MIRABEL POV.
TWO DAYS LATER.
I clocked in for work, and the first person I saw was Noah, sitting in the living room. It was obvious he had been waiting for me. I greeted him quickly and tried to leave, but he stopped me.
“Wait, I want to speak with you,” Noah said.
I sighed, turning to face him. “This is my work hour, Noah. Even though I work in the packhouse, I was instructed to stay out of your presence. I’m sure there are other maids assigned to you.”
“Well, I want you to come with me,” he said, standing up and walking toward me. “I have something I want to talk to you about.”
I sighed again, raising an eyebrow. “Please don’t make this difficult for me. It’s bad enough, you know I work here, but waiting for me every day to talk is… not good. You have responsibilities to attend to. If you keep skipping them, your brothers will notice, and then I will have no choice but to quit.”
Noah grabbed my hand. “You have been avoiding me for days. And you seem to be spending a lot of time with Silas in school,” he said.
“What’s going on here?” a voice interrupted. I turned and immediately recognized her. It was the triplets’ mother, Luna, standing on the stairway.
I hadn’t seen her in public for a long time, and she looked different from what I remembered—slimmer, her features more pronounced. Her beauty was undeniable, though dark circles now covered her eyes. She stared at us with a piercing gaze, her eyes narrowing as they dropped to our hands.
I quickly pulled my hand away from Noah.
“Who is she?” she asked.
“She’s my—” Noah began, but I cut him off.
“I work here as the new maid,” I said, bowing slightly.
She sighed and descended the stairs until she stood in front of us.
“Mom,” Noah said quietly, his voice tight, “I think you should go back to your room and rest.”
“Nonsense,” she laughed, a bright sound that didn’t match the exhaustion in her eyes. “I feel really good today—better than I have in a very long time.”
“Are you sure?” Noah asked, concerned.
“Of course, son. Stop worrying about me,” she said lightly before turning to me with a smile that brimmed with curiosity. “Oh, darling, I am so sorry I didn’t meet you sooner. Forgive my manners. I would have called for you, but I have been a little… crazy.” She chuckled at her own words.
“Mom,” Noah scolded.
“Come on, don’t be so uptight. She knows I am joking, right?” Her attention turned back to me. “What’s your name?”
“Mirabel,” I replied, feeling a strange tension in the room. For some reason, Noah was incredibly guarded, and his posture was stiff. I had no doubt it had something to do with his mother.
“Mirabel,” she repeated, laughing softly. “Such a pretty name for such a lovely girl. And what a beautiful face you have—it reminds me of how stunning I was when I was young and vibrant.” She leaned closer, her fingers unexpectedly squeezing my cheeks. “You are so pretty. I wish I had your face,” she added with a laugh.
“Mom, you are making her uncomfortable,” Noah said firmly, pulling her away from me.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” the Luna said with an exaggerated pout.
“It’s okay,” I assured her, even though I felt slightly uneasy.
She walked over to a nearby chair and collapsed into it with a sigh, her eyes fixating on me in a way that made me feel both seen and scrutinized.
“Can I trust you?” she asked, her voice suddenly childlike.
“Yes, ma’am,” I nodded, unsure where this was going.
“I feel trapped here,” she said, her tone shifting to a whispery complaint. “My sons refuse to buy my favorite wine anymore. Damian even instructed the maids not to help me. But I can tell you are a kind soul. You will get it for me, won’t you?”
“No, she won’t,” Noah interjected before I could respond.
“Why not?” she yelled, her mood snapping as quickly as it had shifted earlier.
“The doctor instructed that you stay away from it so your body doesn’t suffer more,” Noah said gently as if speaking to a child.
But his calmness did nothing to appease her. The Luna erupted into a tantrum, screaming and throwing anything she could find. Her voice was piercing as she demanded the wine, threatening to escape and get it herself if we didn’t obey.
“Hold her,” Noah ordered, his voice strained as he tried to dodge her flailing arms. Reluctantly, I stepped forward, grabbing her wrists just enough to keep her still while Noah disappeared into another room.
When he returned, he held a syringe in his hand. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, mostly to himself, before injecting her with the liquid.
The Luna’s movements slowed, her screams fading into a groggy murmur. She turned her head to look at me, her once playful smile replaced by a venom glare.
“You are just like the rest of your rank,” she spat weakly. “You wicked Omega.”
And with that, she slumped back into the chair, falling into a deep sleep.
Noah looked at me with guilt.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “She didn’t mean that.”
I nodded, offering a small, strained smile. “It’s okay.”
Deep down, I knew she meant every word. The way she looked at me, I could feel the hatred she had not just for me but for my kind. I knew she hated us, Omegas, and maybe that would explain why the triplets hated me, too.
Noah stepped closer, his blue eyes searching mine as if he wanted to say more. Instead, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Please don’t tell anyone about this,” he said firmly, more like a command than a request. “What you have seen here… it stays between us. Promise me.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” I replied.
Satisfied with my response, Noah turned back to his mother. Her breathing had evened out, and she looked almost peaceful.
He lifted her from the couch, gently cradling her in his arms.
“I will take her upstairs,” he murmured.
.