SELIN'S POV.
I'd noticed it the moment I stepped out of my room that morning. The air had changed.
Before, the servants at least smiled politely when they passed me, even if it was that awkward "I don't know what to do with you but I'll pretend you don't exist" kind of smile.
But today, they didn't even look at me. They moved around me like I was invisible. Or worse…like I was contagious. One of the kitchen boys who'd given me bread the other day dropped the tray he was holding when I asked for water. He didn't even apologize, just mumbled something under his breath and ran off like I'd sprouted horns.
By the time I reached the corridor leading to the main hall, two maids were whispering so loudly it was obvious they wanted me to hear.
"…that's her."
"The human?"
"Mm-hmm. The one the Alpha brought back."
"I heard she bewitched him. Touched him and lived. You know what that means?"
"That she's cursed?"
"No. That she's a witch."
They both looked at me then, eyes wide, like I might levitate or set them on fire with a glance.
I blinked. "Uh…good morning?"
They gasped and scurried away, skirts fluttering.
Okay. Definitely not normal.
By the time I reached the end of the hall, I was already tired of pretending it didn't bother me. I'd been through worse, sure—hunger, fear, a flood that swallowed half my village, but at least back home, people didn't look at me like I'd infected the air they breathed. Here, I was the plague.
I sighed and rubbed my temples. "Great. Just what I needed. Castle drama."
I tried to shake it off by doing what I always did when things got weird—wander.
The castle was still ridiculously big, with too many stairs, too many doors, and too many people who pretended not to see me. I passed a few guards along the way, but they stiffened the moment my eyes met theirs.
At one point, I overheard two of them talking quietly near the armory.
"…the Queen's furious. Said the Alpha's gone soft."
"Soft? He nearly killed Thane last week for questioning him."
"Yeah, but look at him now, hiding a human girl in his chambers? If she's not a spy, I'll eat my boots."
I froze in the doorway. Spy? Oh, come on. Me? A spy? I barely survived a thunderstorm without crying. Before I could open my mouth to defend my nonexistent honor, a voice behind me said, "You're not supposed to be here."
I turned.
It was a girl…tall, pretty, with a braid so perfect it looked like it offended gravity. She was flanked by two other maids who looked like backup singers in a mean-girl anthem.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I was just—uh—walking."
"Walking," she repeated flatly. "You seem to do that a lot. Wandering around where you don't belong."
I frowned. "I didn't realize the hallway had an owner."
The two behind her snickered, and the tall one's smile sharpened. "You must think you're clever. Maybe that's how you bewitched him."
"Bewitched who?"
She tilted her head, mock-sweet. "Don't play dumb. Everyone knows. The Alpha. You're his pet human, aren't you?"
I blinked, heat rising to my cheeks. "Pet—what? No!"
"Oh? Then why else would he keep you in his chambers?"
That threw me off. "Wait, how do you know—"
"Everyone knows," she interrupted, stepping closer. "We serve this castle. Nothing stays secret for long."
Her tone darkened, the fake smile slipping. "Whatever spell you used on him, human, it won't last. The Queen will make sure of it."
That…didn't sound like an empty threat.
I tried to laugh it off. "Right. Sure. Maybe you should tell her to relax, I'm not planning world domination or anything."
But she didn't laugh. Instead, she leaned in close, her perfume sharp and sweet. "You don't belong here. The Alpha belongs to this pack, to us. You? You're just a mistake that's about to be corrected."
Before I could say anything, she flicked the edge of her tray at me, splashing water down the front of my dress. Her little friends giggled, and they walked off. I stood there dripping in the middle of the corridor, completely stunned.
"Wow," I muttered. "Castle hospitality at its finest."
I wrung out the edge of my sleeve and trudged back toward the chambers. The hallway suddenly felt colder. Every shadow stretched longer, like the castle itself was watching me. I didn't know who those girls were or why they hated me so much, but one thing was clear. Whatever gossip had spread, it had turned the whole palace against me.
Even the air felt heavier now, full of whispers I couldn't escape.
When I reached the Alpha's chambers, I hesitated outside the door. Should I tell him? No. Bad idea. He already looked perpetually seconds away from murdering someone. The last thing I needed was to give him a reason to think I was the problem.
Still…he'd been kind, in his own terrifying way. He'd brought me back. Fed me. Gave me a room. And now everyone hated me for it.
I sighed, pressing my forehead lightly against the door. "Why does everything I touch turn into chaos?"
"You're talking to yourself again."
I jumped, spinning around.
It was the quiet guard—Zayn, I'd heard someone call him. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking far too amused.
"I wasn't," I lied immediately.
He raised an eyebrow. "You were."
"Okay, maybe a little," I muttered.
He tilted his head, studying me. "Rough morning?"
I scoffed. "You mean aside from the part where half the castle thinks I'm a witch who seduced their king? No, I'm great."
That earned a small laugh out of him. "You shouldn't take it personally. They fear what they don't understand."
"Yeah, well, they could try understanding me without throwing water at me next time."
His mouth twitched again, half amusement, half pity. "Stay inside the chambers for a while. It's safer."
I frowned. "You're serious?"
"Deadly."
That was enough to silence my sarcasm. He gave a small nod and turned to leave, muttering something like, "The Alpha was right to hide you."
"Wait—what do you mean hide—"
But he was gone before I could finish. Hide me? From who? I stood there for a long time, staring at the empty hallway, heart thudding uncomfortably.
Maybe I was imagining things. Maybe Zayn was just being dramatic. Still, as I slipped back into the Alpha's chambers and bolted the door behind me, I couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was coming. And that whatever it was, it had everything to do with me.