WREN
I ran down the stairs, down the hall, out of the main Castle. I did not stop, did
not look back, until I got to the Staff Quarters, to my room.
But then the knob started acting up, and I kept pulling and pulling. Unable to
hold them in again, my tears poured down my face. All the while, I kept cursing until
the door opened.
Then I knelt against my bed and I cried like a baby.
Will he break up with me now?
I met Caius for the first time when I was Eighteen. I had been cleaning the
pool side at the time, and he came in shirtless with his friends.
He didn't spare me a glance, then. Not until Rhett flirted with me.
"I haven't seen this one before," Rhett said. Son of the head of the High Court,
a Beta. Everyone knew he was a man-whore.
So I kept my eyes down, folding the towels.
"What's your name?" Jesina asked, a sinister smile on her lips. I sighed,
pushing down the urge to ignore her. She was a Beta too. A friend of the Prince who
clung to his every second of the day.
"Wren," I replied.
Rhett laughed. "Isn't that a guy's name?"
I scoffed before I could stop myself. "I've heard that one before. Try again."
Silence spread through the room, and my wolf scent didn't need to be strong
to smell the displeasure in the room.
One Alpha and two Betas.
As an Omega and a maid, it should have been my funeral.
But then Caius laughed. "Sassy one, aye," he rumbled. His friends had no
choice but to plaster smiles on their faces.
"Go get us drinks," Jesina said tightly. I ran out of there and tipped another
maid off. She was more than happy to get them drinks.
3 years later, I turned 21, eligible for a wolf and a mate. Then I met Caius
again. Only this time, my chest warmed and longing filled me in heavy waves.
He'd caught me, then, and whispered one word that would change our lives
forever.
"Mate."
One month from that day, I became his girlfriend.
Would he go back to her? Does he still love her? Are they fucking right now?
I allowed myself more tears until ten minutes went by, and then I snuck to the
bathrooms, washed up and changed into my uniform.
...
"Has anyone seen Starling?!" The Matron's screech reached my ears as I
scrubbed the floors of the bathroom.
After the morning's unfortunate events, I reported for duty and got punished
to scrub all the public bathrooms and toilets. I was on my 3rd one, sponge, soap and
tears involved.
I had six more to go.
I stood from the ground removing my rubber gloves before walking out of the
bathroom.
"Over here!" I replied, wiping my hands on my grey skirt.
She ran her eyes over my wet clothes.
"Go get changed and report to the gates to receive the Crowned Prince."
"W-what?"
The murmurs started immediately, not minding that she was his Aunt. Girls
started to squeals, guys started to grumble. I felt heated eyes on my back, and I knew
it was the High class maids. I was lucky enough to escape Aerin yesterday. I wasn't
looking for a second chance.
"Do you all not have work to do?!" The Matron screamed.
They scattered around, but the murmurs did not cease.
"Well? Get to it!"
"Uh, actually, my lady. I don't think I'm the best person for that job. There's—"
I turned around. "Aerin over here. She's more than perfect to receive the Prince."
But the Matron didn't spare a glance at her favourite.
"Are you defying my orders, Starling?"
Oh goddess. "I'd be a fool to do that, my lady. I'll get on it immediately."
I threw Aerin an exasperated look before rushing past her. Hopefully, she'd
stay away from me.
One glance at the staff bathroom door had the memories of that morning
coming back, and so I rushed back to my room, opting for clean clothes instead.
I changed into our more formal uniform; a grey gown that stopped just before
my knees with a grey bow tie and black hand gloves. Then I packed my hair into a
tight, low bun, used more of Fiona's concealer to cover my hickeys, pushed my tears
in, rubbed lip balm, a scented oil I made from stolen flowers, and rushed to the hall.
I didn't care about the Crowned Prince, and the Matron was surely putting me
in a tight spot. I liked to think I was a strong girl. But being strong isn't much when
you're born into a system that's out to remind you everyday, that you are the inferior
one.
When I was younger, the woman who raised me taught me to fear the Alphas
and Betas, to never say my mind, to look down and obey. To be pliant.
She was right, yes. But I hate her for doing that. After all her submissiveness
and pliancy, she was sent to the war front seven years ago as a Medic, and she died.
Another person this damned Pack took from me.
"I heard the Crowned Prince didn't return 4 years ago because he found his
mate," a whisper reached me as I walked down the hallway.
"What? So he's returning with his mate?"
"No. Aerin said that she died in an attack."
"An attack?"
I slowed, listening in on their conversation.
"She doesn't know the details. But that's what a High Lord told her. Anyway,
she's called dibs on the Prince, so stay away from him."
I walked faster, then. Rolling my eyes.
Listening to Castle gossip was like brain rot sometimes.