Chapter 22
“I know.” I bit my lip. “But I didn’t expect to end up in one of my new bosses’ packs. It feels… complicated.”
“Complicated?” she scoffed. “Girl, you’re lucky! If I were you, I’d choose Caiden’s pack in a heartbeat.”
“Really? I thought you had a thing for Aeson.”
She shrugged. “I did, but he’s got a chosen mate. No chance there. Caiden, on the other hand? That man is a walking fantasy. Sure, he’s a womanizer, but who cares? I’d be happy to join the list.”
I chuckled despite myself. “You reek of desperation, Everly.”
She sighed dramatically. “What can I say? Those three Alphas are irresistible. Admit it.”
I shook my head, but my mind wandered to Hades. Unlike Caiden’s charm or Aeson’s calm demeanor, Hades felt… dangerous.
“Hades is more terrifying than irresistible,” I murmured.
Everly tilted her head. “You’re scared of him. So? Are you giving up?”
“No,” I said firmly. “My salary triples here. I won’t quit because of him.”
Her eyes widened. “Triple? Serena, you’re insane if you even consider leaving because of hot-Hades-the-hellraiser.”
Ignoring her dramatic nickname, I crossed my arms. “No. I’ll keep the job. I won’t let him scare me off.”
But deep down, I wasn’t so sure.
Dinner was simple tonight-vegetable stew with a side of cornbread. It wasn’t much, but it was leagues better than the meager scraps we’d been surviving on a few days ago.
As we sat at the small, wobbly dining table, my father cleared his throat. “I told Alpha Pedro you’ve got a job now, Serena,” he said, his voice gruff but tinged with relief. “He said he’d allow the ratio of food ingredients to be increased a bit. At least, for now.”
I nodded, pretending to focus on my stew while the spoon in my hand trembled. My appetite was thin, but the thought of sharing the offers I’d received gnawed at me.
I took a steadying breath. “There’s something I want to talk about,” I began, my voice quieter than I intended.
Both my parents looked up. My mother’s soft hazel eyes held curiosity, while my father’s dark ones squinted as if trying to decipher my mood.
“I’ve been offered a chance to transfer,” I said cautiously. “To either Alpha Aeson’s pack or Alpha Caiden’s pack.”
My mother’s expression brightened. “That’s wonderful news, Serena.”
But my father frowned, his spoon hovering midair. “That might not be as easy as you think,” he muttered. “No one will want us as pack members… not with you being-”
“Mark!” my mother snapped, cutting him off sharply. “Why are you talking like you believe the nonsense people say about our Serena?”
“What do you mean, Agatha?” he shot back, his voice defensive.
“You don’t think Serena is cursed, do you?” Her voice was firm, protective.
My father hesitated, his face tightening. “I don’t know,” he admitted quietly. His gaze shifted to me, filled with a mixture of disappointment and sorrow. “I
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just wish… I just wish you had at least found your mate. But you haven’t. And you’re wolfless.”
He stopped abruptly, realizing the weight of his words. Guilt etched lines across his face. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Serena,” he said softly, dropping his spoon onto his plate. “I’m sorry.”
“But you did,” my mother said, her tone sharp as a blade. She was glaring now, her hands gripping the edge of the table. “You sometimes do.”
My stepmother had always defended me fiercely, as though I was her own blood. She never let anyone-including my father-diminish me. In moments like these, she reminded me of my late mother: strong, protective, and unyielding.
I cleared my throat. “The alphas don’t care about the rumors. They’ve offered to take us in because I work for them now. All we have to do is swear allegiance to the new alpha we choose and formally renounce Alpha Pedro.”
My father leaned back in his chair, his expression softening. He reached out and patted my cheek. “If transferring means Pedro won’t harass you anymore… then I’ll be glad. I’ve been helpless too many times when he’s hurt you.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “So… which pack do you both want to join?”
My father spoke first, recounting the good deeds of Alpha Aeson-his calm demeanor, his fair leadership. My mother chimed in about Alpha Caiden, mentioning his strength and innovative spirit.
Then my mother asked softly, “Which pack do you want, Serena?”
I froze, their eyes fixed on me as I weighed my options. I didn’t answer, my thoughts a whirlwind of uncertainty. The silence at the table grew heavy, lingering like the cliff’s edge I teetered on.
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