Chapter 4

Clara’s POV

I’m completely shocked by the sight before me.

Everyone knows Alpha Damien and Rachel have been close friends since childhood. The fact that he is willing to threaten her for me—an Omega, a hybrid—is unbelievable.

Rachel pulls away from his grasp, eyes wide. She starts shaking from head to toe. “Damien, what is this? You’re joking, right?” She gestures at me with a frantic look. “This Omega? Your mate? It’s impossible!”

Damien narrows his eyes at her. I can feel the tension crackling in the air like electricity. He steps toward me and pulls me into his muscular frame. I nearly collapse against him, my face buried in his chest as his warmth soothes me.

“Clara is my mate,” Damien snarls, his voice leaving no room for doubt. “And you will apologize to her. Now!”

A lump forms in my throat, my eyes stinging with unshed tears as his words sink in. A powerful Alpha like Damien claims a lowly omega maid without hesitation, and for the first time in my life, I feel seen.

Rachel’s mouth falls open in disbelief. “She–she’s just an Omega maid, Damien! Look at her weird eyes–”

“Apologize,” he growls, the sound of a lethal vibration that makes the glassware rattle.

Rachel’s face turns a humiliated, blotchy red. She clinches her fists so hard her knuckles turn white.

“I’m... sorry, Clara,” she spits, the words sounding like they're choking her.

I nod silently, breathing a sigh of relief as Rachel flees the kitchen. After years of her torment, the weight finally lifts.

“Are you alright?” Damien gently cups my face, turning my head to inspect the reddening mark on my cheek. When his thumb grazes my cheek, I flinch.

A flash of raw concern crosses his features.

“It’s fine,” I assure him hurriedly. “I’m used to it.”

Damien’s brow furrows, his gaze darkening at my words. “I’m just glad I got here when I did. I’d hate to think of what else she would have done to you.”

My heart flutters. I’m not used to being the one someone worries about—the one someone protects. But as I look up at him, I realize I could get used to this feeling very easily.

“Right,” I stammer, my face heating up as my pulse finally slows. My gaze darts around the room, landing on Layla, who looks completely starstruck. “Alpha Damien, I want you to meet my best friend, Layla.”

“It’s an honour to meet you here, Alpha!” Layla gushes, curtsying before shaking his hand enthusiastically. “And thank you for saving us. Rachel has always been such a bit–”

“Layla,” I cut in with a fond laugh.

Alpha Damien’s lips curl into an amused smile. “A pleasure,” he replies. “But if you don’t mind, Layla, I’m going to need to borrow Clara for a bit.”

“Of course,” Layla says with a knowing smirk.

“Where are we going?” I ask Alpha Damien as he leads me out of the kitchen.

“I want you to meet someone important—Elder Claude. He’s like a father to me,” he says lightly, guiding me through the halls, my arm tucked in his. He smirks. “I wouldn’t have had to chase you through the palace, if you hadn’t left so early this morning…”

I can’t help but blush at his words. “I’m sorry,” I apologize. “I had work to do.”

“Not for much longer,” he says with a smile. “Once you’re my Luna, you’ll be able to govern the pack side-by-side with me. No more kitchen duty.”

My heart stops. “Your Luna?”    

“Well, of course! You’re my mate. What else would you be?”

“But Elder Claude won’t accept me. I’m just an omega maid. I don’t deserve—”

“Don’t say that,” he cuts in gently. “I don’t care who you are. You’re my fated mate, and you will be my Luna. Claude is the most respected elder in Moonstone—I’m sure he’ll help us plan the ceremony. There’s nothing to worry about.” He presses a kiss to my forehead and leads me on.

It’s all happening too fast like a dream. I should feel relieved now but I’m paralyzed by the choice of whether to tell Damien my hybrid bloodline now or keep it buried. Marigold suggests waiting until after this meeting. I agree, but fear gnaws at me as we step into the grand hall.

Bright light pours through beautiful stained glass. The air smells like roses and incense. Wolves bow before us as we pass. As we near the end of the long hall, an elderly man with sharp eyes rises.

“Elder Claude,” Damien announces, pride swelling in his voice. “This is Clara Brooks, my mate.”

“H-honoured to meet you, Elder Claude,” I stammer, dipping into a curtsy.

Elder Claude’s blue eyes flash as he regards me shrewdly. “You’re not a high-ranking wolf, Clara,” he says, his voice low and hard.

I swallow hard. Alpha Damien squeezes my hand for reassurance.

“I’m an Omega, sir.” I whisper.

Before I can quite process what’s happening, Elder Claude strides toward me with more grace than should be possible for a man of his age. He leans in close and sniffs me, then looks a little closer at my eyes, and I know exactly what he sees.

“An Omega,” Elder Claude says cooly, eyes piercing right through me as his gaze shifts to Alpha Damien. “And an especially low-ranking one, at that.”

“I don’t care about her rank,” Alpha Damien says firmly, taking my hand in his and squeezing it reassuringly. My heart begins to race. “She’s the mate the Moon Goddess has chosen for me, and she is the one I will make my Luna.”

Elder Claude raises an eyebrow. There’s something dangerous in his gaze, like he’s looking right through me, like there’s nothing he doesn’t see.

“What about Beta James’ girl?” He asks offhandedly, voice slick. “Rachel? Why not her?”

Alpha Damien grits his teeth. “Rachel isn’t my mate, Clara is.”

“Really?” Elder Claude asks, sharp cruelty dancing in his gaze. “Are you sure? How well do you really know this Omega?” He looks over at me. His smile is as deadly as a knife. “Where are you from, Clara?”

My mouth falls open in terror as a bolt of pure panic lances through me. Oh, Moon Goddess, save me. I feel sick to my stomach. He knows, he knows, he knows–

“Don’t interrogate her like this!” Alpha Damien growls at Elder Claude. “Why can’t you just be happy for me? This is what I want!”

“You don’t know what you want, boy!” Elder Claude sneers. “You don’t even know what she is!”

“She’s my mate!” Alpha Damien protests.

“She’s a hybrid!”

The words echo through the room like a gunshot. My heart shatters. I feel Damien’s hand instinctively flinch, his grip loosening just enough to feel the distance growing between us.

“A hybrid,” Elder Claude repeats, his voice dripping with triumphant malice as he watches Damien’s face freeze in shock.

"And I will never allow a lowly hybrid to become the Moonstone pack’s future Luna!"