Isabella pov.

After he left, I realized how he had gotten in. The window in my room was large enough for someone to climb through. I made a mental note to ask for a room change or at least some kind of security measure.

But as I sat on the edge of my bed, I couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. Where had that strength come from? That voice of authority? And why hadn't I felt afraid?

I also couldn't stop thinking about Nathan. I could still feel his mark on my neck, still smell his scent on my skin even though I should have washed it off. The thought of possibly being pregnant with his child suddenly hit me like a truck.

"Oh God," I whispered, putting my hand on my stomach. "What if I'm carrying his baby?"

The idea terrified me. Nathan could throw me out of the pack, or worse, he could take the baby away from me. I needed to protect myself, needed to make sure I had allies in case everything went wrong.

That's when I came up with a plan. It was risky and could backfire spectacularly, but I had to do something. I decided that I would start being friendlier with the male servants and guards in the castle. If Nathan saw me talking and laughing with other men, maybe he'd realize how much he wanted me. And if he decided he didn't want me after all, at least I'd have friends who might protect me.

I knew Nathan might think I was acting like a slut, but I had to show him that I didn't need him. Even though that was a complete lie.

"Time to play some games," I muttered to myself as I tried to get a few more hours of sleep before dawn.

The next morning came too quickly. I put on my maid uniform and walked out to start my duties with the other servants. The mark on my neck was hidden under my collar, but I could feel it throb with every heartbeat.

I was barely out of my room when one of the senior servants, a woman named Clara, approached me with a worried expression.

"Isabella, you need to go clean the Alpha and Luna's room right away," she said. "They specifically requested you."

My stomach dropped. "Both of them requested me?"

"Well, the Luna did. The Alpha just nodded when she suggested it."

This felt like a trap, but I couldn't refuse a direct order. I gathered my cleaning supplies and made my way to the master bedroom, my heart pounding with every step.

I reached the ornate double doors of Nathan's bedroom and raised my hand to knock, but then I heard something that made me freeze. Moaning. Loud, theatrical moaning coming from inside the room.

My heart shattered into a million pieces. After everything that had happened last night, after Nathan had marked me and claimed me as his mate, he was in there with Lily again.

"You're such an idiot, Isabella," I whispered to myself. "You actually believed him."

I decided not to knock. If they wanted to humiliate me, I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing me break down. I opened the door and walked right in.

The sight that greeted me was even worse than I had imagined. Nathan and Lily were in bed together, completely naked. She was on top of him, riding him like her life depended on it, her blonde hair flying everywhere as she bounced up and down.

"Oh, Nathan!" she moaned loudly, clearly putting on a show. "You're so big! So amazing!"

I stood there in the doorway, my cleaning supplies in my hands, feeling like someone had just ripped my heart out of my chest.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, but loud enough for them to hear.

Lily immediately turned her head toward me, a triumphant smile on her face. "Oh, don't mind us," she said breathlessly. "Just close your eyes and clean the bathroom. We'll be done soon."

Nathan raised his head from the pillow, looking confused and disoriented. "Who's there?" he asked groggily.

"No one important," Lily replied, tightening her legs around his waist. "Just the maid. Keep going, baby. I'm so close."

Nathan turned his head to see me standing there, and the expression on his face immediately changed from confusion to shock and then to something that looked almost like panic.

"Isabella!" he gasped, pushing Lily off him and grabbing the bedsheets to cover himself. "What are you doing here?"

I raised my eyebrows and said in the coldest voice I could manage, "Just doing my job, Alpha. Don't let me interrupt you."

"This isn't what it looks like-" Nathan started, but I cut him off.

"Really? Because it looks like you're fucking your wife less than eight hours after you marked me and claimed me as your mate."

Lily's eyes widened with glee. "He marked you? Oh, this is rich! Nathan, you didn't tell me you were handing out consolation prizes."

"Shut up, Lily," Nathan snapped, his eyes never leaving mine. "Isabella, please, let me explain-"

"Explain what?" I asked, my voice getting louder. "Explain how you told me you loved me? How you said I was your other half? How you roared to the whole world that I was your mate?"

"You did what?" Lily shrieked, her fake satisfaction turning into real anger.

