Selena

I sighed heavily as I stood outside the main armoury, shifting my weight from one aching foot to the other. "How long had I been waiting?"

The evening had already slipped well. Every passing minute meant less time in the kitchens, and less time in the kitchens meant fewer chances to impress the headmaid... and possibly fewer wages if anyone decided I had been neglecting my duties.

I blew out another breath.

"Excuse me," I finally said to one of the guards stationed outside the armoury. "Do you happen to know when Tracker Kieren intends to arrive?"

The guard glanced at me. "He’ll come."

"That’s not exactly reassuring." I said.

He shrugged. "Tracker Kieren isn’t the sort to answer to anyone’s clock."

I frowned. "My work shift has already started."

Before the guard could answer, the steady tap... tap... tap... of wood against stone echoed down the corridor as both of us turned.

Tracker Kieren rounded the corner, walking with the aid of a sturdy stick. White linen still wrapped parts of his torso and shoulder from injuries he had sustained weeks ago. His pace wasn’t fast, but it was steady.

When he reached us, he looked me over from head to toe. "So you’re the maid."

I bowed politely. "Yes."

"The one Alpha Kael ordered me to train."

"Yes." I said again.

He scratched his jaw thoughtfully. "I still don’t understand why the Alpha wants a castle maid trained in combat."

He shook his head. "But I’m hardly in a position to question his orders."

He motioned toward the training field behind the armoury. "Come." He said and I followed him silently.

The training yard was almost empty at this hour. A few warriors practiced sword drills farther away while others repaired damaged shields.

Kieren stopped in the middle of the clearing. "We begin with questions."

I nodded for him to begin.

"Have you ever received combat training?"

My heart skipped because my Father had trained me since childhood. Swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat and pack formations.

If I answered honestly, everything would fall apart so I lowered my eyes. "No."

"Hm... Ever held a weapon?"

"A kitchen knife."I said with a shrug.

He snorted. "That hardly counts." He continued. "Any injuries? Bad knees? Weak wrists? Trouble breathing? Fear of blood?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Afraid of heights?"

"No."

"Afraid of getting hit?"

I almost smiled. "If I were, I wouldn’t be standing here."

That earned the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Good answer."

He walked toward several wooden crates stacked near the armoury wall. "Lifting strength first."

He pointed at one of the heavier boxes. "Carry that across the yard."

I stared at it. It wasn’t particularly heavy for an Alpha female but for a normal servant... It would be difficult.

I bent down, deliberately pretending to struggle before finally lifting it with both arms.

Every instinct screamed at me to carry it naturally. Instead, I staggered slightly as Kieren watched every movement.

When I reached the other side, I carefully lowered it, pretending to catch my breath.

He nodded. "Average."

Relief washed through me as it’s a Good thing he hadn’t noticed.

"Again." He said and this time he handed me an even larger crate.

I repeated the performance with just enough effort, never enough to expose who I truly was.

For nearly half an hour he tested my strength in different ways. Lifting sacks, dragging logs and carrying stones.

Every single task required careful acting. If I’m too weak, he would think I was hopeless. If I’m too strong, questions would begin.

By the end, he folded his arms. "You’ve got decent endurance and we’ll improve it."

He led me toward the weapon racks. Rows of polished swords gleamed beneath the afternoon light.

There were Spears, Axes, Maces, Daggers, Wooden staffs and Training blades.

He picked up a sword. "Take it."

I accepted it and it felt wonderfully familiar. Almost like greeting an old friend.

’Don’t grip it properly.’ I inwardly warned myself as I deliberately held it awkwardly.

Kieren sighed. "No."

He adjusted my hands. "Like this."

"Sorry." I apologized.

He demonstrated a basic stance. "Copy me."

Again, I purposely looked clumsy though not too clumsy. Just inexperienced enough.

He corrected my feet, then my shoulders, then my elbows and then my grip again.

"Hm, You learn quickly." He said.

I forced an embarrassed smile. "I watch the warriors sometimes. I guess watching does help."

He handed me a spear next. "Try it."

I did with an axe, then a dagger and then another sword. Every weapon received the same verdict.

"No, not balanced. No, it’s too stiff." Finally he tossed everything aside. "We’ll forget weapons for now."

I blinked. "Why?"

"You don’t have enough body control yet." He pointed toward the edge of the training ground. "Run."

I obeyed as he screamed from behind, "Faster."

I increased my pace. "Again!!!"

