Chapter 2

Camilla

Tears blur my vision as Nadja snips away my silver locks, not seeming to care about the unevenness or the way I’m biting down on my lip in apprehension. Every cut feels like an unsalvageable mistake, and I want to cry out, but no words leave my mouth. When she is done, all that remains is a reflection of me that I hardly recognize.

I look hideous.

“Much better,” Nadja remarks, her eyes meeting mine in the reflection. Her gaze is dark and eerily intense. “Now you resemble a housekeeper instead of someone trying to look pretty. The ladies who work here don’t have long, glimmering locks like that.”

I try to hold back the tears threatening to fall from my eyes, but they betray me and slide down my cheeks anyway. Nadja is unforgiving and cold, and I realize I’m not safe here. I’m trapped in this secluded mansion, far away from civilization, and I have no way out. My only hope is to play along and try to earn Nadja’s trust and find a place here.

Maybe respect will come later?

“Thank you,” I say in a small voice, my throat tight and my heart racing. “Is there anything you need me to do today?”

Nadja’s lips curl into a sneer. “Plenty of things, Camilla,” she says, emphasizing my name as if it’s distasteful. “I need you to clean the toilets upstairs later, but for now, you can go to the kitchen and help prepare dinner. And remember, don’t talk to anyone unless they talk to you first. And definitely don’t try to leave this place. You will be sorry if you do.”

Her threat echoes in my mind as I make it out of the ladies’ bathroom. My mind is spinning. I’m usually a positive girl, but losing my hair? It feels like I’ve lost a part of myself.

It might sound silly and shallow, but my hair was the only thing that I had going for me. I’m too thin, and people mistake me for being younger than eighteen all the time. I don’t have any real height, and my ass could be bigger, but my shiny hair? It was something I was proud of!

Apart from that, I like my eyes, I suppose? They are the same striking silver as my mother’s. At least, according to the pictures of her I’ve seen.

I never got to know her. She was murdered when I was still a little baby...

As I walk into the kitchen, I try to shake off the feeling of despondency that’s slowly creeping up on me. The kitchen is busy with activity, and I quickly realize that Nadja was right. None of the women here have long, glimmering locks like I used to have. They all have short hair or keep their hair tied up in tight buns.

I’m greeted by someone with a nametag that says Fran, a woman in her late fifties who has a warm smile and a kind face. “Ah, Camilla. Nadja sent you to help us in the kitchen. You must be new here.”

I nod my head, my voice a little shaky. “Yes, I am.”

“Well, welcome then,” Fran says, patting me on the back. “We could use an extra set of hands. We are making lasagna for Alpha Jackal and his men tonight, and it’s going to be a big one. You can help me with the sauce.”

I feel a small glimmer of hope. Perhaps not everyone is mean at this place?

A smile works over my lips as Fran helps me to my station and hands me over ingredients and a hairnet. I’m put to work immediately.

As I chop up the vegetables for the sauce, I begin to feel a little more at ease. I concentrate on the task at hand, losing myself in the rhythm of the knife slicing through the vegetables. The sound of sizzling oil and the smell of garlic and onion fills the air, and it’s a comforting distraction from my worries.

Then, as time passes, I can’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie with the women around me. They joke and laugh with each other, and even though they all have short hair and no makeup, they look beautiful in their own way. They are no longer intimidating but rather people I could see myself befriending if given the chance.

I start to let my guard down, thinking that maybe things won’t be as bad as I thought. But just as I’m starting to feel comfortable, Rin walks into the kitchen. With his muscular frame and piercing blue eyes, he looks like he belongs in a fashion magazine rather than in a criminal organization, which is basically what this pack is.

But even though Rin is beautiful, I can’t help but notice all the girls have gone silent. They are whispering among themselves and acting strangely, almost as if they are afraid of the Beta.

“Alpha Jackal is hungry,” he says, his voice gruff and commanding. “Is the lasagna ready?”

Fran nods, wiping her hands on her apron. “Yes, it’s just about done. We were just waiting for you to give the word the Alpha was ready to eat,” her attention lands on me. “The new girl will carry it out for you.”

My heart drops at the mention of carrying out the food to Alpha Jackal. I’ve heard all the stories about him from the girls in the kitchen—that he is a ruthless man, and sometimes he throws food at them if it’s not to his liking. The thought of facing him makes my hands shake, but I try to put on a brave face.

“Sure, I can do that,” I say, my voice sounding stronger than I feel.

Rin gives me a once-over, his eyes lingering on my short hair. “Who did that to you?” he asks. His voice is calm, but his blue eyes are more intense than before.

“Nadja,” I reply, not wanting to say anything that might get me in trouble.

Rin continues to stare at me. If I’m not mistaken, he seems angry, and his voice comes out scarily cold when he talks. “And did she ask for your permission?”

