Chapter 9

Everything seemed to settle down in the next few days. At least, I didn’t hear of any new developments, and like the ignorant assholes they were, The Alpha and Luna seemed to forget about the incident completely.

You know, the small incident of an allied Alpha’s only son getting murdered inside your packhouse…probably nothing to worry about.

I spent time in the kitchens, idly arranging flowers and listening to the Omegas' gossip. But that’s all it was—gossip.

Thankfully, there weren’t any new developments or evidence against their mysterious murderer on this end, at least.

The visiting Alpha and Luna left with their son’s body. I was still waiting to hear if they found anything, but if Alpha Raymond got a call about it, he didn’t share it in front of me.

I brushed my hair idly in the mirror, resuming my nightly position as I waited for Alice.

I wondered if Alice was smarter than she let on, and I wondered if she was a spy for them. She never asked questions, though, and never seemed to notice anything, as if I had given her anything to go on.

A soft knock, softer than even Alice’s, came at the door. I narrowed my brows. “Come in,” I called, composing my face.

A blonde Omega scuttled into the room, looking around after she silently closed the door behind her.

Was Alice being replaced? She was with me for longer than the others, but I thought that was just because they forgot or considered me domicile enough to have an ongoing interaction with one person.

After a few silent moments, I said, " Hi, are you here instead of Alice?” I tugged at my hair nervously and chewed my lip. I tried to look anxious, but this girl was so skittish that I was no match.

“No, I shouldn’t be her.” She shook her head, meeting my eyes with her wide green ones. “I just wanted to thank you,” she said, taking a step in.

“For what?” I cocked my head, tugging my brows together.

But I remembered her; I knew who she was the second she looked at me. She was the Omega that filth Alpha’s son was about to rape.

“You stopped him.” She shifted from foot to foot. “If you wouldn’t have come in during our conversation, I would have—” Her voice broke.

I softened my face. “Oh,” I said, “It was just lucky timing; I was heading back to my room.”

She shook her head violently. “You stood up for me.”

I gave her a small smile; this wasn’t ideal. I didn’t want to be on anyone’s radar, especially one that could potentially tie me with a motive, however improbable.

“I just wanted to say thank you; you don’t know what that means, what you did. So many of us, I mean..” she trailed off and rubbed her neck, where a fresh mark was not present.

“You’re marked,” I commented, trying to change the subject.

“I am.” Her brilliant smile made her look at ease for the first time since she walked into my room. But there are so many others who had more unfortunate outcomes.” Her face fell.

She really wouldn’t give this up, would she?

I nodded, tugging my brows together and putting on a frown.

“The ranked members turn a blind eye when it happens to Omegas,” she scoffed, looking down at her feet. “We tried; well, others did, at least, in the past. The Alpha and even the Luna made it go away. Well, they made the Omegas leave or shut up. They didn’t do anything to the people who actually did or tried anything.” Her face was set now in an angry determination.

“Can you leave?” I whispered. “the pack?”

I didn’t realize that things like this must have happened before. I wasn’t looking out for it; the signs were probably there. I felt guilt wash through me, something I hadn’t felt in years.

“Can you?” she asked, meeting my eyes.

“It’s a bit different,” I explained gently, “there are other packs for you—”

“I don’t think we would be treated better there.” She bit her lip. “I’ve seen other ranked members, seen what they have done and gotten away with.” She swallowed, shaking her head.

“I got lucky, and I just wanted to thank you,” she continued. “We wanted to thank you.”

Who were we? I didn’t dare ask.

I wanted to tell her that ranked members weren’t all like that: my parents, for one, and our allies, even the other packs in our territory. I have never seen such mistreatment as I had seen here, and with Alpha Raymon’s allies outside of this territory, the scum he let in.

But for some reason, I could not voice it.

“Thank me?” I repeated quietly.

“For saying something, it was more than anyone else would have.” I hated that I believed her. “It doesn’t matter,” she added. A small smile played on her lips and it made her green eyes glistened. “He’s dead down anyways.” Her smile widened, and I forced myself not to return it.

“He is,” I agreed, looking far away.

“I’m glad,” she breathed out.

I nodded a bit, not sure what else to say. I wouldn’t say anything about his death. Better to keep on completely neutral grounds. I didn’t want to speak anything she could misinterpret or could come back to bite me in the ass.

“I have to go. I owe you, though. Thank you, Simone.”

“You’re welcome...”

“Tia.” She smiled before sneaking out.

She owed me. A favor, not one I could cash in for anything big, but if she believed she owed me, if she thought we were friends, maybe I could use this to my advantage.

