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CHAPTER 8
~Author's POV~
Seraphina's Quarters
"Fiona!" Seraphina snapped as soon as the door slammed behind Mira. "Clean up this place. I'm surrounded by idiots and spilt perfume."
Fiona appeared instantly from the side hallway, nodding quickly. "Yes, Lady Sera."
But before Fiona could even start, another maid rushed in, her eyes wide, head bowed so low her chin nearly hit her chest. "Lady Sera."
Seraphina turned, her patience already paper-thin. "If it's not good news, Carla, get out."
"I'm afraid…" The girl hesitated, glancing toward Fiona. "It's about the Alphas."
Seraphina straightened. "Enter," she commanded sharply. She glanced in the direction Carla's eyes had been. "Fiona, leave." Immediately, Fiona stood up from the mess on the floor and excused herself. "Speak."
The maid took a cautious step forward. "The new woman. She—she made demands of the Alphas, my lady and they all agreed."
Seraphina blinked. Once. Twice. "What kind of demands?"
"Nothing much but a…."
"Nothing much? Who is she to make demands in the first place?"
Carl shuddered slightly and dipped her head. "It was a new room, clothes and for the chains to be gone… Alpha Kael ordered them removed."
Seraphina's jaw clenched. "Where is she?"
"She's been shown to the east wing. One of the velvet suites. And—"
At the mention of Velvet, Seraphina's eyes went wide. "Take me to her," Seraphina growled, brushing past her and Fioan by the door before Carla could finish.
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~Rhiannon's POV~
~Rhiannon's Room~
I hadn't expected luxury. Not after everything. Not after being dragged, chained, and displayed.
So when they opened the door to my new room, I froze.
It was bigger than the last one—twice the size at least—with tall windows draped in deep gray curtains and walls carved with fine stonework. A bed sat at the centre, canopied in black and silver linens, piled with more pillows than I could count.
The wardrobe was open. Inside were more clothes than I'd ever owned in my life. Actual new, clean clothes. Some were still folded with their tags.
Soft fur-lined coats, black leather trousers that looked fitted to the thigh, sweaters, cropped tops, silken gowns, some sleeveless, others clinging. Even boots with buckles and combat heels that looked expensive and ready to run were all on display inside the wardrobe.
I stepped closer, fingers trailing over the fabric.
"Was I supposed to hate this? Or are they simply trying to win me over with luxury?"
I didn't know what I was supposed to feel. Anger still coiled in my chest, but it tangled now with confusion… and something dangerously close to appreciation.
I'd never had these things, not back in the human town. Not even before my father got sick. Everything had always been patched together, secondhand, barely worn enough to get by.
And now?
I had choices.
I shook the thought off and turned toward the bathroom. I stunk from the whole ordeal and wanted nothing more than a nice shower.
The moment I opened the door, Ravyn let out a long, pleased sigh inside my head.
"Oh, I like this," she purred as though she was the one enjoying it.
I didn't blame her.
A soaking tub already filled with steaming water sat under a silver spout. A clean and gleaming black-tiled shower stood at the corner.
At the far end, a porcelain toilet. A fluffy white towel hung from a hook beside the mirror, next to two robes—one snow-white, the other ink-black, both plush and soft.
It was absurd. Beautiful. Lavish. My brain didn't know how to process it.
"Wealth," I thought. "This is what someone who can dish out one million dollars buys."
I didn't hesitate. I pulled off my clothes, stepped toward the tub and sank in. Warmth closed around me instantly, and for a moment, just one, I let it in.
It wasn't peace but stillness.
Ravyn exhaled with me. "Finally. Something decent. I was beginning to think my mates were cruel."
I lay there, head resting on the tub's edge, thinking through everything I'd seen and heard.
So far, in my list of alphas and people to beware of, two of them topped the list. Kael and Darian.
Kael was cold, calculating, and dangerous.
Darian had unfiltered energy, eyes too curious and too reactive.
The others… less specific, but just as powerful.
I needed to find a crack in their pack's wall and push through it. Then get out and find Father.
But nothing about this was simple.
Eventually, I stood and dried off before heading into the room. My mind had been so filled with thoughts as I headed straight for the wardrobe.
I entered the wardrobe and pulled out a black gown that caught my eye. The fabric was soft and stretchy, cut to hug curves I barely remembered I had since I was mostly dressed in trousers anyway.
It was thigh-length, long-sleeved, and detailed with silver trim at the cuffs and neckline. Sharp and sleek, it looked like it had been made to be worn while winning an argument.
I turned, about to slide it on, when the door burst open and Seraphina entered.
She stood in the doorway, dressed like a goddess scorned and fuming like she'd been lit on fire.
"I wonder," she began coolly, "what witchcraft you used to convince the Alphas to hand over a room like this when you've only been here for a day."
I didn't answer. I turned back to the wardrobe.
"I'm talking to you, bitch."
I froze. My hand tightened on the dress, and then I slowly turned back to face her. I had intended to ignore her like she didn't exist, but time and again, she brought the trouble to me.
She stared at the gown in my hand, and her jaw dropped slightly.
"Isn't that—? That's the gown I told Riven I liked! The one I asked him to get for me!"
I smiled then. Just a little. "Well," I said, tilting my head, "I guess we finally know who's the bitch… and who's more important. Jealousy isn't a good look on you."
Her lips peeled back into something less than human.
She stepped back once, then snapped her fingers. "Who's out there? Carla!"
The door opened almost instantly. A guard entered, carrying a stack of folded clothes, and behind him came Carla—the same maid who'd looked at me like I was a stain while harbouring ill thoughts concerning me at breakfast.
"Drop those clothes for her," Seraphina said. "You, Carla, go to her wardrobe and take everything out. The shiny new things aren't worthy of a stray mongrel. These used clothes from the other girls will do just fine."
Carla nodded and moved toward the wardrobe.
"And the ones Alpha Kael had delivered?" the guard asked.
Seraphina's voice was icy. "Take them to my room. He made a mistake. Those were meant for me."
No sooner had she spoken than another maid entered, breathless. "You called, my lady?"
Seraphina turned to her with a fake smile. "Yes. Help Carla. Empty everything."
I stared momentarily, waiting for her to respect herself but she didn't. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
She turned back to me slowly, venom behind every word. "Ridding this place of delusions. You really think the Alphas fancied you enough to give you these things? You? A dirty little stray from human towns? No. They were being kind. Overly kind. I'm correcting that mistake. You deserve nothing more than a dungeon."
The smile never left her face as she added. "You think you've won something but you haven't even begun to lose."
She turned to the girls who had successfully halved my wardrobe. "Take them out. There's nothing she can do."
My lips curled into a smooth smile as I stepped aside and let them do as they wished.
"There's nothing I can do? Wait and see?"