Chapter 6

MILDRED

I groaned and rolled, fighting the morning sun. The bed was soft and warm, the room big and airy, but I just wanted to sleep.

Someone nudged me. Then a harder push. I didn't like it. I grabbed the blanket and covered my head, wishing they'd go away.

"She's just lazy," a mean voice cut through the air. "A lazy, ugly nothing. Can't believe she's our Luna."

I stayed quiet, pretending to sleep, but I listened.

"Always knew she was no good," another voice snapped. "Look at her, sleeping like she's nothing special."

A nicer voice tried to defend me. "She's our Luna, we should respect her."

The mean voice laughed. "I'm not serving her. She's not fit to be Luna."

The room got quiet, the air thick with their words. I peeked out from under the blanket. They couldn't see my face, but inside, their words hurt.

Then the kind voice said, "Let's wake her up, get her to breakfast."

*

I opened my eyes slowly, yawning big. The kind maid, Vanessa, smiled at me. "Morning, Luna Ximena. It's a beautiful day, and we've got lots to do."

I looked at her confused. "What?" I didn't get it.

She just smiled more. "We're your maids," she said, pointing at the others. "Breakfast time, milady."

They got me dressed quick and then I was looking at myself in the mirror, in new clothes.

I asked about Enid, the Alpha, the man I was now tied to. What was he really like?

Vanessa looked at me, then down, and said quietly, "He's complicated."

*

The dining room was huge, like a castle, with a long table in the middle fit for a queen. Walls were fancy—stone, wood, gold. But none of that was as shiny as my diamond-edged plate, sparkling so much it was almost blinding.

Everywhere you looked in this place was like a painting. A giant viola stood in the corner, and a glass cabinet showed off trophies and shiny wine glasses. The walls were crowded with statues of some guy, all different, all fancy. I squinted, trying to make out the faces, but they were too far away.

I was smack in the middle of the room, with enough space around me to dance or play a game. Creepy gargoyles hung out on the ceiling, staring down like they might swoop down on me if I complained about the food.

I was still looking around when Vanessa popped up next to me, quietly putting down a plate of fancy beef and fish eggs. "You look lost, Lady Ximena," she said, clearing away my half-eaten appetizers. "Everything okay?"

I jolted, didn't even hear her come by. "Oh, Vanessa? Didn't see you," I tried to smile, but my head was spinning with too many thoughts.

She leaned in, "I've got to get back to the kitchen, but if you need anything, just holler, okay?"

I nodded, "Don't worry, I'm good," I lied, not wanting to bug her with my mess of feelings.

She gave a little bow and left, her footsteps echoing until she was gone. I dropped my head on the table, feeling the weight of this new life, like I'm some joke for people to laugh at.

Sighing, I sat back up and started eating again. The beef was dry, the fish eggs weird, and the lettuce crunchy like leaves. But I ate, trying not to think about throwing up.

As I set down my fork, the door swung open. I looked up fast, heart pounding—who was it now?

But then my heart sank. It was Marcelle, stomping in like she owned the place, eyes wide and angry. "You still married Enid?!" she screamed across the room, looking like she might cry or explode.

She stormed toward me, and I didn't even think—I pushed my chair back and stood up, ready to run. But she was fast, grabbing me, her nails digging into my skin like claws.

"Ow!" I cried out, seeing the scratches bleed.

"You think you can hide?" Marcelle hissed, her face all twisted up. "You can't. I know what you did."

"You married my man?" she yelled, fingers pressing harder, pain shooting through me. "You broke our deal?"

I just stared, no clue what she was talking about, just feeling the hurt.

With a push, I sent her tumbling back and made a run for it. But she was up in a flash, quick like a snake, grabbing me again. She spun me around, her eyes glowing scary red, her face all kinds of crazy.

"You're not getting away from this," she snarled.