Selena

For a moment, I simply stared at Sally as the confidence in her eyes made it clear that she wasn’t joking.

Still, I couldn’t immediately believe her... not because I didn’t want her to join but because Sally had spent days watching me with suspicion.

She had questioned who I really was, noticed every strange privilege I received, and now suddenly she wanted to become part of the very thing I was secretly building.

Something about it felt wrong.

I grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her away from the doorway before anyone could overhear us. "What did you just say?"

Sally looked around before meeting my eyes again. "I said I want to join your revolution group."

I lowered my voice so that only she could hear me. "Are you being serious right now?"

"Yes I am, Selena." The answer came so quickly that I had to study her face.

There was determination there, I could also see anger there too but there was something else... Something she wasn’t saying.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked with a creased brow and my arms crossed around my chest.

Her expression shifted slightly as she asked, "What do you mean why? Don’t I have the right?"

"I mean exactly what I asked. Why do you want to join? I mean, there must be a reason for this sudden change of heart that you are having."

She quickly looked away, making me doubt her even more.

For someone who had been so bold moments ago, her sudden hesitation was suspicious.

"Sally." I called out wanting her to spill it out so I could head straight to the assassins. I didn’t have much time to waste on unimportant things at this moment.

She sighed loudly before finally saying, "I just want justice."

"That’s not an answer, Sally."

Her jaw tightened as she started speaking through gritted teeth. "My sister was sold to the vampires." The words came out quietly.

My expression softened as Sally continued. "Everyone acted like it was normal. Like it was just another duty. Like her life meant nothing because she was born into the wrong place."

Her hands curled into fists. "I watched my family lose her. I watched everyone pretend there was nothing they could do."

The pain in her voice was real but something still bothered me. "Sally..." I waited until she looked at me before I continued. "This isn’t just about having revenge! There are other things to it."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"The revolution." I took a breath. "It isn’t about one person. It isn’t about hurting the vampires because they hurt us. If that was all it was, it would only create another cycle of hatred."

Sally remained silent as I continued to explain how it works to her. "This is about changing everything for good." My voice became firmer.

"The way things have been for centuries. The way people are treated. The way powerful creatures decide that the lives of others are worth less."

I looked at her intently. "It’s about rewriting the foundation itself and making a solid change."

For the first time, Sally looked surprised. "The foundation?"

"Yes." I nodded. "Ending the oppression. Ending the idea that people can be owned and traded because they are weaker."

I stepped closer to her. "If your only reason is revenge, then you can’t join this revolution because it isn’t all about revenge."

The words were harsh but somehow, I knew I was saying them for her and not just for the group because revenge alone would destroy her.

Sally looked at me for a long moment then she nodded slowly. "Then I want justice! I want to be part of it."

Her voice became stronger. "I want to end what has been happening."

I studied her intently before asking. "You’re sure?"

"Yes." She swiftly said and a small smile formed on my face.

"Then I’ll accept you to join us in this,"I said with a small smile.

For a moment, happiness flashed across her face. "I won’t disappoint you."

"I’ll tell you later when our meetings will be starting." She nodded and I turned to leave.

But before I could take another step, Sally grabbed my arm then suddenly, she pushed me against the wall making my eyes widened.

"Sally?" I had almost stuttered as I wasn’t expecting her reaction.

Her expression was way more serious now. "I need you to understand something." The playfulness disappeared from her voice. "I still don’t believe you are who you say you are."

My heart kept beating fast but I forced my expression to remain calm as Sally continued. "There’s something different about you."

She leaned closer that I could practically feel her breath against my face. "The Alpha protects you. The guards listen to you. You walk around this place like you belong here."

I stayed silent while she proceeded. "Part of the reason I want to join your group is because I want to know the truth."

My stomach tightened as she said that. "I want to investigate you myself."

For a moment, neither of us spoke, then I slowly smiled to calm my nerves. "Are you threatening me?"

"No." She released me. "I’m just giving you a warning."

Interesting! Sally wasn’t foolish and that made her more dangerous.

I walked away without responding but inside, my thoughts were racing. I needed to be much more careful because Sally was right.

If Alpha Kael continued treating me differently, it wouldn’t only be her who started questioning me... Everyone would!

—

The next problem was spreading the word as a revolution couldn’t exist with only three people.

But I couldn’t exactly stand in the middle of the servants’ quarters and announce that I wanted to overthrow centuries of tradition.

That would probably end badly so I needed to find another way sooner than later.

When I arrived at the dungeon, the guard immediately stepped forward with a frown plastered at his face. "Stop right there."

I looked at him. "I need to go inside."

He shook his head. "Servants are not allowed in the dungeon."

I opened my mouth to argue then he suddenly paused as His eyes widened. "Wait." He looked at me carefully then his expression changed. "You’re the girl."

I frowned as I didn’t understand what he meant. "What girl?"

He immediately straightened. "Forgive me." He immediately opened the gate. "You may enter."

I hesitated as something about it made me uncomfortable. Sally’s words returned to my mind.

The special treatment and the privileges... She was right! I was receiving things servants normally never received and I didn’t even know how much attention it was attracting.

I walked inside and the dungeon was colder than I expected. The stone walls seemed to absorb every sound.

As I moved deeper, I passed several cells then I saw Grengy. He looked completely different from the man who had attacked me.

The confident servant was gone as he looked exhausted, weak, his clothes were dirty, and his face was thinner.

The moment he saw me, his expression hardened. "You." He snapped.

I stopped and asked. "What happened to me?."

His eyes filled with anger. "You’re happy now, right? Because of you, I’m here!"

His expression twisted. "Don’t you dare pretend."

"You put yourself here." I snapped back at him.

He laughed bitterly before saying. "Servants fight all the time." His voice became louder. "People argue. People hurt each other. But nobody gets locked away like this."

He stepped closer to the bars. "So tell me something." His eyes narrowed. "What is so special about you that the Alpha punished me like this?"

I didn’t answer immediately because the question bothered me too so I looked away. "That isn’t the point."

Grengy scoffed with a sneer. "Of course."

I continued walking and leaving him behind to avoid more sinister words from him.

When I finally reached the assassins’ cell, I expected to see broken men. Instead, I found something completely different.

They were sitting calmly, they didn’t look like prisoners and their bodies were so fine.

I stepped closer to the iron bar. "I need to ask you something."

Before I could introduce myself to them, a hand grabbed me so hard that I was pulled backward roughly. "What are you doing?"

I turned as my eyes widened on seeing Beta Bastien. His face was filled with shock. "What are you doing here?"

I opened my mouth to say something or anything, "I was just—"

"No." His voice was serious. "You cannot be here."

I frowned. "Why can’t I be?"

He looked toward the assassins then back at me. "Because they cannot know who you are... else, hiding you all these while would be for nothing!"

The realization hit me and I lowered my gaze. "I made a mistake."

Beta Bastien sighed. "Yes, you did."

I looked at him. "I’m sorry."

His expression softened slightly. "I know you want answers."

"I do." I quickly said.

"And I understand why." He glanced toward the cell. "But those men cannot discover your identity."

I looked back and something about them still bothered me. "There is something wrong with them."

Beta Bastien studied me. "What do you mean?"

"I don’t know." I shook my head. "But I know there is more to them than they are showing."

And I knew I had just lost my chance to find the answers myself.