Chapter 24:

The evening air is cool as I make my way through the pack house, the dim glow of the hallway lights casting long shadows on the walls. 

Caspian gave me the night off, and I'm eager to grab my nightwear and head over to Cassidy's house. I could stay have a talk with Theo, but I'm not ready to have that talk with him. 

Not yet.

The royal family is having dinner, so the coast should be clear. Or so I think.

I round the corner and nearly collide with Eden. She's dressed impeccably in a baby blue evening dress that drapes over her curves elegantly.

I'm jealous at how effortless beauty comes to her, but she becomes ugly in my eyes when her sharp eyes narrow the moment she sees me. 

Recognition flashes across her face, followed by a smirk that makes my stomach twist.

"You," she says, her voice dripping with disdain. "Cassidy's little friend. The omega who thought she could challenge me."

I stiffen, forcing myself to remain calm. "I was just heading to my room. The prince dismissed me for the night."

She crosses her arms, her smirk widening. "Did he? Well, I'm afraid I'll have to override that. We're short-handed in the dining hall. You'll join the other maids serving dinner."

I open my mouth to protest, but she cuts me off before I can get a word out.

"Don't even try," she snaps. "You may have managed to get the whole pack to pity you with your little sob story about not having a wolf, but thay doesn't override the fact that you're here to serve. The least you can do is make yourself useful."

I bite back the retort on the tip of my tongue, knowing it's pointless to argue. With a tight nod, I follow her to the dining hall, my stomach churning with unease.

The room is grand, as always, with a long table set with gleaming silverware and crystal glasses. 

The royal family is already seated, their conversation low. Caspian and his father are discussing the recent rogue attacks—four in the last two weeks, each one pushing closer to the borders of neighboring packs. 

They all look up when we enter the room. The king and queen smile at Eden's presence, muttering little gratitude for her joining them for dinner.

I'm invisible, of course.

I join the other maids, my hands trembling slightly as I pick up a tray. Caspian doesn't react when he sees me, his attention fully on his father. 

But I catch the flicker of surprise in his eyes before he quickly masks it.

The queen and Eden are seated closer to the head of the table, their voices hushed as they exchange words. 

I can't make out what they're saying, but the occasional glance in my direction makes my skin crawl.

Everything seems to be going smoothly until Eden raises her voice, cutting through the low hum of conversation. "Hey, you! Blonde omega girl! I need more sauce."

She's definitely doing this to torment me. I'm not the maid nearest to her. I'm not even the maid closer to the maid nearest to her.

The room falls silent, all eyes turning to me. My cheeks burn as I grab the sauce boat and make my way to her side. 

I can feel the weight of their stares, the tension thickening with every step I take.

As I set the sauce down, the king studies me, his gaze sharp and calculating. "Are you the one the boy from Moonhaven was looking for?"

The king is talking to me...

I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. "Yes, Your Majesty," I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper. "He's my cousin. The son of Alpha Rowan."

The queen's expression softens, a flicker of something—sympathy, maybe—crossing her face. "Oh sweetie. I knew your mother," she says, her voice gentle. "She was a strong alpha, and she did a much better job at running Moonhaven than Rowan, in my opinion. Everything has gone to the dogs since that man took over, and he doesn't even acknowledge our authority here. If only she hadn't followed through with her mating to that human—"

"Mother," Caspian interrupts sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "That's a sensitive matter. It doesn't belong at the dinner table."

My heart clenches and I fight to keep my composure. Of course, there's an 'if only she hadn't'. There's always that when someone talks about my mother.

The queen hesitates, then nods, though her eyes linger on me for a moment longer. But Eden, of course, refuses to let it go.

"No wonder you're so... human," she says, her voice coated with fake sympathy. "Because your father was. The things people do for love, am I right?"

The queen chuckles softly, nodding in agreement. "It's true. Love can make people do the most foolish things."

My chest tightens. Foolish things my mother did... having me, right? My existence in itself is foolish, right?

I force myself to keep my expression neutral, though my hands are clenched so tightly around the tray that my knuckles turn white.

The king clears his throat, drawing the attention back to him. "Delilah, is it? Would you consider going back to your pack? You had a higher status there, didn't you?"

The queen nods eagerly. "Yes, it would be better for you to return. You'd have a place there, at least. We treat our omegas here right, yes but I don't think being an omega is a right choice when you have the option to be someone of higher status."

I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. Instead, I nod mutely, my throat too tight to speak.

Caspian's voice cuts through the silence, sharp and commanding. "Enough worrying about the maid and focus on your food."

"Ah yes," the king replies with a chuckle, and everyone faces their food again.

I step back, retreating to the edge of the room as the conversation slowly resumes. But I can feel Eden's eyes on me, her glare burning into the side of my face.

I glance at her, our eyes locking for a brief moment. And then, without thinking, I smirk. It's small, barely noticeable, but it's enough to make her jaw tighten, her glare intensifying.

The satisfaction of letting her see that she can't phase me. It's worth giving me an orgasm.