Chapter 6

• "Do you realize that we are in front of a lot of people?" Nicole asked the outspoken omega in front of her.
• She was exhausted. All she wanted was to slip away, find a quiet place, and hide until the party was over so she could retreat to her bed and sleep. She could sense Shane's watchful eyes observing her every move. That wasn't the worst part; she could also feel Alpha Liam's piercing gaze on her
• "Look, I don't care about anything. I just want you to know that I heard about what you did today in the dressing room, and I want you to know that I'm not afraid of you. You can't intimidate me like you do to all the other girls. That one girl, I've forgotten her name, came out crying and trembling like a leaf. Other girls had similar reactions afterwards. You're lucky I wasn't with them; I would have put an end to your nonsense.
• The girl saying this towered over Nicole, both in height and size. Although she didn't usually participate in Shane's encounters with the other girls, she was part of their group. Unlike the rest of the omegas, she acted as if she wasn't afraid of Nicole's Luna Wolf.
• Nicole forced a tight-lipped smile, doing her best to remain diplomatic considering the circumstances. She hoped that, for once in his life, Shane would actually step up and come to her defense, as she was teetering on the edge and desperately trying to avoid causing a scene. Nicole's wolf, on the other hand, didn't care. It yearned to throttle the girl.
• "Do you know who was supposed to be the Luna before you arrived? It was one of us, one of those so-called low-class omegas you see here. We knew the Luna Wolf was among us, so we planned to get close to Alpha Shane. But then you showed up and ruined everything, and now you wonder why we despise you so much. Your days in this pack are numbered, so watch your back and every step you take." She concluded, flipping her hair and walking away.
• Nicole was overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions, unsure of how to feel, behave, or react. She stood frozen for what felt like an eternity, completely shocked by the escalating threats from the girls. Her so-called mate showed no inclination to help or even acknowledge her existence.
• Survival seemed to be her only solace, as she remembered the blood oath Alpha Shane had made with her parents when he took her in, settling their debt. It was the only reason she remained alive in this dangerous predicament.
• The thought of her parents left a bitter taste in her mouth. In comparison, she found herself preferring Shane over them, unable to fathom any wickedness or betrayal worse than what her parents had committed.
• What kind of parents gave their child as payment to a monster, knowing quite well that he was evil?
• Suddenly, Shane's voice echoed in her mind, breaking her trance-like state. "Nicole, you've been in one position for over five minutes now. Why?" he demanded through their mind link.
• Startled, Nicole snapped out of her reverie and instinctively tried to retreat into one of the dark corners.
• "Stop right there," Shane commanded, his voice exuding power that shot through her like electricity, freezing her in place.
• "You're not finished with the guests. Where do you think you're going?" he questioned sternly.
• Nicole's head spun around, searching for him in the room. "But I've spoken to everyone important, just as you instructed. There's no one left," she replied through their mind link.
• "Do you dare question me? I will address that later," Shane retorted with a threatening undertone.
• A tremor coursed through Nicole's body as she gulped, knowing that "addressing it later" meant enduring severe punishment, possibly more than she could handle without passing out.
• "Now walk back," Shane commanded. "I have a few special guests hidden among the Pack members, and each one of them must be acknowledged, treated with the utmost respect, and given undivided attention.
• They should be fairly easy to identify once you're with the pack members because they don't have the same scent as the Crimsons. Now hurry up, the party is almost over, and they're already angry. We certainly don't want war and chaos in Crimson, do we?
• A wave of fear washed over Nicole once again. She despised when he forced her to smile and greet his partners in crime. Above all, she detested their leering eyes, inappropriate remarks, and unwarranted physical contact.
• Taking a deep breath, she turned around and obeyed Shane's command.
• "Hey Luna, how are you? I just wanted to say that I absolutely loved your speech and stage performance today. You're truly amazing and a beacon of light that blesses Crimson. We couldn't do without you, could we?
• What would we have done if you weren't here? I've noticed how caring you are, always asking about everyone. Well done, Luna," an older woman, probably in her late forties, said as she walked by.
• Usually, Nicole would have graciously smiled, but this time she was too frustrated to even acknowledge her. She was exhausted by all the nonsense, tired of pretending to be someone she wasn't. Nobody treated her like a Luna, yet they all expected her to fulfill the responsibilities of one.
• "Thank you," Nicole replied curtly and walked away.
• The woman and the people nearby were quite taken aback.
• "What the hell was that, Nicole? Are you out of your mind? Have you lost it? Now turn around, smile, and greet that woman properly," Shane bellowed.
• Nicole abruptly halted, breathing heavily and biting her lip to calm herself down. Her nails dug into her palms, and her body trembled.
• After a moment, she continued walking towards the guest without looking back.
