Rhea.

"Silvermoon thrives on freedom, Alpha Damien," Frederik, his Beta, reminded him. Damien shot him a glare, and I mirrored the relief in exhaling since Frederik spared me from stumbling over my words.

Alpha Damien's eyes roamed from the ground, up to my thighs, lingering on the regrettable shorts I wore, and finally settling on my face. Despite his disdainful look, I couldn't deny my inexplicable attraction to him and his toxic aura. He signaled to Frederik, "Give us a minute," and Frederik shrugged, heading back into the pack. I released a soft sigh, meeting Damien's gaze once more.

His gaze locked onto mine, lacking softness yet strangely alluring. Alpha Damien scrutinized me from head to toe, sparking a rush of desire between my legs. Cursing inwardly, I couldn't deny his undeniable appeal.

Despite his actions, he was undeniably hot and irresistible, a fact that frustrated me to no end. The idea of being his mate again tempted me, but then there was Remus, who, despite not being my mate, had become incredibly significant in a short time.

Alpha Damien approached, standing so close that I could feel his warm breath on my reddening face. His proximity sent my heart racing, threatening to burst through my ribcage. Unable to meet his intense gaze, I lowered my head, resenting how he effortlessly affected me. His index finger lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. My stomach churned as his touch burned my skin. He shoved his hands into his pockets, brows furrowed.

Accusations pierced the air. "You were with a man," he declared, catching me off guard. Not by his husky voice, but by the truth in his words, likely deduced from Remus's lingering scent on me. “Does your mother know you sneak out to see a man?” Panic surged as he hinted at revealing my secret to my mother.

"I... I wasn't with a man," I stammered, my heart sinking at the thought of him revealing the truth to my mother.

"Oh don't fucking deny it, Rhea," he whispered sharply, his threat hanging in the air.

I sighed, scanning the surroundings where the guards were engrossed in their duties, ensuring everything remained intact. Returning my gaze to Alpha Damien, my face twisted in a frown, as if he had accused me unjustly.

"That's a really expensive accusation, Alpha Damien," I retorted, irritation seeping into my voice. He pressed on, demanding an explanation. “Where were you then?”

Swallowing hard, I wanted to snap back and tell him it was none of his business, but I bit my tongue. A mere servant in his palace and an omega in his pack, I couldn't afford to speak disrespectfully. Yet, a day might come when his incessant prodding would push me to tell him to fuck off.

"I was by the rush-man lake, getting some fresh air," I lied, and he averted his gaze. Damien exhaled deeply, smacking his lips in annoyance. His eyes locked onto mine again as he dipped his hand into my hair, forcefully tilting my head up and to the side.

"Hey!" I protested, gripping his hand against my will. Despite the aggression, a shameful part of me found it oddly appealing. The desire for a kiss flickered in my mind, even though his guards were scattered around. All of me wanted to kiss all of him.

Conflicted emotions brewed within me. Angry and resentful, I should despise Alpha Damien, yet his stupid handsome face captivated me. Amidst the chaos of emotions, the thought of kissing him lingered, making me question my own sanity.

My heart pounded against my chest, unsure of Alpha Damien's intentions. Despite his proximity, his face didn't indicate an imminent kiss; instead, he leaned in, leaving me on edge.

"Was the guy a vampire?" he questioned, and confusion crossed my face as his eyes fixated on my neck, simmering with anger. “What the hell kind of hickey is this? Was he trying to suck your life out?” He recoiled from the sight of the hickey, treating it as if it were the most repulsive thing he'd ever seen. I observed him take a deep breath, a visible effort to maintain composure.

My throat felt constricted; there was no denying it, no lying or conjuring excuses. I couldn't explain how Remus had given me the hickey; it had escaped my notice while he were having sex. Alpha Damien released his grip and stepped back, rage evident on his face, widening my eyes with fear.

In an attempt to explain, I shook my head, but he silenced me. "Leave!" he commanded in a deep, threatening voice.

"But..."

"Rhea, don't push me," he warned, forcing my lips to seal shut. I lowered my gaze, nodding in acknowledgment, feeling an unexpected sense of shame and guilt, emotions I knew I shouldn't be burdened with.

Alpha Damien's clear disinterest clashed with his irritation over a hickey, leaving me perplexed. My concern didn't revolve around potential jealousy; instead, I dreaded facing my mother with the visible mark. As I entered the pack premises, a nervous sigh escaped me.

