The Scandal

Kieran stood behind me, Alpha Viktor in front of me, and Mum beside me. My head was hung low in shame. Within the course of five days in this mansion, I had managed to cause a scandal.

How? I had no freaking idea. But I bet you, I had a very very good guess about the source. Apparently, falling and being caught by the Beta was a crime in this place.

Well, I could not blame them much. Whoever took the pictures of Mr. Kisaragi catching me back on the balcony that night sure made it seem like we were engrossed in some romantic shit.

Two days after the incident on the balcony, pictures of me and the Beta were swirling across the internet in waves.

“Throw them out, Dad. I told you they are opportunists. They arrived here just a few days ago and the daughter is already doing dirty things with a man. Jin of all people.” Kieran scoffed. “What is the assurance that the mother will not sleep with the Gamma next? They are just looking for opportunities to exploit us!”

His words were all shades of wrong. How could he even dare to say that to my mother? In her presence even?

I turned to Mum, hoping to see that she was about to defend herself, but all she did was shake her head sadly. What the heck? Would she just allow this arrogant guy to insult her at every chance he got?!

“Look here, Kieran. Whoever is behind those pictures definitely is a cold-blooded liar. They made them seem cynical. I keep saying it; I had tripped and all Mr. Kisaragi did was to catch me before I hit the ground, nothing more!” I bellowed, a pulse throbbing in my head violently.

Umbra hissed angrily inside of me. “It's him, Nimue. I'm sure he's behind it.”

Damn right, it was him. He was my number one suspect too. No – he was the only suspect on my list. It just fitted so conveniently. Kieran clearly did not want us in the mansion and would do anything to have us thrown out.

Even if it meant disregarding my mother so openly or sneaking up on me and Mr. Kisaragi, taking downbeat pictures of us, and posting them to make us – make ME look bad.

“Don't judge before you investigate, Nimue. Remember Umbra is always negative. What if it's Mr. Kisaragi who set this up himself? Do you not find it too convenient that he just showed up on the balcony, and boom – your pictures are all over the internet?” Luna, who obviously liked Kieran queried.

Sure, I knew Umbra was always grumpy and negative. But in this instance, she was right and Luna was wrong. This was a scandal that had ‘Kieran’ written all over it.

Umbra defended herself straight away, kicking Luna off with a paw. “Use your brain, you dummy. Mr. Kisaragi clearly stated that he watches the Moon every night. And he set the pictures up? Was he the one who asked Nimue to trip and fall? He merely did her a favor by catching her!”

“Shut up, you boring wolf!” Luna growled, yawning.

Alpha Viktor’s voice snapped me back to reality. “Nimue, whatever your explanations are, it won't change the narratives out there. What you must do now is to work on a solution to solve this mess and not find flimsy excuses!”

‘F-Flimsy excuses’?!

How on earth was that me finding flimsy excuses? That meant Alpha Viktor also didn't believe me. I had no idea why Mum would want to marry such a person. He clearly had not even an ounce of respect or affection for her.

He let us drive all the way here from Ravenwood when we moved, he watched his son disrespect her without even a word of caution for him.

I still didn't get why she was going to marry him. What I was one hundred percent sure of was that I would never accept Alpha Viktor and his son as my father and brother.

“There is no other excuse than to send them back to the slum where they belong, Dad.” Kieran crossed his arms over his chest. “They knew quite well how upright the Alpha’s family must be. News that the Alpha’s new daughter seducing the beta in a dark place is a bad stain on our reputation. You have enemies who want this position for themselves. What she…” He sent me a disdainful glance. “What she did jeopardizes that. Just get rid of them. That's my opinion.”

Oh, gosh. How much I wished Alpha Viktor wasn't present here. I would have given this bastard a piece of my mind. Still, that did not stop me from biting my bottom lip in fury while giving him a side glare.

Finally, Alpha Viktor deemed it fit to shut him up. “That's okay, Kieran. The Alpha Council has already come up with a solution for this. Credit to ME.”

He turned to Mum with a ‘I saved your ass’ look as if he was trying to tell her that he had done her yet another favor.

Was it me or did something seem off about Alpha Viktor and Mum’s relationship? I had thought they were in love because the Mum had told me about their supposed relationship.

But now, I was beginning to question the truthfulness of those stories. But would Mum lie to me? If so, why? She said I’d understand someday why we had to be here.

Why did we have to be here?

I grid my lions, awaiting the solution of the Alpha council that Alpha Viktor was about to announce. Something told me it would be more of a problem than a solution. But let's have it…

“It can't be good.” Luna shuddered within me. As always, Umbra was quiet.

Hands clasped in front of her, “Thank you so much, Viktor.” Mum thanked the Alpha.

However, he held out a finger pointedly. “Alpha. It's Alpha Viktor.”

“Hahahahaha!” Kieran burst into a hypocritical laughter beside us.

I couldn't just take this any longer. The humiliation was getting too much. How could a soon-to-be husband ask for his wife to regard him with titles?!

“Anyway…” He continued. “Nimue is to attend the same college as Kieran so that he can keep an eye on her…”

What in the blazes of thunderstorms?!

Kieran uncrossed his arms with his brows snapped together in anger. “What did you just say, Dad? My school is no school for a girl! You know it's a mixed school. Humans and vampires attend too!”

“So now, you care for her, isn't it?” Alpha Viktor questioned Kieran who only grounded his jaw in fury.

Not for all the tea in China would I have wanted to attend the same school as this bastard. The thought of attending a mixed school when all I had done was to go to a werewolf-only school all my life was dreadful.

I don't do well with humans, not to mention – vampires.

But seeing that something got under Kieran’s skin was entertaining. His own plan was backfiring on him. Jackpot!

I would have celebrated my half-win had Alpha Viktor not added a heart-shattering bombshell.

“She is to be eighteen this season, yeah? During the next mating ceremony, the Alpha council wants Nimue to find her mate and be mated to him before the following mating ceremony after this approaching one which is in six months.”

I gaped, uncertain whether to breathe or scream. Be mated? What solution would that render with eliminating the scandal?

As if he could read my thoughts, “That would help keep her dignity and hyperactive sexual desires in check. Being the Alpha’s daughter is a huge responsibility that comes with maintaining your dignity as a lady.”

Hyperactive sexual desires?! Bruh, I was still a virgin! If my mate didn't like me, what then?!