(Mei Lin's POV — First Person)
I almost turned back when the taxi slowed at the iron gates.
Not because the place looked abandoned—far from it—but because it looked too alive. The mansion rose from the hill like something out of a dream that hadn't decided whether it was beautiful or dangerous. Tall stone walls glimmered faintly beneath the late afternoon sun, ivy clinging to them as though the house itself breathed and the plants were afraid to let go.
"This is it," the driver said, peering through the windshield. "Mooncrest Estate."
Mooncrest.
The name alone sent a strange ripple through me, though I brushed it off as nerves. I paid the driver, stepped out, and watched as the taxi disappeared down the winding road, leaving me alone with the gates.
They opened without a sound.
No guard. No keypad. Just a smooth, deliberate motion, as though the mansion had been expecting me.
I tightened my grip on my bag and walked in.
The grounds were vast—too vast. Trees lined the path in disciplined rows, their branches arching overhead like silent watchers. Somewhere in the distance, I thought I heard movement. Not footsteps. Something softer. Heavier.
Stop it, I told myself. You're here for a job interview, not a ghost hunt.
By the time I reached the front doors, my heart was pounding.
They opened before I knocked.
A woman stood there—elegant, composed, her silver-streaked hair pulled back neatly. Her eyes were sharp but not unkind, and when she smiled, it was with the measured warmth of someone used to being obeyed.
"You must be Mei Lin," she said.
"Yes, ma'am." I bowed my head slightly out of habit. "Thank you for seeing me."
"I am Selene Blackwood," she replied. "Welcome to Mooncrest."
Her voice carried authority, but also… something else. Relief, perhaps.
Inside, the mansion was even more imposing. The ceilings soared high above us, chandeliers casting warm light over stone floors etched with symbols I didn't recognize. The air smelled faintly of pine and rain, though the sky outside was clear.
As we walked, she explained the position.
"My son requires a caregiver," she said calmly. "Someone patient. Someone discreet."
"I understand," I replied. "I've worked with long-term patients before."
She studied me as we walked, her gaze lingering just a second too long. "This is not an ordinary household, Mei Lin."
That should have been my cue to ask questions.
Instead, I nodded.
We stopped near the base of a grand staircase, where a man waited.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in dark clothing that looked more practical than fashionable. His presence filled the space without effort, and when his eyes met mine, something inside me tightened.
"This is Kael," Selene said. "He will escort you."
Kael inclined his head slightly. "Follow me."
As we moved deeper into the mansion, the atmosphere shifted. The warmth faded, replaced by something heavier. The corridors grew quieter, the light dimmer.
I finally asked, "Who exactly will I be caring for?"
Kael slowed.
"My Alpha," he said. "And my responsibility."
I stopped walking.
Alpha?
The word echoed in my mind, sharp and wrong. I'd heard it before—online forums, whispered conspiracy theories, stories people laughed about in daylight. It wasn't something people used seriously.
"I'm sorry," I said carefully. "Your… employer?"
Kael turned, his expression unreadable. "Alpha."
A chill slid down my spine.
Before I could press further, we reached a massive door. Kael knocked once and opened it.
Inside sat a man in a wheelchair.
He was younger than I expected, his dark hair slightly unkempt, his posture rigid with tension rather than weakness. His eyes—steel-gray and piercing—lifted to meet mine.
Something in my chest fluttered painfully.
"This is Mei Lin," Kael announced. "Your new caregiver."
The man's gaze swept over me, cold and assessing.
"I didn't ask for one," he said.
Selene stepped forward. "You need help, Alaric."
Alaric.
The name settled into me like a stone dropped into water.
I swallowed, straightened my shoulders, and met his gaze.
"I won't be a burden," I said quietly. "I'm just here to help."
His eyes narrowed, as if he sensed something beneath my words.
The mansion seemed to hold its breath.
And somewhere deep inside me, a feeling stirred—soft, unfamiliar, and utterly irreversible.