Chapter 4
His entire demeanor screamed, Im the damn master of everything here, the absolute ruler.
I immediately lowered my head, trembling.
It didnt matter that I lacked an inner she-wolf the power radiating from that man felt like it could suffocate you, crush your soul, and he wasnt even standing that close to me.
He was a Lycan, the superior species of werewolves, the ultimate evolution, and I was almost certain this was the most powerful of them allAldric Thorne, the Lycan King.
Sasha, take out the trash and make sure my next personal maid isnt a scheming whore, or shell lose more than her head, his deep, cold, and intimidating voice echoed, followed by the sound of footsteps retreating.
This is a disaster.
Thats the fifth one in two months.
I dont know what goes through these girls heads.
I warned them, the housekeeper muttered as she approached, pulling a small vial from the dead womans hand.
Another one who tried to drug the King with an aphrodisiac.
Idiot.
Ill call a servant to take her away.
And your first task begins nowclean up this mess.
And so, scrubbing fresh blood off the floor, my work in the Lycan Kings castle began.
The first lesson I learned: never, ever try to mess with that dangerous man, or youll end up headless.
Unfortunately, I soon found myself on the razors edge again.
***** Sasha introduced me to the staff, a group of she-wolves and wolves working in the castle, attending to the Guardians.
They all stared at me as if they were looking at a monster.
I didnt careI just wanted to keep existing and stay invisible.
The Guardiansthats what they called the five Lycans who lived in this ancient, dark castle.
They enforced the laws of our world, or at least those affecting werewolves, maintaining balance with other supernatural creatures.
They delivered justice, protection, and punishmentoften in the most brutal, merciless ways.
Especially the Lycan King.
At least, thats what I had always heard.
I was forbidden from climbing the stairs or wandering beyond the service quarters.
And honestly, I didnt plan to try.
I focused on working and healing with the medicine the housekeeper gave me.
The food here was good too.
Except for the first day, I had gone three days without seeing any of the other Guardians.
Until this morning.
***** Hey, I heard the housekeeper saying she still hasnt found a suitable candidate for the Kings maid.
Maybe shell give us a chance.
I was scrubbing the floor on my knees, listening to the whispers echoing through the castles massive kitchen.
My head stayed down, and my long black bangs nearly covered my eyes, helping to conceal the disfigurement on my face.
My hands kept moving the cloth over the tiles, but ignoring the gossip was impossible.
Suddenly, the room went silent.
Heels echoed from the hallway, and tension filled the air it was the housekeeper.
Stop what youre doing.
want all of you in a line, she
maids, and even methe lowly cleanerall
each
of me, I thought she would
She didnt.
your name again? she
maam, I
beneath my chin, forcing me to
met her intimidating
Good.
a
with me, she ordered, and a sense of dread twisted in
corner of my eye, I noticed the stares from the other women
with jealousy,
Nothing good.
That much was certain.
Listen carefully, Valeria.
the bombshell casually, as if it were nothing,
know how to cook, iron, organize a mans things, his clothes,
dont think Im the right choice for
not optional, she cut me
accept it, or
a
need a maid
no choice but to
harsh woman had saved my
now that she was sending me straight
everything Im about
wakes up at… He doesnt like… Prefers it this way… And his meals are only prepared by
always her… And you
practically the
followed, my brain nearly short-circuiting from the overwhelming
write all this down
his first
I told you, she said, placing a silver
remember,
Stay invisible.
but a
trust you havent forgotten the scene
you try anything against the King, believe me, he was merciful with that
made me swallow hard as
marching straight to the gallows as
door in this wingan enormous wooden door with intricate carvingsand tried to recall every
knock at
Go straight inside.
So I did.
I twisted the heavy
entered the den of the big bad wolf, avoiding unnecessary glances
immediately noticed the large wooden table at the center, the dim lighting, and
I heard itand
scent of lust
glanced toward a
moans seeped through, despite being
than one
sound of something hitting a
bedI didnt know,
rule: head
Dont speak.
Dont look.
Dont listen.
