*Isla*

I sit on the bed in my new room, not sure what to do, grasping my bag. I look around, but I’m not sure what to do.

Why am I here?

If I touch anything else, will someone come flying out of the closet and slap me again?

Beta Seth has assured me that this is my room, and I can do whatever I want, but I am still hesitant. I can’t help but think that this is all a huge mistake.

Mrs. Worchestshire or whatever her name was had mentioned that she thought I was meant to go to the maids’ quarters, and while Beta Seth said that wasn’t right, I can’t help but think maybe someone will come and take me there soon.

If I get too comfortable in here, I will just have to go.

And this is the nicest room I’ve ever seen.

I haven’t been sitting here too long when there is a knock at the door.

I look up, and a girl with brown hair and wide hazel eyes is staring at me, just her head sticking in the door. “Hello, Miss,” she says. “May I come in?”

“Yes, of course,” I say, starting to get up.

“Oh, no, don’t get up!” she insists, flying into the room like a flurry, a small, contained tornado. “I’m Poppy, Miss Isla,” she says with a small bow of her head. “How do you do?”

I hesitate to respond because I’m not used to being addressed this way, but then I say, “I’m f-fine, thank you.”

“Good! Beta Seth sent me to take care of you. I will be your personal maid. So… what can I do to assist you, miss?” she asks standing at attention with her hands folded in front of her.

I don’t know how to respond to her because I have never had anyone bring me anything in my life, not since I was a child and needed my mother’s help. “I don’t know,” I admit to her. “Do… do you know why I’m here?” The last part is a whisper.

Poppy laughs, and it sounds a bit like a melody. “No, miss, I’m afraid not. But don’t fret. I’m sure there’s a good reason, if you don’t know. Now, let’s see…. Food is on its way from the kitchen. A meal should be arriving shortly. Is that your bag?”

I look down at the pathetic bag I’m clutching in my hands, my knuckles white, and I nod.

“May I?” she asks, extending a hand.

I don’t want to let go of it, but I do. She takes the bag from me, and looks through it.

“All right,” she says. “We have plenty of clothes in the castle. We keep them in case guests forget their bags. Or so they say.” She takes my things over to the armoire and begins to put them away. “Although, I have to say, I think it’s also in case they are robbed on their way to the castle. You know there are plenty of rogues out there. And some Alphas who can’t seem to remember who is king.” She shakes her head, and I am surprised. I didn’t know that there were any Alphas who would rise up against the Alpha King.

“At any rate, I will go and get you more clothing. You should have a regal wardrobe. I will get what I can, but we will see that you have everything that you need. Beta Seth said that you are to be treated as the finest ladies in the castle.”

My eyes bulge. “He did?”

“Yes, he did. Now, what size are you?”

I have no idea. I shake my head. “My mother makes my clothes.”

“Well, do you mind standing up?”

I manage to slide off of the bed, and she looks me up and down.

“Tiny thing, aren’t you!” Poppy proclaims.

She is rather thin herself, but she is much taller than me. My hands are trembling a bit, and I don’t know what to do with myself. I’ve only been here a few hours, and I already miss my family.

“What happened to your face?” she asked, staring at the spot where that woman hit me.

I can only shake my head. I don’t want to tell her.

“Oh! That’s why they hauled Mrs. W. out of here by her hair, isn’t it?”

“By her hair?” I ask, my eyes wide. I can hardly believe it.

“Yes! She deserved it anyway, awful witch! She treated everyone like that.” Poppy shook her head. “Well, it’s good she’s gone. Now, why don’t I go draw you a hot bath so you can soak? You’ve had a long day. Then, I’ll go get you something proper to wear, and you can eat something and lie down.”

“All right,” I mutter, even though I’m fairly certain the king himself will be in soon to tell me it’s time for me to go home—or go to the maids’ quarters.

Poppy goes into the bathroom, and soon enough I hear water running and smell roses. She comes back a moment later with a big grin on her face. “Do you need any help getting undressed?”

“No, thank you,” I say. I can’t imagine needing help with that.

Rich people are… strange.

“All right. Do you need anything else before I go?”

“No, thank you.”

She smiles at me and says, “I’ll be back soon.”

“Thank you, Poppy,” I say before she goes.

She nods and then heads for the door, and I can’t help but think that we might be friends—if I stay here.

Even if I do end up being a maid.

***

*Maddox*

“Alpha Jordan?” I say, eyeing the man across from me and wondering what he’s doing in my office when we are meant to have dinner in less than two hours. “What is it that you need?”

