Chapter 4

Camilla

Seven days have passed since I started working at Alpha Jackal’s mansion. I quite enjoy it here. Nancy hasn’t bothered me ever since I told her it was the Alpha’s decision to regrow my hair. She is a witch, but I’ve made plenty of friends in the kitchen while working under Fran.

It’s no wonder.

Most of my time is spent with Fran in the kitchen, but I also take on the responsibility of cleaning the restrooms. For both tasks, I always carry a smile, and because of it, the girls working in the kitchen felt at ease opening up to me. I’m good friends with two of them: Lana and Sammy.

We gossip all the time, and our newest thing to talk about is my crush on the new chef assistant: Bobby.

He is such a cute guy: red hair and freckles. He is thin, yet tall, with a slender build, as if he spends most of his time reading. He also has this accent that I can’t place, but it makes me warm to hear it.

My experience of working for Alpha Jackal hasn’t been too bad. He is not the nicest guy around, but I’m usually able to stay out of his way.

I’ve also managed to avoid Rin.

A chill runs through me when I think of Rin’s good looks and piercing blue eyes. My mind often goes back to him, but it isn’t because I’m attracted to him—he is not even my type! He just scares me.

Besides, I prefer introverted book enthusiasts, not men who tower over me like skyscrapers with chiseled features seemingly made for commercials. I steer clear of pretty boys.

“Hey, Cam!” Fran raises her voice over a scorching hot frying pan that she is using to flambé something in. “No slacking at your station! Continue chopping those onions!”

I send a smile in her direction. “Sorry, boss!”

But as I pick up my knife and resume slicing the onions, my mind wanders back to Rin. I can’t help but feel a sense of unease whenever I’m near him.

Wait, why am I thinking about him? I have a crush on Bobby, not on that intimidating demon!

Suddenly, the door to the kitchen bursts open, and in walks Alpha Jackal. Everyone in the room tenses up, and the air grows thick with tension.

Sammy, who is dicing tomatoes in front of me, winces. Her eyes flash to mine, and she whispers, “Sometimes, when Alpha Jackal finds something wrong with his food, he loses his temper and comes in here to harass us.”

What, really?

“Who the fuck thought it would be a good idea to serve me raw meat when I ordered a medium?!” Alpha Jackal barks, his eyes scanning the room.

“Y-you had raw meat?” Fran stammers. “We could give you another steak. I p-promise this one will be better!”

Alpha Jackal narrows his eyes at her but then turns his gaze to me. My heart starts racing as he strides over to me, his intimidating presence making me feel small.

“You,” he says, pointing a finger at me. “Come with me.”

I nod, my voice caught in my throat, and follow him out of the kitchen and into the hallway. He leads me through a door and to a kitchen table, where Rin and a few other warrior werewolves are already seated.

“Come over here, girl,” Alpha Jackal orders and gestures for me to sit down in his chair. “Taste my meat and tell me if it’s raw or not.”

I gulp, my eyes darting around the room as I take in the intimidating presence of the warriors. Rin’s piercing blue gaze is fixed on me, and his gaze is so intense it’s as if he is trying to read my thoughts.

“Well?” Alpha Jackal impatiently taps the backrest of the chair, glaring at me. “Are you coming?”

My eyes travel back to the Alpha, and I steer my wobbly legs forward. I sit down in the chair with my heart thumping so fast I’m sure everyone can hear it. Yet, I try to ignore it and reach for a fork and knife.

I cut a small piece of the steak and bring it to my mouth, trying to ignore the intense gaze of the werewolves around me. The meat is perfectly cooked, with a hint of garlic and rosemary.

“It’s cooked perfectly,” I say, looking up at Alpha Jackal.

Everyone around the table turns deathly silent, and I freeze in my seat when I feel the shift inside the room. Did I say something wrong? Even Rin is staring at me.

“Perfectly?” Alpha Jackal repeats, and when I look up at him, there is a scary smile on his lips. He looks calm, but as he talks, his voice grows louder. “Are you joking with me, girl? How can it be perfect when it’s raw?!”

My heart thuds in my chest, and I try to hide my fear. I thought I tasted it perfectly, but perhaps I missed something. I lift a trembling hand to my mouth and cough, trying to find the words to explain.

“I’m sorry, Alpha Jackal,” I say, my voice shaking. “I must have made a mistake. I will make sure to do better next time!”

Alpha Jackal’s smile fades, and goosebumps prickle over my skin when he grabs my neck. My heart sinks as I realize what is about to happen. Punishment from Alpha Jackal isn’t known for being light. I can already feel the hot tears stinging my eyes, but I force myself to hold them back.

As Alpha Jackal tightens his grip, I struggle to breathe. My mind races with fear as I try to calm myself down, knowing that any signs of weakness would only make things worse.

Alpha Jackal, however, isn’t done with me. He lifts me up from my seat and chuckles in a low tone. “You think I don’t know that the meat is raw? You think you can protect your fellow waitresses by saying the meat is perfect?”

My eyes widen as a new sense of fear overtakes me. Why is he doing this? And how does he know that I was trying to protect my co-workers?

“I-I don’t know... what you’re talking about, Alpha Jackal,” I manage to choke out, trying to free myself from his grasp around my throat.

But he only tightens his hold on me, making it impossible for me to move. Everything is hurting, and my toes are barely even on the ground anymore.

