Brewing Trouble
1306 Words
Meanwhile…
It had been a month since Samantha left home, and Cedric, her father, was beginning to lose patience.
One day, he paced the living room like a caged wolf, eyes dark with worry. “Why hasn’t she written? What if something has happened to her?” he growled, slamming his fist on the table.
His wife, ever the calm manipulator, pressed her palm against her chest and forced a concerned look. “Dear, she’s with her cousins—don’t forget. You never wanted her out of the house. Indirectly, you gave her no choice but to fled that imprisonment.”
“I never said she should vanish!” he snapped. “Enough is enough. Write to her. Tell her to come back.”
Panic flickered in her eyes—but she masked it quickly. “Of course, dear,” she said smoothly.
But the moment Cedric stormed off to his study, she rushed to her desk, hands trembling slightly as she penned a hurried letter to Samantha:
“Your father grows suspicious. Write to him at once. Reassure him. Tell him you’re safe and well. Do not say anything foolish. And hurry—your time is running out. You must leave the slaves’ quarters before he demands your return.”
---
At the Slave Quarters
The note arrived secretly through one of Paula’s favored maids, tucked inside a rolled-up cloth during laundry duty.
Samantha read the letter under the moonlight, lips pursed in thought.
> “Time is running out…”
Of course it was. She couldn’t stay here, hidden among the others, treated like one of them. Not when her goals were much higher.
That night, Samantha wrote back a carefully crafted letter filled with warm lies and twisted truth:
> “Dear Father, I am truly happy here. I’m surrounded by loving cousins who treat me kindly, and I’ve finally found a space where I feel free. Please don’t worry about me. I will come home when I’m ready, but for now, this is where I need to be.”
She sent it the next morning through the same secret channel.
It worked.
Back at home, Cedric read the letter and sighed with relief—for now.
---
But for Samantha, the letter only lit a fire beneath her.
She stared at herself in the cracked mirror above her slave bed—filthy, plain, beneath her true worth.
“I will not rot here like the rest of them,” she whispered to her reflection.
She began setting new plans into motion.
She started offering to assist Paula more, taking on extra chores—volunteering to serve tea to the guards near the Merchant’s estate. Each time she was near the Merchant’s home, she took mental notes: who went in, who came out, what doors were guarded, which weren’t.
She continues to use her position as a leverage, pretending to continue"Love" the other maids, while secretly rising in Paula’s eyes. She even dropped subtle flattery and hints:
> “I can only hope to serve as fiercely as you do, Head Maid… Perhaps you need someone more loyal beside you now.”
Paula, flattered by the attention and still missing her right hand, increasingly started trusting Samantha more.
One evening, as the maid quarters prepared food for the Merchant’s evening feast, Paula looked over at Samantha and said,
“You’ll deliver this tonight. Personally. To the Merchant’s estate.”
Samantha bowed slightly, hiding the glee flashing in her eyes.
> Finally.
---
On her very first visit to the Merchant’s estate, Samantha made sure every step, every smile, and every word was calculated. She wore a mask of sweetness so convincing it would have fooled the Moon Goddess herself. She greeted the high-ranking officials with respectful bows, offered to help with the smallest of tasks, and even feigned concern for their well-being.
She knew these people held the key to her next move. A few favorable words from them could see her name added to the list of servants assigned to the Alpha’s estate kitchen quarters — the very place where her real plan could take root.
And so, she played her role to perfection. Nothing in her demeanor suggested arrogance or deceit; she was the picture of humble obedience. Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed. The officials, pleased with her apparent good manners, wasted no time in praising her to Paula.
Paula, in turn, warmed to her immediately. From that day onward, Samantha alone was chosen to serve at the Merchant’s estate — a privilege she accepted with a smile that hid the triumph burning in her chest. Every visit brought her one step closer to the Alpha’s estate… and to the life she intended to steal.
---
While Theo prepared for Alpha Damian’s upcoming visit to the pack, he suggested that Rina conduct routine visits to every quarter headed by a she-wolf, ensuring everything was in order. His true motive, however, was to help her build connections with the pack’s female leaders and quietly solidify her position as Luna.
One such visit took her to the slavers’ quarters. Paula, having been informed in advance, instructed all the maids to be on their best behavior when Rina arrived.
On the day of the visit, Samantha made sure to keep herself out of Rina’s sight, lurking in the background as the other women sang Rina’s praises. Every warm smile and respectful bow directed at Rina only fueled Samantha’s silent rage. She could barely stand the sight of the woman everyone seemed to admire so easily.
That day, as she listened to the praise Rina received, Samantha’s fury hardened into resolve. She would not wait any longer—her plans to infiltrate the Alpha’s estate would have to move forward, and quickly.
---
Meanwhile, Theo convened a brief but important meeting with the pack’s elders and high-ranking officials. The purpose was simple — to formally introduce the newly appointed Gamma, Jihoo.
The air in the council chamber was thick with unspoken judgments as Jihoo stepped forward, his posture straight, his expression calm but proud. The elders’ eyes scanned him, measuring his worth against the unyielding standards of the pack.
For the most part, the response was favorable. Jihoo’s reputation preceded him — known for his discipline, loyalty, and an unblemished record of service, he was the kind of wolf most would trust without hesitation. Many nodded in approval, murmuring their agreement at Theo’s choice.
But not all faces mirrored the same sentiment. In the corners of the room, a few elders exchanged tight-lipped glances, their thoughts veiled. They were the ones who had quietly hoped their own sons would claim the Gamma’s title — men who now masked their disappointment behind polite smiles.
Still, in the hierarchy of the pack, Theo’s word carried the Alpha’s weight. Their displeasure had no place here, at least not openly.
When it was his turn to speak, Jihoo stepped forward, his voice steady and clear.
“I pledge to carry out my duties with honor,” he declared, bowing his head respectfully. “To protect this pack, uphold its laws, and serve Alpha Damian without fail.”
Theo’s eyes lingered on him for a moment, reading the sincerity in his tone. For now, the appointment was secure — but beneath the surface, small ripples of envy and ambition had already begun to stir.
---
Back at Damian’s Pack…
While Damian and Lucian were holding a brief meeting with Beta Matt—who was to be sent to the Dam-Nighade Pack as their new Beta—an urgent commotion interrupted them. The door burst open as the healer’s apprentice rushed in, flanked by two female warriors, all three visibly out of breath.
“Alpha!” the apprentice exclaimed, bowing quickly. “It’s Luna Ella—she’s gone into labor!”
- Writer