"Isabella, please-" Nathan tried again.

"No," I said firmly. "I'm done listening to your lies. I'm done being your fool."

I walked further into the room in slow motion, making sure my footsteps echoed loudly on the marble floor. I started cleaning the bathroom, ignoring both of them completely.

"Isabella," Nathan whispered urgently as I scrubbed the bathtub. "You don't understand. I was asleep. She drugged me. This is exactly what happened yesterday-"

"Save it," I said without looking at him. "I'm nobody, remember? Just the maid."

I could feel Nathan's eyes burning into me as I worked, but I refused to look at him. I finished cleaning the bathroom with methodical precision, then gathered my supplies and prepared to leave.

As I walked past the bed, I stopped and bowed mockingly to Lily. "I've finished my work here, Your Highness. Will there be anything else?"

Lily smiled viciously. "Actually, yes. From now on, you'll be cleaning our room every morning. I want you to see exactly what you'll never have."

I almost laughed at her pathetic attempt to hurt me. "Of course, Luna. It will be my pleasure."

I walked out of the room without giving Nathan another glance, but I could hear him calling my name behind me.

"Isabella! Isabella, wait!"

But I didn't wait. I had work to do and a reputation to rebuild. If Nathan wanted to play games, I could play them too.

I made my way to the main courtyard where several guards were stationed for the morning shift. Time to put my plan into action.

"Good morning, guys," I said with a bright smile as I approached a group of three guards who were discussing their duties for the day.

"Good morning, Isabella," replied Marcus, the young guard who had shown me around on my first day. "How are you settling in?"

"Oh, much better now," I said, making sure to laugh loudly enough that anyone passing by would hear. "You know, I was worried about fitting in, but everyone here has been so welcoming."

I spent the next few minutes chatting and joking with the guards, making sure to touch Marcus's arm occasionally and flip my hair in a flirty way. It felt fake and wrong, but I needed Nathan to see that I had options.

"Isabella, would you like to join us for lunch later?" asked another guard, a handsome man named Derek with sandy brown hair and kind eyes.

"I'd love to," I replied, giving him my brightest smile. "That sounds wonderful."

That's when I heard heavy footsteps behind me. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Nathan – I could feel his presence like electricity in the air.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Nathan's voice boomed across the courtyard, filled with anger and something that sounded suspiciously like jealousy.

I turned around slowly, keeping my expression perfectly innocent. "Good morning, Alpha. I'm just chatting with some of the staff while I work."

"Chatting?" Nathan's eyes were blazing with fury as he looked between me and the guards. "It looks like flirting to me."

I raised my eyebrows and said in a cool, professional tone, "I'm serving breakfast to you and the Luna, and these gentlemen are guarding the castle. Everyone is just doing their jobs."

Nathan's jaw clenched so tightly I thought his teeth might crack. Without warning, he kicked over a small decorative table that was sitting nearby, making everyone in the courtyard jump.

"Go to your fucking room," he ordered, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage. "Now."

I looked him up and down slowly, letting my gaze linger on his face with obvious disdain. "Is that an order, Alpha?"

"Yes, it's a fucking order!"

I shrugged casually and started to walk away, but Nathan's next move shocked everyone, including me.

He suddenly grabbed my arm in front of all the guards, all the servants who had gathered to see what the commotion was about, and in front of Lily, who had appeared in the courtyard wearing only a silk robe.

"YOU'RE FUCKING MINE, ISABELLA!" he roared, his voice echoing off the castle walls. "ONLY MINE!"

The entire courtyard fell silent. You could have heard a pin drop. Everyone was staring at us with wide eyes and open mouths.

I looked around at all the shocked faces, then back at Nathan with a triumphant smile. "Well," I said sweetly. "I guess the cat's out of the bag now, isn't it?"

Lily's face had gone completely white. "Nathan," she whispered, her voice shaking. "What are you saying?"

But Nathan wasn't looking at anyone except me. His grip on my arm was firm but not painful, and his eyes were blazing with an intensity that made my knees weak.

"I'm saying that Isabella belongs to me," he declared loudly enough for everyone to hear. "And I belong to her. Anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with me personally."

And just like that, everything changed. Our secret was out, and there was no going back.