keeps feeling special over nothing,” she said, louder this time.

Then, someone stepped out from the group. My heart sank when I saw who it was.

Jenny.

The so-called leader of the maid group. And if there was anyone meaner than Blaire in this place, it was definitely her.

Jenny folded her arms and looked me up and down. “Honestly,” she began, “she shouldn’t even be working with us. She’s not in our class. Just a dirty little thing pretending to be a Luna.”

I clenched my fists but I still kept my expression still.

“I need to educate you,” Jenny went on, stepping closer. “Alpha King Ivan is not your mate. You know why? Because he hasn’t accepted you. And he never will. He hasn’t even looked at you since that day. So don’t let that foolish hope sit in your thick skull.”

There were a few nods. A few people laughed. Blaire’s smile grew wider. She was loving this.

“She hasn’t said a single word,” Jenny noted again, shaking her head. “Is she deaf?”

“That’s what I thought too,” Blaire jumped in. “But she’s not. She’s just pretending. She just tries to act all mysterious like she’s better than us.”

Then Blaire took a step forward and growled at me, “I will make your life hell!”

I stayed quiet. I was still calm.

But I saw it in her eyes. There was something dark in there.

She raised her hand. And just as she was about to slap me again, a strong hand grabbed her wrist.

Blaire gasped loudly and turned around.

The taskmaster was standing there, holding her hand in a firm grip. His face was blank, but his eyes were filled with anger.

He let go of her hand roughly, and Blaire stumbled back.

I looked around quickly, and I was shocked.

The rest of the maids were gone.

The group that had been cheering her on just seconds ago had all vanished. Even Blaire’s loyal minions were gone.

I had no idea when they ran off, but it was clear they’d spotted the taskmaster approaching and decided to disappear.

They didn’t warn her. They didn’t even try to save her. They just left her there.

Honestly, she deserved it.

But I was even more surprised by the taskmaster himself. I never expected him to step in and defend me.

Just a few days ago, he told me I was nothing. That I was only alive because he allowed it. He said he was the only one allowed to cause me pain.

So why was he stopping Blaire now?

Was it because he wanted to be the one punishing me, and no one else? Or was there more to it?

When he spoke now, his voice was sharp.

“Are you ignorant?” he asked Blaire. “Don’t you know who she is? Don’t you know she’s the Alpha King’s mate? Are you deaf or just completely stupid?”

Blaire’s mouth opened and closed. “No… I mean…I didn’t…”

“You didn’t what?” the taskmaster barked. “You didn’t hear what the entire pack has been whispering about? You didn’t see the signs? You thought you could keep tormenting her and no one would do anything?”

She was stuttering now. All that confidence from before had vanished.

“Please… Master. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“Save it,” he cut in coldly. “You’re not sorry. You’re scared. And you should be.”

I stared at him, trying to understand what was happening.

Was he really protecting me?

The taskmaster continued. “This is not the first time you’ve harassed Alicia. But it will be the last.”

He turned to me for a brief second. Then back to her.

“Now, here’s what you’re going to do,” he said. “You’re going to wash all of Alicia’s clothes that you destroyed. Every single one. And when I say wash, I don’t mean splash some water on them. They must be sparkling clean. I want to see them folded, smelling fresh, and laid on her bed before sunset. Am I clear?”

Blaire nodded quickly. “Yes, yes. I’ll do it. I promise.”

But I didn’t believe her. I could see the hatred still sitting behind her eyes. The way she clenched her jaw. The way her hands curled at her sides.

She wasn’t sorry.

She was embarrassed, furious, and plotting.

I knew it. I felt it in my gut.

The taskmaster took a step back and glared at her one last time. “Don’t make me come back here again because of your foolishness. If you do, you won’t like what happens next.”

With that, he walked away.

Blaire stood frozen for a second. Then she spun around and stormed off toward the laundry site, probably to start washing.

I was still standing in the same spot, feeling all kinds of emotions.

I felt relief, confusion, gratitude, and then suspicion.

What just happened?

The taskmaster had stepped in and fought for me. That was something I never thought would ever happen.

But something about it didn’t sit right.

I bent down and picked up the fallen watering can again. My fingers were still shaking a little.

As I turned to head back inside, I heard a voice behind me.

It was soft and deep.

“You’re stronger than you think.”

I turned around quickly.

And there he was.

A strange man.

He had calm eyes and a presence that made the air feel different. He leaned against a tree a few feet away with his arms crossed. His eyes were on me.

“I’ve been watching,” he said. “And I’m not the only one.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?” I questioned.

But he didn’t answer. He just stepped away from the tree and started walking toward the deeper part of the garden.

“I’ll be back,” was all he said before he disappeared from sight.