CHAPTER 9

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"You cursed wench!" Mira Tate screamed at me, staring down at her white dress with a mixture of distaste and fury.

I tore my gaze from the crowd of desperate stares fixated on us and started to apologize to Derek's girlfriend, Mira. Another of my worst nightmare. She was Derek's girlfriend and as you must've guessed, she was just as cruel as him.

At the slightest chance she gets, she never ceased to display her cruelty.

"I-I'm so sorry.." I started to say.

"Oh, I'll make you sorry!" She snarled and in an instant, a handful of my hair was in her fist as she pulled me back and forth, causing a burning sensation on my scalp. I cringed, as her grip tightened, trying to tear myself from her grip.

"Let me go, you're hurting me!" I cried, struggling.

At this point, I was sure she had successfully uprooted some strands of my hair as the pain aggravated.

"You fuckin bitch, you purposely did this, didn't you?" She gritted. "To disrupt the event and ruin my dress, you piece of shit!"

I kept apologizing while trying to get her to release her grip on my hair.

Eventually noticing how much attention we were getting, she finally let go of my hair but she grabbed the collar of my uniform in its stead, pulling me out of the hall and ripping my shirt in the process.

"I'll make you pay for doing this to me, I promise you!"

"Please, let go. You're ripping my shirt!" I countered. being an Alpha she-wolf, I was almost no match for her so I settled for biting. The moment my teeth sank into her flesh, she let me go with a shriek.

"You son of a bitch!"

She swooped to me and slapped me across the face, automatically swinging my face from its original direction. A gasp tore from my throat and I felt everyone's stare diverting solely to me. Mira raised her hand to hit me again when someone caught it mid-air.

I traced the restriction to find Derek, glaring down at Mira as he released her wrist.

"What do you think you're doing?" He whisper-yelled, trying to not lose his cool even though annoyance and anger were written all over his demeanor.

Mira immediately burst into a sob, the once fierce look on her face hypocritically vanishing.

"Look at what she did to my dress, baby," she whimpered. "Look at my wrist, this bitch fuckin bit me!"

Derek glared at me but I kept my expression neutral, ready for whatever judgment he would lash at me. What was I living for anyways? He could as well kill me like he killed Natalie, I didn't care.

His gaze softened when he started to speak, "take a break," he said to me before turning to the guard, "On my order, Inform another server to take her place and make sure she doesn't cause any more trouble."

While I was led out of the banquet hall, Derek took Mira's hand and walked away with her.

"Seriously? Is that all you could do?.." I heard Mira question Derek before they went off earshot.

The look of dissatisfaction on her face compensated me. Even I hadn't expected my judgment to be that simple and fully to my advantage. I fixed my clothes as I walked into the kitchen.

Once again, the guard started to speak to Paula who constantly sent hateful gazes my way. When they were done, another server was sent out and I was ordered to do the dishes.

As I hand-washed the plates, I heard faint sounds from the hall as the event progressed. I felt so relieved being away from there even though I knew being around Paula wasn't any better.

I recalled Derek's words and no matter how many times they replayed in my head, it felt strange. Although he didn't take my side, he didn't seem to be against me either, and neither did he side with his girlfriend. I wondered what was cooking up his sleeves. Perhaps he was planning a greater punishment for me after the event.

That had to be it. Except he was changing or I was going insane, that had to be the perfect explanation. Surprisingly, it still didn't bother me. I was prepared for whatever. If he wasn't going to kill me like Natalie, for attacking his girlfriend, then he would kill me for not giving him the reaction he expected, while he tortured me.

I was determined to hold back to death than give him the pleasure of watching me break down from his mistreatment.

Putting the dishes away and hanging the wash gloves, I turned to grab some wipes when Mira stomped into the kitchen. I got alerted on sighting her and she rudely pushed her way through to get to me.

"What the hell was that?" She growled.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Derek. What is going on between you both?"

"I still don't know what you're talking about, Mira."

"It's Luna to you! Refer to me by my name one more time and I'll have your tongue ripped out of your mouth!" She seethed at me.

"I apologize, Luna Mira."

She seemed pacified but her glare remained, "I don't care what's going on between you and him but you should know your place. You're a smelly cursed Omega, you have no place in the Alpha's territory. You are a slave, A cursed whore. Don't ever forget that."

"Of course, Luna. I always remember my place, but I don't think Alpha Derek does. I have no choice, if he keeps coming to me for something no one else but I can give him, I cannot say no. It's not in my place to refuse the Alpha's desire for me even though I very much want to."

Mira's anger fired up and just as she resumed her vocal threats, my sense of smell drifted as I perceived something familiar and sweet from a close distance.

I couldn't help but sniff into the comforting odor. It was savoring and smelt so manly and dominating. So powerful yet inviting. In a moment, I had forgotten all about Mira and let myself drown in the kindling sensation.

I tilt my head, searching for the owner of such an intoxicating scent and my gaze landed on the wolf at the doorway, his gaze was on me too and a similar expression was on his face.

I froze when Amy howled, "mate."

The scent got thicker, irresistibly intoxicating. And I found myself taking a step towards him when I was slammed back to the counter by Mira. I saw her grab a plate of hot soup from a server's tray but before I could act, the content was running down my head.

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