“You think you can fool me, girl? You’re just like the rest of them. Thinking you can get away with lying to me.”

I try to protest, but his grip is too strong. I’m starting to feel lightheaded, and the lack of oxygen is making it hard for me to stay conscious.

Suddenly, I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn my head to see Rin standing beside me. His hand is warm against my skin, and I feel a strange sense of comfort wash over me when he touches me.

“Alpha, let her go,” he says, his voice low but firm as he focuses his eyes on Alpha Jackal. “She made a mistake, but she is learning. Punishing her wouldn’t fix anything. It would only make her afraid and unable to learn.”

Alpha Jackal releases my neck and glares at Rin. He doesn’t look that scary compared to his taller Beta. “And who asked for your opinion? You’re just a servant, Rin. My demon Beta. Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Rin doesn’t back down. “I’m just saying what I think is best for everyone, Alpha. We need Camilla in the kitchen. She is a hard worker and has already made improvements. She made a mistake, but that doesn’t mean she deserves to be punished.”

There is a tense silence in the room as Alpha Jack glares at his Beta with murderous eyes. “Since when do you think it’s okay to speak up against your Alpha, Rin?”

Rin’s expression remains neutral, but something in his eyes tells me that he isn’t afraid of Alpha Jackal. I can’t help but feel a sense of admiration for him, but I still don’t understand why he is helping me.

Won’t he get in trouble?

“I’m only doing what I think is right,” Rin says calmly. “I believe that Camilla should be given a chance to learn from her mistakes rather than be punished for them.”

Alpha Jackal glares at Rin for a few more seconds before turning to me. “Fine,” he says harshly. “You’re lucky that my Beta has a soft spot for you. You can go back to the kitchen. But remember, girl. One more mistake, and you’re out.”

I nod, my eyes downcast, and quickly make my way back to the kitchen. As soon as I’m out of sight, I let out a shaky breath and lean against the wall for support. My heart is still racing, and I can feel tears stinging my eyes.

I enter through the kitchen door, where Fran is waiting for me.

“Are you okay?” she asks, her eyes filled with concern. “I heard everything.”

I take a deep breath and try to steady myself. “I’m okay,” I say, although I’m unsure if I’m telling the truth. “Thanks for asking, Fran.”

Fran nods, but I can tell that she is still worried. “Do you want to take a break? Maybe get some fresh air?”

I shake my head. “No, I need to keep working.” I don’t want to give Alpha Jackal any more reasons to kick me out.

Fran nods reluctantly and goes back to her work. I try to focus on my own tasks, but my mind keeps wandering back to Alpha Jackal’s punishment.

Why did Rin help me? He didn’t agree to become my friend, yet he stood up to his own Alpha and master. It makes no sense! I can’t shake the feeling that there is more going on behind the scenes than I know.

I move to the dish station, surprised when Lana nudges my shoulder. She is a black-haired beauty with a sense of sarcasm that only a few people understand.

“Don’t look now, but Bobby is checking you out from his station. He almost cut his finger off a minute ago, too caught up in admiring your silver hair from afar. Oh, how I would love to be pretty like you.”

I blush. “You are pretty,” it’s true. Lana is gorgeous, even though she doesn’t see it herself. “And don’t get my hopes up. Bobby isn’t even looking at me.”

Lana smirks and leans against one of the dishwashers. “He was, and rumor has it he is going to ask you out later today.”

My eyes widen. “Really?”

“Yeah, but I don’t understand why you would settle for Bobby when you could have Rin,” I wince at her words, and a smirk works over her red-painted lips. “Don’t even try to fool me into thinking Rin doesn’t like you.”

Irritation flares up within me. “He doesn’t like me.”

“Oh honey, he does. I heard everything through the wall. He defended you, Camilla. That has never happened before. The ice-cold Beta usually never opens his mouth, but he did for you. It means that he likes you.”

My heart skips a beat at her words, and I shake my head in disbelief. Why would Rin be interested in me?

I’ve never considered myself to be anything special, and Rin is the Beta of the pack. He is Alpha Jackal’s right-hand man, and he is distant and reserved toward everyone. Something possessed him to be different tonight, but I doubt it’s because he has feelings for me. We don’t even know each other!

“I don’t think Rin likes me, Lana,” I say softly, trying to keep my voice steady. “He was just doing what he thought was right.”

Lana rolls her eyes. “Camilla, you’re too modest for your own good. You’re beautiful, smart, and hardworking. Anyone would be lucky to have you.”

I blush at her words, but before I can respond, a loud crash echoes through the kitchen. We turn to see Bobby standing beside a pile of broken dishes, his face pale and his hands shaking.

“I’m sorry, Alpha Jackal,” he stammers, his eyes wide with fear. “I didn’t mean to—”

But Alpha Jackal is already on him, his eyes flashing with rage. “You clumsy fool!” he snarls and looks around the room with crazy eyes. “And what the hell is going on here? Why are you just staring? Everyone get back to work!”

“Yikes, someone is in a bad mood...”

Lana quickly scurries back to her station, and I try to focus on doing the dishes. Sadly, my mind keeps going back to Rin, which is bad. I shouldn’t be thinking about him. He is a demon and can’t be trusted.

The last thing I want is to end up dying because I was a fool to trust Rin. He is Alpha Jackal’s demon, and if my Alpha ordered Rin to kill me, I would be gone in a heartbeat.

... right?