He looks at me and a small chuckle escapes his lips as he rubs his chin with a fist. He’s at least twenty-five years my senior, maybe more, and it’s easy to tell. His hair is gray, his face is wrinkled, and he looks worn—tired.

Will I look like that in a couple of decades?

Being an Alpha takes its toll.

Being an Alpha King is worse.

“Thank you for seeing me, Alpha Maddox,” he begins, withdrawing his hand from his mouth. “I do appreciate you letting us stay here for a few nights. Travelling all the way through the kingdom is tiresome.”

“Of course,” I say, folding my hands on my desk. He still hasn’t answered my question. I am a patient man until I am not.

He clears his throat. “I guess I should get straight to the point, then?” he says, that rumbling chuckle back.

I wait, not needing to say that he most certainly should do just that.

“A few of the Alphas have been speaking about the… conflict that is going on now. The problems we’ve been having.”

“I know all about that,” I say, not wanting to get into it right now. “What have you been discussing?”

“Well, only that… with the instability in the kingdom and the unrest, it would be best for the people if they had something to celebrate, something to… cheer them up and stay focused on that is more positive.”

I continue to look at him, my forehead wrinkled. I am trying to figure out where he is going with this, but I don’t want to attempt to guess because if it is where I think it might be… I might leap over my desk and cause bodily harm to the man.

“What are you getting at?” I finally ask him.

He shifts his weight in his chair. It creaks under the strain as if it also wants to protest whatever it is he’s about to say to me. “You need an heir.”

It is exactly what I thought he was going to say, and exactly what he should have never let come out of his mouth.

Keeping my face stoic, I glower at the man.

“I have a beautiful daughter who is a few years younger than you. She has gone through her first few heats. She is ripe for breeding. She could give you an heir, Your Majesty. It would be good for the kingdom. Zabrina would make a wonderful Luna.” He takes a deep breath as if he is satisfied that he has gotten the message out.

The air settles around us, and I lean back in my chair, remembering what Seth always tells me about thinking before I react.

The man is introducing the idea of his daughter to me in similar language to the way Alpha Ernest mentioned the girl he brought me, though there was no talk of her heats. I suppose that’s only because he had no way of knowing.

He had told me the girl was a virgin, though.

Alpha Jordan had not made any mention of that for his daughter….

I shake my head. “Alpha Jordan, I thought I had made it clear that I didn’t intend to marry again. Your daughter deserves to find her mate and—”

“She’s found him,” he says, interrupting me.

Waiting, I stare at him, anticipating he’ll tell me more.

“It was the son of a Beta from a neighboring kingdom. She met him at a ball. The mate bond was not strong, but it was there. She rejected him, and he left.” Alpha Jordan shrugs like this is of no consequence.

“But everyone knows rejecting one’s mate has consequences,” I remind him.

“I believe that the consequence was that our territory was attacked shortly thereafter, but we were victorious. Nothing else has happened. Zabrina is fine.”

“And she’s had no physical pain from the rejection?” This goes against everything I’ve ever heard.

“No, not that I’ve heard her complain of,” he says nonchalantly.

“Strange.” I have to wonder if perhaps this man wasn’t actually her mate. Losing my mate has caused me nothing but torturous heartache.

And the only way it will ever end is if the Moon Goddess grants me another mate….

“Nevertheless, I don’t intend to take another Luna, Alpha Jordan,” I tell him dismissively.

“But what about an heir?” he asks. “Our kingdom must have an heir, Alpha Maddox.”

“I am aware,” I tell him, my tone sharp. “Why don’t you let me handle that for myself, Alpha Jordan?”

His face turns a bit pink as I put him in his place, but then, he feels it is necessary to tell me, “Of course, but… know that the other Alphas are discussing the situation. There’s… chatter.”

I clear my throat and lean forward in my chair a bit, looking into his eyes. “I hope that those Alphas who are speaking against me understand that there will be consequences for traitorous behavior.”

I see his eyes widen slightly. “Oh, yes, sir. No, nothing like that. We are all loyal to you, sir. Only… concerned. That’s all.”

I nod, but I don’t trust him.

I’m not sure I trust any of them.

“Thank you, Alpha Jordan. I appreciate your concern, and I’m sure your daughter is a lovely person, but I am not looking for another Luna. Rebecca was my Luna and that’s how it will remain.”

He adjusts his tie and cannot look at me as he says, “Yes, of course, Alpha Maddox. But if you change your mind—”

“I won’t.” I stand, and he does as well. He offers his hand, and I shake it before showing him to the door.