I shake my head, feeling intimidated by his stare. “No, she didn’t,” I mumble.

Rin’s face hardens even more; now, I can tell he is angry. Murderous even. “Nadja always takes things too far,” he says, his voice low. “I will deal with her later.” At that, he turns on his heel and leaves the kitchen, leaving me feeling confused and a little scared.

As soon as he is gone, the chatter in the kitchen resumes, but I can’t shake off the feeling of unease that has settled in my stomach. What did Rin mean he will deal with Nadja? Will I get in trouble for speaking out of turn?

But for now, I have a job to do, and I can’t afford to let my thoughts meander too much. I take the lasagna out of the oven and carefully place it onto the trolley. As I wheel it toward the dining room, my heart races with each step that I take.

When I enter the room, I’m immediately met with a sight that makes my heart skip a beat. Alpha Jackal is sitting at the head of the table, surrounded by his men, and they all look up at me as I walk in. The room is dimly lit, and the scent of expensive cologne and cigars fills the air.

I can feel their eyes on me, scrutinizing me, and I realize that I’m the only girl in the room. My palms are sweaty, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as I approach the table.

I place the steaming hot dish of lasagna in front of Alpha Jackal, and he looks up at me with cold, empty eyes. “Who are you?” he asks, his voice devoid of any emotion.

Seriously?

Doesn’t he remember me from earlier?!

“I’m Camilla,” I reply, my voice shaking. “I’m... I’m new here.”

Alpha Jackal grunts, and one of his men snickers. “Well, well,” he says. “It’s about time we hired some new staff members...” his eyes narrow with recognition as I put down his lasagna, and he looks me up and down as if seeing me for the first time. “Wait, you’re that woman from earlier. Who the fuck cut your hair?!”

Rin, who is seated beside him, looks up at me. “I was informed it was the head of the housekeepers who did it, my Alpha. I believe her name is Nadja.”

“Well... it looks hideous,” Alpha Jackal sighs to himself. “Rin, I command you to make her hair look like it did before.”

Immediately, Rin’s eyes change from a bright blue to a glowing red, and shivers race down my spine. Magic is oozing from his every pore, and I freeze when my silver curls grow out to their former glory. They even seem even shinier and more luxurious than before.

My throat goes dry. “But... how?” I touch one of my curls, and then it hits me: Rin must be a demon. A contracted one, and Alpha Jackal is his master.

The realization sends a wave of terror through me. I had heard rumors about demons being used as servants in the supernatural world, but this is the first one I’m actually seeing a demon in person.

Rin rises from his seat and approaches me, his eyes still a dangerous red rather than a beautiful blue. “Is this to your liking?” He asks, his voice perfectly calm yet able to give me palpitations.

I swallow thickly. “Ummm…”

Why is he so tall?

Rin is staring straight at me, and if I’m not mistaken, he seems almost amused by my newfound fear of him. “Do you want it longer?”

“N-no…” I say and feel goosebumps prickle over my arms. Rin is standing so close he could reach out and touch me. I shouldn’t like it, and neither should I find a scary demon like him attractive—what is wrong with me?!

“Good,” Rin smiles, yet I still find him intimidating. “Glad to be of service.”

Alpha Jackal chuckles in his seat. “Are you sure you don’t want your hair longer, girl? Rin could fix that for you.” 

I nod to signal that I’m fine with my hair’s length, not trusting myself to speak. I’m still in shock from what just happened. I feel a mix of fear, confusion, and awe. Rin is insanely powerful, and I can sense that he is not to be trifled with.

Alpha Jackal smirks at me from his seat. “Good. Now, get out of here. We have some business to discuss.”

Swallowing, I turn on my heel and leave the room, feeling a sense of relief wash over me as I step into the hallway. I’m grateful to be away from those men and their intimidating presence.

But even though I’m not out there among them now, I have a feeling I’ve stepped into a world from which I can’t turn away. As the new housekeeper, I know for certain that keeping my distance from Alpha Jackal is out of the question since we both will work and live under the same roof.

It’s not Alpha Jackal that I find to be the scariest man under this roof, though. Its Rin. Demons are scary, traitorous creatures. I would know because a demon murdered my parents eighteen years ago.

I was the only one who survived that cold winter day, and no one knows why the demon spared my life. The police officer had no explanation, and I’m still confused.

I’m not even special; my wolf hasn’t awakened yet, and sometimes I wonder if the demon didn’t kill me out of cruelty because growing up without your beloved parents is a worse fate than following them to heaven. 

I feel my eyes start to water, but I try to blink back the tears and take a deep breath. A part of me wants to stay away from Rin— no matter how gorgeous he is—but there’s another part of me that can’t help but be drawn to him. I know I should stay away, but it feels like an impossible task.

Why does that man make my heart race both out of excitement and out of fear?