Sacrificed To The Triplet Alpha Kings

Agnes paused in her arranging, her expression shifting into something gentler. ”I had help,” she admitted. ”The Alphas were quite specific about what should be included. And I had my own thoughts about what a young woman might need after...” She trailed off delicately, but Lilith understood everything.

”Thank you,” Lilith said quietly. ”For preparing it. For caring.”

Agnes met her eyes, and there was genuine warmth in her gaze. ”You needed someone to care about you, Miss Thorne. When you were here before, you were all alone in this estate despite never being truly alone. I made sure that wouldn’t happen again.” She returned to her organizing. ”The Alphas are out this morning, estate business requires their attention. But they’ve left word that you’re free to move about as you wish. The gardens, the library, anywhere within the main grounds. If you need anything, you need only ring the bell.”

Lilith looked at the bell pull near her bed, an elegant tassel she’d barely noticed the night before. The simple existence of it, the fact that help was just a summons away, felt almost shocking after months of managing everything herself.

”What will my role be here?” Lilith asked, sitting down to the breakfast. ”I mean... what am I supposed to do?”

Agnes sat down across from her, an unusual move for a member of staff. It signaled that this was a genuine conversation rather than a service interaction. ”That’s a question the Alphas will answer when they’re ready,” Agnes said carefully. ”But between you and me, I suspect your role has changed considerably since your contract was signed.” She picked up a piece of fruit, studying it thoughtfully. ”You came here as payment for a debt. But debts can be paid and cleared. What happens after that...” She glanced up at Lilith. ”That’s something the Alphas will need to discuss with you directly.”

There was implication in her words....careful, protective implication that suggested Agnes knew more than she was saying, understood something about Lilith’s situation that went beyond the simple facts.

”I’ve heard things,” Lilith said quietly, testing the waters. ”From people at Shadowmere. About the Blackwoods. About how ruthless they are.”

”They are ruthless,” Agnes agreed without hesitation. ”They are powerful, and they use that power without apology. But ruthlessness and cruelty are not the same thing. The Alphas are capable of great cruelty, yes. They’re also capable of great care.” She paused, meeting Lilith’s eyes directly. ”What I witnessed during your last stay suggested to me that the second quality might be more relevant to you than the first.”

Lilith didn’t know how to respond to that. She focused on her breakfast instead, eating the bread and cheese, drinking the tea that had been prepared with exactly the right amount of honey. Agnes sat with her, not speaking, just present, a quiet companion who didn’t demand anything except her own comfortable silence.

When Lilith had eaten her fill, Agnes cleared the tray. ”I’ll come fetch this later,” she said. ”You should explore. You’ll find the estate is quite different in daylight than at night.” She paused at the door. ”And Lilith? You belong here. Don’t let anyone make you forget that.”

Then she was gone, leaving Lilith alone with her thoughts and the late morning light still streaming through the windows.

She spent the next hour exploring her room more thoroughly, opening drawers to find them stocked with undergarments and stockings, running her fingers along the spines of the books on the shelves. They were diverse...histories, novels, poetry, philosophy. Someone had chosen them with care, selecting a range that suggested they weren’t sure what she’d like but wanted to offer options.

It was on the vanity that she found the first note.

It was a simple card, placed beneath a vase of fresh flowers...white roses and something with small purple blooms she didn’t recognize. The handwriting was precised and controlled, written in silver ink.

For your room. Hope they bring you some peace. — N

N. Nicholas.

She picked up the card, reading it again, trying to find hidden meaning in its simplicity. But it seemed genuinely straightforward...a kind gesture, flowers for her room, hoping they would bring peace. No possession in it, no darkness. Just thoughtfulness.