CHAPTER 157: WARNING

Ramona Vye looked down at the girl sitting with her head bowed as if she was impervious to everything around her.

Her fingers tightened around the folds of her gown as she tried to hide the anger rising in her chest. This girl was the reason everyone was whispering and gloating, giving her sideway looks, when they themselves had always given Kael a wide berth.

She had spent her first heat with Kael and Zen, and her second with Lance.

Even though Lance had promised he would only help her and had kept his word, Ramona had noticed a small but worrying change in him. His attitude had softened towards Emira.

For a moment, she had feared he would change his decision about sending the girl to the Redwood Pack. Thankfully, he hadn’t. The arrangement still stood.

But Lance had already started showing signs of favour. And Kael! The Kael who hated being touched had actually let her hug him in front of everyone. And Zen was no better — he was already on Emira’s side. It was only a matter of time before Lance might also soften even further.

No, she couldn’t allow that.

Lance had told her privately that if Emira failed to find someone compatible during the gathering, he would not force her to mate. That single promise made Ramona restless. She had no choice but to act.

First, she would try to reason with the girl. If that failed, she had other ways to get what she wanted.

Taking a breath, Ramona forced a smile and said, "I hope you remember what Lance told you. Even though the other Omegas are free to mingle with the Redwood Pack and choose as they please, you must make sure you find a mate. And let me give you a bit of advice-don’t pin your hopes on Kael. Try someone else. He might tolerate you but that is it. He will not fight his brother for you."

Emira didn’t look up. "Then I will give you the same answer I gave His Majesty," she said quietly. "I cannot find a mate. Since I chose to give up my life for the slave bond, you can only arrange for me to mate with someone physically. But even then, my body will not welcome another."

Ramona frowned. "What do you mean your body will not respond? You’re an Omega. An Omega in heat reacts to any wolf’s call. Don’t try to play the victim."

Emira finally raised her eyes, calm and steady. "You are both right and wrong, Miss Vye. An Omega in heat will respond, yes but only if she is unattached.. If an Omega already has a mate, her body will seek only that mate’s touch. If she has a long-term partner, it will still choose that familiar presence over a stranger."

She paused, her tone steady but quiet. "When I asked for the slave bond, I made vows. Those vows bound my body and soul. Because of that, I can only respond to the three masters I am enslaved to.

The air between them went still. Ramona’s smile faltered as she stared at the girl, unsure if it was anger or unease rising in her chest. She meant to say that she could only be with Lance, Kael and Zen. Her hands clenched. And Lance knew this?

Her chest tightened as a wave of frustration swept through her. Before she could stop herself or think things through, she stepped forward and grabbed Emira’s hand hard letting her nails dig slightly into her skin.

"You’re lying. You’re making it up so that you can continue to stay here and avoid doing what you’re told."

Emira’s expression didn’t change even as she felt her skin breaking due to her nails.

Instead, she only shrugged and answered calmly, "It doesn’t matter if I’m lying or not, Miss Vye. Even if I were like I said, unable to respond to anyone else’s touch, an arranged mate bond wouldn’t be affected by it. After all, the Redwood Pack is only interested in an alliance between the two packs. The decision is His Majesty’s to make, not mine."

Ramona shook her head sharply and her grip on Emira tightened further.

Her mind was racing. If Kael or Zen ever found out about this, they would never agree to let her mate. They would use this as an excuse to keep her close, and Lance... Lance would not oppose them.

And she couldn’t let that happen. For now, she could handle Lance but the other two... No no...

"Who else have you told this to? Who else knows about these vows?", she demanded, trying to keep the panic out of her eyes. She had to warn this Omega to keep her mouth shut...

Emira looked up slowly and finally met her eyes, "No one else. Just you... and His Majesty."

For a moment, Ramona said nothing. Then she released Emira’s hand and caught her chin instead, forcing the girl to look into her eyes and know her intent. This was going to be a warning to her. And If Emira dared to cross her then she would make sure that the Omega did not see another day.

"Then you will not tell anyone else. Do you understand me? Not Kael, not Zen, not anyone from the Stormhold Pack or the Redwood Pack. If I hear even a whisper of this from another mouth, I’ll make you regret it."

Emira didn’t flinch. She simply nodded once, letting the woman see her sincerity, "You have nothing to worry about, Miss Vye. I don’t intend to speak of it again."

And she didn’t. She would not manipulate and try to live here forcefully, only to have the Luna always trying to tear her down. She had already been barred from going to the Scroll Room due to the fire that had been set earlier. Which meant that now she needed to look for other ways to find the information she needed.

And if going to the Redwood Pack would give her that freedom to look, then she would do so willingly.