Helen's POV
My heart stopped, and I forgot to breathe. I never thought their scent would linger so strongly, but then I remembered the silk ribbon Caleb gave me. It was tied high on my thigh, tucked against my skin. It was soaking in my heat, radiating the scent of the Alphas.
"Answer me, bitch!" Kevin roared. He struck me across the face, a sharp blow that sent stars dancing in my eyes. He pressed his weight into me, crushing me against the stone wall.
The Alphas..." I gasped out, my voice trembling. "The Head Housekeeper made me scrub their floors this morning! I was in their private quarters for hours. I must have picked up the scent from their bedsheets and their rugs. I was cleaning their mess!"
Kevin paused. His lip curled in a mixture of disgust and belief. His arrogance was my only weapon. He couldn't imagine that the crown princes would actually touch someone like me. He thought I was just a janitor in their world.
"Clean their mess, then," Kevin spat, finally shoving me away. "But don't you ever lie to me. If I find out you're sniffing around them to get back at me, I'll have you whipped in the square."
I nodded profusely, thinking it was all over but he didn't leave. Again he moved closer, pinning me against the stone wall.
In a flash of movement, his hand traveled down my leg. He gripped the edge of my servant's gown, ready to flip it up.
"What are you doing!?" I screeched, kicking at his shins and pulling my dress down. If he saw the ribbon, the Twins would be executed for treason. I had to protect them.
"Scream all you want," Kevin laughed, his voice devious. "No one listens to an Omega."
"You rejected me for another. Does Serafina know you're frolicking with me?" I tried to corner him, but a loud slap met my face.
"How dare you threaten me?" He growled.
"You may not be my mate anymore, but you are still mine to ravage." His eyes burned with lust, and before I could scream, his mouth crashed onto mine. It wasn't a kiss; it was an assault. He bit my lip aggressively, his hands gripping my waist so hard I knew there would be bruises. I thrashed against him, punching his chest, but he was a wall of muscle.
I couldn't break free from him. He only let me go when he was done with me.
He pushed me out of his chest and I landed on the ground.
He didn't leave immediately. His eyes roved over my curves one last time, full of a lingering, sick desire, before he turned and walked out.
As I tried to gather myself, heavy breaths escaped my lips at intervals. What a twisted one he is? He rejected me but want me on his bed. He will never have me!
Slowly, I rose up and slumped against the wall. My hands were shaking so hard I had to hide them in my apron.
I heaved a sigh of relief, but the fear didn't leave me. I had to get out of the laundry and spread the clothes I had washed.
I grabbed the crate of wet clothes with trembling hands and hurried toward the courtyard, my legs feeling like lead.
Caleb's POV
The stone balcony felt like a cage. I stood perfectly still, my hands clasped behind my back, looking every bit like the crown prince my father expected me to be.
To my left, Alpha Marcus was talking about pack borders and trade routes with the council elders. His voice was a steady drone, full of the cold logic that had ruled our lives since we were pups. I didn't hear a word he said. My entire being was focused on the courtyard below.
Helen was there. She was carrying a heavy crate of wet linens toward the drying racks. She moved with a slight limp, a reminder of the bruises Cassian had described to me in our shared mind earlier that morning.
My heart twisted. Every step she took seemed to require an effort that a girl her age shouldn't have to give.
Suddenly, a group of pack children, led by a cruel boy who looked far too much like Kevin, ran into the courtyard. They weren't playing. They were picking up loose stones from the walkway.
"Look at the human!" the boy shouted, his face twisted in a mocking grin. "The one the moon spit out!"
A stone flew through the air, hitting Helen square in the shoulder. She gasped, the heavy crate slipping from her hands and crashing to the muddy ground.
The wet laundry spilled everywhere. Another stone followed, catching her near the temple. A thin line of red began to trickled down her face.
Inside me, my wolf roared. It was a sound of pure, unadulterated fury. The beast wanted to leap over the railing, shift mid-air, and tear the throat out of anyone who dared to touch our mate. I felt my claws prickling at my fingertips, and my vision began to haze with a red tint. My muscles coiled, ready to spring.
"Stay down, Caleb," Cassian's voice echoed in my head. He was standing on the other side of the balcony, his face just as frozen as mine.
"If you move now, Father will see. If you protect her in public, she dies. Do you want to be the reason she's executed?"
I gritted my teeth so hard I thought they might shatter. I forced my hands to remain still. I had to watch as the children laughed and threw more rocks. I had to watch as Helen knelt in the mud, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs as she tried to gather the dirty laundry.
She looked up once, her eyes scanning the balcony. For a second, her gaze met mine. I didn't blink. I didn't wave. I kept my expression as cold as a winter grave. I saw the light die in her eyes, replaced by a look of utter abandonment.