Chapter 1 The King is Back

EVELYN

I would never forget that day—the day of my trial, when my life fell apart. The man I loved sat on the throne, declaring my doom. Pain shot through me like lightning as I was forced to kneel, bowing my head before him. His familiar dark eyes stared into my soul with contempt and hatred.

Tears welled up in my eyes.

“Evelyn Caddel, as the Alpha King of Hescor, I hereby pronounce you and your family guilty of treason. Your noble titles shall be revoked, your lands confiscated, and your honor erased. You shall endure the harshest punishments under the law of Hescor.”

Then, he reached out, cupping my chin, and lowered his voice into a chilling whisper. “I told you—you’d regret choosing the wrong man, Evelyn.”

***

"It's a lovely day," Elsa said, spreading her arms out and facing the sun streaming in through the window. "A shame we have to spend in the palace."

I laughed at that, pulling the cart down the hallway.

"There are worse things."

"Like what?"

Humiliation. Hopelessness. Torture. Those responses were too dark and too personal.

"... imagine still being here four years from now."

Elsa scrunched up her nose as I expected, and I couldn't blame her. She had only been here a week, and she hated it already. Though she had few options, Elsa wasn't trapped here. She was barely sixteen and had her whole future ahead of her.

I had been here a year and knew that I would likely die a maid of this place. Still, it was a lovely day.

"Did you hear about Thomas?" Elsa giggled. "Ended up head over heels into a pile of dung trying to steal a roll from the kitchen."

I burst into laughter, unable to help it. It had been such a long time since I'd laughed. It felt good.

"I think that's punishment enough."

We headed into the first room to clean for the day and started stripping the bed.

"Hardly. The stable master made him muck out stables all day without showering, and he still didn't get lunch."

I shook my head. "Poor Thomas, I--"

The door swung open. We both froze as the head maid, Mrs. Porter, entered the room. She glared at us with her usual cold expression.

"How many times must I tell you that you are to carry out your work silently? This will be your last warning." She pursed her lips. "You have ten minutes to get down to the main gate."

"But we're not done--"

Mrs. Porter glared at Elsa. "Make that nine. The king does not wait for servants."

My gut plummeted. Mrs. Porter looked at me pointedly before leaving.

The Alpha King was coming back.

“My goodness...” Elsa gasped. Her eyes were wide with excitement. "I thought he wouldn't be back until next month."

I wished he wouldn't come back at all.

Elsa hurried to gather the bedding and load it onto the cart we shared. We'd have to come back later to wipe everything down. Before I could even wrap my head around it, Elsa dashed around the bed, grabbed my arm, and started pulling me toward the door.

"What does he look like, I wonder? Do you think he’s really as handsome as everyone says?"

My feet felt like lead. I barely heard what she was asking me.

"Evie?"

I looked up. The excitement in her eyes dimed. She frowned.

"You look... pale. Are you okay?"

I forced a smile. My whole body was stiff, and my head swarmed with too many thoughts to make sense of.

I nodded. "We... We should hurry."

She squealed and pulled me onward.

By the time we reached the gates, all the other servants of the palace were there, lined up on either side of the carriage lane. We joined the line somewhere in the middle, a row back from the front.

I hope it was enough for him not to notice me.

Mrs. Porter and Mr. Barret, the head butler, stood in the middle of the carriage lane on either side of Anastasia Elrod, the former Luna Queen, and her personal maid.

My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest. I bowed my head and kept my eyes glued to the ground, wishing this would be over soon.

Suddenly, a fleet of carriages appeared at the end of the path, swiftly reaching the gates. Then, I heard the carriage door open and heavy footsteps.

“Ah, Cole, my son! Finally, you’re back. Everything all right?”

Anastasia’s voice had always been pretentious and loud.

“Mother.” A familiar male voice responded, deep and short.

My eyes remained locked on the ground, but my heart raced in my chest. The voice belonged to none other than Cole Elrod, the Alpha King of Hescor.

“Lady Anastasia,” Flynn Hart, Cole’s Beta greeted, along with the King’s Guard, Aiden Moran.

I took a deep breath, trying to shrink down between the maid in front of me. I could feel Elsa fidgeting beside me. She gasped.

"They really are as good-looking as everyone says... especially the Alpha King. No wonder the maids always daydream about him..."

I wished she would stop drawing attention. I didn't need reminding of Cole's looks. I knew all too well. I knew he was handsome. I knew he could be kind when he wanted to be.

But I also knew how terrible he could be.

"Why are you back so early, dear?" Anastasia asked. "Isn't the Crawford wedding tonight?"

"There was an issue we had to return for," Flynn said.

“What kind of issue?”

"It's not a matter we can discuss in public, Your Highness."

They were getting closer. But if they could just keep walking, if they could just get inside without even glancing my way, everything would be fine.

But suddenly, the footsteps stopped. Too near to me.

My heart leaped into my throat.

Please, no.

"Step aside."

The maids in front of me shuffled aside, and I heard him step toward me.

"Darling, what's--"

“The issue is that we've found Jack’s remaining accomplice.”

Anastasia gasped. Silence fell over the crowd.

I didn't look up. I didn't care. I prayed for the Earth to swallow me whole. Let this be over. Let the Goddess show me some mercy.

No one moved. I didn't even think I was breathing.

“Still? Now? But..."

“It’s been a year since his death, but it seems that someone still misses him greatly... am I right?”

I felt his gaze on me, but I didn’t acknowledge him. It was a trap, just like every moment since I had been a maid in the royal palace.

They were speaking of Jack Elrod - the King’s brother, the elder son of Alpha King Theodore, the Crown Prince who had lost the battle for the throne and died one year ago.

But to me, he had been much more than that.

He had been my fiancé.