• Shane's roar echoed in her mind. She could feel his dominance surging through her, like electric waves pulsating beneath her skin, threatening to consume her. It was painful.
• Her wolf was going berserk, its primal instinct urging her to obey the alpha at any cost. It demanded that she turn back and comply with Shane's instructions. But she couldn't. She focused on anything but the searing pain, pushing forward.
• "You're dead tonight!" Shane's roar reverberated.
• Taking a deep breath, Nicole disconnected her pack bond, effectively silencing Shane's voice in her head.
• She knew she was in serious trouble. Her body and mind would undoubtedly suffer the consequences of her defiance tonight, but she refused to go back and apologize to random pack members. She despised them. They turned a blind eye to her suffering.
• Could they honestly claim they couldn't hear her screams most nights? Or turn a blind eye to her black eyes, swollen face, and sadness in her eyes?
• At this moment, she loathed everyone in the Crimson Pack and just wanted to be left alone.
• Approaching the guest section, she relied on her instincts to lead her to the first special guest. It was an elegant blonde woman in a striking dress, resembling a guest at a fashion event or gala.
• With a forced smile, Nicole took a seat beside her.
• "Hello, how are you? Have you been enjoying the events?" she asked politely.
• The lady sneered, crossed her long legs, and inspected her manicured nails.
• "I see he's still keeping you around," she remarked, barely acknowledging Nicole. "Well, it's been quite an interesting turn of events. Tell your alpha that my pack has taken note. We're aware, but we won't support it until we see how this unfolds.
• He should remember that the Dark Moon's Alpha is the most cunning being on Earth. To us, this isn't a display of power but a dangerous risk. Anyway, if he manages to pull it off and kill Liam Hallows, then we'll agree, and he can have all the power he desires."
• Nicole's heart skipped a beat. She had thought this was a welcome party for the alpha of Dark Moon, who was also the most dangerous wolf. But she hadn't realized they were also plotting his assassination.
• "Sooner is better. My pack will only agree if he's taken care of as soon as possible. It should be done while Liam is still unsuspecting and distracted by his victory. Once he leaves Crimson, he'll become untouchable, and Shane will lose our support."
• Nicole swallowed hard, mustered her strength, and moved on to the next guest.
• They echoed the same sentiments. Each of them wanted Alpha Liam dead before he left Crimson. It was like a death sentence.
• She quickly relayed the information to Shane and discreetly made her way out of sight. She couldn't explain why she felt like she was betraying Liam, even though he had been cruel to her and possibly worse than her mate.
• As she made her way out of the Pack Hall, heading towards her room in the Packhouse, Liam intercepted her again.
• "Where do you think you're going?" Liam asked, his voice sending shivers down her spine as memories of their passionate night together flashed in her mind.
• "What do you want?" she asked him.
• He chuckled, revealing his perfect teeth. She inhaled sharply, recalling the sensation of his mouth on her nipples.
• "The party is far from over, Nicole," he told her, watching as pleasure thrummed through her at the mention of her name.
• "Unless you're going to pack up your things and follow me home, I don't see why you should be leaving."
• Surprising herself, Nicole scoffed and folded her arms.
• "Is that all you have to say? How original... Look, I've had enough tonight. You're not even sure if you'll leave here alive-"
• Nicole's eyes widened, and she quickly clamped her hands around her mouth, realizing her slip-up.
• "What?" Liam growled, his dominance overpowering Shane's. The sheer force of it sent her staggering back.
• His hands shot out and caught her, and although she was terrified, his touch sent a wave of pleasure directly to her core.
• "What. Did. You. Just. Say?"
• Nicole's body quivered. She bit her lip and fought the urge to reveal everything she had heard. He is not your Alpha, she reminded herself. Fury blazed in his eyes, intensifying her fear a thousandfold. Yet, she couldn't betray her Alpha and mate.
• After a moment, he smirked, his eyes shining as if he knew exactly what she had been talking about. Nicole blinked and gulped, feeling the heat from his hands on her waist as his fingers dug into her soft skin.
• Suddenly, he pulled her into his hard chest, holding her waist delicately as he sniffed her neck.
• "I'll make you speak, Nicole. It's only a matter of time. Soon, you'll be singing for me, just like you did two nights ago. But that will be in my mansion."
• Nicole reminded herself to breathe as she shuddered in his arms. His tongue found a spot at the base of her neck, a sensation she had never known existed, and he licked it. Instantly, her legs turned jelly, and her body melted in his grasp. A soft moan escaped her lips as he licked it again.
• Her hands instinctively wrapped around his neck.
• He chuckled darkly.
• "I'll be back," he said, detaching himself from her and moving away so swiftly that she began to wonder if what she had experienced was all in her head.