Chapter 2 Mistress

EVELYN No one in the entire courtyard dared speak on the subject, but no one could ever forget Jack or the fierce, brutal struggle between the two princes. The violence, heartbreak, and bloodshed. No one wanted to relive it. After a long, tense silence, Anastasia finally spoke. “You must be exhausted. I’ve prepared a welcoming banquet for you this evening. Perhaps you should get some rest after your long journey.” The Alpha King did not respond, but I saw his boots move forward as he presumably walked toward the palace. As his footsteps grew distant, I raised my eyes. He continued up the steps of the marble staircase leading to the palace. As he ascended, he waved a hand and called Mr. Barrett over. The head servant moved swiftly, and after a quiet exchange, Cole turned toward us, his gaze meeting mine. My heart raced. Mr. Barrett glanced at me as well and then nodded. Cole tensed his jaw, then walked into the palace, followed by the Beta and the King’s Guard. After they disappeared through the threshold, Mr. Barrett walked back toward the lines of servants, his eyes on me. No. No. Not now. Not in front of everyone else. But my prayer was as useless as ever. Mr. Barrett came directly to me, his instruction as curt as ever. “Follow me.” I nodded stiffly. I know exactly where he was going to lead me. The place I had been brought to when the Alpha King needed to vent his excessive anger…and lust. I followed Mr. Barrett dutifully. I could feel Elsa’s curious gaze on me, but I didn’t meet her eyes or say a word. Once we entered the palace, he guided me straight down the corridor. But as we passed the maid’s quarters, I cleared my throat and stopped him. “May I go to the maid’s chambers and change?” I asked. Cole Elrod never like seeing me in his bed wearing a maid’s uniform, though he enjoyed teasing me for being demoted from a prestigious lady to a lowly maid. Perhaps he found it unpleasant to be reminded that he was bedding a cleaning maid. Mr. Barrett turned, scanned me, and nodded. “You must be swift.” I nodded and headed down the hall, straight to the changing room. I retrieved a simple black dress from my drawer and slipped into the washroom. As I undressed, I overheard voices on the other side. The young maids gathered after their morning duties to chat during their short break. They spoke quietly, but not quietly enough that I couldn’t hear their conversation through the door. “No, you’re lying!” a familiar voice exclaimed. “Evelyn wouldn’t do that!” It was Elsa. I froze at the mention of my name. What was she defending about me? “You’re too naive,” another retorted. It was thinner and more nasally than Elsa’s. Melanie Black. Melanie was popular among the maids, known for her gossiping and arrogance. She believed she was destined for a position far above a cleaning maid. “What do you mean?” Elsa challenged her, bringing me back to the present. Despite my heightened senses, I leaned against the door to hear their conversation better, placing a hand over my mouth to remain silent. “You’re foolish to believe Evelyn is innocent,” Melanie retorted. “She’s nothing but a nasty slut. Don’t you see? She’s on her way to the King’s chamber. She seduced him and climbed into his bed long ago. You’d do well to avoid her.” A lump formed in my throat. I wasn’t a stranger to cruelty, but her words still stung. I didn’t what the others thought of me, but I’d feared how Elsa would react. She was the only one I could call friend in this palace. “I-I don’t believe you…” Elsa’s voice trembled, “You’re just jealous that she’s kind and beautiful enough to get the King’s favor -” “Jealous?” Melanie laughed condescendingly. “Why would I be jealous of a slut? Do you think the Alpha King cares for her? He’s using her. Once he’s bored, she’ll be tossed aside like the trash she is.” More giggles followed. I could feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “I don’t even know why he bothers with Evelyn,” another voice chimed in. “She’s so dull and depressing. I can’t imagine her being interesting in bed.” “Maybe she saves her energy for his chamber,” another voice mocked, followed by exaggerated moans of pleasure. “Oh, Your Grace… oh, oh, ohhh…” A chorus of giggles echoed through the room. My fingers gripped the sink until my knuckles turned white, fighting the wave of shame and rage that threatened to overwhelm me. I had long since learned to control my emotions. It was the only way to survive in this palace. A few more quips were made about my talents on my knees. Enough. That was enough, I couldn’t endure this any longer and I couldn't stay in the washroom forever. Mr. Barrett was waiting. I took a deep breath, glanced at my reflection, blinked away the sting of tears, and held my head high. I was stronger than they knew. I turned the knob and stepped out of the washroom. The maid’s laughter came to a sudden stop. As my eyes scanned the young women in the room, many of their cheeks flushed scarlet. The gathering was small—only seven, including Elsa and Melanie—but it was still a significant number of people gossiping about and insulting me behind my back. Melanie’s expression froze for a few seconds, then she snorted, clearly delighted that I’d overheard her nasty remarks. She sneered at me cruelly. It was unsurprising that she was unapologetic in her meanness. It seemed to be in her nature to be nasty and rude. Beside her, Elsa’s brown eyes widened in my direction before falling to the floor. Her lips curled into a frown, and she tucked a strand of light blonde hair behind her ear in embarrassment. I didn’t say a word as I placed my dirty uniform in the laundry hamper, but when I turned, I heard someone mumble another comment. “Slut.”