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CHAPTER 1

“Anastasia come here right now.” I discarded everything I was doing and hurried to the head maid’s side, with a slight

Before I could even blink a harsh slap landed on my face and the sound echoed through the halls.

“I want this floors shining without a smudge of dirt do you understand me?”

“Yes ma'am.” Huffing she turned around her eyes roaming hall, probably looking for something else to criticise.

I looked at the marble floor just to see a perfect reflection of myself. What more does she want from me? This is as shiny as anything can get.

Sighing I got down and started scrubbing the floor again. My hands were already blistered and my back screamed in protest but I forced myself to scrub like my life depended on it.... which it probably does.

Normally they work me to the bone without considering the fact that I’m very much human, unlike the rest of them but for some reason it seemed like there was more to do today...

It was way past midnight when I finished scrubbing the hallway.

I got up from the floor and staggered into the kitchen to wash the dishes. I don’t know what these people eat but it’s definitely a lot because there are always so many dishes to wash when they’re done.

Struggling to keep my eyes open I did the dishes and finished in record time before heading to my little room.

Staggering through the halls of this huge castle I tried to find my way to the space I called my room and after many turns I set my sight on the familiar door and let myself into the only space I can call mine.

The bumpy contraption full of springs felt like heaven against my aching body. I glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed and vaguely registered it in my sleep deprived brain that it’s already four o’clock before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

Jerking up from the bed I look around to see what’s causing the noise but I can’t make out anything in the darkness.

I turned on the lights and looked around to find everything perfectly in place and the noise which I now realised was not from my room, fading away.

I sighed seeing it was just five thirty and settled back into the sheets to get some more sleep. At least I tried to.

I couldn’t even get a wink more sleep, so after thirty minutes of tossing and turning I finally decided it’s better to get a head start on my chores for the day.

I normally begin work at seven but maybe I can finish earlier today and get more sleep at night if I start early.

Getting up from the bed I trudged into the bathroom to freshen up before heading out. Just the thought of all the work they’d make me do makes my back ache already.

Sighing I stepped out of the shower and into the room donning my usual get up, I put my hair into a tight French braid, won’t want it getting in the way now would we?

I stepped out of the room only to see that the whole castle was already in a buzz. Confused I’m about to go back and check my alarm clock for the time again but freeze when I heard my name being yelled from the other end of the hallway.

Slowly I turned around to meet the disapproving gaze of the head maid.

“Took you long enough, come along there’s no time to lazy about today we’ve got a lot to do.”

I followed her through the halls wondering what was happening, why was everyone up so early and won’t I be doing my usual chores? Luckily I didn’t have to voice out any of those questions because they were answered before I could get a word out.

“You will not be doing any of your regular duties today because someone special is arriving at the castle today.”

Someone special? We’ve had a lot of special people arrive the castle before but we’ve never made so many preparations for them. Whoever this is they must be really important.

“You,” she continued “will be part of those who are to clean the room where this special someone will be staying.”

I felt my heart sink as she said that. I’m going to be part of the people cleaning the suite, among them, I’d have to work with them. That means I’ll be the human working with werewolves.... this is going to be so fun! Note the sarcasm.

Usually they give me work to do alone, without any of them, because apparently they also don’t want to work with a human, not that I’m complaining though, quite the opposite really.

Maybe this important person is the reason why my workload has increased significantly over the past week. I felt my dislike towards this person growing already.

“This is the room you are to clean, you should start before the others get here, to speed up the work.” I’m about to tell her I haven’t had anything to eat yet but I get shoved into the room before I have a chance to say a word.

Taking in the room before me I was left speechless, it shouldn’t even be called a room because this thing is big enough to be a suite maybe even more.

I took a deep breath and started working, it’s not like her knowing would change a thing, she’d probably say something like ‘there’s no time for that you weak little human, you can have something to eat when you are done with your duties.’

Wouldn’t be the first time. The only reason I’ve survived this long is because unlike everyone else in this place the cook seems to have a soft spot for me and sends her son to give me some food anytime I don’t make it for breakfast, which is everyday by the way, somehow the head maid always seems to get to me before I can grab a bite, I bet she plans it.

She’s also kind enough to leave me extra meals at night so I could eat before I do the dishes but that’s only when there are leftovers, either ways I’m always grateful.

Thankfully, that’s how I made my first and only friend in this place, like his mother, Ben is a kind-hearted soul. He even used to try helping me with all this work load before one day we got caught and I was punished severely, after that he quickly realised that helping me was only going to get me in more trouble.

After nearly an hour of dusting, wiping and fluffing I heard the door of the room open again.

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