so focused on remembering every detail of his preferences, circling
you? a dominant voice behind me made me
I turned,
my name
am your new maid, I managed without
every instinct screaming danger, runbut I stood firm as he placed a finger beneath my chin, forcing
at my
saw fierce, intimidating gray eyes studying meso captivating they resembled lethal
T1I1m3PinYFGPy7p6O25A5CdHpkvctJ006tf6bqJNq2R6dLUuSzl0h0PH6NdZiG9LHFh+vggT52QMIhu3KFzzx6SHl80hVqwXLqBpCpBxXNyZHGeWaHJbVaEJJuwaefwsubEKVFqBSmeIICMfo0eNpx9TPZ3z8YrfyN929diOBcuW+U0An3HJ+VT0q3vzcLs3yoDzpnTWGU2tXzE0fEZRIRd8V7drCW40mE/Gt58ZUX9ckh8xi0lTsS0yey7r86SUxkaBc27FtL78W84IwZ91vjTMwp8+Cgp4vY04wuhh19Hw2i32oxHLJlKV9VMmEWYNsv61o6r6OzKxmMoNEP/8vLGZkPcEElnXtFUZsnNeACX1O6D0cV0yB9ENbM/z7HejqLILyjTHGixyWrpCm33kSfBcSdNJb7K7qqljpl4Va/2ZnSX2CLjUM6vL7CnCIpkyw0J9FIVI3gZy8xZ2B/8OC6aUihdEVJS6wAmiNgJ8r3cc5ULWWnnIl/I093a+uw5Ih5cu7viHRDyFOJTOyTU9iOwfSu3KhsRh6HrOzjo8vNhENLsYQakWpxLgp9G7EWucfLPT6tzakOuRSq6Wv/1a1ojRB+Pq3IW0kARe1/Jyj/yzcp8cru1UpUqQrOv1+/ylvlAFqVpw7EmtBhI3CVKAJgusT9eLPWBvk04/UKELhmOu1Bn9U2Z+87haprPAMZ8jJO5MPBigH4zyvx98uf9IwlPvKWIKo53VCRrGG/QbA81RbLp8B9DmAzEdBVpWfYH0by7SxDUNe1+lzO8LG2W+9A3XMnrTYrMSRaJ1NKyhIQQsoIi2jCJB6rdxUnv2t9OhYhyWg45Hp2EsgHaf0mezvoYInozL7W448dSHX+WDkxC3GUSm3CZGanDRkMPIJbpBB0/6XqppYnWcql4PCaVsQ5w6QofYGsalOkOvVCxLsWAi/v1QpuU8pl6tuCoTbK7a8jm5PGAzFpSA0C+2oYfOC/wjBdBcw3Ztu8YMh8KpBZW1WmeYeRoqJjgmGMNmHuVAjN0dkBDVRO08AxnSaBSFas3gjrW1PDxrxhBkB4Qal5wmJMXs0MtovJPyfMJDz4/4DsspmfVHZzGQStt3lZrx1sy1GaW2NaOY8Swa8kjdCw7DG6UUIZviFX8wQmEqksamVT5grfpMHyttb3WKIj0hiw5z7+PiQFZNFei/4bPYban/GnF0cWYnaAEO1FEzrDvxfaZHn3WPWmfoSy3E2v0OCCNSQxFmARVOytkrJKvs5Pro9G79/rO7OGcZqNLzQRm2gvLg66l2/VYYDBTZpwU5fRZxdDZEy2spyvFb7fq6kc0Nwnf6WZ2gxPzCfqzJua1+0IGeLZH2PlaK2uJRsUAN3HcqGQTElBOjs53JhmlqIzsgn88gejJu+Fe8xluD4KGGcOfjhLxYU7MSPHf5k1z3gyY3CqWn5oPooc+G2F4/OLdM65Eg9Fyhum61Eg3pQXMXDEEOlQF0v0cvBnyUosV70IiT2eW5OPcPjCEQzMtFAjgLtiQOsaZ3d3XasIqtZH6wuC9QyGm74mT/pcUuWqS7VrGDW/Cq7VQnu6XKIEtRZz0hi+Od5MLl7kAuR+JA1RxSJQSUMaKUiSYeqMNU8AK6UbJb7xr/q/C7yOUp+t8n04ux8XWLcDMRQ2EafLkTEdv48TYQ2ixvINZi9ZlujewRMsvbMu4RNw757ZLZcXA29HbLhxGm584pgtiGEZb5a+0n3qVRBhHwugaihUwVfXIo0Cm1VKMMRtjoTO6jAGGPdR0XkZfbNNqNSBuQ2Jtfn73RjXRuYml4AZVS6tchD/oSVf7ToS3gxYG+qId9ha2ud6e3ryhh/+