Selena

It turned out Marqee was right. A no-wage punishment was not some simple warning given by the headmistress to scare servants into obedience. It was a punishment that reminded you exactly where you stood in the hierarchy and I hated it.

I discovered it this very morning when I walked into the dining area, confidently reaching into the small pouch I had always kept hidden beneath my clothes.

Only to find almost nothing inside. I frowned as I counted the few coins left.

Just two remaining and that was all. I stared at them for several seconds like they had personally betrayed me.

"How much did you think you had left?" Marqee asked from beside me, already laughing.

I looked at her. "This is not funny."

"It is a little funny," she admitted, covering her mouth as she tried not to laugh harder. "You walked in here like an Alpha’s daughter ready to buy whatever you wanted."

I rolled my eyes. "I’m very hungry."

"You are always hungry."

"Because the food here is terrible." She laughed again, shaking her head.

I hated admitting it, but she was right. Before, I never thought twice about food. I had always had meals prepared for me. I had never needed to worry about whether I had enough coins to buy something extra.

But now? I was just another servant without the Alpha title to my name.

There’s no privilege, no name and no power.

I sighed as I looked at her plate and Marqee immediately noticed. "Selena..."

"What?"

"You are not about to steal my breakfast are you?" She asked, obviously making fun of my hunger.

"I am not stealing."

"You are staring at it like you are planning an attack." I gave her a look before taking a piece of bread from her plate.

She laughed. "You are unbelievable."

"I am just hungry."

"You know, most people would be embarrassed to eat from mine." Marqee said, still laughing.

"I am not most people." I shamelessly said with a roll of my eyes.

"That much is obvious." She said, I ignored her teasing and ate quietly for a while.

My mind, however, was already somewhere else. I was already thinking about the revolution.

The idea had not left my mind since everything happened. Since I discovered how many people lived in fear of the vampires.

Since I realized even powerful Alphas were willing to sacrifice their own children just to keep peace with creatures that treated us like livestock.

I couldn’t let it continue anymore. "I want to start the revolution again."

Marqee stopped eating as her expression changed immediately.

"Selena..." She tried saying but I cut her off immediately.

"I mean it."

She looked around before lowering her voice. "You still want to do this after everything that happened?"

I looked at her. "Whatever happened changed nothing."

"It changed everything," she argued. "You were almost killed by Grengy for whatever reason he had. Do you really think you can secretly create some rebellion under the Alpha’s roof without getting caught?"

"I am not trying to go against the Alpha."

"That does not mean the Alpha will see it that way. I don’t want you beheaded!"

I stayed silent because a part of me knew she was right. But that did not mean I could ignore what was happening outside those castle walls.

"I don’t need you to join me fully," I finally said.

Marqee looked surprised. "What?"

"I know you are afraid. I understand. But I just need small things from you."

"Like what?"

"Keeping watch. Helping me send messages. Covering for me when I need to leave and also helping me do some of my chores."

Her expression became uncomfortable. "Selena..."

"I am not asking you to stand in front of a vampire army."

"That is not the point."

"Then what is?"

She sighed. "The point is that eventually someone will notice. Maybe not the headmistress. Maybe not today. But someone will."

I looked away as Marqee continued softly. "The Alpha will find out eventually."

Those words bothered me more than I wanted to admit because unlike everyone else, I knew exactly what kind of person Alpha Kael was.

But I pushed the thought away. "I will handle it."

Marqee studied me for a moment then she sighed. "You really are stubborn."

"I know."

"And impossible as well."

"I know that too." She shook her head, but she stopped arguing.

That alone told me she had accepted that I would continue whether she agreed or not.

Later that day, Sally approached me. I immediately noticed the way she looked around before speaking.

"What?" I asked her.

She crossed her arms before saying. "I have been thinking."

"That sounds dangerous."

She ignored my comment and continued. "If you actually manage to create this group... What is your first move?"

I paused as that was a question I had not truly answered. "I want people to understand."

"Understand what?"

"That this is wrong. The vampires controlling us are very wrong. Sacrificing our people to the vampires is wrong! We need to end the fear."

Sally stared at me long before saying, "That is not a plan."

"It is the beginning of one."I said with a shrug of my shoulders.

She sighed. "Selena, if you want people to follow you, you need more than words."

"I know." I quickly said.

"You need a place where people can meet and it must be somewhere safe."

She was right. I had been so focused on gathering people that I had not considered where everything would happen. That store room before had been a bad idea and it can’t be used again for the revolution.

"We need to secure somewhere safe," I said.

She raised a brow and asked. "Do you have any idea of a good place?"

I hesitated because immediately, my mind went to the hidden training area Alpha Kael had shown me.

The underground armory, the secret place beyond the castle and it was perfect but I did not know if I could use it without his permission.

"I might have a place in mind." I said hesitantly, knowing it might be a bad idea.

Sally studied my face. "You are hiding something."

"I am just thinking... Sally!"

"You are usually good at hiding things." She said with a roll of her eyes.

I ignored her but she suddenly brought a suggestion. "What about outside the castle? I know someone who might help us find a cottage."

"No." I immediately went against it as it wasn’t a good idea.

She frowned. "Why reject it that way?"

"Because it’s too obvious. A cottage would sell us out."

"Really?" She asked, still not getting it.

"Yes. People will notice strangers coming and going."

She considered that before asking, "So what do you suggest we do?"

"We need somewhere ordinary." I said. "Somewhere people would never think to look."

We ended up not coming to a conclusion as instead, I focused on the first step of finding people, convincing them and making them see what I saw.

Marqee noticed my closeness with Sally and I could tell she was uncomfortable, but my attention was somewhere else.

Especially when I saw a certain couple leaving the storage room. The same couple I and Marqee had accidentally walked in on weeks ago having sex at the storage room.

I watched them leave together then I followed and saw them enter a small abandoned room.

I pushed the door open and both of them immediately looked shocked. "You again?" the male servant asked.

"Yes, it’s me."

The female servant sighed. "Please tell me you are not here to talk about your rebellion again."

"I am."

They exchanged a look. "We already told you we are not interested."

I leaned against the wall. "You know Alpha William’s daughter disappeared, right?"

Their expressions changed because everyone had already heard the rumors.

"She was supposed to be given to the vampires," I continued. "Just imagine that. Imagine being born into power, being the daughter of one of the strongest Alphas in the realm and having everything."

I looked between them. "And still being so afraid of the vampires that you run away from home."

Their faces slowly changed as I continued. "That is the kind of fear we live with."

I stepped closer. "If someone like her can be trapped by them, what chance do ordinary people have?"

Neither spoke. "I am not asking you to fight today. I am asking you to think and make the right decision." With that, I left them to continue.

For the next two days, I continued speaking to servants... Some listened, some laughed, some walked away and even some of Grengy’s friends ignored me.

But I refused to stop because change did not happen because everyone agreed immediately... It happened because someone refused to remain silent.

On the night of the second day, I made my way toward the underground armory.

I wanted to see the hidden training area again. I needed to know if it could work for us.

The stairs were dark and narrow. I was halfway down when I suddenly collided with someone and I lost my balance.

A hand suddenly grabbed me by the waist before I fell and the moment I had an intent look, I discovered it’s Alpha Kael.

My body pressed against his as he held me steady. For a moment, neither of us moved as we continued staring into each other’s faces.