Chapter 1~ HEAD ON THE FLOOR
SCARLET
Madame Yu had woken us up at dawn with a different kind of urgency in her voice. I had barely slept a wink; my bones were sore and tired because I had spent most of the night working at the farmhouse, and I hoped I would at least get a few hours of sleep in before I went about any available job opportunity for the day.
But the chance to sleep in had eluded me as Madame Yu banged on the dorm door, rousing us all from our sleep. Our morning had been rushed; there was no time to get cleaned, nor were we spared the time to eat. She barked commands at us with urgency as we all scrambled around trying to get out of our sleeping gowns and get into work clothes.
By the time all seventeen of us filed into the van and the vehicle hit the road, breakfast was long forgotten. Not that it was guaranteed to begin with. Breakfast was a luxury we couldn’t afford but appreciated whenever it came. And we knew to be especially grateful for it because ’House of Yu’ had shown the most mercy when it accepted us into its hall and provided us shelter. For me, it was more or less a home now.
I didn’t ponder too much about where we were headed until the scenery outside the window changed. Presenting a scenery of luxurious buildings, high-rise apartments, and the buzzing sound of life that indicated we were in the heart of Lykonia’s capital city.
My shock and wonder had lasted all through the ride. I was either 10 or 9 the last time I came to the capital, and that was before my foster parents died. I had dreamt of coming into the city again, but the minute my foster parents died, I knew it was a pipe dream because there was no way I was getting access into the capital city. I wasn’t a legalised citizen of Lykonia. I had no papers and no identification, and I would be arrested if I got caught trying to sneak into the city.
The minute the van came to a stop, Madame Yu was back in business mode, giving orders and barking commands as we filled out. “Line up according to your ages. 18-16, line to my right. 15-13 Let me see you in front of me; 12-10 stand beside Mr Carter.” She continued with the commands, her voice scratchy and firm.
It’s been said a few times around the hall that she was once a high-ranking member of Lykonia’s Elite Military Command who served the Alpha King.
I tried paying attention to her commands while my eyes sneakily roamed the compound we were standing in. A man-made fountain stood in the far distance, with flower beds decorating the footpath leading to it. The compound seemed far too large, and big buildings were scattered all around in a systematic fashion. I wondered who lives here, because this is far too big for one person.
“Scarlet!” I flinched as the omega standing behind me pinched me, and Madame Yu pinned me with a stern glare.
I swallowed nervously as she approached me, and her lips curled in a snarl. “You pay attention when I’m talking,” she sniped, gripping my jaw so hard I feared the bones would break.
My attempt to nod in understanding was futile due to her strong grip, but I still tried. “Do you understand me?” She barked, releasing my jaw, and I nodded frantically, ignoring the pain spreading all over my aching jawline and mouth.
“12-10, you go with Mr Carter, and he’ll assign you what to do. 15-13 follows Miss Bella. The rest of you, you’re coming with me.”
We shuffled after her with the same urgency with which she walked. I pushed back my awe as she led us to what turned out to be a massive banquet hall adorned with the finest of things I’d ever seen.
“Get to work immediately. I want this entire space sparkling clean by the time I return. You clean the chairs, every nook and cranny, climb whatever you can, and make sure the pillars are squeaky clean. Am I understood?” She barked.
“Yes.” We answered in unison, and she marched out of the banquet hall, leaving us to work our bones to the mill.
“Let’s look for the supply room,” I told the other girls, because we needed to get moving.
We found the supply room in no time, and we grabbed every item needed to make this massive hall that could probably accommodate thousands of people—squeaky clean. And we began cleaning, no questions asked.
“Do you have any idea what this place is?” One of the girls, Linda—I think that’s her name—asked, and I shook my head.
A movement to my right, and I turned to see the male omega in our group moving towards me with his broom. He did a glance around before leaning forward and whispering. “I heard it’s the Alpha King’s compound.”
That immediately grabbed Linda’s attention, and she perked up. “Those numerous buildings and this massive place belong to the Alpha King? He lives here.” She sounded very excited at the idea.
The omega moved around me, going to stand beside Linda, since I didn’t seem all that eager to engage in their gossip. Don’t get me wrong; I am super curious, and I want to know if it’s true because I’ve only ever read rumours about the Alpha King. And those rumours aren’t really much about his buildings but mainly about how ungodly he looks and also about his strictness. “Yeah, he owns it; well, it belongs to his family, and they once lived here. But I heard the Alpha King moved out after his parents were assassinated. Some people say it’s because it brings bad memories, and others claim the king was responsible for their deaths, and he fled the compound because their ghosts haunted him.”
I shook my head at the ridiculousness of what he was saying. “You know that’s stupid, right? And you could get into trouble for saying that.”
The omega turned to me. “That’s why I’m whispering,” he mumbled. I gave him the side eye because he was forgetting this hall is filled with wolves. “Besides, why do you think it’s stupid? It could be true.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, no. I’m not believing a rumour that claims he killed his parents and they are haunting him. First off, ghosts aren’t even real; secondly, why would he kill his parents?”
“Because he wanted the throne.” Linda supplied, as if it were common knowledge.
“He is heir to the throne; he wouldn’t need to kill his parents to get the throne when it already belongs to him.”
“Maybe he wanted to sit on it faster.” The male omega chimed in response.
I shook my head. “That makes no sense. Why would anyone steal what’s already theirs?”
“Might the three of you care to share the subject of interest with the rest of the hall?”
My eyes bugged wide, and the three of us froze at the sound of Madame Yu’s voice. Fucking hell. I clenched my still-aching jaw; I should have just kept cleaning and ignored their gossip.
“Turn around, now.”
The fear churning in my guts clouded my senses for a few seconds, and I didn’t notice the scent in the air as goosebumps slowly spread through my arm until I turned, and I came face to face with the most beautiful brown-skinned man I had ever laid eyes on.
My eyes couldn’t grow any larger as I stared at the man whose height towered over every other person standing beside him, and his Alpha Aura dominated the room. I couldn’t help the way my eyes roamed his entire body, his thick thighs, muscles that seemed to want out of the clothes clinging onto his rippled body like a lifeline.
I trailed my eyes all the way up to his face, breath caught in my lungs as I was met with the most striking grey eyes I have ever seen, and the thick scent of shea butter and vanilla enveloped me in a comforting warmth.
“MATE! MATE!! MATE!!!” My omega whined with a need I’ve never seen her exhibit before. Wagging her tail, ears flapping as she pranced with a low, sultry howl and whimper.
“SCARLET!” The commanding sound of Madame Yu’s voice felt like a bucket of ice-cold water over my head, hitting me with a dose of reality.
I blinked, jolted in place, my eyes scrambling around. Her eyes danced with anger and annoyance. For the second time today, I annoyed her, oh god. “On your knees.” She barked, venom in her voice.
I saw the minute my mate looked away from me, right before I fell to my knees before him. “Bow and pay respect to your King.” She ordered.
I was half-bowed when I froze, and my head snapped up before I could even stop the action. King, Alpha King?
Dear gods, He is the Alpha King? My eyes shone with wonder as I stared at him, shocked at the revelation that my mate. Me? Scarlet the orphan, my mate is the Alpha King?
I watched as the bland expression on his face shifted and his lips curled in disdain. “HEAD ON THE FLOOR, Omega,” he commanded in a bone-chilling voice that sent spikes of fear up my spine, a total contradiction to his sweet vanilla scent.
My body moved without rebuttal, and I bowed with my forehead touching the floor. I cast a glance to my side and noticed I was the only one made to bow like this, and it dawned on me that my mate had just humiliated me in front of everyone.
