The lack of guards was laughable. “Do we really need to wear these stupid fucking masks?” Verity’s nasally voice was coming from down the hall. I just walked. She turned the corner with a familiar man, already in a mask.
“Will you please stop whining for five damn seconds?” The man rubbed his forehead. “We have only been here for an hour and you have already given me a migraine.”
“Daddy.” She pouted.
I froze. I was watching his face, his familiar build, his voice. I was shaking my head before I even realized it. He stopped next to me, and I held my breath. He turned to me. “Excuse me?”
“Yes?” I kept my voice low.
“Where is this mating ceremony supposed to take place? We are just wandering around here.” He smiled and lifted his mask. Any doubt I had disappeared.
Verity lifted her mask. “Hello? Omega? We asked you a question.” She growled as she reached out her hand to grab my mask, but I dodged it.
“I’m sorry, we aren’t supposed to talk to the ranked wolves. Nor are we allowed to remove our masks.” I bowed. “It was a command.” I took a step back. “The main event will be in the clearing outside, with a meal in the main hall to follow. Right now, the men are getting ready in the Alpha’s office, and the women are down the hall to the right.”
The man watched me. “Do I know you?”
“I don’t think so, Alpha.” I dipped again. “What’s your name?”
I panicked for a second. “Clara, Alpha.”
“Garith.” He smiled as my stomach clenched. “You can call me Garith.”
I gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Did you need anything else, Alpha…Garith?”
He chuckled. “No. Continue with your tasks.” I nodded once and started down the hall.
“Why were you so nice to that Omega daddy? They don’t fucking matter.” Verity whined as I slipped around the corner.
He growled low. “I have told you time and time again. Omegas are the backbone of our packs. They do all the hard tasks that noone wants to do. And they enjoy it. It calls to their lower nature. If you don’t treat them nicely, they will leave, and then you will have to lower yourself to get the shit done.” His voice lowered. “You treat the trash like they’re cherished, and they will follow you to their death.” He chuckled lower. “Everyone needs cannon fodder.”
Verity’s laugh followed. “Understood.” Their voices faded, but I was stuck trembling around the corner. Verity was my…aunt. There was no fucking way. I misheard that somehow.
“What are you doing?” A sharp voice called out, and I turned to see Meg glaring at me from a chair halfway down the hall in a reading nook that the Luna demanded.
“I was walking, and I rolled my ankle in these heels.” I wiggled the ridiculous high heels that Shannon picked out for the waitstaff.
Meg seemed to falter for a second as she held an ice pack against her own ankle. “Yeah, they are ridiculous.” She sighed as she iced her ankle a little more. “Do you know where the Luna is?”
I shook my head. “No. I saw her heading downstairs with another Omega. Did you need her?”
Meg groaned. She looked around and then seemed to decide. “No one will believe an Omega, anyway.” I stepped closer with a limp. “She is being such a bitch, and I am at my wits’ end. She wants the Luna to walk with her down the aisle, but the Luna already said no.” I tilted my head as I shuffled closer. “Do you know what she did? She fucking threw a tantrum and pushed me, spraining my ankle. Already knowing my wolf is too weak to heal it before the fucking walk down the aisle.” She growled.
“What do you need me to do?”
She leveled me with a look. “Find the Luna and convince her to walk Shannon down the fucking aisle.” She pushed her tiny bit of power into her next words. “Convince the Luna or kill yourself.”
This fucking bitch.
I forced myself to shiver as the command barely touched my toes. She snarled at me as I stood rooted in my spot. “Didn’t you hear me, Omega?” She pushed herself up off the chair and growled. She was pulling her strength to her as she hobbled up to me. “Go find the Luna and convince her to walk Shannon down the aisle, or kill yourself. There is no in between.” I heard Nix and Megan growl, but I held it all in.
“Yes, Meg.” I bowed, even though she wasn’t ranked because Shannon demanded it of the Omegas. I turned and left her there, on her bad leg, and stumbled towards the stairs. Meg snickered, but she missed the smirk I had on my face as I hit the landing. These people were too easy to fool. This stupid mask, and a fake scent, and they forget what you look like.
It’s because they never thought to actually look at people they think are below them. Even if they are looking at your face, you are an Omega, below them in every way.Nix snorted.
They never understood the truth here.Megan shifted next to Nix.They believe whatever Vince and Brandon told them, no matter how stupid.
I snorted as I turned the corner of the bottom floor and went searching. I made my way down the Omega wing of the house, with a sneaking suspicion I would find the pair down here. I wasn’t lying when I said I saw the Luna coming down here with an Omega. I just was smart enough not to tell anyone that she snuck down here with her rumored lover for a quickie while her son and mate were otherwise occupied.
