Chapter 76
# Elowen's POV
"An Omega?" someone whispered, the word spreading like wildfire through the crowd.
"He's been passing as a big shot this whole time?"
"That explains why he always backed down from real confrontations..."
"No wonder his scent always seemed... off."
I stood frozen, processing what I'd just heard. Drake—an Omega? My mind raced, connecting dots I'd previously missed. The way he avoided direct confrontation with stronger wolves. How he compensated with material possessions and status symbols. His obsession with marking me publicly rather than through genuine connection.
I knew something wasn't right with him, Juno growled inside me. He never smelled like a true Alpha. He reeked of deception.
My heart hammered in my chest, but I forced myself to remain outwardly composed. This wasn't just about Drake lying—this was about him manipulating me for my Beta bloodline, treating me like breeding stock rather than a person.
Cassian let out a low whistle. "Well, well. Isn't this an interesting development." His voice was casual, but I could see the cold fury building behind his eyes.
Casper's hand slid protectively around my waist, his fingers digging slightly into my hip. "Is that true, Drake?" he demanded, his voice deadly quiet. The tension rolling off him was palpable—a hunter coiled to strike.
Drake's eyes flashed with something—panic mixed with calculation. "She's delusional! She's fucking crazy!" His voice cracked slightly. "You're all being ridiculous—"
"Your scent," I interrupted, my voice steadier than I expected. "I always thought it was strange... too manufactured. Too perfect. You've been using scent blockers and Alpha pheromone enhancers, haven't you?"
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Several wolves nodded in recognition—they'd noticed it too but hadn't pieced it together.
"That's why you never let me close during full moons," I continued, the realization hitting me. "Your control over your scent weakens then. It's not because you were protecting me—it was because you were protecting your secret."
Drake's careful façade cracked further. His eyes darted around the room, looking for allies and finding none.
"Answer her," Casper growled, stepping forward. His eyes flashed dangerously between normal and amber. I could feel his rage through our growing connection—not just at Drake's deception, but at the idea that this Omega had dared to mistreat me for so long.
"You don't understand. None of you understand what it's like—" Drake started, desperation edging his voice.
"To lie? To manipulate someone for their genetics?" Cassian interrupted, his usual languid charm evaporating like morning mist, revealing the lethal force beneath. "You're right. We don't understand that."
"Or to pretend to be something you're not?" Casper added, contempt dripping from every word. "To strut around acting superior when you're just a fraud?"
I could feel both twins' anger pulsing through our connection—the insult of having an Omega challenge them, threaten me, and pretend superiority cut deep into their Alpha pride.
Irene stepped forward, her face a perfect mask of composure. "I think it's time for you to leave, Drake."
That's when Drake's expression changed, a slow, unsettling smile spreading across his face. "Irene," he said quietly, but loud enough for those nearby to hear, "you forget our arrangement so quickly? If you throw me out, I won't do what you've asked of me."
A momentary flicker of tension passed across Irene's perfect features before she regained control. The room had gone deadly silent.
Something feels off about all this, Cassian's voice slid into my mind through our link. There's more happening here than what we're seeing.
I can feel it too, I responded, surprised by the sudden clarity of our connection. Like we're only seeing the surface of something much darker.
What if the Reid family doesn't even exist? Casper added, his mental voice tight with anger. What if this is all an elaborate setup?
The Reid family... I echoed his thought, a cold dread washing over me. If they don't exist, then who is he working for? Who created this entire lie and why target me specifically? The questions hung between us, unanswered but urgent.
Drake turned to face the murmuring crowd, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "You all are so quick to judge," he sneered, desperation bleeding into his voice despite his attempt to appear in control. "What evidence do you have besides your unreliable noses? I've accomplished more as an Omega than most of you guys ever will!"
"Because you've been deceiving everyone," a woman in the crowd called out.
"You've been parading around like some big shot," a man added.
Drake's jaw tightened momentarily before his expression shifted to one of calculated victimhood. "I did what I had to survive in a world that worships Alphas and treats Omegas like dirt," he hissed. "Any of you would've done the same in my position. Don't pretend you're better than me."
Then he turned to me, his face transformed into a mask of apologetic warmth that didn't reach his eyes. "Little wolf," he said softly, taking a step toward me, "I was wrong before. I apologize for everything. Can't we just put this behind us? We had something special—"
"We had nothing," I cut him off, my voice ice-cold despite the anger burning in my chest. "You used me. You lied to me. Every moment was part of your manipulation."
"Don't be dramatic," Drake chided, as if speaking to a child. "I cared for you. I still do—"
"Enough," Casper snarled, moving between us. "You come any closer to her and I'll rip your throat out."
"Such violent tendencies," Drake sighed theatrically. "Is this really the kind of company you want to keep, Elowen?"
Cassian laughed—a sharp, dangerous sound. A smile played on his lips, but his eyes gleamed with murderous intensity, his entire body radiating lethal grace. "You must be fucking delusional," he said, his voice deceptively light. "Or having some kind of psychotic break. Either way, stay the hell away from her."
Drake's face hardened for just a second before his mask of sincerity slipped back into place. "I see the Thornwood twins have claimed another toy. Enjoy it while it lasts, Elowen. When they tire of you—and they will—remember who was there first."
"You were never there for me," I replied, feeling a strange calm despite my racing heart. "You were there for what I could give you—status, bloodline, a cover for your lies."
Something dangerous flashed in Drake's eyes. "You have no idea what you're part of, little wolf. None of you do."
He's baiting us, Cassian warned through our link. Don't let him get to you.
Why isn't Irene kicking him out? I asked. What kind of arrangement do they have?
That's what worries me, Casper replied. Nothing about this situation makes sense.
As Drake backed away, his face still arranged in that infuriating façade of confidence, I felt something shift between the three of us. A new awareness, a shared purpose.
The truth hit me then: Drake wasn't just a jealous ex or a status-hungry Omega with a bruised ego. His deception was merely one piece of something far more calculated—a game where I still couldn't see all the players.