Chapter 13: Smile Of A Prey

Elizabeth

I had no idea pretending to be kind could be this exhausting. The smile I put on had begun to hurt my face, but I had to keep it up. I couldn't let it slip, at least not yet.

Kaima stood on the training ground, her hands brushing off dirt from the worn trousers she had on as she packed away the training equipment. She looked so calm, too calm.

I approached her slowly, every step precise.

“Kaima,” I said so sweetly it could rot a fruit; my voice was so calm it could lure anyone in. “You’ve been doing so well lately. I thought I’d stop by to see how well you’ve been settling in.”

She looked up, a hint of surprise flickering on her face before she quickly masked it with a polite smile. “Thank you, Luna. The pack has been kind to me.”

The way she said Luna showed no respect, like she was speaking to a commoner. I clenched my fists but kept smiling.

I moved closer, picking up one of the spears lying around on the ground. “That’s good to hear,” I said, pretending to examine it. “It’s important you feel comfortable here because we all are family. And not many Omegas get the opportunity to work directly near their Alpha’s quarters.”

Her gaze didn’t waver. “I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

I studied her for a moment. She was polite, steady, and controlled. She wasn’t like the weakling omega I’d expected her to be.

I wanted to crush her.

“So tell me,” I said, still smiling, “why did you decide to switch packs?” my voice coerced, like I cared. “I know Omegas don’t usually leave their packs without reason.”

She hesitated only for a second before replying, “I needed a new start. My old pack wasn’t home anymore.”

A perfectly rehearsed answer—neat, short, and useless. I smiled anyway. “A new start—how brave of you.”

She gave me a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes; the corner of her lips barely moved as she looked me in the face with no fear.

The confidence she had made my wolf restless.

I stepped closer, pretending to focus on the weapons. “You know the Alpha doesn’t let just anyone into his pack. You must have made quite an impression.”

This time she still looked me dead in the eyes—no hesitation, only that steady look that made my stomach cold. “I guess so, Luna.”

Her voice didn’t shake. It was calm and carried a silent authority.

My smile widened to hide my irritation. “I can see you have a good working relationship. I just hope it keeps going like that.” My smile dropped when I said the last line before appearing again. “You know, you and I could be such good friends.”

She nodded, but I saw the lack of interest written all over her face. This bitch.

A sharp sound suddenly filled the air, slicing right through my fake smile. It was my phone.

Every muscle in my body tensed as I saw who was calling. Kaima’s head tilted slightly toward the direction of the ringing phone. I forced a small laugh, pretending not to notice her curiosity. “Ah, excuse me,” I said, pressing a hand to my chest. “Pack matters, you know how it is. They need me.”

She nodded once, giving me that polite smile before returning to what she had been doing. I turned slowly, pulling away before she could catch the strain in my voice.

The moment I was far enough from her, I answered the call in a hushed tone. “Mother?” I whispered, glancing around. “Why are you calling me? You said this line was only for emergencies.”

Her voice flowed through the receiver, smooth and cold. “This is an emergency, Elizabeth.”

My heart raced as I glanced around again. Kaima was still bent over the training tools, out of earshot but not out of sight. I stepped further toward the tree line, lowering my tone even more. “What is it? What happened? You know the agreement.” I hissed, unsettled as my gaze moved around.

“Yes, yes,” Mother said, her voice purring as usual. “I know I'm not supposed to call unless you do, or send a message. But I couldn't sit still after our last conversation so I went to do some digging.”

“On what?”

“Nathan’s actual mate.”

My breath caught in my throat. “You found out something?”

“Yes,” her voice rang out sharp.

My heart skipped a beat, my gaze momentarily flickered to Kaima. “And what did you find?” I asked in a hush tone, my throat tight.

“She’s from the Moon Goddess lineage—rare, blessed, powerful. They are special kinds of werewolves and cannot be matched even by most Alphas.” 

I felt a shockwave ripped through my body as my mother spoke.

“The Moon Goddess lineage?” I repeated, gripping the phone. “Mother, are you sure?”

“Of course I am certain,” she replied, pride lacing her words. “That kind of power cannot be mistaken. She will be unlike any werewolf alive—pure, radiant, and very strong, Elizabeth. When you come across her you will know immediately.”

A sigh of relief escaped my lips as my gaze returned to Kaima. I’d had my suspicions about her, but taking another look at her now, she was nothing but a worthless Omega.

How could I have suspected her to be Nathan's true mate?

I’d been so convinced that maybe it could be her, but Kaima was far from who mother just described as Nathan’s true mate. 

Just like I had thought; the Moon Goddess would never give a common Omega to an Alpha. She was nothing, and I was over here wasting effort on her.

Nathan's recent absentmindedness was just a coincidence.

“Elizabeth, are you still there?” My mother's voice rang out softly, pulling my attention back to the call.

I smiled, and this time, it reached my eyes. “Yes mother, I'm still with you. Don't worry there's no such person as you just described, in his pack—at least not yet.”

“Good,” mother's approval came quickly. “Don't relax yet, Lizzy. You know what's at stake. Make sure you keep a watchful eye on him. And most importantly… don't forget to get marked—once you bear his mark, we won't have to care so much about his true mate.”

I exhaled, calming myself. “Of course, Mother. I understand.”

“And Elizabeth, if his true mate ever shows up before the Luna ceremony, you need to destroy her before she gets the whiff of what's going on. Because if you don't, she might destroy you and everything we've worked so hard for all these years—she has no mercy.”

“I understand,” I replied, my heart skipping a beat at what she just said. The call ended. 

I looked over my shoulder at Kaima. I don't understand why, but still I kept looking at her— there was something about this Omega that unsettled me.

Although she wasn’t Nathan’s mate. No. But there was still something about her— something I couldn’t explain. She didn’t feel like an ordinary Omega.

I tore my gaze away, shaking my head as I willed my thoughts to what's more important.

Nathan's mark.

Kaima was an Omega. Nothing more. That thought alone gave me satisfaction.

Whatever it took, I was going to get Nathan to mark me before the Luna ceremony—before his mate decides to show up.

That's if she would.