CHAPTER 209: _GOSSIP AND DISCORD

Odessa’s POV

*****

After Kaelos killed Delta Axel, the meeting was dismissed. I wanted to linger around but the serious mood Kaelos was in made me decide to wait it out.

I walked out of the office, heading downstairs. As I walked down the stairs, I noticed the stares from a few maids who walked past me.

Some whispered and others shifted away with fear.

When I finally got downstairs, I sighed, walking past the dining room when a voice called me from the stairs.

"Ma’am Odessa!"

I paused, a small smile curling my lips as I turned around to face the source of the familiar voice.

Caroline had a cheery expression on her face, her curly ginger hair, which was made into a ponytail, bouncing behind her as she ran to me.

Ever since the Charity Ball, she’s seemed more confident in herself and has begun dressing less as a maid. Right now she wasn’t in her maid uniform but a simple pink night gown.

"Hey, Caroline," I said in a low voice when she got in front of me.

She wrapped her right arm around me, staring at my face with blinking eyes before she frowned slightly.

"What’s up with your mood?" She asked, sounding worried.

I glanced around at the quiet dining room, which was lit by a chandelier above that shone with a warm yellow light, before I gestured with my head.

"I was about to head outside and take a little stroll. We can talk more out there." I said with a small smile which only widened when she nodded in response.

With that, we walked arm in arm, two maids who we walked past in the large living room whispering to themselves about something I didn’t care enough to pay attention to.

When Caroline finally walked out, we were welcomed by the cool evening breeze, the moon up ahead casting a gentle silver glow on the compound.

Caroline turned her gaze to me, patting me on the arm. "Okay, ma’am. Spill. I’m already guessing the bitchy attitude and rumors flying among the staff members is part of it. Can you believe one confronted me earlier today asking me if you possessed me?"

Huh?

I didn’t know when I let out a chuckle, shaking my head. That’s not the worst rumor I’ve heard in this pack about me but it was still crazy.

"And what did you tell them?" I asked, raising my eyebrows with curiosity.

She shrugged, puckering their lips. "I told her that she could eat ass, of course! Gosh, these people are so quick to judge what they can’t understand. I just don’t get it... How could anyone associate you with evil simply because you’re a hybrid?"

I smiled wryly, bringing my gaze to the night sky.

Up ahead at the compound’s main gate, some guards were present, laughing to themselves and talking about gods know what.

They were probably gossiping about me, as usual.

I was right...

"I swear, with each witch that steps foot into this pack, I believe there’s a plan to replace every werewolf with witches." One said with a snigger.

"Do you get it? It’s sickening! Everywhere I go in this compound, I smell a witch."

"Or a disgusting hybrid." Another said, his eyes going to me.

The others followed suit, turning their heads to me despite the distance. I tensed up, my heart hammering against my chest as I tried holding back my irritation.

I couldn’t let my emotions control me. That could cause any of my abilities to surface, abilities that I was banned from using for six months.

However, Caroline didn’t have such a restriction and stepped forward, placing her hands on her waist.

"Why don’t you boys go back to work instead of gossiping like little girls?" She snapped, causing my eyes to widen a little.

Meanwhile, Sirena was cheering her on in my head. ’She took the words right out of my mouth! Gosh, if it weren’t for the ban I would’ve suggested you teach them a lesson.’

I clenched my jaw as one of the guards, a young man wearing the signature blood red uniform of the pack, stepped forward, squinting his eyes at Caroline.

"What did you say, maid?" He asked with a cold voice, a growl coming out of his mouth.

But to my surprise, Caroline growled in return, spreading her hands apart as if she was ready for a fight.

"You heard me. What kick do you guys get from gossiping? Is there a high that comes from it?" She asked, tilting her head. "If you go outside the safety of North America, you’ll see soldiers like you fighting on the front lines, protecting their people..."

She paused, rubbing her chin and glancing back at me. That glint in her eyes told me that she was about to say something diabolical.

"Oh, wait. Those soldiers are nothing like you guys. They don’t hide behind large walls, judging their Alpha King. They don’t point fingers at a regime that has brought peace to our continent."

Most of the guards were silent, and some lowered their heads, glancing among themselves with shame. I was about to grab Caroline so we could walk to the gardens when the young guard, who seemed like the leader of the group, scoffed.

"Peace? This isn’t peace. It’s a fragile agreement that is slowly unraveling." He said with disdain. "And that hybrid you’re defending killed several people at the Charity Ball. Werewolves and even her fellow witches and humans. Do you really want to protect her?"

I felt shaken and balled my hands into fists, looking away from the guards. They all had judgmental looks in their eyes.

’Am I the only one who feels like something’s off with the guard who keeps ranting? Like he’s trying too hard to create discord?’ Sirena asked in my head, causing my eyebrows to furrow.

Now that she mentioned it—

Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the tense silence that followed the guard’s words before things could escalate.

"If you’re so pressed about the Alpha King’s reign, why don’t you confront him instead of whining?"

My eyes lit up when I heard the voice, forcing me to turn my head to where it came from.

It was Aunt Althea who walked down the stairs leading into the mansion, a stern expression on her face as her robe flowed elegantly behind her.