Page 3 of Alpha's Exiled Mate

“You’d better,” she sneered. “But first—”

With a swift kick, she knocked over my bucket, sending soapy water spilling across the floor and soaking my dress.

“Oops, how clumsy of me,” she said, her tone mockingly sweet. “Guess you’ll have to start over.”

I clenched my jaw, fighting to keep my trembling hands steady. As a slave, I was nothing but a toy to Miss Viossi.

Silently, I stood to fetch fresh water and a new rag.

“Don’t forget my room,” she called after me. “I saw fingerprints on the windows last night. Looks like you need a lesson in how to be a proper slave.”

I nodded without a word, burying my anger and humiliation deep inside. It’s what I always did—nobody in this manor seemed to care about whether I had the right to stand up for myself.

But today, a spark of curiosity flickered within me. If Miss Viossi knew she was to be wed to a monster, would she still have the energy to torment me?

As I resumed scrubbing the east wing corridor, a sudden commotion from the study shattered the quiet. Angry voices spilled out, sharp and heated.

“I absolutely will not marry that monster!” Viossi’s voice was shrill with rage. “You can’t agree to this! He’s killed four wives! Four!”

“Lower your voice, Viossi,” Lady Thornfield warned, her tone stern. “This is a royal command, not a request. Refusal is treason.”

“But he’s a horrible beast, mother!” Viossi’s voice broke, tinged with tears. “They say he looks like a monster, with a temper so foul even his servants fear him! I’d rather die than marry him!”

“Enough!” Lord Thornfield’s voice boomed like thunder. “Those are rumors, not facts! The wedding is in three days, and whether you like it or not, you will be his bride. As your father, I will gain access to the royal court—a great honor for our family and your duty.”

A tense silence followed, broken only by Lady Thornfield’s soothing tone. “My dear, we’ll find a way to protect you… There may be a solution…”

My heart raced. I knew I was overhearing something monumental, but I didn’t dare linger.

The study door flew open, and I nearly toppled over in my haste to look busy. Viossi stormed out, her face pale, her eyes red and swollen. When she saw me, something complex flickered in her gaze—fear, perhaps—before it hardened into pure hatred.

“Hey! You!” she spat. “You were eavesdropping!”

I shook my head frantically. “No, Miss Viossi, I was just cleaning—”

A sharp slap cut me off, her nails raking across my cheek, leaving stinging trails of blood.

“Lying filth!” she hissed, her eyes wild. “I should have Father throw you in the dungeon! Or better yet, send you to that monster—let him rip you apart!”

I didn’t dare argue, keeping my head bowed as her fury washed over me. She grabbed my hair, yanking hard before shoving me to the floor and storming off. I sat there, dizzy with fear and pain. Viossi had never been this unhinged before. It could only mean one thing—she was terrified of her impending marriage.

I forced myself to stand, ignoring the blood trickling down my cheek, and resumed my work. But deep inside, a gnawing unease took root, as if some terrible fate was already weaving itself around me.

By nightfall, I’d finished most of my tasks, though the stables and Viossi’s windows remained undone. I knew tomorrow would bring harsher punishments, but my body was at its limit.

My stomach growled as I trudged through the manor—no one would have set aside food for me.

“Lilia?”

Martha’s voice stopped me as I passed the kitchen. She gasped at the sight of my scratched face. “Who did this? Miss Viossi?”

I nodded, unwilling to say more. She gently touched the wounds, her eyes flashing with anger and sorrow.

“That’s too much,” she muttered, pulling a clean cloth from her apron and dabbing my face with water. “These needs tending.”

“It’s fine, Martha,” I said, trying to reassure her. “I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to be,” she said, her voice trembling with quiet fury. She pulled me to a corner of the kitchen, retrievinga small bottle from a hidden shelf. “Herbal salve—good for wounds.” She applied it gently to my face.