Claimed By The Rival Alpha

Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Selena

It’s been a week. I had survived an entire week in Blackbourne pack pretending to be someone else.

Some days, it almost felt believable. Other days, I feared everyone could somehow see through me.

The servants had slowly gotten used to my presence. Most of them were surprisingly kind despite my terrible cleaning skills and constant mistakes. They corrected me patiently whenever I mixed supplies or scrubbed things wrongly.

Others, however, seemed to enjoy making my life miserable, especially Thorin.

"I swear this girl has never held a cloth before," he mocked loudly while leaning against the kitchen counter.

The servants nearby snickered while I continued scrubbing the surface silently.

"Maybe she was raised by goats," his friend added.

More laughter followed, making my grip tightened around the wet rag.

Thorin irritated me beyond words. He constantly boasted about how he was supposedly born a Beta before "misfortune ruined his life." No one believed him. Not even Marqee.

"You smell too poor to be a Beta," one servant had once told him.

Unfortunately, that only made him more annoying. Now he stood behind me again while I cleaned the kitchen counters after supper preparations.

"You missed a spot," he said smugly.

"I didn’t."

"You did."

"I didn’t." frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

His friend leaned closer dramatically. "Careful, Thorin. She might attack you with the cloth."

The urge to slam his face into the counter nearly overwhelmed me. My wolf stirred aggressively beneath my skin.

It would have been so easy to end his life. One knife with one slash across his throat and I’m done.

The thought startled me slightly. Living among servants was apparently terrible for my patience.

I forced myself to breathe slowly instead. I could not expose myself by doing anything stupid. My safety depended entirely on keeping my identity hidden.

Even Kael’s protection would become complicated if the castle discovered an Alpha princess worked among their servants.

Before Thorin could continue, two of the headmistress’ enforcers entered the kitchen and Instant silence followed.

Thorin immediately grabbed a bucket and pretended to work.

What a coward!

Marqee moved beside me moments later. "Ignore him," she whispered softly.

"I’m trying."

"He enjoys getting reactions."

"I noticed." I said and she offered me a sympathetic smile.

Marqee always tried making me feel better after incidents like this. But the truth was... Thorin did not truly matter to me. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Not compared to the thoughts constantly consuming my mind now. The thoughts of revolution, thoughts of freedom and resistance.

Ever since the Lost Sisters’ Lament night, the idea refused to leave me alone. The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became.

Someone had to fight back eventually. Why not me?

Father once told me stories about the creation of Nightbane pack when I was younger. Back then, our ancestors served another dominant pack as laborers and hunters.

Slaves in everything but name until the first Alpha of Nightbane rose against them. He created rebellion, awareness and conviction.

I remembered Father explaining it proudly. "If you want people to rise," he had once told me, "you must first make them believe they deserve better."

The memory hurts now because somehow, the same man who admired rebellion against oppression had willingly bowed to vampires.

But his lesson remained useful. If I wanted change—I needed people first.

That evening, after work finally ended, I quietly visited a few servant chambers downstairs.

Several younger maids immediately stiffened nervously when I entered. "Did you do it?" I asked softly.

One girl glanced anxiously toward the hallway before nodding. "We spread the word."

"And?"

Another servant bit her lip. "Most people laughed at us."

"Some told us to leave," another admitted quietly.

I nodded slowly as doubts were expected. Fear had ruled the werewolf realm too long already to the point that people do not believe anymore that vampires could be defeated.

"That’s alright," I assured them. "Some will come."

The girls exchanged uncertain glances.

One finally whispered, "Do you really mean to fight vampires?"

"Yes."

The answer surprised even me with how certain it sounded.

They stared at me like I had lost my mind. Perhaps I had but I no longer cared.

Later,Marqee returned looking exhausted. The moment she entered our chamber, she pointed accusingly at me. "You’re serious about this."

"Yes."

"You truly want to start a rebellion."

"Yes."

Marqee dropped onto her bed dramatically. "Selena, the vampires are monsters."

"So are rogues," I argued. "Yet wolves still fight them."

"That’s different."

"How?"

"Because vampires always win."

I moved closer. "Only because everyone already believes they will."

She stared at me uncertainly. "You sound insane sometimes."

"My father used to tell me stories about rebellion," I murmured quietly. "Every powerful pack began because someone fought against something stronger."

Marqee shook her head slowly. "You really believe this can work?"

"I believe living like prey cannot continue forever."

Silence stretched briefly then finally I added softly, "Come to the meeting tonight."

She looked unconvinced.

"Just come," I urged. "Maybe then you’ll understand."

Marqee sighed heavily."Fine."

Relief washed through me instantly. At least I would not stand alone completely.

Later that afternoon, while carrying linens through the upper hallways, I spotted Beta Bastien speaking with several warriors near the stairwell.

But Kael was absent this time and a strange ache settled inside me at the realization.

It’s been entirely five days and I have not seen him. It’s quite ridiculous that worry quietly gnawed at me when I should have been relieved.

Where was he? Had he left the territory? Was he hurt? Busy? Ignoring me intentionally? Different thoughts kept running through my head.

I almost approached Beta Bastien to ask before stopping myself. That would look suspicious to every servant around.

And judging by Beta Bastien’s sharp eyes, he probably won’t give me a nice response so I kept walking instead.

Night eventually settled over Blackbourne. One by one, candles disappeared throughout servant quarters until silence slowly overtook the castle.

Then finally— "It’s time," I whispered.

Marqee looked nervous immediately."This is a terrible idea."

"Too late now."

We quietly slipped from our chamber and moved carefully through the dim hallways. Every small sound made my heart pound harder.

The old storeroom sat dangerously close to the headmistress’ chamber, making it the last place anyone would expect secret gatherings. At least, that had been my logic.

As we approached, faint noises echoed through the corridor. It was voices and my heart leaped in joy instantly.

People really came. The thought of it made excitement surge through me.

I knew it. I knew wolves would listen if given the chance— Then another sound reached us. It was a moan.

Marqee froze beside me."What was that?"

The answer came quickly as we heard the skin smacking against skin echoed loudly from inside the storeroom followed by another breathless gasp.

I stared blankly hoping it’s not what I’m thinking. "No..."

Marqee slowly pushed the door open.

And there, tangled together against old storage sacks in the corner of the room, was a half naked man and woman very aggressively proving they had absolutely no interest in revolution.