Once he is gone, I got to the cabinet and pour myself a drink. Downing it, I refill my glass. I need to go get ready for dinner soon. I am so tired of hearing about how we need an heir, as if I don’t know that.

The whisky burns my tongue as it goes down. Maybe Alpha Ernest isn’t such a fool after all.

*Isla*

I sit on the edge of the bed for a few minutes after Poppy leaves, contemplating what to do. She’s turned the bathtub on, so I know I have to go into the bathroom eventually or else the tub will overflow.

I want to take a bath. It sounds luxurious. I can’t remember the last time I did anything like that for myself. For the last few years, everything I’ve done has been for my family.

But… the idea of taking my clothes off and soaking in the tub in this amazing room seems frightening and foolish.

All of this has to be a mistake, and when they find out about it, shouldn’t I at least be dressed?

Still, if I take a quick bath, maybe I can be in and out before Poppy returns. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about this castle it’s that it is huge.

Setting my bag down on the chest at the end of the bed, I head into the bathroom and take my clothes off, hanging my wet, dirty clothes on a hook on the door, embarrassed by my old underwear and bra that doesn’t really fit me correctly. I decide to leave the door open a crack so I can hear if Poppy comes back in.

I turn the bathtub off and notice there are hair clips on the sink, so I grab a few. I want to wash my hair, but then I plan to clip it up out of the way so I can be sure to wash well.

The moment my feet touch the warm water, I feel a soothing sensation ripple through my body. I’m not sure what Poppy put in this water, but it feels amazing. I sink into it and my whole body relaxes. Not only does it smell wonderful—like roses and lavender—but it wraps around my body like a warm blanket.

I may never get out of this tub.

Remembering I was going to try to hurry, I sink down and wash my hair, using the bottles of floral smelling shampoos and conditioners on the side of the tub, I scrub my hair and my scalp before clipping my hair up out of the way and using the body wash and a soft sponge to wash myself off. Once I’m sure I’m clean from head to toe, I sink back into the water, telling myself I’m just going to soak for a minute and then I’ll get out.

I must’ve dozed off because when I open my eyes later, the water is a bit cooler, and I realize I’d been asleep.

But then I also realize that what had woken me was the sound of the door opening in my bedroom.

I sit up quickly, remembering that I had that robe but not remembering exactly where it is. I see a pile of towels nearby.

“Poppy, is that you?” I call, praying it is just the housekeeper coming back with the clothes she’d gone to find for me.

“No.”

I get my answer when a deep, rumbling voice answers my question. I inhale sharply and hold it for a second. There is a man in my room—and I am naked.

Quickly, I get out of the tub, drying off as best I can. At least my hair is dry. I am frantic, and clearly, I am not thinking straight. I wrap the towel around myself, thanking the Moon Goddess that it’s so huge that it will wrap all the way around me and then some, and then walk out to see who he is.

I stick my head out first, and he is just standing there, his hands on his hips, near my bed.

He is gorgeous. My breath catches in my throat, and I stand there, wide-eyed, glad he’s not looking directly at me while I fight to get control of my racing heart.

He’s tall, at least six foot four, with dark brown hair and eyes that glow like emeralds. His broad shoulders are ripped beneath the white button-down shirt he’s wearing, and he looks to be nothing but lean muscle. Visions of what lies beneath his clothing come to mind, but I can’t let them linger because I am aware that I am still naked.

His eyes land on me then, and they widen slightly, as if he’s just realized he’s interrupting my bath. Since he is clearly someone important, I rush out, holding my towel tight. “I’m sorry, sir,” I say. “Poppy is getting me something acceptable to wear, but if I’m in the wrong room….

“No, no,” he says. “You’re not.” He looks me up and down, but he doesn’t let his eyes dawdle on the part of me that’s covered with the towel like some men would do.

I expect him to say more, but when he doesn’t, I just stand there for a moment before I realize. “I… have a robe.”

He nods. “Good.”

I assume that means I should get it, so I rush back into the bathroom and see where Poppy has placed it. I drop the towel and put the robe on, tying it tightly and running back out through the partially ajar door.

When I’m back in the bedroom, I still don’t know what to say to him, and he seems to be a man of few words.

“I wanted to see if you were all right,” he finally says, his voice a low rumble that makes my body tingle.

“Oh, yes. I’m well, thank you,” I say, wondering if perhaps he works for Beta Seth. Perhaps Beta Seth couldn’t come.

He nods. “I heard about Mrs. Worsthingshorethinshire striking you.”

