Chapter 09

Alesha Stokes — Step 2: Trying? Surviving the Winter Ball

  

I stared at myself in the mirror for a few seconds, feeling a slight discomfort as I met my own gaze.  

I looked… beautiful.  

Not in the way I used to be before everything fell apart, but in a way I hardly recognized anymore. The dress fit well, my skin looked softer after washing my face and applying some blush and lipstick, and my eyes—no matter how dark—still held a different kind of golden shimmer.  

I took a deep breath, pressing the necklace Marilyn had given me against my chest, still trying to get used to it all.

After adjusting my hair one last time, I stepped out of the room and headed toward the kitchen, where the real work for the day would begin.  

As soon as I walked in, I felt the weight of their stares.  

It wasn’t new, but this time, the attention was different. A few whispers broke out, and one of the guards looked me up and down before stepping closer, a slow, interested smile tugging at his lips.  

"Are you new here?" he asked, curiosity thick in his voice.  

I blinked a few times, unsure how to respond.  

"Yes… My name is Alesha," I answered, trying to sound natural.  

He tilted his head slightly, studying my face with more focus.  

"Alesha. That's a pretty name." His gaze slid over me, lingering, as if he was taking in every detail. "It's nice to have something pleasant to look at around here."  

Heat immediately rushed to my face.  

What was I supposed to say to that?  

Why did it feel like the more I tried to stay invisible, the more attention I attracted?  

Before I could come up with a response, another servant called for the guard, and he walked away, shooting me one last suggestive glance.  

I let out a quiet breath of relief, but I couldn’t ignore the other stares around me.  

Some of the women whispered among themselves—some with clear disapproval, while others seemed… impressed? Maybe surprised? I couldn’t quite tell.  

My social skills were still terrible, and all I could do was improvise.  

But one thing was clear: all this attention wasn’t doing me any favors.  

I needed to stay under the radar.  

And right now, I was failing miserably at that.  

Doing my best to ignore the stares, I headed straight to where some of the other servants were already working, silently joining them. Focusing on the tasks at hand was the best way to forget everything else.  

As I arranged the glasses, I felt something strange in the air.  

It was different. Sharp.  

But I had no idea what it could be.  

Some kind of spice? A foreign seasoning?  

Slowly, the scent started to feel familiar, but… why couldn’t I remember?  

I focused on figuring it out, but a loud noise from the doorway yanked my attention away.  

My peace didn’t last long.  

The housekeeper strode into the kitchen with firm steps, her sharp gaze sweeping across the room before landing on me. A satisfied smile curled on her lips as she approached.  

"That dress looks very good on you, Alesha." Her voice was cutting, like she was already plotting something. **"And since you look so presentable, you’ll be one of the servers bringing drinks and appetizers to the main hall."  

My stomach twisted.  

No, no, no.  

This couldn't be happening.  

The plan was to go unnoticed, to stay away from the crowd, and, most importantly, to stay far away from the man I had met the night before.  

Before revealing myself to him, I needed to be sure of who he was.  

I took a deep breath, trying to keep calm.  

"With all due respect, ma’am," I began, carefully choosing my words, "I believe I’d be more useful helping in the kitchen. I’m used to this kind of work, and—"  

"I decide where you will work." The housekeeper cut me off, her voice cold and authoritative. She stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "And I said you’ll be in the main hall." 

Her tone left no room for argument.  

I swallowed hard.  

I could insist and risk drawing even more attention to myself, or I could simply obey and hope nothing went wrong.  

Closing my eyes for a second, I let out a quiet sigh.  

"Yes, ma’am."  

My voice came out low, resigned.  

The housekeeper’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.  

"Good. Now start preparing the trays. I don’t want any delays."  

She turned on her heel and left the kitchen, leaving me frozen in place.  

Inside, I cursed myself—and my damn luck.  

This had to be some kind of punishment.  

With a slow sigh, I started arranging the trays with the other maids, carefully placing wine glasses and delicacies prepared for the guests. My body was still warm with tension from my conversation with the housekeeper, and my mind wouldn’t stop searching for a way out.  

Maybe if I moved quickly, I could avoid being noticed. Just go in, serve, and leave. No eye contact, no drawing attention.  

At least, that was the hope.  

Then, a sudden wave of murmurs swept through the hall next door.  

The sound rumbled through the kitchen walls like distant thunder, and all the maids froze. Some exchanged curious, uneasy glances.  

"What’s going on out there?" one of them whispered.  

Before anyone could answer, a firm, commanding voice echoed through the grand hall:  

"We announce the arrival of Matthew Dawolf, our Supreme Alpha!"  

The words hit me like an arrow straight to the chest.  

My heart skipped a beat.  

I struggled to keep my expression neutral, but it was useless. A chill ran down my spine, and my hands, gripping the tray, trembled slightly.  

I had failed. Miserably.  

I should have figured out who he was before facing him again.  

And now, I was about to walk straight into that hall… with no idea who the Supreme Alpha actually was.  

Worse still… there was a terrifying chance I had already seen him naked—and with a hard cock.