***

A week passed, and still nothing. I felt confident enough to move on with my plan. My birthday was coming; ideally, I would have them taken out within the next few weeks.

I could poison them all at once, but where was the fun in that?

I wanted Alpha Raymond to know someone was coming for him, starting with his shitty, perverted sons, and then his pathetic mate.

I craved this revenge; I needed it. I planned for it for years and worked toward this. I would savor every moment of it, and I wanted them to suffer.

“Simone, what dress for tonight?” Alice asked.

“Whatever you think is best,” I offered a smile.

I saw her brows tug in the mirror. “But what if I choose the wrong one?” she stammered.

“For dinner?” I clarified.

“The warrior dinner, the first part of the challenge for the Alpha title…”

I didn’t have to feign surprise; I had no idea this was going on. I mentally flipped back through conversations and remembered a few small things about warriors and guests, but not an event.

“Warriors come from the nearby packs, and the Alpha’s sons choose trainers for the upcoming trials,” she explained. “It’s just a parade of warriors, nothing big. The real show starts next week.” Alice tried a smile.

I knew that much. Luna Addison talked of nothing but that party that would start the trials.

She was too excited for someone that she might lose one or more of her sons in the process. The whole thing sounded so medieval, but it fit this drafty castle home and the dated furnishings.

“Oh, I didn’t know.” I met Alice’s eyes in the mirror. “Any dress is fine.”

I was internally punishing myself. I couldn’t slip this close. How did I miss this event? Was it moved up? I didn’t dare ask Alice.

She came back with a yellow dress and showed it to me with a flourish. “Perfect.” I looked it up and down, internally wincing at the hideous gaudy dress.

When I got to the dining hall, I saw the dining table pushed to one side of the dining hall, leaving the massive space open.

It felt courtly, seeing The Alpha, Luna, and their sons all watching a group of people, looking down at them. I guess these people were similar to royalty—the undeserving royals of the werewolf world, I thought dryly.

“Oh, you’re here.” Luna Addison looked at me as I approached with wide eyes. Her bleached hair was piled high, and she was wearing a long blue dress that might have looked good if it wasn’t on her.

“I thought it was dinner time.” I looked around the room.

“No, this is an event,” she said slowly as if I were dumb, and she probably thought I was.

“Should I leave?” I asked, half hoping she would say yes, but I knew I needed this information.

“Sit down; it’s starting,” Alpha Raymond hissed. “Shut up.” I wasn’t sure who he was talking to. He was the one that had to start the damned thing.

I clamored into a seat and did as he told me.

Alpha Raymond stood and cleared his throat. “Sons,” he started. “Today is when you choose your personal trainer for the trial.” He blabbed on about some bullshit, dignity, and honor, and I almost choked on my wine.

“Bring them in,” Alpha Raymond ordered, and the dining room doors opened with a flourish, accompanied by the waiting Omegas.

One by one, warriors from this pack and others came to talk up their feats and skills. I was so bored I fought to keep my eyes open. This would have been amusing if I had anyone to share the absolute absurdity of it all with. I was all for pack traditions, but this fanfare was too much for me.

The next warrior introduced himself, “Dalton, previous warrior of the great Blood River pack.”

I tensed, and my eyes shifted to him. I knew him. I knew who he was before his damned name even crossed his damned lips.

“Ah yes, I remember you,” Alpha Raymond said. “Left to follow your mate, the Beta’s daughter of Blue Forest?”

“You have a great memory, Alpha.” Dalton’s lips tugged back in a smile that made my insides churn before he motioned to his mate to come forward.

Her head was hung, and he wrapped his arm around her. She flinched as his hands dug into her side. “Greet our hosts, honey,” Dalton said through gritted teeth, turning his oily smile to his mate.

“Alpha Raymond, Luna Addison. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She looked up, and I almost gasped. The bottom of one of her eyes was purpling, and an older yellowish bruise stained her forehead.

If anyone else noticed, they didn’t say anything, and neither Dalton nor his mate mentioned her bruises. It must have been recent if they were still healing.

Once we got our wolves at eighteen, our healing sped up significantly, and she was clearly over eighteen to have found her mate.

“Welcome back. We’re happy to have you,” Alpha Raymond boomed after Dalton bragged about his attributes.

He made eye contact with me, tugging his mate so close she gasped. A wicked smile spread across his face, and he gave me the slightest nod that no one else saw.

The first man on my kill list walked out of the room with his bruised and broken mate in tow.

“Goddess, she looked awful,” Luna Addison tutted. “A bit of makeup at least, you swear these women…” She trailed off as if she didn’t notice how Dalton touched his mate, and part of me wanted to believe she hadn’t.