Chapter 12. Brewing Storm in the Silence

Meanwhile…

Samantha’s first few days in the laundry quarters felt like a punishment she didn’t deserve.

The laundry house was nothing like the bustling warmth of the kitchen, where maids exchanged gossip while chopping vegetables or stirring large pots. Here, it was damp, hot from the constant steam, and smelled faintly of wet fabric and soap. The work was back-breaking—scrubbing heavy sheets from the Alpha’s chambers, hauling buckets of water, and ironing uniforms until her arms ached.

She could still feel Merida’s eyes on her every time she crossed paths with the head maid.

It was as though Merida had taken an unspoken oath to make her stay as unpleasant as possible. Samantha was polite, careful, and even offered to take extra duties, yet Merida’s sharp remarks and cold stares never softened.

At night, lying in the narrow bed in the servants’ quarters, Samantha turned over the problem in her mind. If Paula could be swayed, so could Merida. But this ti