*****CHAPTER 21

MAE'S POV
 
When I got back to the servants' quarters and entered my room, there was a girl lying on the top bunk. She gave me a long, imploring look as our eyes met. She looks beautiful with her sky blue eyes and long blonde hair. I did not have to wait for anyone to tell me that she was the third roommate whom Piper had mentioned earlier.
 
Taylor.
 
"Who are you?" She batted her lashes at me inquiringly, and I maintained a confident and undaunted composure before replying to her. Giving off a weak aura that would let anyone view me as inferior and try to bully me was the last thing on my agenda. Unless someone wished for a broken arm and limbs.
 
"Mae."
 
She eyed me thoroughly again, and I ignored her arrogant stares and headed to the small closet, where I proceeded to undress and change into my casual wear.
 
"You are new here, I reckon." Taylor's voice came from behind me, and I only gave a nonchalant shrug that I intently wished would provoke her, but she only asked further.
 
"Why are you back early then?" "You should be working with the rest, newbie."
 
"I'm done for the day." I replied again while I shut the closet door again.
 
"That's bullshit." "You still have a few hours till work's over."
 
This time, I switched around to stare at her, a sinister grin playing subtly on my lips.
 
"Believe whatever you want." But I'm off for today. "Special order from the Alpha himself."
 
At first, she eyed me in pure disbelief again, and after a moment, her face lifted in an impressive expression.
 
"You are pretty." "I guess the Alpha couldn't resist the urge to appreciate good things too."
 
Then, she climbed down from her bunk bed, and now that she had her feet on the ground, I could see how tall and model-like her frame was. She strode towards me, and I raised a surprised brow when she outstretched her hand towards me in a handshake.
 
"I'm Taylor."
 
"Uh…I…"  This time, I stuttered to say a proper word. Taylor laughed and forced our hands into a brief handshake before letting me go again.
 
"I came across Piper in the kitchen today, and she never made mention of a new roommate. "That sly thing," she said with another laugh. For the second time today, I was confused.
 
Wasn't this the girl about whom I was warned to be wary and steer clear? Was this her own version of a mean girl?
 
"You are so pretty." She mentioned it again, her eyes taking in all of my features a little too greedily. as if she wanted to take all of me. "I am beginning to get envious."
 
"Uh…well…"  I tried to say something, anything that would make her feel a little better about herself and stop elevating my looks, but she would not give me the chance to speak.
 
"Have you met the Luna, already?"
 
"The Luna?"
 
"Yes."  Taylor had a mischievous spark in her eyes this time. "You haven't met her yet, have you?"
 
"No, I have not."
 
Taylor's grin reached her ears, and she twirled a finger around her hair playfully.
 
"Interesting.  "No wonder you are still breathing." "The Luna is beautiful but quite competitive, you see." She began to pace around the room with precision, hooking my attention to her.
 
"She doesn't tolerate pretty girls around her mate." It's more like a threat to her. Especially not crazy, unbelievably pretty ones like you. To be honest, I don't think I have ever seen a prettier girl in my entire life. Do you have sisters? Are you the prettiest? "Which of your parents do you take after?"
 
Definitely my mother. which was one of the main reasons I never understood why she would scoop so low to get married to a man like my father who wasn't an inch close to her looks and yet still had the nerve to mistreat her and make her life a misery. I was glad that, just like me, Pearl and Snow took after my mother's look, except for Snow, who shared the same eyes with my father.
 
"Wait a minute." Taylor suddenly stopped pacing around and gave me an amused look. "You said the Alpha gave you a special order to rest on your first day of work?"
 
I nodded in confirmation, puzzled as to what she was up to.
 
"Then, you must have met him already." "On a one-on-one encounter."
 
"Yes."  Now, I was beginning to get tired of her unending inquiries. She did not seem as talkative as Piper, so I did not understand why she was bothering me with so many questions.
 
"Ah ha!"  She clapped her hands together, and her eyes twinkled mischievously again. I jerked a little at her sudden gesture. "He must've fallen for you already!"
 
"What?"  I contorted my face and watched her overexaggerating detective display. How could she say something so ridiculous? If any of the royal families overheard her, our heads would be on a cheap platter of bronze right now.
 
"You are undeniably pretty and sexy, Mae. Stop being dumb and humble. I can swear on my life that no man would set eyes on you and not look twice at you. "The Alpha is included."
 
"Stop saying nonsense." I shook my head at her and headed to my own bunk, where I lay, hoping she would perceive that I needed rest and stop bothering me. But Taylor wasn't having any of it. She plunked herself down beside me on the bed and continued to fill my ears with crazy assumptions.
 
"Even if he has fallen for you, I worry that he might be ugly, which is why he keeps his face hidden behind that mask." Taylor's countenance returned to a serious one again. "Did you know the Luna has never seen his face before?" They don't even share the same room. Who would believe that? But it's true. I think they were mated based on convenience. Perhaps she saw his true face behind that mask and decided he was too hideous to be with her.
 
I groaned in frustration, cutting her off. Pulling my weight up, I sat on the bed and maintained warning eye contact with her.
 
"You do know you are blaspheming against the royal family, don't you?" "I am sure you know the consequence of blasphemy if you ever get caught."
 
She raised a brow at me in sheer arrogance.
 
"Let's not have this conversation any more, Taylor." I laid back on my bed again and pretended to shut my eyes, to send her away for good. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to rest."
 
Taylor scoffed and went quiet for a few seconds before raising her weight off my bed again.
 
"Fine.  But just in case I am ever right and the Alpha grows attracted to your beauty, do not hesitate to reach out to me. I'd be glad to help him get rid of that witch for good."
 
As she finally let me rest and returned to her bunk, several thoughts rushed through my head. Two ones, most relevant.
 
First, what if she was right and the Alpha had picked up an interest in me? Was that the reason he spared me from my punishment and brought me to the castle instead? And the way he had cared for me today, even after I had broken his valuable asset. Was he really beginning to be attracted to me?
 
And second, what was Taylor's personal beef with the Luna? What was the story between the two of them that prompted Taylor to wish she could get rid of Luna forever?