Chapter 45

LEAH

I strolled down the palace with my comfortable shoes to supervise the work of the Omegas that worked in the pack. Other times when I was less busy, I would go on to help them do one or two chores before I go back to my room to paint something out of boredom.

My life used to be interesting before I got married to Robert. I mean, even though my parents weren't rich and we were practically Omegas, I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted without being restricted because of my duties as the wife of the pack's Alpha.

I used to be a bubbly little girl up until marriage ruined me. Now, I would never have the chance to experience what love was like because no one will dare to go for the woman Alpha Dante was married to, or even was once married to if we ever get separated at all.

"You need to put in more effort in ironing Alpha Robert's clothes," I told one of the Omegas. "I don't want to see a wrinkle on it after you finish or I'll simply have to relieve you of the duty and give you another one in the kitchen," I added, the threat working like magic.

Nobody liked working in the kitchen. After all, Robert always insisted on having his food cooked with his mother who lived on the outskirts of the town because people brought out the worst in her. Even the slightest bit of a change in her food will result in her coming down to the palace to yell at the Omegas and even fire some of them.

Unfortunately, I was in her crosshairs too. I was just the leech that got married to her son because our plan to extort her son and leave him high and dry failed in her head. She hated me even more than she hated some Omegas.

I passed by the laundry room and went straight to the kitchen. I peeped my head from the door and supervised what they were doing from afar, even though they had their supervisors to avoid any story that touched the heart.

After I was done, I knew I had nothing to do again. I would just go back to my chamber, which was gifted to me by Robert after our wedding because, at that time, he was not ready to be with me after the brutal heartbreak his mate had just given him.

I hadn't seen him in days. After that incident, I packed a lot of my clothes and moved into my other chamber which had way less security and a lot of freedom. I appreciated him letting me have my space after what happened the other day. At least he was reasonable enough to know that I will not be talking to him again anytime soon.

My lip injury had almost healed as I applied the drugs the pack's doctor gave me after going to her and claiming I fell in the bathroom. She bought it easily because I could easily manipulate my way into things, it was the talent I was born with. It worked on everyone I didn't want to say the truth to, even Alpha Robert falls for it all the time.

"Hey you," I called out to one of the Omega's that was sweeping the floor. "After all the chores are concluded, you should come to my chambers and let me know," I told her.

Even though I fought with my husband, I was never the one to shy away from the responsibilities that came with being his wife because I didn't want people to second guess the decision of him marrying me, as the naïve sister of the child prodigy, Paula.

The maid nodded and I left for my house. I fired all the bodyguards I had because I knew the Tick Moon pack was one of the safest packs there is. After I got there, I looked up at my building and noticed something really strange.

I raised a brow in confusion as I stepped back in confusion, wondering who had the guts to remove the outdoor water-proof painting I hung at my entrance. Whoever did have quite the nerve knowing I was going to be angry but they still went ahead to do it.

My confused expression changed into anger in record time. The fact that I didn't have a guard that stayed on my threshold doesn't mean that anybody has the right to get into my house without my permission. I made that clear by locking my house with heavy padlocks, which were now broken and were laying on the floor with the rock used to break it besides.

It must have been a thief, who would be the way to go back home empty-handed because I didn't have my valuable items here, I'm not stupid. I pushed the door open and traced the prints of the heavy boots that were covered in mud with my eyes, which meant that the person was coming from somewhere else because the weather is as dry as it can get in our pack.

I stepped inside with a little bit of fear in my system. The sitting room was not a very impressive one, it was scanty and small which will make any creature trying to lurk in it fail miserably. I picked up the pestle I made smoothies with earlier today with my right hand and tied my long unbound hair together.

I checked every nook and corner of the parlor but found nothing. I was tempted to go back to the palace and get a guard that would help me search the rest of the house because I wasn't ready to die, but something in me didn't want to. I was going to face it alone.

Just then, the sound of a plate shattering from the kitchen startled me, and I dropped the pestle on my leg which made me let out a high-pitched scream. Shit. I looked down at my feet to check if I made any damage to my leg before I heard footsteps casually closer.

