Bound to the Alpha I betrayed

Chapter 3: Earning trust 2

The aroma of roasting lamb, infused with rosemary and garlic, filled the kitchen, pushing aside the sharp, sterile scent of bleach from the morning’s cleaning. I focused on that warmth, on the steady rhythm of cooking, because this was my first real test, and failure was not an option.

I had spent the entire previous day studying the pantry, memorizing where everything was kept despite the chaotic system left behind by the former cook.

Every spice jar, every sack of flour, every hidden corner had been mapped in my mind. Today, I needed to prove that I belonged here, not as Rachel of the Silver Moon pack, but as Sarah, a quiet, capable cook with no past worth questioning.

Trust, I reminded myself, was not something I could demand or rush. It had to be built carefully, layer by layer, through consistency and silence as much as through skill. Knowing when to speak was important, but knowing when not to speak mattered even more, and that was a lesson I had learned through years of careful planning and painful mistakes.

I could feel their eyes on me as I worked.

Maya leaned against the counter with her arms crossed, watching me with open curiosity. Lina stood beside her, quieter but just as observant, while Tessa lingered nearby, polishing silverware with an intensity that made her seem younger than she probably was.

After a while, Maya broke the silence. “You’re not nervous at all, are you?” she asked, tilting her head slightly as she studied me. “Most new cooks panic on their first day.”

I allowed myself a small, controlled smile as I adjusted the heat beneath the pan. “I’ve learned that panicking usually makes things worse,” I replied lightly.

“It’s better to just… focus on what’s in front of you.”

Maya huffed a quiet laugh. “That’s easy to say when you actually know what you’re doing.”

I glanced at her briefly before returning my attention to the lamb. “My mother made sure I did,” I said. “She ran a small bakery before she passed, so I spent most of my time there growing up. You learn quickly when people are depending on you.”

The lie came smoothly, but it still scraped against something inside me. I buried the feeling just as quickly as it surfaced. Hesitation would be noticed, and I could not afford that.

“Well,” Maya said after a moment, pushing herself off the counter, “whoever she was, she trained you well. That smells incredible.”

“Give it time,” I replied. “It still has a while to go.”

As the lamb continued to roast, I moved through the kitchen with practiced ease, chopping carrots and parsnips for the root vegetables while keeping an eye on the gravy simmering on the stove. I didn’t rush, but I didn’t waste movement either, and I made sure they noticed that without making it obvious.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Tessa struggling with a fork, her expression tightening as she scrubbed at a stubborn patch of tarnish.

I wiped my hands and stepped closer. “You’ll wear it down before you clean it like that,” I said gently.

She looked up, slightly embarrassed. “It’s not coming off, and I’ve tried everything.”

“Not everything,” I said, reaching for a small bowl. “Watch.”

I mixed baking soda with a bit of water, forming a paste, then rubbed it lightly onto the fork. Within seconds, the tarnish lifted, revealing the shine beneath.

Tessa’s eyes widened, and she leaned in closer. “How did you do that so fast?”

“It’s simple once you know how,” I replied, handing the fork back to her. “Try it yourself.”

She did, and when the second fork came clean just as easily, she let out a small laugh. “I’ve been fighting with these all morning. You just saved me hours.”

I shrugged slightly. “My mother hated wasted effort. She always said there’s usually an easier way if you think about it long enough.”

Maya, who had been watching from across the room, smirked. “I like her already,” she said. “Smart woman.”

I smiled faintly, letting the comment settle, knowing that repeating the story made it more believable each time.

Later, when we finally sat down for a quick lunch of sandwiches and soup, I made sure to keep my role clear. I spoke when necessary, but mostly, I listened.

Maya leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms lazily. “If I didn’t need this job, I wouldn’t be here,” she said, glancing between us. “I’d have my own flower shop somewhere far from all this.”

“A flower shop?” I asked, letting curiosity color my voice just enough to encourage her.

“Yes,” she said, her eyes lighting up.

“Somewhere quiet, maybe near a market. Fresh flowers every morning, people coming in to buy something beautiful instead of… whatever this place usually deals with.”

“It sounds peaceful,” I said.

“It does, doesn’t it?” she replied, then laughed softly. “Too bad peace doesn’t pay well.”

Lina, who had been quietly eating, spoke up then. “I don’t mind the work,” she said. “I just need the money. My brother’s been accepted into the pack academy, and the fees aren’t cheap. It’s just the two of us, so…” She trailed off with a small shrug.

“You’re an omega, aren't you?” I asked meeting her gaze briefly.

She nodded, though her expression remained serious. “I'm weak aren't I?"

None of us answered.It was clear no one wanted to make her feel bad.

Tessa hesitated before speaking, as if unsure whether her thoughts were worth sharing. “I’ve always been here,” she said finally. “My mother worked in this manor before me, and I grew up watching everything. The Alpha… he’s always protected this place. I just want to keep serving him. As long as I can.”

There was something almost reverent in her tone, and I filed that away carefully.

“Loyalty like that is rare,” I said, choosing my words with care.

“It shouldn’t be,” Tessa replied quietly.

“Not when someone deserves it.”

I didn’t respond to that. I simply nodded, letting the conversation drift elsewhere while committing every detail to memory.By the end of the week, I had secured my place among them.

No one questioned my presence anymore. My meals were consistent, my work was flawless, and I never gave them a reason to doubt me. I helped without being asked, listened without prying, and spoke just enough to seem open without revealing anything real.

They trusted me.

That was the most important part.

Maya, as I had expected, became my most valuable source of information, and it didn’t take much to encourage her.

One afternoon, as we stood side by side washing dishes, she leaned slightly closer and lowered her voice.

“You didn’t hear this from me,” she said, glancing toward the doorway, “but Beta Elias left the territory last week for a private meeting.”

I kept my expression neutral as I rinsed a plate. “A private meeting?” I repeated. “That doesn’t sound like something he’d need to hide.”

“That’s exactly it,” Maya said, drying her hands. “He didn’t hide it. He reported everything directly to Alpha Thorne. Completely loyal, as always. But still… it was with someone from the Shadow Fang pack.”

I paused just long enough to show mild interest. “That seems risky.”

“Not for him,” she replied quickly.

“Everyone trusts Elias. If he says it was necessary, then it was necessary. The Alpha listens to him more than anyone else.”

“Then he must be important,” I said.

“He is,” Maya confirmed. “If there’s anyone you don’t want to cross in this place, it’s him.”

I absorbed that quietly.

Beta Elias wasn’t a weakness.

He was a foundation.

A few days later, Maya brought me something even more interesting.

“Something big is happening next week,” she said, barely containing her excitement. “The Silver Stream pack is coming here.”

My grip tightened slightly around the knife in my hand, but I forced myself to remain calm. “A visit?” I asked. “That sounds… significant.”

“It is,” she said. “They’ve never liked Thorne, not after everything his father did, and they’ve refused to submit for years. This meeting is supposed to be diplomatic, but no one believes that.”

“Why would they come, then?” I asked.

“Because sometimes you have to face your enemies,” Maya replied with a shrug. “Even if you don’t trust them.”

I nodded slowly, as if considering her words for the first time, while my mind was already racing ahead.

A tense meeting.

Old grudges.

Two powerful packs in one place.

That wasn’t just an event.

It was an opportunity.

From that moment on, I made sure Maya kept talking. I asked the right questions, gave the right reactions, and let her believe she was simply sharing harmless gossip.

But every word she gave me was a piece of something larger.

And with every piece I collected, I moved one step closer to what I had come here to do.