Chapter 3 My feeling is not a joke

Overwhelmed, Hailey fell to her knees and bowed her head until her forehead brushed against the ground. "I have overstepped, and I apologize, but I do not regret my feelings. Can love ever truly be wrong? I cannot help that my heart beats for you. It always has, and it always will."

She heard whispers behind her, doubts about her sanity echoing in the air.

"What a crazy woman. Look at the rags she wears! Does the Alpha not see a madwoman wandering through his castle?"

"Utterly shameless. A worthless girl like her dares to dream of being with Alpha Rowan? This is what happens when peasants delude themselves."

Their harsh words felt like stones being thrown at her. A guard's boot brushed against her hand, and just as she felt strong arms lifting her, Alpha Rowan raised a hand. "Leave her."

Her eyes widened as the hands released her. His mother turned to him, exasperated. "We have important matters to attend to, Rowan. A conniving maid's words cannot interrupt this event."

Ignoring her, he rose and walked over to her, kneeling to meet her gaze. He grasped her chin, tilting her head this way and that, examining every line and contour of her face. "The fire in your eyes won't make you Luna. Disabuse yourself of the fantasy that I, Alpha King Rowan, would ever mate with a lowly maid. Your feelings mean nothing to me, and they never will."

Hailey's heart felt as though it had been torn asunder. The searing pain surged through her, sharpening her gaze as she looked into his cold, indifferent eyes, each word echoing like a dagger. Though she knew her low-born status, this maid had seen more of him than anyone else in the castle.

She had always observed him from the shadows, aware of his expressions of anger, sadness, grief, and joy. She had pulled off his boots after nights when he fell asleep in a drunken stupor, tucking him in as he slumbered. While he remained unaware of her silent watchfulness, betrayal and anger coursed through her.

Goodness, Hailey, you've made a complete fool of yourself.

Humiliation flushed her cheeks at the sting of rejection, and the act of breathing became laborious. Everything blurred as she fought to hold back her tears.

She was not insane. She truly loved him, with every beat of her heart and every fiber of her being...and yet, he had rejected her. Why? Because she was not what he desired. She was not like the women surrounding her. She had nothing and was no one.

They laughed at Hailey's confession, deeming it madness. They insisted she could never become Luna and branded her as crazy. Yet, their cruel words and actions stung less than those of Alpha Rowan. He regarded her as nothing more than a lowly maid, making it clear she meant nothing to him.

But she vowed to make him regret those sentiments. She would make him fall deeply in love with her, fueling an obsession he couldn't escape.

Taking a sharp breath, Hailey locked eyes with him, a new kind of fire igniting within her. A cool smile played on her lips. "Then it shouldn't be an issue for me to participate in the selection."

His hand withdrew from her face, and she noticed a flicker of surprise in his expression. "That is true... However, it is not your place," he replied firmly.

"Then you have nothing to fear, Alpha," she interjected, her tone slicing through the tension. "Unless—you're worried... Maybe, there's a chance I could win your heart."

Alpha Rowan's jaw tightened, and she sensed she had awakened the predator within him that thrived on challenge. He turned to Beta Ruel and declared, "Hailey Griffin will be a contender." Then, addressing her directly, he added, " However, if you failed and lose, you will be banished from this pack and every other. You will be a rogue."

While those words might instill terror in anyone else, Hailey had no intention of losing.

......

After that day, Hailey had become the center of gossip within the castle, and perhaps throughout all of Maldivian. However, that was the least of her worries. The reckless act she had pulled led to Luna Renesme ordering the Head Maid to increase her workload, including the daunting task of cleaning the stables. She wasn't just a topic of conversation; she had become a laughingstock—dubbed "Mad Hailey" by those around her.

Luna Renesme's intention was clear: keep Hailey occupied enough that she wouldn't be able to keep up with the demands placed on the contenders.

With a frustrated groan, Hailey hurled the rake against the wall. A grand ball was scheduled for later that evening to mark the commencement of the selection. Tonight, Alpha Rowan would choose the most elegantly dressed woman to dance with him, and to add to the excitement, the ball would have a masked theme to ensure fairness for all participants.

But Hailey had no dress or shoes, and the smell of horse manure clung to her.

Yet, she was determined to attend the ball; it was the first step in her carefully devised plan.

An hour before the event, she finished cleaning the stables and made her way back to the castle. Spotting Lovie on the spiraling staircase, she waved enthusiastically. "Lovie—"

Lovie glanced her way but immediately turned, walking briskly in the opposite direction, frowning. Ignoring the disdainful looks from maids and the snickers from elegantly dressed contenders, Hailey jogged after her. "Lovie!" she called, reaching out to grab her arm. "Why are you avoiding me?"

Lovie turned to face her, tears evident in her red-rimmed eyes. She yanked her arm away, frustration evident in her tone. "You promised you wouldn't do anything reckless, and I should have known better than to cover for you. Now I'm the one being punished."

Hailey's brow knit in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sniffling, Lovie wiped away her tears. "Beta Ruel discovered that we instigated the fight as a distraction for you to get your name on the list. I'm being banished from the pack."

Hailey's heart sank. "What?"

Angrily, Lovie wiped her cheeks again. "Do you really not see past your selfish fantasies? You know I have nowhere else to go. Lone wolves don't survive without a pack. Why did you have to orchestrate all of this, Hailey?! Can't you just be like the rest of us who are satisfied with what they have, hoping for a mate while tossing wishes into the well? Why does it have to be the Alpha?!"

Her words hit Hailey like a slap, piercing deep into her heart. "I'm so sorry, Lovie. I didn't think—"

"No. You never think of anyone but yourself."

Hailey reached for her again, but Lovie stepped back, fury darkening her gaze. Her hands fell to her sides, and a small sob escaped her lips. "I truly am sorry. I'll talk to Alpha Rowan—"

Lovie laughed bitterly. "And he'll listen to you? Everyone knows that after your stunt today, you'll never gain his favor. You insulted and challenged him in front of everyone. I'm surprised he didn't have you thrown in the dungeons."

"Then I'll talk to Gamma Luis. He will listen to me." Hailey took Lovie's warm hand in hers, desperation in her voice. "Trust me, Lovie. I will handle this."

Lovie pulled her hand away. "I'd be a fool to trust a crazy woman."

Lovie walked away without another word, and Hailey understood she had made a mistake. She hadn't anticipated that Lovie would face repercussions for enlisting her help. They had been friends forever, and Lovie had always treated her like a sister. Hailey couldn't bear the thought of Lovie being expelled because of her. Lovie was right; lone wolves did not thrive outside the pack; they often fell victim to rogues.

The Alpha King's castle soared six stories high, and Hailey was on her way to the third floor, where the Beta and Gamma's rooms, libraries, and training halls were located.

As she dashed up the stairs, someone called out her name.

"Hailey Griffin."