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Rhea POV

“What do I owe this surprise?” Vivienne finally said, lifting her heel off my finger just as Alpha Dorian stepped into her chambers.

I bit back a groan, yanking my hand away and hiding it behind me.

His footsteps paused at the door for a moment before continuing inside. With each step, his scent grew stronger, wrapping around me until my lungs felt too tight to breathe.

I ducked my head lower, praying he wouldn’t notice me. But I knew he already had.

“Ragnar asked me to personally invite me to join us for dinner this evening,” he said in that deep, commanding voice, as he walked past me straight to Vivienne, who instantly wrapped her arms around him.

I had never been this close to him before. My mate. He was standing right in front of me, and his presence was overwhelming my senses.

“Oh, that old man adores you so much,” Vivienne chuckled. “By the way, since our wedding is just a week away, I was thinking you could help me pick the final design for my dress. I can’t decide between the—”

Before she could finish, he cut her off, slamming his lips against hers. Vivienne gasped, clearly surprised, but then leaned in and moaned into his mouth.

My chest tightened. I couldn’t breathe. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, broken, watching our mate kiss another woman.

“Why are you suddenly being clingy?” she whispered, still kissing him.

Please send me off. Please let me get out of here. I begged silently in my head. But no matter how hard I tried not to look, I could still hear their muffled moans.

“You…” Vivienne finally muttered.

I lifted my head, only for my gaze to crash into Dorian’s grey eyes staring right at me.

I panicked, quickly lowering my head again.

“Yes… ma’am,” I stammered.

“Get out.”

I wasted no time. I shot to my feet, bowed deeply, and rushed out of the room.

“Why did you stop?” was the last thing I heard before the door slammed shut.

I leaned against the wall, clutching my chest, trying to calm my racing heart with shaky breaths.

“You…” another voice spoke. I looked up to see her personal maid from earlier, standing with two others.

“What did you say to the Luna?” she asked.

“It’s nothing,” I said quickly, shaking my head, still clutching my chest. But before I could react, her hand connected with my cheek, my head snapping to the side.

“Are you trying to gain the Luna’s favor?” she hissed while I was still processing the sting of the slap. “Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I’ve been here long before you. And worse, you’re just low-ranked. You belong scrubbing toilets.”

She wasn’t wrong. Even the maids here had ranks. I was at the bottom. She and the others were closer to the middle.

I tried to look away, not wanting trouble, but she grabbed my face, forcing me to meet her glare as her fingers dug into my skin.

“I can make your life a living hell here if I want to,” she sneered. “So if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out of the east wing, keep your head down, and remember—you are nothing.”

———

After finishing work that day, sore and exhausted, I headed straight to the hospital.

The moment I stepped into Mom’s room and saw her finally awake, sitting upright, tears instantly filled my eyes. I dropped everything and rushed into her arms.

“Mama!” I sobbed, clinging to her warmth as she hugged me back just as tightly.

“What happened to your hand?” she asked once we pulled away, her gaze landing on my bruised fingers wrapped in bandages.

I quickly pulled my hand back, forcing a smile. “It’s nothing,” I brushed it off, trying to change the topic. “How are you feeling?”

But she hesitated, still staring at my hand. “Mom,” I called softly.

“A little lightheaded,” she admitted, finally meeting my eyes. “But other than that, I feel fine.”

I sighed in relief. That was good.

But then her brows knit together. “The doctor told me how much the expenses were… how were you able to get that amount?”

My eyes widened. I couldn’t tell her I had drained my school savings. That would shatter her.

“Kale,” I blurted the lie, and her brow arched. “He… he lent me the money,” I added quickly.

Her shoulders finally relaxed. “Bless him,” she said with a small smile. “Such a good boy. I should get better fast so I can pay him back.”

I nodded, playing along even though my chest felt tight with guilt.

“Now that I think about it… how did the mate ceremony go? Did you find your mate?” she asked eagerly.

My heart dropped.

How could I tell her the truth? That my mate was Alpha Dorian—the cold, ruthless man who had kissed another woman right in front of me.

She would be devastated.

“No,” I lied with a sad smile.

“So it’s not Kale,” she whispered to herself as her expression fell. But then she quickly lifted her chin, masking her disappointment, and cupped my face with her cold hands. “Don’t worry, my sweet girl. You’re still young. I’m sure your mate will be kind, gentle… someone who loves you the way you deserve.”

Kind. Gentle. Love. She was describing everything Alpha Dorian wasn’t. “I know, Mama. I’m not worried.” Even the lie tasted bitter in my mouth.

I stayed by her side until the nurse showed me out, saying visiting hours were over.

Since Mom was now conscious, the doctor said she needed to start her medication right away to avoid another episode. But my savings were already drained dry. On my way back, I found myself filling out applications anywhere I could, desperate to make money faster.

The next morning, I returned to the pack estate in better spirits. I had thought about it all night long.

Alpha Dorian clearly knew who I was… and yet he hadn’t made a single move. That could only mean one thing—he didn’t care. He was probably disgusted by the thought of being tied to an omega when he already had someone like Vivienne.

And honestly? That was good news for me.

If he didn’t want me, then I could survive quietly. Though he hadn’t rejected me, and as long as he hadn’t, I couldn’t risk angering him by making the first move. I would just… keep my head down and mind my business.

Or at least, that was the plan.

“You’ve been reassigned,” Mrs. Agnes said the moment I reached for the mops to start scrubbing the floors.

“What?” I blinked, stunned. It was rare—almost unheard of—for a maid, especially one as low-ranked as me, to be moved to a different position.

Her next words, however, shattered me.

“You will now be in charge of cleaning the Alpha’s chambers.”