Chapter 2: How dare you disobey me?

Beta Rhys groaned, his large hands gripping Irene’s waist as he pushed her onto the bed. He quickly removed his remaining clothes, revealing a body sculpted from years of training.

My thighs clenched involuntarily as he ran his hands down her parted legs, his fingers brushing the slick heat between them.

Irene whimpered, her body arching as he kissed her inner thigh. “I've missed you....”

“....I know,” he murmured, before lowering his mouth to her.

A sharp gasp tore from her lips as he worked her down there. I bit down on my knuckle, barely suppressing a noise of my own as Irene shook beneath him, her moans growing louder with every flick of his tongue.

I shouldn’t be here.

But I couldn’t look away.

After some time, Beta Rhys brought his head up, his lips glistening. He positioned himself at her entrance, gripping her hips, ready to thrust when a sudden knock on the door echoed through the room.

They both froze.

"Beta Rhys," a voice called from the other side. "The Alpha has summoned you immediately."

Rhys cursed under his breath, his frustration evident as he clenched his jaw. Irene hastily pulled a sheet over herself, her expression shifting from pleasure to panic.

I held my breath, pressing myself deeper into the darkness of the box, my heart pounding in my chest.

Rhys let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair before hurriedly pulling up his trousers. "I'm really sorry babe, I'll make it up to you" he muttered as he planted a kiss on her forehead.

Irene pouted but nodded, quickly wrapping herself in the sheet as Rhys hurriedly dressed up, strode to the door, and disappeared into the hallway.

A few moments later, Irene let out a sigh as she started dressing up. She sat on the bed for a few seconds, seemingly lost in thought, before she too rose and slipped out of the room, making sure no one was watching.

I waited until the sound of her footsteps faded before I finally let out a slow, shaky breath. I knew I needed to get out before someone else came in.

Carefully, I crept out of the closet. My legs were stiff from crouching for so long. I moved silently across the room, pausing at the door to listen for any movement outside.

When I was sure the coast was clear, I slipped out and hurried to the hall, my only goal now was to reach the storage house before Delta Gareth came looking for me.

My heart pounded as I turned each corner, keeping my footsteps as light as possible. The cold air nipped at my skin, but I ignored it, focusing only on getting to my destination unnoticed.

When I finally reached the storehouse, I came to an abrupt halt. My breath hitched in my throat.

The door was open.

I immediately knew I was too late.

A chill ran down my spine as I hesitated just outside the entrance before stepping in.

Before I could take another step, a heavy slap exploded across my cheek, sending me sprawling to the ground. My vision blurred, and a ringing filled my ears as I clutched my stinging face.

"You worthless little rat!" Delta Gareth's furious voice boomed above me. "How dare you disobey me?"

Tears burned the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall as I slowly lifted my head to meet his enraged glare.

"I sent you to get the wine for the festival, and you disappeared like a useless mutt!" he roared. "Do you think you can ignore my orders and wander off?"

I opened my mouth to explain that I had lost my way, but before I could speak, Delta Gareth’s nose flared. His expression darkened with pure rage.

"What is that stench?" he hissed, his voice dropping to a dangerous level. His eyes locked onto mine, his fury intensifying. "You reek of sex."

My blood ran cold. My stomach twisted in knots as I realized what he meant. His wolf senses had picked up the scent of Beta Rhys and Irene from the room I had hidden in.

His reaction was absolute fury. In an instant, he gripped my arm with crushing force. "You filthy little whore!" he spat. "Who have you been spreading your legs for instead of doing what you were told to do?"

Delta Gareth's grip on my arm tightened painfully as he dragged me to the hall. My feet stumbled against the dirt, but he didn’t slow down. The murmurs of the gathered pack members grew louder as we emerged into the festival grounds, their attention focused on us. The joyous atmosphere shifted in an instant.

"Look at this disgrace!" Gareth bellowed, shoving me forward. "She reeks of filth and sex!"

A hush fell over the crowd as all eyes locked onto me, their expressions ranging from disgust to curiosity. My heart pounded violently as the weight of their stares bore down on me.

I opened my mouth to plead my innocence, to explain, but before I could utter a word, Gareth's voice rang out again.

"Who was it? Who were you having sex with, you worthless mutt?" he roared, his eyes scanning the crowd. "If she reeks of sex, then some filthy bastard has been with her!"

A few amused chuckles echoed from the crowd, and then Killian and Damon stepped forward. They never would miss any opportunity to torment me.

"Maybe she threw herself at someone," Killian sneered. "Desperate little thing."

"Or maybe," Damon smirked, his voice filled with mockery. "Maybe she was too busy playing with herself as nobody would want her."

The crowd murmured in agreement, their whispers growing into accusations.

My pulse pounded in my ears as I struggled to find my voice. But then, before I could utter a single word in my defense, another voice cut through the chaos.

"What is going on here?"