Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
“Good, good. If you are skipping on the vitamins, the results of the blood test will expose you. So, I will see you tomorrow. Don’t forget and don’t try to wiggle out of it.”
Talia stifled a laugh. “I won’t forget, Travis. I will see you at ten o’clock.”
“I would never guess that an Omega would relax in the living room and set up a date.”
Cassie’s voice from the door made Talia freeze and she cursed her luck.
Cassie was passing by, and she heard Talia speak in a cheery voice, “Sounds good… I can do that… Yes… I won’t forget, Travis. I will see you at ten o’clock.”
Of course, Cassie assumed that Talia was talking with her lover. Is that any of Cassie’s business? No. But the fact that a scrawny girl in shabby clothes was relaxing on the sofa and acting like she owns the place, rubbed Cassie the wrong way.
“Why are you still sitting there? Don’t you know about hierarchy and manners? Get up!”, Cassie hissed, and Talia stood up in slow motion.
Talia hated the way Cassie treated her, but she was Dayson’s important guest, and Talia didn’t want to cause trouble.
If she talks back to Cassie, there is a high chance that things will escalate, and Talia was confident that there was no way for her to come unscathed out of that conflict.
The best thing to do was leave because it’s useless to try reasoning with crazy people.
Talia lowered her head, hoping that Cassie won’t recognize her from their previous confrontation in the kitchen, or as the one who was in the car with Dayson that morning. Luckily, at that time, Cassie paid more attention to Talia’s clothing than to Talia.
“I apologize if I offended you. If you excuse me, I need to help with dinner.”
At the mentioning of dinner, Cassie narrowed her eyes. “You are the Omega who I caught stealing food.”
Talia gritted her teeth. Why didn’t she come up with some other excuse? And she was NOT stealing food, but talking to Cassie seemed like talking to a wall.
Talia ignored Cassie’s comment and moved toward the door, but Cassie was quick to block Talia’s exit path.
“Why are you eager to leave? Did you steal something else?”, Cassie’s eyes fell on the cell phone in Talia’s hand and Talia swiftly hid it behind her back.
Talia noticed Cassie’s expression changing when she saw Stephanie’s phone, and Talia panicked. What if Cassie takes it or damages it? How will Talia explain that to Stephanie?
Cassie interpreted Talia’s silence as admittance and she extended her hand, palm up.
“Give me that phone.”, Cassie demanded.
Talia was not willing. “I didn’t steal it.”
Cassie sneered. “I see you can talk back. Is it because Alpha Dayson is not here to see who you truly are? You pretend to be obedient and play victim so that Beta can save your sorry ass. Well, I won’t fall for your tricks, and no one will save you now. You stole it and now you are lying. How could a lowly Omega have a phone like that? That’s an expensive model. Give it to me now and I will tell Alpha Dayson to lower your punishment.”
Talia couldn’t believe this. Punishment? Why did Cassie say that with a smile, like she is doing a favor for Talia?
Talia was confident that something was really wrong with Cassie’s head. Within a few seconds, Talia ended up as a thief and a liar, and Cassie didn’t have a single proof for any of that.
She wants to be Dayson’s Luna? Will Dayson allow Cassie to be in a position to impact the lives of his pack members?
Stephanie told Talia several stories about Dayson since he took over the pack as the Alpha, and Talia thought that he really cares about his pack. However, if he makes Cassie his Luna, that will change the dynamics for the worse, not only in the packhouse but in the pack overall.
‘I need to leave this place as soon as possible.’, Talia told herself. ‘Living on the street and sleeping under a bridge can’t be worse than this.’
Who cares about a cozy room if she can’t leave it without fear that she will be bullied? And what if bullies come into the room? How will that be different compared to the attic where she used to live?
Without the authority to talk back to Cassie, Talia felt the urgency to leave, starting with this room.
Talia walked past Cassie, but how can Cassie allow Talia to walk out?
Cassie grabbed Talia’s arm and applied pressure.
“Where do you think you are going? Did I allow you to leave?”
Cassie’s wolf is weak on a werewolf-strength scale, but she is still stronger than a human, and since Talia doesn’t have her wolf, she was unable to shake Cassie off. Actually, the grip was so painful that Talia winced.
Talia gritted her teeth. “Let go.”
“Not before you give me that phone.”
Talia was dejected. Why can’t this woman leave her alone? But she saw that things were escalating and that Cassie will not let her go.
Talia’s options were to fight back or to admit to theft she didn’t do.
Talia was never in a fight, so that didn’t cross her mind, but she couldn’t stay silent and allow this to continue either.
Talia remembered what Maya said to Cassie, and she thought it will be safe to play that card.
“You are a guest in this pack, and I suggest you act like one. This is not your phone. Why would I give it to you?”
“Who are you to tell me how I should act?”
Talia paused. Who is she? No one. But that doesn’t mean that Cassie can accuse her of things she didn’t do.
At the thought of the injustice thrown at her, rage swelled inside Talia.
“And who do YOU think you are?”, Talia hissed. “You want to be the Luna of this pack? Luna shouldn’t be a bully, and she shouldn’t assume the worst about people without evidence. Alpha Dayson is a fool if he makes you his Luna because you will ruin the pack he worked hard to protect.”
Cassie’s eyes flashed in outrage.
‘PAK!’
Talia saw stars when a hard slap landed on her cheek, and she stumbled backward.
‘BAM!’
Something heavy slammed against the wall and a second later, Talia heard an angry roar, “HOW DARE YOU!?”
Talia blinked to focus and through her haze she saw Dayson holding Cassie by her neck, pinning her against the wall.
Cassie’s stared at Dayson in horror while struggling to breathe, but Talia’s eyes moved over Dayson’s impressive wet body that was covered only with shorts. The glistening landscape of his back demanded attention no matter how much her cheek stung.
Dayson was training with warriors when he got the message from Travis through the mind-link of how he wanted to talk to Talia. Dayson told Stephanie that Talia should call Travis, and Dayson took that as a cue to return to the packhouse.
His plan was to shower and then find out what Talia made for dinner, but he ended up overhearing Cassie preventing Talia from leaving the living room.
Dayson approved when Talia stood up for herself and when she said how Cassie is not a Luna material, and Talia even said some good things about Dayson as the Alpha. Dayson wished that he was one second faster, because he reached the living room just in time to witness the slap.
Every muscle in his body ached to choke the life out of Cassie, and just his glare was enough for Cassie to freeze and she didn’t try to get herself free from his grip, even though she had difficulty breathing.
Stephanie showed up at the door of the living room in a hurry.
“Oh, dear…”, Stephanie gasped as she approached Talia who was holding onto her cheek. “Let’s put some ice on it.”
Talia followed obediently, unsure if Dayson mind-linked Stephanie or if Stephanie heard the commotion. It didn’t matter.
‘She hurt our mate!’, Dayson’s wolf shouted in his head. ‘Kill her or give me the control and I will do it!’
‘I want nothing less’, Dayson responded. ‘But that might start a war, and she can’t know that Talia is our mate.’
‘Are you giving her a pass?’