GINA'S POVI had never felt such anger boiling in my veins. Jackson had the audacity to compare me to Elise. Elise, of all people. I couldn't let that slide. This as all Elise's fault. With Helen at my side, we stormed toward where Elise was. She was supposed to be washing guards in the backyard. "I can't believe him!" I shrieked. "I can't either. How dare he compare you to her? She's a nobody" "Exactly! He has no right and neither does she" When we got to the backyard, we saw Elise there. She was busy, hunched over a line of freshly washed clothes. She had her back to us. Perfect."What do you want to do now?" Helen asked. "Just watch me," I muttered, my eyes narrowing at the sight of Elise. "She needs to know her place."We reached the clothesline, and without a second thought, I pulled hard on the rope, sending the wet clothes into the dirt. Elise turned around. Her eyes were wide with shock and confusion. For a moment, there was silence as she took in the scene, then her ey
ELISE'S POVThe note from Helen burned a hole in my pocket all day. I couldn’t concentrate on anything, not with the questions I had in my mind. Was this a joke? A trap? Or something else entirely? I kept replaying the earlier confrontation in my head, searching for clues, but I found none. Why would Helen want to meet me somewhere? The whole thing confused me. By the time evening rolled around, I had convinced myself to go. For a few minutes, I was a bit skeptical but in the end, curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to find out what she wanted, whether it was a joke or not. I made my way to the back garden where Helen had instructed me to meet her. I approached the meeting point cautiously. It was night time already, making the garden look really creepy and dark.. As I rounded the corner, I spotted Helen pacing up and down. She had an annoyed expression on her face. “Elise,” she snapped, as soon as she saw me. “You took your sweet time. I was beginning to think you weren’t com
ELISE'S POVI could hear the distant sounds of the ball from my room. The music and laughter from the grand hall echoed through the walls, refusing to be ignored. Everything was so loud that I could hear the ball clearly. I laid on my bed and closed my eyes. My head sank deeper into the pillow, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t shut out the noise—or the nagging thoughts racing through my mind.What if something went wrong? What if all the planning and sleepless nights were for nothing? Gina would never let me live it down if something happened. She’d probably find some way to pin every little mistake on me, even though she didn't help even in the slightest bit. A knot of anxiety formed in my stomach. I was reduced to a maid. I couldn't attend the ball even if I wanted to. What do I do now?I turned onto my side, facing the small desk in the corner of the room. That’s when I remembered—the invite Helen had given me, still sitting in the big bag on the floor. Instantly, an i
FERRIS' POVThe ball was everything I had expected it to be—grand, extravagant, and yet, completely bland. It was an event made for those who thrived on shallow displays of wealth, but not for someone like me. The room was filled with people pretending to be more important than they were.It was a masked ball, but the fabric over my eyes did nothing to hide my identity. My size alone was enough to give me away. The moment I entered the room, I could feel the eyes on me. I was used to it by now—nobles and commoners alike vying for my attention, for a moment in my presence as if it would somehow elevate their status. Tonight was no different. However, I wanted nothing more than to be left alone. I just wanted to stay for a while then leaveBut that was wishful thinking.The first noble woman approached me almost immediately after I entered the room. She was dressed in a shimmering blue gown, her mask adorned with feathers and jewels. She batted her eyelashes and tilted her head in a way
ELISE'S POVI stood there, locked into Ferris's gaze. My heart raced at the sight of him. The warmth of his hands on my waist made me feel some type of way that I couldn't describe. I was glad to see him. My wolf did a happy dance inside me. His sweet scent filled my nose. It took every self restraint in me not to pull him close and sniff him. "Let's go now, love" he said. Ferris gently guided me toward the center of the dance floor. The room seemed to still around us. The crowd of people parted to let us through. As we passed, everyone bowed their heads in respect for Ferris. Right now, the people in the room didn't matter. All I could focus on was the feeling of his hand in mine.We took our place in the middle of the dance floor. My heart was beating so fast that I could hear it in my ears.."Relax" Ferris said "I'm here" His words made me relax a little. I always felt safe and protected in his presence. As soon as we took our place, the orchestra shifted their tune. The music
ELISE'S POV A hand pulled me into a room. The adrenaline from my narrow escape still coursed through me. I braced myself to face whoever had pulled me into the room. My mind races with possibilities—maybe someone wanted to punish me for going to the ball. . When I finally gather the courage to lift my gaze, I was met with a familiar face - Lady Elena, Jackson's mother. “Lady Elena!” I exclaimed, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. Her beautiful face broke into a smile, but she quickly raises a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. “Hush, child,” she whispered, glancing toward the door. She cocked her head to the side, listening for any signs of movement outside. “He’s still out there.” I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Of course, Jackson wouldn’t have given up so easily. The man was stubborn. He wouldn't stop until he caught me. We waited in silence for what felt like an eternity. I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. Finally, after what se
ELISE'S POVAfter leaving Lady Elena's room, I made my way to the grand hall where the ball was held. The warmth and comfort of Lady Elena’s sitting room had faded, replaced by the sad reality of the world outside her door—a world where I was no longer the Luna, but a maid who was given a job to clean up after the very people who once looked up to me. It was ironic really. As I approached the hall, I heard the clattering of dishes and the murmur of voices. The other maids were already at work, clearing away the remnants of the ball. I paused for a moment at the entrance , taking in the scene before me. The once luxurious looking room now seemed empty. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside. The other maids glanced up briefly as I entered, but they quickly returned to their tasks, too engrossed in their work to pay me much mind. I was grateful for that. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone anyway. I found my place among the others, grabbing a stack of dirty plates and beginning to
JACKSON'S POVI stood by the window, staring out at the palace grounds. My mind was elsewhere—back at the ball, where Elise had been.I couldn’t stop thinking about her. The way she had moved across the ballroom, graceful and poised. I had never seen her dance that gracefully before. Her gown was stunning and so was she. My heart twisted painfully in my chest as I recalled how she had danced with Ferris, how they had looked at each other intensely. Elise looked at him the way she used to look at me, even more so. They looked in love, and the thought of them being so close made my jaw tighten. I clenched my fists in annoyance. The memory of them together played over and over in my mind. I’d recognized her the moment she stepped on the dance floor, even though she was masked. Her scent, the way she carried herself, everything about her screamed Elise. I cursed under my breath. In that moment, I knew I would recognize Elise anywhere. It didn't matter what she wore or how well she tried