Chapter 13

Alesha Stokes — Murder?  

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the boiling blood in my veins. I needed to get a grip. This was my chance to get closer to him, to learn more about him… But if I kept acting like this, I’d lose everything before I even got started.  

I straightened my posture, smoothing the folds of my dress with trembling fingers. I had to stick to the plan. I had to be smart.  

But damn it… why did everything always have to go wrong for me?  

I forced myself to focus on my work, but the sound of the door opening and closing along with the movement of the servants who kept coming and going was distracting me. When I turned around angrily, I saw the guard from before approaching.

What did he want with me now?  

At the sight of him, the servants began to leave one by one, as if the mere scent of trouble had scared them off. Only two remained in the kitchen, but they were too busy whispering to each other, casting sideways glances in my direction.  

My body tensed as the guard came closer, his armor gleaming under the dim candlelight.  

What now?  

My mind raced, trying to predict what punishment would come next.  

Maybe they’d ordered him to arrest me, to take me away—at this point, I had no idea what to expect anymore.  

But to my surprise, he did something I never saw coming.  

The guard stepped even closer.  

My eyes widened as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and, with a careful touch, pressed it against my cheek, cleaning the bruised, aching skin.  

The gesture was so unexpected, so gentle, that I didn’t know how to react. My body froze, my breath caught in my throat.  

“Are you alright?” His voice was low, almost soft.  

I stared at him, confused. Why was he doing this?  

His touch was kind—something I wasn’t used to.  

Noticing my confusion, he offered a faint smile.  

“Don’t worry. Madalena will make sure this doesn’t have any serious consequences for you.” 

My brows furrowed.  

Madalena? 

The same housekeeper who had nearly killed me just moments ago?  

I couldn’t understand… Why did he sound so sure of that?  

“She may seem harsh or cruel, but that’s just the way she is. You’ll get used to it in time.”  

I remained silent for a moment, still feeling the soft pressure of the handkerchief against my skin. My heart started to race—and not just from the pain in my cheek.  

He was too close…  

And when I noticed the way he was looking at me, a strange warmth crept up my face.  

He wasn’t just watching me—he was *staring*. As if… as if he admired me.  

A tightness formed in my chest, and without thinking, I turned my head away, breaking eye contact.  

“You don’t have to worry,” I murmured, trying to look serious.

I turned away quickly, adjusting the hem of my dress.  

“As you can see, Madalena already had a talk with me. I have work to do.”  

He didn’t respond right away. He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something else. But then, he simply nodded.  

“I understand.”  

The guard straightened and, without another word, began walking toward the exit.  

But just before he stepped through the doorway, he paused and glanced over his shoulder.  

“My name is Roland J. Hall… If you ever need help…” His voice was calm, almost casual, but there was weight behind it. As if he wanted me to know he meant it. “I’ll be around.” 

And then he was gone.  

I stood there, staring at the empty doorway, feeling a strange unease settle deep inside me.  

Why had he been so gentle?  

I let out a weary sigh, still dazed by the whirlwind of recent events.  

I need to work...  

Snapping back to reality, I walked over to the sink, where a mountain of dirty dishes seemed endless.  

I plunged my hands into the water, scrubbing the surface of a silver tray with more force than necessary. The kitchen gradually came alive around me, again—servants coming and going, the clatter of pots and pans, voices overlapping in orders and anxious murmurs.  

"If you need help, I'll be around." 

The guard's words echoed in my mind, and I clung to them. Madalena would take care of it, he had said. I wanted to believe that.  

Would she really?  

I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus on my work. The water kept my hands busy, helping to drown out the thoughts trying to creep in.  

Then, I smelled it again.  

At first, it was faint—blended into the aroma of roasted meat and simmering herbs in the steam from the pots. But it was there. And the longer I stood there, the stronger it became.  

A slow burn ignited in my stomach.  

I know this scent.  

My brow furrowed as I tried to recall where I'd smelled it before, but a stack of dishes was practically thrown in front of me, snapping me out of my thoughts.  

"Hurry up, Alesha!" One of the servants grumbled, impatient. "We need those plates back!"  

"I'm on it!" I replied automatically, pressing my lips together.  

More and more trays and goblets piled up beside me, the thick heat of the kitchen mixing with that scent—the one that was growing stronger by the second.  

I needed to focus. But something deep inside me screamed that this smell… this smell wasn’t normal.  

It was making me uneasy.  

The servants bustled around, grabbing dishes and drinks, preparing trays for the banquet hall. As always, the Supreme Alpha’s tray was the most immaculate—arranged to perfection.  

I glanced around, curious.  

I should’ve just kept washing dishes as I was ordered. After the scene I caused in the hall, the housekeeper made it clear she didn’t want me stepping outside the kitchen. But it was impossible to ignore when that strange scent was coming from the Supreme Alpha’s tray.  

My eyes narrowed.  

What was that?  

My mind tried to piece it together, but the answer wouldn’t come—just the gut-wrenching sensation that something was wrong.  

I quickly rinsed my hands, determined to check. But just as I took a step toward the counter, one of the servants grabbed the tray and rushed out of the kitchen.  

My heart skipped a beat.  

That urgency… That scent…  

The realization hit me like a hammer to the skull.  

That was poison.