Anger filled her at the unfair accusation. Rain considered her next words before answering.
“I did as you asked, but—”
“But what?” Felix interrupted. He was inches from her now and practically towered over her. She dropped her gaze as was proper when addressing the lead alpha of the pack.
Felix continued, “You can’t even follow simple commands? I allowed you to continue to live among us despite what your father did, and this is how you repay me?”
Heads turned at the sound of Felix’s voice. More pack members had entered the hall. Just perfect. Then there were the guests to consider. Felix didn’t care if he embarrassed her in front of all of them, didn’t he?
Heat crept to her cheeks and neck.Just endure it, don’t answer back.She ought to be used to Felix’s verbal abuse by now.
The wise course of action was to let him vent, then hopefully, she could crawl back to her room and remain forgotten for the rest of the day.
“You cleaned this huge hall, all by yourself?” One of Felix’s guests finally spoke.
Rain turned her attention to him, but she wished she hadn’t. If Felix was a giant, then this alpha was, what? A red-haired behemoth? He was even taller than Felix, and every inch of him was covered in muscle, ink, and scars.
Inquisitive and sharp green eyes peered at her from a rough and hard face. She swallowed, unable to look away even as those eyes turned to predatory yellow. Interest gleamed there, along with something else. An emotion she couldn’t name instantly.
Rain swallowed. She spent most of her life trying to make herself invisible, but at that moment, she felt like she was on center stage … and she liked it.
Rain’s inner wolf, which usually curled up inside her when facing an imposing alpha, reacted in an unexpected way. It growled softly inside her, clearly interested. Rain dropped her gaze, furious with herself. What in hell’s name was she doing?
With two fingers, the red-haired alpha tipped her chin, forcing Rain to look back at him. “I asked you a question, Omega,” he said, a silent command in his voice. This was a shifter who was used to giving out orders.
Rain pictured this stranger using that tone in the bedroom and shivered. Her imagination took another step, and she pictured herself naked, exposed, and under him.
She never thought she’d be able to stomach any alpha dominating her in the bedroom. Maybe she just never met the right one. Where that line of thought came from, she didn’t know.
“I have a name,” she found herself saying. “It’s Rain. RainMcDaniel.”
This strange alpha, whose name she didn’t even know, curved his lips to a frightening smile. He looked her up and down and showed her his sharp teeth.
The hunger in his eyes sent a spear of desire down her spine. Her nipples tightened in her bra, and Rain found herself getting a little wet. She recognized that emotion now. Want.
No alpha in her pack had ever looked at her the way this alpha did.
“Felix, I changed my mind. I don’t need to look at the other omegas in this pack. I want this one,” the alpha said, releasing her.
Chapter Two
“Trust me on this, Kieran. You don’t want that one,” Felix said in a dismissive tone that Kieran didn’t like one bit.
He was used to getting what he wanted and right now, he wanted the sassy dark-haired female glaring at him. The defiance in her eyes made him rock-hard. Kieran could already picture taking her in a bed of leaves while she begged him to put his mouth and cock to work.
“Why? What’s wrong with this one? Is she damaged goods or something?” Kieran asked.
That got a laugh out of Felix and some of the other watching alphas and betas. Kieran’s two enforcers, Scarlett and Damien, kept their game faces on. Rain’s entire body stiffened. It hadn’t been his intention to humiliate her. In his pack, females, female omegas especially, were cherished. Treated like queens. Too bad Kieran had to put on a convincing act.
He decided to play Felix’s game because it was the only way to deal with the cunning wolf. Kieran preferred dealing with simple brutes. At least they were honest.
Felix thought himself clever, that he could outmaneuver Kieran like he manipulated everyone else in his pack. Soon enough, Felix would learn Kieran played by his own rules.
Kieran pretended he needed this sorry alliance as much as Felix did. Truth was, his pack could stand on their own. He only came here for one reason. Assess the Silverbite Pack’s assets and determine if they were a potential threat to the Crimson Maw.
The fact his visit came with a beautiful and unexpected surprise, well, that was icing on the cake.
“Not damaged, but she’ll go for your throat the moment your back is turned,” Felix was saying. “Her father betrayed me. The bitch ought to be more thankful I allowed her to live.”