Alina's Pov.
"Good evening, my lady. Alpha assigned me to attend to you," the strange girl who walked into my chamber greeted me.
The Alpha? Could that beast-man from the woods be the one she was referring to?
And the girl… she looked quite similar to me. Her height, her pale skin—it all looked strangely familiar. The only difference was my hair and the crystal marks with the magically enhanced, sun-kissed glow on my skin. She didn't have any of those.
Her hair was completely black, unlike mine, which was clustered with silver strands. Her skin was simply pale, and her facial structure was also a bit similar to mine, though hers wasn't as sharp. I was surprised and, at the same time, worried.
How could this be?
Was she also abducted? Was she another victim—or perhaps a snare?
"Are you from where… I mean, this world?" I carefully asked, trying to unravel the mystery in my mind. She stared at me in confusion before quickly lowering her head.
"Yes, my lady. This is my world, and I'm an Omega who works in this district castle," she answered, gently placing the tray she was carrying on the table.
"An… Omega?" I repeated, wondering what she meant. "What is an Omega?"
She hesitated for a moment before replying.
"Omega is the lowest rank of wolves, my lady. We can't wolf out, and we mostly hold servant positions in the pack," she said, turning away from the tray she had placed on the table. Her head was still lowered, as if she was refusing to look me in the face.
Could it be that she was scared of me like everyone else in the human world because I didn't have my mud-mask on? If I also looked terrifying to a werewolf, where then would I fit in?
"May I wash you up, my lady?" the maid asked, breaking the silence that had lasted for almost half an hour.
Wash me up? My eyes widened as I repeated her words in my mind.
"N-no, no. Don't bother. I can do that myself," I quickly replied, feeling a little uncomfortable.
"But, my lady, the Alpha instructed me to take care of your needs," she argued, sounding a little uneasy.
"I understand, but please, I can do this myself. Let me do this myself," I requested gently.
"If you say so, my lady," she replied respectfully. "Is there anything else you would like me to do for you?"
"Is everyone…" I stopped, holding back the question I wanted to ask. Perhaps I had asked enough.
I didn't really know anything about this world or the beings in it. I had just questioned her about her position, and that must have reminded her of the lowly part of her life. Throwing more questions at her would probably trigger memories she didn't want to talk about, and I wouldn't want that.
I had lived a lowly life, and I knew how painful those memories could be. So, I should better hold back.
Even if she was asked to serve me, I didn't know the temperament of these beings, so I had to be careful not to put myself in danger. I had to stay alive to escape.
"No—not at all. I'm fine," I quickly replied, feigning a smile to keep myself composed.
"Very well, ma'am. Your bath is ready," she said, pointing toward the left corner of the chamber. "You can wash up after having your meal. And if you need anything, ring the bell and I will be here to serve you."
She pointed at the dangling rope beside the headboard.
"I bid you take my leave now."
I nodded, swallowing nervously as she left and closed the door behind her. Everything felt strange and uncomfortable. Being served by someone… I had never experienced that before.
Why did this menacing world feel strangely welcoming?
Why did this maid have similar facial features to mine?
This was the first time I was seeing someone who looked even slightly like me. Was every girl here like this, or was she the only one?
And if the girl was scared to look at me because of my appearance, why wasn't that man troubled? He had never shown any hint of fear or disgust in his eyes, although I no longer had my mask on. Or could it be that he wasn't terrified because he was a male version?
Well, it was likely to be that since men were not known to show fear. Besides, someone as ruthless and frightening as him wouldn't see a small being like me as a danger. He would rather see me as prey.
I looked around, searching for an escape route. That was when I noticed something different about the chamber. Everything looked brighter and more beautiful now. The frames, the artifacts, the golden bathtub, and even the walls all looked more beautiful than before. It was almost as if I was standing inside a chamber in a palace.
For a second, I was dazed, wondering how long I had slept after falling unconscious the second time and how long it had taken them to clean up the place.
"Phew!" I sighed. "Well, all of this doesn't matter now. I should better think of a way to get out of here before it's too late for me." I mumbled the words to myself and took a deep breath.
I quickly scrutinized the chamber, trying to figure out how every single thing in it could aid my getaway plan. The windows were too high and I needed something that could help me get down from the window without making a sound.
Just then, my eyes moved to the beautiful quilt on the bed and the long curtains that gracefully hung above the windows. An idea instantly struck me and my face lightened up with excitement, as my cheeks swelled in triumph before I dashed toward the bed.
This could work.
I quickly got to work. I unmade the bed, dragged out the quilt, then climbed onto the bedside chair to bring down the curtains, added them to the quilt to make the rope longer, and carefully tied everything together.
I pulled at the makeshift rope several times to make sure it could hold my weight. It wasn't perfect, but that was my only chance. I looked outside the window, but the guard was still there. So, I had to wait.
I spent the remaining hours pretending to rest while secretly watching the guard's movements, and finally, after waiting all night and denying myself even a nap, my patience paid off. The guard finally left in the early hours of the morning. I waited for a few more minutes, just to be certain he wasn't returning before making a move.
I tied one end of the makeshift rope tightly around the bed frame and carefully threw the other end through the window.
My heart pounded violently but I was determined not to let fear change my mind. I climbed onto the window ledge and slowly lowered myself, with my fingers trembling as I held onto the fabric. I swallowed hard and continued downward.
Getting to the end of the rope, I discovered that I was still hanging almost ten feet above the ground. Going back isn't an option, so I had to leave the rope and drop myself to the ground. I nearly cried out in pain but held myself. I was excited I made it but I didn't wait to celebrate my victory as I instantly took to my heels and ran. It was freedom at last, or at least, that was what I thought.