SCARLET'S POV.
I ventured into what seemed more like a full-fledged pack house, termed by the Fedele family as a hall.
The place was constructed with bricks, not wood. The walls flaunted various colors, akin to a rainbow, although not exactly as cheerful as I had initially imagined.
"Hey, move!" A voice snapped me out of my reverie, prompting me to swiftly duck to avoid the woods being carried by some guards.
"Are you okay?" one of them asked, helping me up and dusting off my clothes.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured him, and he smiled before returning to his task.
"Don't mind those jerks. I hope you're not hurt," another voice, feminine this time, came from across the hall as she approached.
Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back, framing her striking green eyes. She looked stunning, and her broad smile as she closed the gap between us further accentuated her beauty.
"No, I'm fine," I replied, returning the smile.
"When did you arrive? You seem new. I haven't seen you before," she inquired.
"Not too long ago. I'm new here," I explained.
"Ah, a freshman," she chuckled, and we both shared a smile.
"Come on, let's clean those chairs together," she suggested, pointing at some stacked chairs. I readily joined her, realizing it was my master's welcome party today.
"Of course, it's a celebration, but I'm not entirely sure it's for me."
"I'm Clara," she introduced herself, handing me a wet cloth to wipe the chairs.
"I'm Scarlet."
"Nice name. It sounds fierce and confident," she commented as she unpacked the chairs and began cleaning, and I quickly joined her.
She seemed reasonable and composed, unlike Jade, who would report every detail to Xavier every chance she got. I wondered if Clara was interested in him, but I certainly wasn't.
"How has your stay been?" she inquired as we continued cleaning.
"Nothing much to say, it's been okay so far."
"Who is your master?"
"Xavier!" I replied nonchalantly, but she gasped and almost dropped the cloth on one of the chairs.
"The SAINT?"
Confused by her reaction, I wondered who this SAINT was that she mentioned.
"No, not him," I corrected, unaware that it was his nickname.
"Isn't it Xavier? I mean, the Beta and Underboss?" She furrowed her brows, eager for my confirmation.
"Yes, the beta," I confirmed slowly, trying to grasp the significance of what she said.
"He is the SAINT," she said excitedly. I couldn't fathom what was so thrilling about the Xavier who had purchased me—cold and aggressive.
"What happened?"
"He's the best, always has been in the Fedele family. Everyone adores him, even more than the Alpha," she whispered with enthusiasm.
"Okay," I nodded, unwilling to argue about how different he seemed, considering how big a fan she was of him.
"What is this hall used for?" I asked, attempting to change the subject.
"Ceremonies, mostly rituals, or even a duel between royalties," she explained, and we both turned to examine the immense size of the hall.
"What have you all done!" A loud, commanding voice echoed as Jade stormed into the hall. I turned to see her, rolling my eyes in disgust as she started berating us.
"What have you done? It'll take decades to clean these chairs!" she hollered from the entrance, her presence overwhelming.
I continued cleaning, unfazed, but Clara spoke up, "She's always like this. She wants all the Fedele attention for herself. She wouldn't hesitate to change her sexuality or have affair with the females."
"Queer baiting?" I muttered under my breath.
"A desperate, shameless opportunist!" I added, and we both burst into laughter, knowing our mirth would surely draw attention.
Jade, noticing, demanded, "What's so funny? Are you laughing at me?"
None of us bothered to acknowledge her constant need for attention.
"Did you know she slept her way into becoming the senior maid?" Clara whispered, and we couldn't help but smile, trying to stifle our laughter. Another outburst might make things worse.
"I'm talking to you both!" Jade lunged closer, fists clenched and eyes blazing with anger. I wished she would come closer so I could teach her a lesson for all the times she'd betrayed my trust.
"I said I'm talking to you!" Without warning, she struck Clara, causing her to stumble and fall. Without hesitation, I intervened, swiftly pushing Jade to the ground, hearing her groan as she hit the floor.
"What did you do?" Jade forced herself up, realizing she couldn't afford to be embarrassed in front of the lower-ranked maids. She lunged at me again, but this time, I had a better position and managed to twist her arm, causing her to scream in pain as I turned her around.
"Please, let my arm go," she pleaded, her pain strangely amusing to me. Her continued pleas didn't sway me until I glimpsed some guards coming in. Relenting, I released her arm, watching her slump to the ground, cradling it, while the other maids laughed, deepening her embarrassment.
"What's happening there?" a guard bellowed, clearing the way to approach the ongoing commotion.
As I observed Jade on the ground, a surge of anger made me want to unleash my fury upon her, but I held back, considering it might be too extreme for a day like this.
"Are you both fighting?" The guard's intense gaze shifted between my unapologetic expression and Jade's pained state.
"Wait, did you attack your senior maid?" he questioned, eyeing me, and before I could react, he lunged to strike me.
Swiftly dodging his blow, I wasn't just a weak seductress. Harry had taught me to defend myself in case of danger.
Just as he prepared for another attack, a commanding voice interrupted, "Stop it!"
A tall, authoritative figure strode towards us. He seemed to be around my age or a bit younger, yet as he passed the other maids, they all bowed in reverence. I wondered who he was.
"Molding punches for a woman?" he sneered, instantly prompting the guard to bow.
"I'm sorry, young master. I didn't mean to. She broke the hierarchy rule of the Fedele family."
"Let her go," he commanded, and my eyes fixated on him, wondering who this person was to issue such an order and set me free.
He grasped my wrist and led me away from the hall, drawing everyone's attention. My breaths grew shallow as my heart pounded harder, awaiting his identity, but I shot Jade a daring look, warning her against reporting to Xavier.
"I'm Ryder," he smiled, releasing his tight grip on my wrist.
"Can we meet after the ceremony?" he asked, and I stood there, staring at him blankly, taken aback by the irrationality of his request. Meeting me and asking for a post-ceremony rendezvous seemed quite absurd.
"I'm Scarlet. Thanks for saving me back there, but I can't meet up with you after the ceremony," I replied.
"What if, while the party's still on, nothing comes for free," he said, a sly smirk playing on his lips. And yes, I knew exactly what that meant.