Instinctively, I raised my head to look at the creature that made me go through all this trouble, and I nearly fell to my but when I saw who it was.

Silence.

We stared at each other's eyes for what seemed like forever until she finally blinked, then I blinked too. My heart felt heavy as I stood up to my feet, my brain too mashed-up to process what was going on and my mouth too weak to talk.

"Leah." She squealed as she enveloped me into a tight hug, attempting to crush my bones like she always used to. When we were young, she would chase me around our house to give me those kinds of hugs because she knew I hated them. But I knew that was her love language and even though I didn't like it most of the time, I would let her hug me like that on special occasions.

Today wasn't. I'd never been this irritated at the sight of someone as I was with Paula, who was still hugging me as if her life depended on my body. I wanted to yell at her, push her away, and even manage to give her one or two slaps but I couldn't. I was rooted on my spot and couldn't move an inch.

She let me go and placed her hands on my shoulders, her eyes tearing up on cue.

"I missed you so much Leah, how are you?" She asked, wiping away the tears that started to cascade down her cheeks with a finger.

I cocked my head towards the door, and I removed her hands from me before I proceeded to lock it. If she got caught in my chambers, I knew Alpha Robert would do so much more than burst my lips on a bed pillar. He was going to murder me in cold blood.

"What the hell are you doing back here Paula? Have you fucking lost it?" I whisper-yelled as I took her to a corner where there wasn't a window because I didn't want us to be in the view of the prying eyes outside my chambers.

She scrunched her eyebrows "I came to see you. Is that a crime?"

I scoffed, "Yes it is Paula. You left me without a goddamn word and now you are back to tell me you want to see me? I am anything but not a fucking fool." I snarled angrily. My blood was boiling and I couldn't do anything about it, she has to leave.

"Fine." She rolled her eyes before she got my hand that was tightened around her arm and placed it between us, squeezing it in a manner that would usually comfort me before, but not anymore.

"Tell me what you are here for, and you have to leave before someone comes in here and tells Alpha Robert."

At the sound of his name, Paula's eyes brightened. She cocked her head to the side as her throat bobbed up and down before she turned to face me again with teary eyes.

"He is not meant for me Leah, I thought he was my mate." She blurted in a regretful tone, referring to the man she eloped with after our parents died and just a few months after her mate proposed to her.

"How is that my problem? You saw an opportunity to betray me, Robert, and our dead parents and you took it without even thinking it over."

"I am sorry." She let the first tear slip out of her eye.

"Sorry for yourself." I looked away from her when her words started to get to me.

Sister or not, what she did all those months ago was the cruelest thing anyone has ever done to me. I was not about to forgive her because she finally realized what she did was wrong and shed a few tears for me.

She made me get into a loveless marriage I had to get into for acceptance and fear of facing the Alpha's wrath. She deserved nothing close to my forgiveness.

"Are you in love with Robbie Leah?" She asked, making the thought of the other night suddenly come back to me like lightning.

I closed my eyes briefly, "Why would you care if I am in love with him or not? He is still my husband." I told her sternly.

"I realized I was in love with him and I shouldn't have left in the first place." She cast her eyes on the floor.

I laughed. She was funny. A clown.

"The Alpha guy you ran away with dumped you right? That is why you're back with your bullshit about getting back with my husband."

"Please Leah," She begged. "I know coming with this to you was stupid but you need to understand, I really love him. I love him so much." She sobbed.

"Stop this Paula or I swear I'll throw you right out the door and I don't care who sees you."

"You wouldn't do that," she shook her head vigorously. You know reuniting me back with Robert will be the best thing you will do to me as a sister."

I backed away from her slowly with a sinister smile on my lips, "Assuming I go ahead with this, where the fuck will I go to then?"

"I promise to give you a way to leave this pack, I know you never wanted to be restricted to living in a pack. I will certainly find you away."

"What if my wishes have changed Paula?"

"I would give you my world."

I would be lying if I said the thoughts of going ahead with Paula's wishes didn't cross my mind, but I was determined to not do it. I would convince Robert to let her stay at least because I couldn’t keep her hidden forever.

That was the only thing I could do for her, and that too for the sake of ourrelationship.