Sold to the Alpha

Autumn had been living in the palace for nearly a month, her days filled with the same monotonous routine and responsibilities. Each morning, she awoke and diligently completed her chores, ensuring that everything was clean and orderly. Despite her plans to leave, she knew it was crucial to perform her duties well until then. After all, there was no point in plotting an escape only to be executed for improperly making the king's bed.

She hoped that soon, she would find her opportunity to break free from this place. That evening, as Autumn and the staff gathered for dinner, they were interrupted by Thomas.

"Pardon the intrusion, Mrs. Timmons, but we need one of your maids. The one who cleans the alpha's quarters," he announced.

Autumn's eyes widened, and Mrs. Timmons shot her a stern look. "Autumn, go with Beta Thomas."

With her head bowed, Autumn followed Thomas upstairs to the alpha's quarters. "Do you know what this is about?" she asked him softly.

"You'll find out soon enough. Just keep your head down and don't give him any reason to punish you."

As they stood outside the door to the alpha's quarters, Autumn took a deep breath. Upon entering, she could sense the king's presence, a powerful force that seemed to envelop the entire room like a thick fog.

"Through here, please," Thomas said, opening the door to the office.

Autumn entered and kept her head lowered. The room smelled incredible, a mixture of pine and musk, and she could feel the energy radiating from the man she assumed was King Elijah. She didn't dare look up, wondering why she had been summoned.

For a few tense moments, she stood in silence, waiting for the king to speak. She could feel his eyes on her, scrutinizing her every detail. Suddenly, she felt incredibly self-conscious.

Finally, he spoke. "You're the maid who cleans my quarters?"

"Yes, sir... I mean, yes, Alpha," Autumn stammered nervously.

"You're the girl Beta Thomas brought back from High Mountain," he stated, more as a fact than a question.

"Yes...," she replied quietly.

"Well, girl from High Mountain, do you make a habit of leaving things in worse disarray than you found them?" he snapped.

Autumn furrowed her brow in confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"My office. You moved everything, and now I can't find any of my important documents. Did you steal confidential pack information?" he growled.

Her head shot up in surprise. "Absolutely not!" Realizing her defiance, she quickly lowered her gaze again.

He growled and stood from his chair. "Then where are all of my papers, little maid? They were all here last night when I left my office."

Autumn shook her head. "I left them on the desk, Your Highness. If they're gone, someone else must have moved them."

He scowled. "Are you really suggesting that it's my fault they're lost?"

Autumn froze, aware that she was treading on dangerous ground. "No, Alpha. If you give me a moment, I'll look for you."

He huffed. "If I can't find them, what makes you think you can?"

She shrugged. "It's worth a try." As Autumn began searching the room, she asked, "What are these papers for? So I know what I'm looking for?"

"They're settlements for some pack disputes," he replied coolly.

"Oh!" Autumn exclaimed, moving to the other side of the desk. She rummaged through the pile, locating the file at the bottom of the stack. Handing it to him without making eye contact, she apologized. "I'm sorry, Alpha. They were scattered all over the desk, and they looked important. I didn't want these loose papers to get lost, so I put them in a file. It's my fault you couldn't find them."

He took the file from her, then forced her against the wall, gripping the collar of her shirt tightly. "What makes you think you can do that? Are you a secretary or a maid? You don't have permission to handle pack information."

Her heart pounded in her chest. "I'm sorry...," she whispered. Finally, Autumn looked up, meeting his eyes. The dark orbs flecked with gold bore into hers, and her entire body ignited.

Mate! Mate, mate, mate, mate! her wolf screamed, running circles in her mind.

For a moment, Alpha Elijah's eyes softened before darkening once more. "Get out." He released her collar and stepped back, allowing Autumn to flee.

Feeling rejected, she hurried to her room, her mind reeling from the encounter. "So, what happened?" Marie asked as she entered. "It couldn't have been too bad, considering you're still alive."

Autumn managed a distracted smile. "Barely."

"Well?" Marie prodded.

"I... umm..." She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "The king couldn't find some files, and since I cleaned the room, he asked where I'd put them."

Marie's eyes widened. "You saw him? And spoke to him? What was he like? I've worked here for three years and have never been in the same room as him, let alone spoken to him!"

He is everything! Go back and talk to him! her wolf cried.

"He's everything they say he is," Autumn murmured before changing into her nightclothes and climbing into bed.

As she lay in the darkness, sleep eluded her. All she could think about were his dark eyes, which haunted her every thought. How could it be that the alpha king was her mate? Fate was playing a cruel trick on her. There's no way I can escape now, she thought.

There's no way we would want to now... her wolf whispered in her mind.