Chapter 6

Stella's pov

My body stiffened in that position before I shoved him off and dashed out of the room.

Thankfully, the coast was clear, and the hallways were empty.

He followed me out, a hand pressed against his chest. "You either have an obsession with touching my chest, or you actually hate me."

"I think you can guess which is the right option. I'll go down first. You follow behind me later."

He didn't say anything, so I assumed he'd gotten the message.

Each step towards the stairs felt like walking to an execution.

The glass had already been cleaned, and the stairs were neat.

Music and voices came from the dining room, where the guests who had come back with us were all already settled.

The moment I stepped through, they all stopped speaking, their gazes shifting to me.

Anya smiled mockingly, approaching me. "So now you want to come down. You think we're just going to cook for you and serve you up like we're your maids?"

The other omegas looked uncomfortable. One in particular, a short, handsome man, was staring at me sympathetically as he settled next to an alpha who kissed him the moment he sat.

The sight made my chest ache.

Thanks to my parents, I was never getting a bond like that. Even if Alpha Mattias offered, my breakfast would make a reappearance before his lips ever touched mine.

"Are you even listening to me, you little brat?"

"Another young bride thinking she'll marry into wealth and riches and live a happy life." Someone behind me sighed.

"And at the cost of her body too."

The voices of those women carried across the table, drawing even more eyes to me.

My face flushed, shame crawling up my throat and clogging it. "I apologise. I'm just tired from the wedding. If you'd accept, I could help clean up after."

Her smile broadened into a devilish grin. "Very well, you can clean up after everyone yourself."

My eyebrows drew in. "What? That wasn't what I said."

"You want to be the luna of this house, but you can't even take care of it? Are you really just here for my brother's money?"

She had me backed into a corner, right where she wanted me. And like a fool, I'd let her.

My lips curved up into a smile that mirrored hers, ignoring all the murmurs and whispers flying around. "Of course. Just leave everything. I'm sure you must be tired from attending a wedding that isn't even yours. I'll take care of it."

Her expression cracked, the practiced face giving way to her true ugliness. "I planned that wedding, you little brat."

"You mean you changed every choice I made about it." I walked past her, down to the table while grabbing a plate.

As I did, my gaze caught that of a woman across the table. Her scent told me she could only be an alpha.

Her eyes trailed after me, a subtle smile plastered on her face.

I smiled right back, eager to have an ally here who wasn't my stepchild.

My feet came to a halt behind my chair, then my body bent in half, bowing to those who were seated around.

It was a basic show of respect, considering most of them were much older than I was. Still, some seemed shocked by the gesture.

After settling into the chair, carefully ignoring Anya's burning gaze, I reached for some food across the table.

Eli entered then, striding in with one hand buried in his pocket.

The air shifted from his presence alone. His eyes swept across the whole room before finally landing on me.

Surprisingly, his expression now was completely blank, a stark contrast to the cheerfulness with which he'd followed me all day.

He took a single step forward before the alpha woman shot to her feet, squealing in delight.

"That's the surprise." Anya murmured, forcing a smile.

The alpha female lunged at him, wrapping her hands tightly around his neck. "Eli!"

Anya's smile grew even stiffer. "What's wrong, Eli? Why don't you seem excited to finally see your fiancée?"

His gaze caught mine before his arms crawled up the woman's waist and tightened. "Good evening to you too, love.