“Yes, sir,” I say, my hand going to my face. Is he here to investigate that incident? I withdraw my hand and clench the robe closed.

“She won’t bother you again.” His hands are shoved deep into his pockets, and he seems very sure of himself.

I can’t help but feel bad about the entire situation. “Thank you,” I say, but I still feel bad for her.

He picks up on that. “Are you bothered by her being let go?”

“Oh, uh… it’s just… she was fired because of me.” My eyes are glued to the ground near his expensive leather loafers.

“No,” he corrects me. “She was fired for striking a guest in the face. That’s completely unacceptable.”

He has a point. “Yes, sir,” I say. I lift my head a bit and look him in the face, and I can’t help but notice his eyes are scrutinizing me now. I wish I knew what he was thinking. We are so far apart. I want to be closer to him. I want to breathe him in and wrap his scent around me. If I were closer, perhaps his hand might accidentally brush my skin….

“Well, I should go. I just wanted to check on you. If you need anything, I’m sure Poppy will get it for you.”

“Yes, sir,” I say. “Thank you.” I manage to smile at him, but I am not very confident, not that I doubt Poppy, but I still don’t know why I am there.

He takes a step backward, toward the door, but before he can turn to go, the door comes flying open, and Poppy bursts through. “I’m back!” she announces. “And boy have I got some beautiful outfits for you! You're never going to—Oh! Your Majesty!” Immediately she drops the dresses on a chair by the door and bows low to the ground.

Confusion washes over me as he shakes his head and turns to walk out. “You can get up, Poppy,” he says as she lifts her head.

“You know my name?” Poppy asks.

“Yes, of course I know your name, Poppy. Everyone knows your name.” He opens the door to walk out.

She says, “Thank you, Alpha King Maddox.”

And the world starts to go black as I feel like I’m going to pass out.

***

*Maddox*

I need air.

I need to think.

I need to get away from… that woman.

It’s a good thing that Poppy came into the room when she did, or else… I’m not sure what might’ve happened, but it might’ve gotten heated very quickly.

I walk down the hallway the short distance to my own rooms, dragging my hand down my face as I go. I know I shouldn’t have even stopped there on my way to my room to get ready for my dinner with the visiting Alpha, but curiosity got the better of me.

The urge to see her for myself overwhelmed me, so I made a stop.

Part of me is very glad that I did, but the other part of me wishes that I had just let it be….

I had no idea she was going to be in the bathtub when I walked in.

Then, she’d scurried out, dripping wet, her pale skin glistening with water droplets, the scent of rosewater enticing me to step closer.

Her hair, golden curls, pulled up on top of her head in the back, were damp and not secured all the way. Ringlets framed her beautiful face as she stood there, wide-eyed, her sapphire eyes staring at me, trying to determine what I was doing there.

Her luscious lips, slightly parted, were so plump and perfect, I could imagine what they must taste like. I wanted to step across the room and take her bottom lip between my teeth. I could have lifted her tiny body up onto the bed, the towel sliding onto the floor as my hands wandered all over her body.

She had no idea that when she went into the bathroom to put on that robe she’d left the door slightly ajar, and in the mirror, I’d seen her perfect backside reflected in the mirror, the curve of her breast, her erect nipple….

I pulled the door open to my room, my erection straining against my pants and headed straight for my

shower, turning the water to cold. I knew I’d be thinking about the girl, Isla, all through dinner.

If the Alpha’s daughter, whatever the f*ck her name was, threw herself at me again, I might have to take her up on the offer only to get rid of the enormous hard on I’ve got growing in my pants just thinking about her.

I’ve got to get her off of my mind.

Undressing, I jump into the shower and let the cold water wash away the stiffness in my groin. I try to think about the work I need to do, the conversations that need to be had with Alpha Jordan and others. If I think about work, maybe I won’t think about the girl.

I should be used to not thinking about women I don’t want to think about.

Flashes of Rebecca’s beautiful face flicker before my eyes, and I push them away as I have been doing for years.

Ever since that fateful night.

Since then, I’ve been with lots of women, mostly to drown the pain of losing her, but none of them have meant a thing to me. I definitely haven’t had any issues with getting them off of my mind.

Isla’s bright blue eyes come to mind, and I have to wonder if she just might be different.

I turn the water so that it’s a tad colder and stand beneath it a bit longer before I finally get out and get dressed for dinner.

When I’m dressed in a suit with a jade green tie that’s nearly the color of my eyes, my hair is styled, and I’m ready to go, I take a moment to stand in front of the mirror and wonder why I even have these formal dinners.