I went lap after lap around the yard, past the armoury, past the barracks then back again.

By the tenth lap, sweat rolled down my temples. By the fifteenth, my breathing became heavier.

Then he handed me a thick bundle of chopped wood. "Carry this while running."

I stared at him. "You can’t be serious."

"I am." He said with a small smirk.

I lifted the bundle and it wasn’t that difficult but again, I had to pretend as I jogged slowly.

He frowned. "Faster."

"I’ll drop them." I yelled out at him.

"Then don’t." He said and I bit back a groan and continued.

The next exercise was worse. A large rock had been secured to a thick rope and he tied the rope around my waist.

"Pull." He ordered and my eyes widened.

"You’re joking, right? Because I’m definitely going to die!"

"No, you won’t."

"I really might." I said again but he simply stared as I sighed dramatically.

Then I leaned forward and began dragging the massive stone across the training yard.

Every step demanded careful restraint. I could pull it far more easily than I allowed myself.

Still...Even pretending became exhausting after a while as my muscles genuinely began to ache.

Hours passed as the warriors around us changed shifts.

At last he struck the ground with his stick. "Enough."

I nearly collapsed where I stood as my entire body throbbed. Even being born an Alpha couldn’t erase the exhaustion of nonstop drills.

He studied me for another long moment. "You didn’t quit."

"I sincerely considered it." I said, almost rolling my eyes.

"I know, but you didn’t." He nodded once before adding. "Return tomorrow at the same time."

I managed a tired nod. "Thank you."

As I slowly left the training yard, every muscle protested as walking suddenly felt like another exercise.

Halfway back toward the servants’ quarters, someone called my name. "Selena!"

I looked up. "Niamh."

She hurried toward me. "There you are! You missed the meeting."

My heart sank as I had completely forgotten about the meeting. "I’m sorry."

"We waited."

"I lost track of time." I managed to say;

She looked me over. "What happened to you?" She asked but I simply shrugged without saying a word.

She stared for another moment before shaking her head. "What do we do about the meeting?"

Despite every part of me screaming for sleep, I straightened. "Gather everyone again."

She blinked. "Again? They’re already annoyed you stood them up." Niamh says.

"If they’re truly committed to this cause, one delay won’t send them running." I stated the fact.

She hesitated before nodding. "I’ll tell them."

"Thank you." I said as she hurried away and I continued walking until another familiar face appeared. It was Sera.

The headmaid’s assistant smiled warmly the moment she recognized me."You don’t look well."

I laughed weakly. "I feel worse."

"Too much work?" She asked.

"You could say that." I said with a small smile.

She looked genuinely concerned. "You should rest more."

"I wish I could." Instead of dwelling on myself, I gently shifted the conversation. "How is the headmaid?"

Sera sighed softly as I continued. "I can’t imagine... I can’t imagine the pain she carries every day."

I lowered my voice. "After losing her daughter...I hate what the vampires have done to our people."

"So do I." Sera said with a deep frown as she added. "I wish someone could stop them." Sera looked away toward one of the castle windows.

"So do I." I added.

After several seconds she spoke again. "I sometimes wish the Alphas were brave enough to stand together."

I froze. "What do you mean?"

"They’re stronger than us." She shrugged sadly. "If they united, perhaps things would change."

Then bitterness entered her voice. "Instead..." She shook her head. "Alpha William had every opportunity."

The mention of my father made my heartbeat stumble.

"He could have inspired everyone." Her eyes hardened. "But he chose the opposite."

I forced myself to remain calm as I asked. "What makes you think that?"

She looked almost surprised. "Doesn’t everyone know? It suits Alpha William well that his daughter disappeared."

My stomach tightened as she added. "I sincerely hope he never finds her."

Those words struck harder than I expected. She hates my father so much... It wasn’t even a dislike.

For a brief moment I couldn’t breathe. Was this truly how people saw my father? As someone whose own daughter was better off never returning?

Across the courtyard, I spotted two members of our group quietly heading toward the meeting place.

I couldn’t stay here much longer so I forced a smile. "I should go."

Sera nodded before speaking again. "I hope someone eventually does what Alpha William never would."

She looked toward the distant mountains. "Someone willing to carry that burden."

I followed her gaze before adding. "I hope so too."

As I walked away, dizziness settled over me and from everything I had just heard, it worsened.

I had never truly considered the Alpha everyone else believed he had become.

And for the first time, it dawned on me that perhaps this was exactly how most people saw my father.