CHAPTER 25: JOINING IN ON THE FUN

Roff blinked. Shock flickered across his face. He had already plotted how to drag her in if she resisted, but this? Her easy agreement unsettled him. Then his smirk deepened. Even better.

He pushed the door a little wider, but still kept his body in the way, ensuring she couldn’t see clearly into the room. "No," he said smoothly, voice laced with mock chivalry. "Ladies first."

Rhea’s gaze locked on him. She exhaled slow, steadying herself, and squared her shoulders. Her hand hovered near the frame as she prepared to step inside.

Roff flicked another glance down the hallway. At the far end, Seraphine and her daughters shrank deeper into the corner, careful not to be seen.

With the hallway silent, His lecherous grin spread, thick with menace. Roff leaned closer, the reek of his breath washed over her as his hand reached for the knob. With a sharp click, the door sealed shut behind them.

Lena’s mouth fell open, her voice catching in a half-gasp. "Did she just go in there?"

Lyra’s face twisted with disbelief. "She’s really gone insane. What was she thinking?"

Seraphine rubbed her hands together, a wicked curve tugging at her lips. "Perfect. This is actually a good thing. Now we have a solid excuse we need to make the Alpha punish her and even cast her out of the pack."

"We have?" Lena asked, doubtful but curious.

"Of course," Seraphine said, her eyes gleaming with calculation. "Think about it. How will the Alpha react when he learns his mate was found in Roff’s room?"

"Rejected mate," Lyra corrected bluntly.

"Huh?" Seraphine blinked, confused.

"She means they’ve rejected each other," Lena clarified quickly.

Seraphine’s glare shot to both her daughters, pinning them still. "It doesn’t matter. Rejected or not, they are still tied. She will always be an obstacle to Lady Nikki for as long as she stays in this pack."

"Oh," the sisters said together, their voices small.

"Go," Seraphine ordered, voice cold. "Report to Lady Nikki. She will know exactly what to do."

Lyra and Lena exchanged a quick, eager glance, then hurried off down the opposite hallway.

Seraphine peeked out, her gaze fixed on the shut door. A smirk tugged at her lips. Everyone knew Roff’s reputation. He and his friends had dragged Omegas — male and female alike, into that very room and done the unthinkable. And every time, the blame was twisted. The Omegas were accused of tempting them, of seducing with pheromones and desperation. Fear sealed their lips afterward. They never spoke, because what was the point? The Alpha might hand out punishment, but in this pack it never lasted. Roff and his pack of hounds always came back free, hungrier, crueler. And the Omegas who had dared to report them... their fates were worse than what they had faced before.

Seraphine’s smirk widened. "I can’t wait to see her face when Roff is done with her."

Inside the room, the air was thick, heavy, sharp with the stink of sweat and something fouler. Rhea’s eyes swept the space, and her stomach dropped.

Two men loomed over a huge bed, pinning another down. Their bodies were taut with strain, arms digging hard into the writhing figure beneath them. The one on the left, a thickset guy with cropped hair, held the boy’s wrists locked high above his head. His knuckles were white from the force. The other, wiry but long-armed, pressed a knee into the boy’s ribs, crushing him in place while his hand clamped over his mouth.

The pinned Omega was barely moving anymore, his chest rising in shallow jerks, face damp with sweat. His eyes fluttered, wide and glassy, darting toward Rhea when she entered. A muffled whimper rattled under the hand that smothered him. His frame was lean, too lean, the sharp lines of bone showing through his thin shirt. He looked exhausted, broken down by the struggle.

The two holding him froze when they saw her, heads snapping up. Irritation flickered in their eyes first, then something darker — hunger. A sneering look that sized her up like prey caught in the wrong place.

Rhea stiffened, her hand tightening into a fist at her side. Her eyes flicked to the boy on the bed, then back to the bastards restraining him. Her chest burned.

What the hell is happening here, she thought, her face tightening with disgust.

"Do you like what you see?" Roff’s voice slithered through the tension from behind.

Her head snapped toward him. "What the hell do you think you’re doing? Don’t you fear what the Alpha will do when he finds out?" Her words cut sharp, her glare unwavering.

The three men burst into laughter, cruel and careless, their grip on the boy loosening only for the sound to rumble harder.

Roff brushed past her without hesitation, his shoulder nearly grazing hers. He dropped onto the bed with the ease of someone who owned the room, lounging like a king on his throne. He wasn’t the least bit concerned about her trying to escape — the locked door had already sealed his confidence. "You’re one funny Omega," he drawled, a smirk curling his lips. "I never knew you were this amusing. Anyway, since you walked in on your own..." His gaze raked over her. "I’ll take that as consent to join the fun."

The other two chuckled, the sound low and suggestive, their eyes fixed on her.

Rhea’s jaw clenched. "Release him. Now." Her voice cracked through the room, iron-hard.

Roff tilted his head at her, a mockery of sympathy darkening his expression. "I don’t know what’s happened to you, but you’ve changed. A lot. And with that change, it seems you’ve forgotten your place in this pack." He spread his hands with feigned generosity. "Don’t worry, we’ll remind you."

He flicked a finger at the men restraining the boy. "Let him go. Looks like the traitor’s bitch wouldn’t mind going first."

The two men exchanged glances, smirking as they shoved the boy aside. His legs wobbled as he staggered free, then he folded himself tightly into the corner of the room, knees pulled to his chest, his breathing shallow. He knew better than to try escaping.

Roff’s eyes slid back to Rhea, sharp and glinting. "So... will you save us the effort and undress yourself? Present it nice and pretty on the bed?"