“Why can’t we just retire these dinners and make them a thing of the past?” I ask myself aloud. I hate them so much….

But visitors to the castle like them, so we continue to have them.

And we, theoretically, get a lot of work done at them….

A knock at the door alerts me that Seth is there to collect me. I grumble a bit before I say, “Yeah,” and he sticks his head in.

“Ready?” he calls.

“No,” I say.

He looks around my room. “Why don’t you ever turn on a lamp?” he asks.

Rather than answering the question, I reply, “Why don’t you ever mind your own business?” and walk to the door.

We head down the hall together, past Isla’s room, and I take a deep breath as we go.

I smell rosewater, and my pants begin to tighten.

It seems I can’t do anything to escape the allure of the woman, no matter what I do. I will just have to keep my mind on something else.

In the dining room, most of the guests are waiting for us to arrive so that we can be seated. It is my duty to be the last to get there.

Before we take our seats, Alpha Jordan comes over, two women accompanied him.

“Alpha Maddox, you remember my wife, Luna Elaine?”

“Yes, of course.” I force a smile at the older brunette on his left arm. “Good evening,” I say to her.

“Good evening, Your Majesty,” she says to me. “Thank you for inviting us.”

I nod, and since Seth is standing right next to me, I manage to say, “Thank you for coming.”

“And this is our daughter, Zabrina.” He turns and gestures to a young woman on his right.

The blonde who steps forward is tall and thin, with far too much makeup on. Her bright purple dress is very sparkly, and she has on large earrings that match. When she smiles and bats her eyelashes, I feel like I must be looking at the fakest, most spoiled Alpha’s daughter in all the land.

“Hello,” I say as she offers me her hand, but not to shake… to kiss.

“Hello, Your Majesty,” she says as I stare at the back of her fingers.

I do not feel like pressing her hand to my lips, but an image of Isla’s mouth comes to mind. That… I’d like to press to my lips…. I take Zabrina’s thin hand and twist it, giving it a good shake before I let it go. Her eyes widen as she is shocked at my behavior, but I am the king, and I’ll do as I wish.

“Shall we be seated?” Seth says, stifling a laugh.

“Yes, let’s do.” I walk to my seat, and everyone else does as well. I wait for everyone else, and we pull our chairs out and sit down.

I am ready to get this dinner over with. Unfortunately, there will just be another one tomorrow.

*Isla*

“Miss Isla? Miss Isla, are you all right?”

The sound of Poppy’s voice has my eyes flying open, and I realize I haven’t quite blacked out, but I have come close. I blink a few times and note she has her arms around me, and I have one arm on the bed. “I’m fine,” I tell her, blinking my eyes as I try to clear my head. “I’m fine.” I try to push myself up onto the mattress but find myself floundering, unable to get my limbs to cooperate.

“Here, lie down for a moment. I’ll get you some water.” She begins to lift me up onto the bed, which is so tall, it’s nearly waist-high on me.

“I can manage,” I assure her, and she lets me go. Somehow, I manage to climb up onto the bed, and Poppy heads into the bathroom, muttering under her breath that it’s taking far too long for them to bring my food.

I sit there for a moment, staring at the door that King Maddox has just left through. My cheeks heat just thinking about him.

That was the king!

I feel like such a fool. I should’ve known that it was the king I was speaking to, but then, I’ve never seen him before.

How was I supposed to know?

“Here you go, sweetie,” she says, handing me the glass. I take it and sip it, but I’m still in shock. I barely get out a thanks. I hold the glass to my lips for a few minutes, willing the water to go down. “How long was he in here?” she asks me.

“Not long,” I tell her. “Just a few moments.” I set the glass aside and force some deep breaths down my throat.

I need to get a grip on this situation. Of course, I would mee the king eventually. I am just shocked that he was able to come in here and speak to me without me even realizing that it was him.

“What were you talking about? Not that it’s my business.” Poppy gives me a small smile, and I feel like I need to tell her everything.

But I don’t know what to say so I just tell her, “Nothing. He just wanted to make sure that I was okay, after that woman hit me.” I still couldn’t believe the king himself would come by to check on me—a lowly servant. I figure I would see him from afar, as obviously Poppy has at some point. But to have him in my chambers? Up close and personal? That seems impossible to believe.

“That was awfully kind of him,” Poppy says. She goes back to the pile of clothing and begins to straighten it up. Some of it fell on the floor when she saw the king and dropped to her knees. Maybe I was supposed to do the same. Should I have immediately dropped to the floor? That would’ve been difficult in the little I am wearing. Did I even bow my head? I don’t even remember.

