Chapter 33

• HAERA
• I'd heard wrong. I was pretty sure I had heard him wrong and I went into a whole world of my own in my head before someone broke the silence that had been both in the room and in my head. "Father!" It was the princess and I cared less about her whiny state. I was more worried about what my one situation and if my ears were probably functioning or if I had really just heard the Alpha tell me that he has chosen me to be the new Chef at the palace. I've never had this feeling before. This crazy feeling deep in your guts when two things strike you at once. The kind of feeling that makes you confused and unable to decide on a fate for yourself. This feeling of having both your dream come through and your nightmares stare you in the eyes all at once and maybe with something shocking on the side. The Alpha didn't need to say it again. I could see it in the faces of everyone around. They had talked about this. Contemplated and pondered and decided I was the best option and chosen me. Why me? Maybe I wouldn't have complained if I wasn't grieving Balfour so much. Maybe I would have had a happy smile on my face that my dream to be a cook had finally come to pass. I'd always wanted to be like Balfour. The chef who knew the kind of food that would suit the palates of his masters. The kind of chef who found joy in cooking. "I don't get paid but the satisfaction on their faces is enough to fill me even before my own meal." He would say when asked what exactly made him love something that earned him nothing so much. It was his passion and it was mine too. He had always told me that We just hadn't imagined it would be so soon or this way. Neither did we imagine it would be the Alpha that would singlehandedly pick me out. Me. A common and unknown maid. But judging by the recent happenings in my life,I wasn't so sure if I was invincible anymore or if I had ever even been. I loved cooking. The kitchen was safe Haven. But suddenly springing something like that one me shocked me to my bones. I'd always wanted this but it was too much responsibility for an eighteen year old wolf like me to carry. I hadn't even lived out the rest of my early wolf years yet. It was all too much to take in at once. My stolen mate. Balfour's death and now this? I was this close to passing out in front of them. "I know it's a lot to take in. You're young and all but I've gathered as much information as necessary on you for the last few days and I don't think anyone can do it better than you can." The Alpha continued again. No one talked. Everyone just stared and watched. I was the center of attention. I squirmed under the open scrutiny of their eyes like they were daggers aimed at every part of my body that had flesh. My mouth opened a couple of times but closed again because I just didn't know what to say. I let my gaze wonder over to Gennora. She was looking back at me but her face was expressionless. I couldn't tell a thing by just looking at her. Had she known too? What had she thought? Had she vehemently gone against it since she was always after my peace and happiness? I really wished she kicked against it this time. This was the first time I actually wished she did what she knew how to do best. I knew I had to talk. Standing there and saying nothing was only making me a bigger fool out of the one I already was; in front of the Luna. The princess. The Alpha. My mate. Whose gaze was fixated on me I hadn't heard him speak more than a few words since he arrived here. I figured he wasn't a man of many words but I still caught him looking my way sometimes even if I was always right by princess Ilvira. The excitement I had when I first met him was gone. Or maybe it was just me still grieving Balfour. "Child? Say something will you. You can think about this for as long as you can or we can continue to eat the meals makes us almost gag." My gaze dropped to the table and the meals were hardly touched. The maids at the kitchen must be doing a pretty bad job. "I..." I trailed off and continued "I don't think I can do it. I'm not skilled enough to make your meals." The Alpha snorted loudly. "Nonsense! If you think you aren't skilled then you should try what your colleagues have cooked up for us on this table." Was it that bad? As if reading my thoughts and expression, he added; "It's that bad." He then sighed before rubbing his temples. I could feel his frustration. The fact that he was even willing to talk it out with me instead of dumping the entire thing on me had me wondering if he really was as ruthless as they claimed him to be sometimes. "Listen child. I've heard so much about you from your mates around here. You spent more time I'm the kitchen with him and you know most if not all of his recipes. A few of the maids have vouched that you are the only one close to making good meals like the previous chef." I winced silently at the way he referred to Balfour as "previous chef". That and nothing more. I wondered if they even knew he had a name. The thought of it only made my heart hurt the more. "This is a status upgrade for you. You get your own room and get to be called the chef of this palace. With respect put to your name." Too much. It was a too much. "Once again, I understand if all of these is overwhelming but I'm sure you'll come to terms with it in a day or two. The mate bond ritual starts tomorrow and there is no time to loose. Meet with Gennora, she will show you your new room as the Chef of this Palace. You start work tomorrow." His tone was final. Letting me and everyone else know that it couldn't be reversed. Not like any of us had the power to reverse anything else. The princess was whining and saying something to her mother but the Luna only shook her head,sent a Curt nod my way before she followed suit with her husband. Without a word too, Alpha Zachary stood up in his seat and turned away with his Beta following closely behind me. I was beginning to think his quietness had another meaning. He wasn't saying anything anyone. He was just observing and he now controlled the biggest Pack in the woodlands but didn't seem like it. I didn't know if it was him being humble or him just treading softly with a bigger picture in mind. Whichever. I shouldn't even care since he chose another woman over me. The stupid mate bond between us couldn't even make me hate him. Wearing that sash on my face was my own undoing. And I regretted it. I didn't have time to think far because the princess also rose from her seat sharply and bounded towards me. She stopped in front of me. Just glaring at me. Saying nothing with eyes flaming and nostrils flaring. Like she wanted to deal with me but had no idea how. "Ughhhh!" She groaned and bounded past me but not without nudging me hard on the shoulder as she did. Then it was just me and Gennora left in the room. Gennora eyed me hatefully before turning her back at me and walking away. I knew I had to follow her even without being told. She led me out of the Alpha's Chambers and to the sides where a small outstretched part of the chamber was. It was a little room that belonged to Balfour and I really didn't know what it would do to me if I began to sleep in that room that would most definitely smell like him. In fact breath of him. "I don't know how you managed to land this luck but know that nothing lasts forever, Haera." I should have known that woman wouldn't leave without saying something. Why do they keep attributing everything that happens to me as luck? Why not my efforts? Why not every day of my life that I put into surviving the horror of being a maid? Why does it always have to be about luck? Gennora left me alone before I could give her a piece of my mind. I slumped on the bed and looked around the place. It had been emptied out and there was nothing to even remember Balfour by. The room was pale and soul less. Moving my things into it wouldn't change a darn thing. My eyes caught writings on the wall and I sat up quickly to read them. They were all in his writings and they were all recipes of some sort. The was filled with them. I ran my fingers over them and tears formed in my eyes. Years of service in this god-damned place. Years of making new recipes and satisfying taste buds yet it was all for nothing. It all amounted to nothing. I tried to calm myself with the thought that Balfour was genuinely happy. All those times, he was happy and right now, he would have been so proud of the fact that I finally took over. The urge to not disappoint him was there. The urge to make it up to him and to fight back. I remember how serious his expression was when he talked about witches and scents. He was exceptionally careful and hours after that...my thoughts were straying the wrong way again but could it really be? Could it be because of what he spoke of? The chances were low. Really low. But one thing I knew was that Balfour would never kill himself...ever. I just had to find out if no one was going to. And while at that, I am going to prove that there was more to me than just sheer luck.