CHAPTER ONE

JANELLE'S POINT OF VIEW

I finished cleaning the Alpha King's room, making sure everything was spotless and when I was done, I headed back to my room.

My job here was to serve the Alpha King as his personal maid and I've been doing so for many years now. Ever since my parents died—and the rest of my pack were slaughtered, my now–twelve year old brother and I were brought to this pack; he worked at the stables.

As I made my way down the hallway, lost in my thoughts, another maid suddenly rushed up to me, her breath coming in quick gasps.

"Janelle! Janelle!" she called out, her voice urgent.

I turned to face her, "What's wrong?" I asked.

"There's a closed-door board meeting happening right now," she explained, her words tumbling out in a rush. "The Alpha King is meeting with the board members, and they need someone to serve refreshments. You're the only one they asked for."

I nodded. It wasn't unusual for me to be called upon for special tasks like this, "Alright."

The other maid let out a relieved sigh, "Thank you, Janelle. Refreshments have already been served in the kitchen. You should go and get them, then serve them in the meeting room."

With a nod, I turned and hurried off towards the kitchen As I entered the bustling room, the smell of freshly baked bread and brewing tea filled the air.

I quickly gathered up the trays of refreshments, careful not to spill anything as I balanced them in my arms.

Finally, I reached the door to the meeting room, taking a moment to steady my nerves before pushing it open. The Alpha King sat at the head of the table, his expression serious as he spoke with the other members of the board. As I entered, all eyes turned towards me, and I felt a flush of embarrassment heat my cheeks.

Setting down the trays of refreshments, I moved around the table, pouring tea and offering pastries with practiced efficiency.

"Remember that pack we had to wipe out back then? Something uh, …..Moon pack something?" one of the board members, Lord Thompson, asked.

"Yes, I do," another member, Lord Ramirez, replied. "It was a good thing we wiped them away. They were nothing but trouble."

The Alpha King, nodded in agreement. "Indeed," he said, "They were a thorn in our side for far too long. Their elimination was necessary for the safety and prosperity of our kingdom."

I watched silently as they continued to discuss the downfall of the pack, while doing my duties. I wondered what pack they were talking about.

"It was a strategic move," Lord Johnson chimed in, "We couldn't afford to let them continue unchecked."

Lord Johnson suddenly spoke up. "Ahah, I remember the name, it is the Crimson Moon Pack," he said.

My eyes widened in shock, the serving jug slipping from my grasp and shattering to the floor with a loud crash. All eyes turned to look at me, the sudden silence heavy with tension.

"I... I'm sorry," I stammered, "Let me get a refill."

With trembling hands, I hurried out of the room, my heart pounding in my chest. As soon as I was out of sight, I leaned against the wall and let the tears fall freely.

The memories flooded back with overwhelming force – the sound of howling wolves, the scent of pine trees set on fire. The Crimson Moon pack wasn't just a name to me; it was my home, my family, my entire world.

These people murdered my pack, murdered my family.

The Alpha King killed my parents?

With a heavy heart and tear-streaked cheeks, I rushed back to my room. I stumbled inside and collapsed to the ground, the sobs wracking my body uncontrollably.

The memories of that fateful night flooded back with painful clarity, each detail etched into my mind like a brand.

I could still hear the screams, the sound of metal clashing against metal, the sickening thud of bodies hitting the ground. I could still see the faces of the attackers, twisted with malice as they tore through our home, leaving destruction and death in their wake.

And I could still feel the terror gripping my heart as I shielded my brother's eyes from the horrors unfolding before us, my own hands shaking with fear and helplessness.

I was only seventeen at the time and my parents were killed before my eyes.

The realization that the very people I served, the ones I looked up to and trusted, were the same ones responsible for the murder of my parents was a bitter pill to swallow.

For the past seven years, my brother and I had called the kingdom of the Alpha King our home. From the moment we arrived, we had been taken under the Alpha's protection.

Every day, I had promised myself that I would find my parents' killers, that I would seek justice for the lives they had stolen. And now, with the truth laid bare before me, I knew that the time for vengeance had finally come.

As the most trusted maid in the kingdom, I had access to every corner of the castle, every secret passage and hidden alcove. And it was with a cold determination burning in my veins that I devised my plan for revenge.

I would poison the Alpha King.

It was a risky plan, fraught with danger and uncertainty, but I knew that it was the only way to ensure that justice was served.

I stood in the kitchen and carefully prepared the tea for the Alpha King. Afterwards, I glanced left and right to ensure that I was alone amd then reached for the vial of poison hidden in the folds of my dress.

I poured a few drops of the deadly concoction into the tea. The liquid swirled and darkened.

With a deep breath, I gathered up the tray and headed out of the kitchen and headed to the alpha King's room.

I knew that I had to formulate a plan to make sure the Alpha King was gone for good. And the most efficient and easiest way to do that was to poison him.

Since I was his personal maid that won't be a problem. Afterwards, I need to flee this place with my brother. Once the deed was done, my brother and I would escape on one of the horses since he had access to them.

Once we were safely outside the kingdom's borders, we would make our way to the nearest village, where we could blend in with the crowds and disappear into the night.

I couldn't see any way the plan could go sour.

Just then, I was suddenly jolted by a collision. The tray slipped from my grasp, shattering as it hit the ground with a resounding crash.

I looked down in dismay, seeing the mess of ark liquid and shards of ceramic on the ground.

But as I lifted my gaze, I found myself locking eyes with the most strikingly handsome man I had ever seen. His features were chiseled and strong, his eyes a piercing shade of blue that seemed to see straight into my soul. His dark hair was tousled, framing his face in an alluringly disheveled manner.

And then a wave of warmth washed over me, spreading from the depths of my soul to the tips of my fingers. It was as if a fire had ignited within me, burning with an intensity that I had never experienced before.

There was a tingling, electric sensation that started in the pit of my stomach and spread outward, coursing through my veins like wildfire.

I gasped in surprise, my eyes widening in astonishment as I realized what was happening. This sensation, this burning fire that consumed me from the inside out – it could only mean one thing.

This man standing before me was my mate!

"I am so sorry fo—"

"Are you stupid?" he spat, his words like a slap in the face. The words in my mouth ceased and my jaw dropped. "Why did you pour tea on my new shoes?"

"I'm sorry about it, but—"

"I don't have time for your incompetence. I don't even know why my father insists on employing stupid girls like you as maids in this palace. Get out of my sight."

I staggered back, my heart shattering into a million pieces at his cruel words. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks – the arrogant man before me was the Alpha's son — the Alpha Prince.

The Alpha Prince was my mate!