Karen stood, still in a daze, her mind wandering as the sharp voice of Mrs Lucille cut through the air, jolting her back to reality.

"The rest of you may leave. We only have ten slots, and she has just secured the last one," Mrs Lucille declared, her expression stoic and unmoved by the grumbles and murmurs of the disappointed crowd.

Amidst the sea of discontent girls, Karen caught fragments of hushed whispers, questioning why such a disheveled girl had been chosen to work in the grand castle of the Silver Claw Pack. The unfamiliar faces stared at her with thinly veiled disdain, bringing discomfort to Karen. She couldn't wrap...