The palace of the alpha

Above the town of Crescent Haven hung the moon high in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the town and its grand palace, imposing against the darkness. The immaculate grounds were a sharp contrast to what lay below the glass-or so it would appear. To the ones serving within this place, the palace was no more than a gilded cage-a place where dreams went to die.

Ariana Silver moved quietly down the servant's hall, her feet silent despite the weight of exhaustion resting on her shoulders. For more than a year now, she had been employed as a maid in Alpha Luca Blackwood's palace. She knew well enough to keep her head down and mouth shut. Being a servant wasn't easy, but at least it wasn't as bad as the abject poverty she knew before.

Her family had always struggled, barely getting by in the outskirts of the kingdom. Being in the palace was meant to be an opportunity, a way out from the struggles of hunger and hardships when she was younger. But soon enough, she learned that there was a different kind of cruelty within those palace walls.

The alpha ruled over Crescent Haven with an iron hand, ruthless in a manner feared both by his enemies and his people. The rumors that went around about him were enough to send any soul, including the bravest, shivering with fear. It was whispered that he had no heart, and enjoyed the suffering of others. Ariana hadn't seen much of him in her time at the palace, but she didn't need to-the fear he commanded palpable in every corner of the grand estate.

Tonight, however, there was an acute feeling of tension hanging in the air. Preparations were frenzied in the palace for a grand banquet in honor of Luca's triumph over a rival pack. Ariana's chores kept her far from the gala evening cleanup of servants' quarters, but even here, the nervous energy was palpable.

Psst. did you hear?" whispered Lily, a fellow maid, as she passed Ariana. "The alpha is in one of his moods again. We have to be extra careful tonight."

Ariana nodded but said nothing. She had learned long ago not to engage in gossip. It was safer that way. Especially when it came to Luca Blackwood.

As the hours wore on, Ariana's tasks began to blur together: sweeping floors, polishing silverware, delivering fresh linens to the upper rooms. Each chore a step in the endless cycle of servitude that comprises her life. But just when she had started to think the night would pass uneventfully, she was summoned.

"Ariana!" The voice of the palace steward, Marcus, echoed down the corridor as he spoke in his usual impatient and commanding tone. "You are wanted in the great hall."

Her heart sank as the grand hall was where the elite of the palace mingled and drank, where the banquet was held far out of sight of lowly servants. She had no desire to be there, especially with the alpha's temper said to be on edge. But again, disobeying an order was out of the question.

As she entered the main hall, the richness of the palace was full view. Rich decorations were held on the walls, and the smell of roasted meats wafted through the air. But Ariana had no time for splendor. She was there to serve and nothing more.

She kept her head low and wove wordlessly between the guests, refilling goblets and clearing plates where necessary. The nobles barely gave her acknowledgement, too caught up in their own discourses to concern themselves with the servants catering to their every whim.

And then, she felt it.

A presence. Strong. Suffocating. Powerful.

Her pulse raced as she knew in a flash who it was, without even looking. Alpha Luca Blackwood. He was the central figure at the head of the table, his sharp eyes raking the room like a predator on to his prey. Ariana kept her head low, hoping and wishing he wouldn't notice her. But it was too late.

"Ariana," that deep voice thundered across the room.

She froze, her heart racing with how he knew her name.

Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet his gaze. His face unreadable, but there was something in his expression that twisted her stomach-a power, a danger, the kind that could annihilate a person without afterthoughts.

"I need more wine," he said, his tone cold as his eyes.

Ariana swallowed hard and nodded quickly as she moved to pour the wine into his goblet. Her hands shook just a little while she worked, and she did her best to force them to keep steady. Luca's gaze never left her, his eyes upon her with an intensity that sent tiny prickles dancing across her skin.

As she finished, she sidled sideways preparing to break away, desperate to get away from his attention, but Luca's hand whipped out, closing around her wrist. The touch sent a jolt of fear running down her spine.

"Stay a moment," he said, his low voice invested with menace. "I've been watching you.