KNuM895Ym56L1fkcSFyPAswsbogmniwp28p4DC8qPNuszhqebXWCxAXaJMuBY+UTucPRr88+saHxYmJ0gFnnNs/dKI6sgWVug6cVnMVw663CEz0172GdplbQm8xGlnChYOrEmZuXU1LK3myC5zca4X13+Nqk82y/DluU5hHp6WxMF1MuBu2BiucJYnjd/KFmaDsUqmZv04B6MrF8GJYQ0mp+Zwovyw4cCi9VdopSn4EAhgQxPK0QWuDhksGNB3ndsZdlv5J1sLJY5TqyPAz0ZpfBePjC0D/juRGNJ9Y9JvISnHay2K6cDSNxmC0K2FY3z8QTiSST/1NY+FhvIZO/eXr+law7mKgZok5ror3yYjRIcGAkoGux+LBnPVEdUAG1wV5egcufPRDvV8pGQC39JKLxJG8c/L51mB5A9acdBFDQYaWVGNLBYcUpqWx3aRzrEg9OJ7Fog0AqXNKZxD3rfc3BZHMYWWCJs6MuaI/YehjTutDbw5v3fzVxdOxyZySOUAwJYSFv3BoDA6zORgVlJQTUC5Fw7zZaO127SQhvmXzS8tc/v9SZJGYwJpcBcGNrCBysD81sCfOsBTtwiA/u40+OyT0l3hv/p+OhRwixqkh68gb5hYkvHtAywTx4WwMBimaR6cxLrD2L8eVHI/YVXibey6mqCi8VV3ikjsw47oMQltUFRb/T+X+XeCeKC9UbqBrPEOtlCu24Eva5efW4TP/rXkYSwRPd8OBbdbhs9aR2RUvvdDeTAyMXBSohio1FfJBaFoHBW9VBQ3mAi61wTTnX6JxPRw7mM4R1BxV/CbETd2FuWqAS3w8BX4gUzESmmg+WQi0hWQ/RLvPAgp10PiVd9ttsSlqZ2uS0b7KVTJs+ikEdyin6vKeJVmfNPh5pBECPf2KYuEOLrkf5o8zjvN+pNAi/pYg0sMB/X6EceZtRvBiNTiDgnH+33nMDDiJhBvoWWb8NGzjNlQmdcOWgczIA2MofzyogM/imQJLl3E4am3I5jRRCFUOP71lXWsAP93O7me4YSse5Kv5wMlYhwyH7+W+Qrlo3k8+jtZXK9/Om+V9xSQFvT0R/O0iRGPZirYu3ZwohD/KcGR0rD9BLCti+p8mcx+0rhnBxxfX/dTgsvGr1r9Id+4UtXlReOltqtljuudY3fxXZxnjTnFb7WdFJlay8tamTQ/nywsyMpH6WdfcVnqIXUTZHxt1tf3CSOee1JqHlOhr3BwH7HvEPUGDcBrXIhweV/eE4MUpE86/qU8wNjw6YRUNPTGKrtnKxC137R/et3ufRymYqLRdRn4PoCZla8MEgzan6L6HfXyqViCd8CC7QW1oxy4TevliWtnz9IMzCfNHzcaqJwdwv4S3CdElQCscABvPE6fU5JOUNYdvl5dPXtHlbNLivWBWu79ipxnIqrg7rDSPNoVhMNfNwlheKSRcf1JrUS/M3vC9oca6ns1PBY4vdjEWgbzOxk9RHO+4LIg6SELZ/6kzPadHzVbsVNEzA3O8GolHWOcMbul27DP9sg38CfMp3ASJelbwZA6iMftBbAXHGosaXnaLBjEgqcPDWmHCABDXMz5Ip8aezXfuo44bwyTlSRTV4v2TkAk2xvLKG9xVbwJgCVzZL4uQIjkuBp/9h6/+C+s7ruuDP0i9avAJQod8Crcj8k+if86UIvdgmDN3om5bOYehvucqBKYdb+0GaI/XdvxWQ5hMT4XrVD7AKeEtXFe0Q+Vd4D2IzlNknbb+/+FqX30BZuXvcn5ydAenlt5I2fKXl+uizFS1fgu2AvG7GEMpWf6aWXX+qf+skAxZK7wIcVRcdWNexBUjlb9kfqtC88GMZvLGaO6MuL4Xta+X61lWaOswm0LeNL4yDOO6+ZegQVYZSc9spac4PZ0DcDAToGlfydJwRKvf/eKDsc/D1uEMJINSIMbcELR/fjdZhY1is8MN/0wnwMM9JyU9q9h/7g2Q3VKq7OV7msHJD7p76pIgV3eJ4f+fpwzvfq57vkubAB60SjZjWU+asMvUJX8rjPaWJWkcvmFi8uhez8YJPBGhrZ2Pv3bJOMb5IdUfqFBZNpyRJQrzJCz5F0mmHm8akZ7pvb7pbbhbd8BQCIKSTaXKHETsI5cH+ob9IO9pDpaqjlF4hCGt8EmzHHRCQfeiNcv3rJE10Fh/NXPlM9plTskLPW7evO7PkG7jdc6C+JHBNk+bMg1feSK73r8EE4RBRQTEWufB/hDZdx4PALubd1IJK7yrJ/L0crVpHCSygjyuokwlGV5j5QbDcsXfLvqN3a/KqUEw/oF/4kB0CbOFwsXWBkFm9h2zX4Y7wDpz+X240AqHbIQcbWYAsR7m2nDc5dj9b5GQfXNqJu1wLrmuWn8Nvc5HSjbrB5CmQs7AWzAGe4kbINof0losy3tNTMW+s0YTHDnfWNyQ6JiF5mXh978pWGj6ig1+zItTX/b4CRo+XUzzAKKAImyR2uUIJIFoZDqV8OyDZvK9S/PqyeFIeiPtBqfI+rta46GN/BZu6C611j3t2qBR2XKM4kiBXehucKkoxjhDTyxj6yjebtzpHMpNV6Kj6pJ1pwjdACAZyPkRhsYaZY8TqvpWJKJI8PPlbLfdCHbfxVg24IqpFZ3RGna5+M6Acw7pwdC0HKL0/5IK297SgKemayxHtbCCBQD25/3GfmiGIQbK2FWk33m5MDqABxAFi9CjsldespcspzfvauNJR1Ad22tCO1/o4GSpd/M6W8g9tBlfHzMHeNNaUD2UzOdwwk/sMZIaQswtOu+P7JFt8qcKN67Za5vy9y9GkRyIw2Y5eCEBfnh/SRyMyn5wj8V313NOZ0An40+ObyCFXIv7iCq2z1eM3Wu55+J9+3iXohqQ7mvKW5HturheUTh9vP04ZtktqQ7ISMJJmj14BoAJS7x0nxfQAQgyteGGm/y8PUOk4aJQVHpQv1AXIEQQy00Jn0EEvZp+7XZ1HYH+S6FOJQtAW3yIXoIyxWCrF4WFGwmq2a4av1BKMM7QvKXVyoMqYMaTqhO1YQI6OAYG2COZf0OXWBnxyXkAue8NJhdFyy5K/tJUHKPAMG/0xt4vEKMMoDg7duCiARKu9yIQ/FhcSqCyW9UD7S8diTDumu3ixJjzvm/F7kNJzKqklKNCQ/vJpYTXKIFylai1EyWkilGsepwuTLT76ZjUjEge6DFl36LwGHKcuy/VD/CRS7tT3RWC7zfAo7EANoitiE6scHIXYS906wGRcuyKx9Jus2BImKqYpoMsyetbXLEj7nTR8fxluZAPg/uYoIemj+AcSGk4BSpoP9IS37VPFcpkKe9Gi3heCVgvWfyo0dOjjHUAHZEfTU68+Fg2hqpT05TmER8XSqa9oKsZB4SC4hi78r5b1b60N+DZ2DQSY8HIeUxODlXAvel40OyRyCBoCta3rvTgi59baYF+H6jzuDdnB/NdqRSfNhb9IRuJ1zU54MefRvBtd7zHmjKvguN96bLPG7ho538MhxXNaqg7Asgl8O4bg+OwgPn8H7Jp+AahU6SV//RaC73S0SsuvMbFwiJazkFYL38uVp1l7dzyrH+M4/E5AYOUkPunlW7lJj4c2pcQLzEY1iu91uWkKgWw0jrYNb7z3E0ERQJ+4Swe3F4CLI9yBpRfzuMEYVrYK9VFSIlINfLku3s3MQtMuxRvnLBop5bhJY8Weqr2iHlgMZMhzJ5eyVdd82AEb/fGnPCNKi2yGQiSj59KCJcUqmfdkbaPyGPuUgo7r2FlnecTlo/bDLazt6YhN3HMgw7sQ7WXBiWUhH8OXtQnMQqyov8TSQwlVG7j15L4iCsEdkxOvUzSpsIZaCJdHqh1Cx2si8HfMh5LH7LcYXP7qcYXK9eXha7EpEhgPpti7lO8KqMz3VnHSgw3LDHuciNZnbuT820El/aIpWCEFYclNE9ALE4X4BBpv2I+BfkWpei2xpTA//4A/4k0HAH0tuf0iBUxnL/rBunHOsqB091v17Cs+HeocnPwwBXnUYQ8svGgSVdM59iKuRY2IDKPKM7Agxb4BWA7iB5ETbBd0e8CwL5kWOlvgaMdeZhtKxaTw39gy8YCV5ufHB5DoIxOxKfsztigvNr9BEgd+cE1wGgrmdOfehMBXvAZejxS7jOJCeN8IUI/ouKZvbvramrEIbGpboLLgpdw8cJBVQzTtoZ8ymjQeer0csVIXSH1ttWQN7QEx/TsgEOtC1rKXA9nWjnjW7oI6k+M0e91ZF9kSIwEEs1jmyGuoMfO4chyUnVt4x7InBiAswHh9A4o3Nlx47aApgBmjjpfbqNeydgjD3eksSbJhHQskZGQvIUR7i6e8ulw7v0qc1SRXJB3j4
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!