Attempting to hide the hickey, I fixed my hair to cover my neck. The windy weather proved uncooperative, continually revealing the mark. Annoyed, I smacked my lips, frustration evident.

"You look guilty," a voice startled me, and I turned to see Aria beside me. Glaring, I snapped, "You can't just jump on people like that, Aria." Her chuckle only intensified my annoyance, a sentiment magnified by Alpha Damien's influence.

Blaming him for everything, irritation simmered within me. Entangled with Remus for solace and revenge, the knowledge that Alpha Damien knew about my involvement with another man embarrassed me. I shouldn't feel this way, I want to be satisfied that Alpha Damien knows I'm seeing someone. But I can't help myself but feel embarrassed that he knows. "I saw you with that jerk," Aria stated, and shock widened my eyes.

"He will have your head if he hears you calling him that," I cautioned in a hushed tone. Unfazed, Aria, a fearless soul, shrugged it off, highlighting the complexities of navigating a world entangled with Alpha Damien's influence.

At the tender age of sixteen, my younger sister's fearlessness and carefree attitude both impressed and intimidated me. She navigated life with a disregard for others' opinions, a trait I wished I could embody. However, it seemed fate had chosen me to be the softer one between us siblings.

As we walked home together, Aria revealed our mother's persistent inquiries about my whereabouts. “It wasn't like she was worried, she wanted to know whether you were with Alpha Damien, turns out her wish was true.”

Aria suggested, "You should tell her the truth," and I felt my brows furrow in response. Every day, I lied to my mother about visiting him when, in reality, I was headed to work in the palace. The irony stung – if Alpha Damien had accepted me, I would be his Luna, freed from scrubbing bathroom tiles.

"I never said I wasn't going to," I replied defensively as we approached the front door. Aria's reminder about my mother working for Alpha Damien's mother struck a chord. "She will find out if you don't. Isn't it weird, your mother working for his mother, and you becoming his Luna?" Aria's point resonated, but I wasn't ready to accept it.

"Shut up," I snapped, irritated, and pushed open the front door, wrestling with the internal struggle of truth and deception.

My mother peeks from the kitchen, her face lighting up with a bright smile upon seeing us. "My girls," she greets cheerfully. "I just finished making dinner. How was your day, Rhea?" she asks, and my throat tightens. Swiftly, I fix my hair, ensuring my hickey remains hidden. Though Aria hasn't mentioned it, paranoia lingers.

"It was fine. I have to take a shower before eating," I reply, making my way to our room. "We'll wait for you," my mother calls after us, and I wave dismissively. Shutting the door behind me, I lean against it, releasing a frustrated sigh.

Remus comes to mind, a fleeting distraction from my worries. He's like an addictive drug, momentarily easing the pain. Once the effect wears off, the weight of my troubles returns. Leaving Remus behind only amplifies my miseries, pressing down heavily on my chest. The complexity of my life, orchestrated by Alpha Damien, leaves me bewildered. Yet, despite the chaos, I find myself yearning for him.

As I strip down, grabbing a towel, I move to the mirror, curious about the hickey that stirred Alpha Damien's irritation. A faint gasp escapes me. He was right – it looked as if a vampire had drained the life from my neck. Reddish and purplish hues blended together, and as I tentatively touched the spot, a slight sting reminded me of the tangled mess Alpha Damien had become in my life.

"Are you in the shower..." Aria barges in, catching me off guard. Panicking, I hastily cover my neck, but it's too late – she's seen it. "Oh my heavens, is that a hickey?" she exclaims, wearing an annoyingly huge smile. Why was she so thrilled?

"Who gave it to you? Alpha Damien?" Aria's volume rises, and I worry our mother might overhear. "Shh, Aria," I hush her, but she rolls her eyes. "You're seeing someone?" she probes, sharp as ever. While she possesses all the right talents, I seem stuck with anxiety and nervousness.

"Aria, it's none of your business," I snap, irritation evident. I head towards the bathroom, but she persists. "Or was it Alpha Damien? I saw you with him earlier, and he seemed so close to you," she speculates. Glaring, I retort, "The alpha giving his Omega and servant a hickey in front of his guards?"

"So, there is a guy?" Aria's distrustful look and narrowed eyes fuel my annoyance. "What guy?" Our mother's sudden appearance sends a wave of fear through me. She must have overheard everything we were saying.