A knock at the far door interrupts Poppy, and she goes out to it, leaving me along with my thoughts for a moment. The king just saw me wearing only a towel with my hair up and a bare face. I’m sure he wouldn’t expect anything more of a servant, but still… it’s embarrassing. I can only imagine what he must be thinking of me. He probably thought I looked hideous. I’m sure I won’t ever see him again, not after that.

“Here you go—finally!” Poppy says, setting down a plate with some dinner on it. I can’t see what it is, but it smells good. “Come and eat, sweetie, while I figure out what you should put on. I doubt you’ll have any more visitors tonight, but one never knows.”

I am starving. I can’t remember the last time I ate a full meal, so even though I feel a bit odd eating in front of her, I get down off of the bed and go over to eat.

It’s chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy and a roll. To drink, there’s a small bottle of champagne.

“This is for me?” I ask her. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” she says. “That’s what they’re having at dinner. They just fixed a plate for you.”

I stare at her for a moment, flabbergasted. Servants at the castle eat really, really well. I sit down and begin to eat, trying to control myself. I didn’t even see the chocolate cake at first. I can’t believe all of this food is for me.

Poppy finishes hanging up the clothes, and as she does so, she talks about King Maddox. “He’s so handsome. He has women from all over the kingdom throwing themselves at him all of the time, of course. And he doesn’t like it. You know, he’s sworn never to take another Luna.”

“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard,” I say.

“Luna Rebecca was the love of his life, his true mate. He loved her so much. Some people say they’ve never seen anyone so much in love with their mate. He’s even said that if the Moon Goddess gives him another mate, he would reject her. That’s what I’ve heard anyway. It’s not like I converse much with him.”

I don’t have much to say to that. He did say he knew who she was, after all. I only smile at her and keep eating, trying to remember to chew and not scarf it down.

“But… he is lonely and sad, I think, and he’s too young for all that. I hope, one day, he meets a beautiful young woman who will make him forget all of his sadness.” She smiles at me with a twinkle in her eye, and I think she’s trying to imply something, but I don’t know what it might be.

I am nearly finished eating now. I haven’t drank the champagne because I don’t really drink alcohol, and I’m so lightheaded from nearly fainting, it’s probably not a good idea. I take a few bites of my cake and say, “Well, I hope he finds someone. He seems like a nice man.”

She chuckles. “Yes, I hope you do.”

I look up at her, not understanding what she means. The way she said that implies that I may have had an ulterior motive in what I said, and I most certainly do not. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… it’s only natural that someone in your position would want him to find… someone to make him happy. I think you should put this on when you’re done.” She smiles and sets out a pajama set for me on the bed. I have no idea what time it is, but if the king is eating dinner, maybe it is time to get ready for bed. I think those dinners usually start late.

I finish eating and take another sip of my water before I ask, “What do you mean, someone in my position?” I get up and walk over to the bed where she has laid the pajamas as she goes to the table to get the tray I’m finished with ready to set out for the other servants to pick up.

The pajamas are very nice. I have no idea what’s happening or why I am here, but I still think there’s been some sort of a mistake.

Poppy gathers up the tray and opens the door as she says. “You know, someone in your position. Someone like you will obviously grow attached to him. I know I would.” She makes a face at me, wide-eyed, and smiles before she goes out.

I am lost and wait for her to come back in. “Attached to him?” I ask as she reenters the room.

“Of course. Or… is this not your first time doing this sort of thing? Forgive me. I didn’t know. I just assumed….”

“What sort of thing?” I ask. She must know more about why I’m here than I do. Sitting up straighter on the bed, I ask, “Poppy, do you know why I’m here—what my job at the castle is?”

“Why, of course, I do,” she says with a shrug. “Everyone does!”

“Everyone does?” I ask. Apparently, everyone does but me.

“Yes, of course! It’s been the talk of the entire staff since your arrival. I have to say, there are quite a few women who are jealous of you! If I’m completely honest, I’m one of them.” She laughs and covers her mouth. “I hope that doesn’t offend you. I’m sure it’s not as easy a job as everyone thinks.”

I am still quite confused, so I look her in the eye and finally ask “And what is that exactly? What job is it that I’ll be doing?” I ask her.

She scoffs and says, “You just want to hear me say it, dear? Fine! I don’t mind. Everyone knows it. You’re the Alpha king’s breeder.”