Chapter 22

Anita’s Pov

As I walked into the packhouse, still trying to process everything that had happened by the pool, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that clung to me. My mind kept drifting back to the way Alpha Hades had reacted, how he had blamed himself for not protecting me. But more than that, it was the way he looked at me, like he was seeing something he hadn’t noticed before and that unsettled me the most.

I pulled my jacket tighter around myself, the chilling breeze added a tension knotting in my stomach.

I had excused myself when Alpha Hades was scolding Kira and reaching there now, him and Damian were gone.

Suddenly, I caught sight of Kira, standing near the entrance. Her eyes locked onto mine, and a sinister smile slowly spread across her lips.

“So,” she began, her voice dripping with disdain, as she moved close to me. “I didn’t expect you to make Alpha Hades fall for you so easily.”

I stopped in my tracks as her words cut through the air like a blade. “What are you talking about?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Kira took a step closer, her gaze piercing deep into mine, “Don’t play dumb, Anita. You’re good, but not that good. Just because the Alpha is paying you a little extra attention doesn’t mean you’ve won. He already has a mate, and he loves her deeply. Don’t think for a second you can replace her.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I had never intended to come between Alpha Hades and his mate, but the way she twisted the situation made me question everything. Was I really just a pawn in some twisted game?

I straightened my back, refusing to let her see how much her words affected me. “I have no intentions toward Alpha Hades,” I said firmly, meeting her gaze head-on. “I’m already married, and even if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be interested. My only goal is to stay in this pack and do my part. Nothing more.”

Kira’s eyes narrowed, clearly not expecting my response. “Married?” she echoed, as her eyes glinted with of surprise, “To who?”

Before I could respond, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Alpha Hades appeared from behind, his presence commanding as always. Damian was right behind him with an unreadable expression.

“Kira,” Alpha Hades said sharply, his tone filled with authority, “That’s enough.”

Kira’s expression shifted into one of shock, and then anger. She glared at me before turning her gaze back to Alpha Hades. “I was just trying to warn her,” she said with a defensive tone in her voice. “She needs to know where she stands.”

Alpha Hades’ expression hardened as his eyes narrowed dangerously at her. “And who are you to determine that?” he asked with a cold voice. “Anita is a member of this pack, and I won’t have you treating her otherwise. Your remarks are not only hurtful but also out of line.”

“Kira,” he added, his voice low and filled with a barely controlled fury, “Do you have any idea of the consequences of your actions?”

Kira met his gaze without flinching as a wild smirk played across the corner of her lips. “I only did what I thought was necessary,” she replied.

“Necessary?” Alpha Hades echoed, his eyes narrowing dangerously at her, “You think poisoning a member of this pack is necessary?”

“She’s not one of us,” Kira shot back, her voice dripping with disdain as she turned to me. “She’s a rogue. An outsider. She doesn’t belong here.”

The words stung inside my heart, not because I hadn’t heard them before, but because of the venom behind them. Kira wasn’t just attacking my status as a rogue; she was challenging my very right to be here. And for a moment, I wondered if she was right. I wasn’t born into this pack. I didn’t have the same connections, the same history. But I also knew that I had earned my place here, and I wasn’t going to let her take that away from me.

Before I could respond, Alpha Hades took a step forward, “She belongs here as long as I say she does,” he said with a cold glance at her, “And you, Kira, have overstepped your bounds. You’ve betrayed this pack by attacking one of its members, and that will not be tolerated.”

Kira’s smirk faded with her confidence wavering for just a moment before she recovered. “You’re just protecting her because you like her,” she sneered. “But we all know where your loyalties really lie-with your mate. You’ll get rid of her the moment your mate comes back.”

Her words hung in the air, echoing in the silence that followed. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, as I tried to reminisce what she just said.

Was that true?

But before I could further my thoughts, Alpha Hades spoke, “My mate has nothing to do with this,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Anita has earned her place here through her strength and determination, qualities that I respect and admire. What you’ve done, Kira, is an act of cowardice and jealousy.”

Kira’s face twisted in anger, her eyes narrowing as she glared at me. “She’s nothing,” she hissed. “Just a rogue pretending to be something she’s not. You’ll see, Alpha Hades. She’s not worth your protection.”

The words cut deep through me and I felt a pang of hurt, but I refused to let her see how much they affected me. Instead, I stood tall, meeting her gaze with a sneer on mine, “I don’t need your approval, Kira,” I said quietly. “I’ve earned my place here, and nothing you say will change that.”

Alpha Hades nodded in approval at my words, his eyes softening slightly as he looked at me. “Anita is right,” he said firmly. “She has proven herself time and again, and she will continue to do so. You, on the other hand, have shown that you cannot be trusted.”

Kira’s eyes flashed with rage, but she remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Alpha Hades turned to Damian, his expression hardening once more. “Kira is no longer fit to serve by your side,” he said, his tone leaving no room for negotiations or argument. “She’s a threat to this pack, and I won’t have her jeopardizing our safety. She’s demoted, effective immediately.”

Kira gasped, her eyes widening in shock as the weight of his words sank in. “Please you won't do that to me,” she protested, her voice shaking. “I’ve served this pack loyally for years—”

“And you’ve just proven that your loyalty is conditional,” Alpha Hades interrupted sharply. “You’ve betrayed this pack, Kira. Be grateful that I’m not banishing you altogether.”

Kira’s face turned pale, her hands trembling as she struggled to find the words to defend herself. But there was nothing she could say—nothing that would change Alpha Hades’ mind.

Kira’s eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth to protest further but the words seemed to die in her throat. Then, she turned her glare back to me with a disdainful look.

“This isn’t over,” she hissed before storming off, her footsteps echoing down the hall.

I watched her go, a mixture of relief and anxiety swirling inside me. The confrontation had been intense, and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Was this really how things were going to be?

Would I constantly have to defend my place in this pack especially now as Alpha Hades assistant?

I know that Kira loves him but what baffles me is the way she thinks I would snatch him from her.

Like, I can't do that. I'm not that kind of person.

But how did Alpha Hades manage to come right in time?

Did he really hear all the things I said to her?