VANESSA


I stood by the door, my heart racing with anticipation. What could Alpha Axel want with me now? I had been demoted from my position as his personal maid, and I had barely seen him in weeks. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door, my hand trembling slightly.

"Enter," Alpha Axel's voice boomed from inside.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim light in the room. Alpha Axel was sitting behind his desk, his face stern and unyielding.


"Vanessa," he said, his voice cold. "I've summoned you here for a reason."

I nodded, my heart racing with fear. What had I done wrong now?


"I've been receiving complaints about your work," Alpha Axel said, his eyes narrowing. "It seems you're not meeting the standards of a common maid, let alone a personal maid."

I felt a surge of anger at his words, but I kept my mouth shut. What was the point of arguing with him?

"I'm afraid I have no choice but to demote you further," Alpha Axel continued. "You will now be working in the kitchens, alongside the other low-ranking maids."

I felt a pang of shame and embarrassment at his words. From personal maid to common maid to kitchen maid - it was a steep fall from grace.

"But, Alpha Axel," I protested, my voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I was doing a good job as a common maid."

Alpha Axel's expression was unyielding. "You may have thought so, Vanessa. But the truth is, you're not meeting the standards of this pack. And if you can't even do that, then maybe you're not worthy of being here at all."

I felt a lump form in my throat at his words, and I knew I had to hold back tears. I had never felt so belittled and humiliated in my life.

"Leave now," Alpha Axel ordered, his voice cold. "And don't bother coming back to my chambers unless I summon you."

I nodded, feeling a surge of anger and resentment towards him. I turned and left the room, my head held high despite the shame and embarrassment I felt.

As I walked back to the kitchens, I couldn't help but wonder what I had done wrong. Was it really my fault that I wasn't meeting the standards of the pack? Or was there something more sinister at play?

I pushed open the door to the kitchens, and was greeted by the familiar sight of maids bustling about, preparing meals for the pack. I took a deep breath and joined their ranks, trying to push aside my feelings of shame and embarrassment.

But as I worked, I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched. Like there was someone lurking in the shadows, waiting for me to make another mistake.

And then, I saw her. Emilia, the maid who had warned me about the other maids' jealousy. She was watching me, her eyes filled with a mixture of pity and concern.

"Vanessa," she whispered, as she approached me. "I heard what happened. I'm so sorry."

I shook my head, feeling a lump form in my throat. "It's not your fault, Emilia. I'm just not good enough, that's all."

Emilia's expression was fierce. "Don't say that, Vanessa. You are good enough. You're just being targeted by the other maids because they're jealous of your beauty and your position in the pack."

I felt a surge of anger at her words, but I knew she was right. I had seen the way the other maids looked at me, with envy and resentment in their eyes.

"Thanks, Emilia," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I think I'm just going to keep my head down and try to stay out of trouble from now on."

Emilia nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "That's probably for the best, Vanessa. But if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come to me, okay?"

I nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude towards her. And as I continued to work in the kitchens, I knew that I had at least one friend in the pack. Even if it felt like everyone else was against me.

"I appreciate your kindness, Emilia," I said, my voice sincere. "But I think I need to focus on my work right now. I don't want to give Alpha Axel any more reasons to be disappointed in me."

Emilia nodded understandingly. "I get it. But just remember, you're not alone in this. I'm here for you, and I'll do my best to help you through this tough time."

I smiled weakly, feeling a small sense of gratitude towards her. "Thanks, Emilia. That means a lot to me."

As we worked, I couldn't help but steal glances at Emilia. She was always so kind and caring, and I wondered why she was being so nice to me. Didn't she know that I was a failure in the eyes of the Alpha?

"Emilia," I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why are you being so kind to me? I'm just a failure in the eyes of the Alpha."

Emilia's expression was shocked. "What are you talking about, Vanessa? You're not a failure! You're just going through a tough time, that's all."

I shook my head, feeling a lump form in my throat. "No, Emilia. I'm really not good enough. I've been demoted twice, and I'm just not meeting the standards of the pack."

Emilia's eyes filled with compassion. "Vanessa, you're being too hard on yourself. Everyone has ups and downs, and this is just a small setback for you. You'll get back on your feet, I promise."

I sighed, feeling a small sense of hope. Maybe Emilia was right. Maybe I wasn't a complete failure after all.

"Thanks, Emilia," I said, my voice sincere. "You're a really good friend."

Emilia smiled, her eyes shining with warmth. "Anytime, Vanessa. That's what friends are for."

As we continued to work, I felt a small sense of comfort. Maybe I wasn't alone in this pack after all. Maybe I had a friend in Emilia, someone who would stand by me no matter what.

But as the days went by, I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. Like there was someone lurking in the shadows, waiting for me to make another mistake.

And then, one day, I saw him. Alpha Axel, standing in the doorway of the kitchen, his eyes fixed on me with a cold intensity.

"Vanessa," he said, his voice low and menacing. "I hear you're not meeting the standards of the pack. That you're not good enough."

I felt a surge of fear at his words, and I knew I had to defend myself. "Alpha Axel, I'm trying my best. I really am."

But Alpha Axel just laughed, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Your best isn't good enough, Vanessa. You're a disappointment to me, and to the pack."

I felt a lump form in my throat, and I knew I had to hold back tears. I was not going to cry in front of him, no matter how much he hurt me.

"I understand, Alpha Axel," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll try harder, I promise."

Alpha Axel's expression was unyielding. "You'd better, Vanessa. Or else."

And with that, he turned and left the kitchen, leaving me feeling shaken and scared. What did he mean by "or else"? Was he going to punish me if I didn't meet his standards?

I didn't know, but I knew one thing for sure. I had to try harder, no matter what. I had to prove to Alpha Axel, and to myself, that I was good enough.