CHAPTER 34: DON’T ENCOURAGE HER

Rhea sighed as though bored with the spectacle and turned toward the trembling omega. Tavian was still shaking, his wide eyes darting between her and the Alpha. She crossed the room, and held out her hand.

"Come on," she said firmly, her tone softening. "We’re getting out of here."

Tavian hesitated. His gaze flicked to her hand, then to her face. Something about her steadied him. Slowly, almost disbelieving, he reached for her hand.

Rhea’s fingers clamped around his. She tugged him gently toward the door, ready to walk straight out when Eberhard’s voice cracked through the tension.

"Wait!" he barked. His pulse thundered; he wasn’t about to lose this opportunity. "What were you doing inside Roff’s room?"

Nikki, finally regaining her wits, jumped in eagerly. "Yes, what were you doing in a man’s room that isn’t your mate?"

Rhea stopped and turned toward the father-daughter pair, her gaze moved between them with lazy disinterest. "And who exactly are you two to question me?"

Nikki stammered, face flushing under the weight of Rhea’s tone. "I–I’m just—" she glanced at her father, helpless.

Eberhard’s jaw clenched. His eyes flicked to to the Alpha, irritation flashing through his eyes. Ares just stand there with his brows drawn together, deep in thought. Why isn’t he saying anything? he thought bitterly. This is our chance, and he’s wasting it.

Ares, however, didn’t even notice his gaze. His eyes was on Rhea. There was something about her new composure that unsettled him. Is she faking it, doing all these to draw his attention or is there something more to her

? She looks nothing like the timid girl he used to know, and that intrigued him. Still, there was no way she could have taken down three trained men on her own. That was impossible.

Rhea moved forward, Tavian still clinging to her hand, Eberhard’s mind spun with panic, just as she was about to pass Ares his voice stopped her again. "Wait."

Eberhard let out a slow breath of relief.

Rhea turned her head slightly, eyes sharp. "What?" she asked flatly.

Nikki gasped, horrified. "Don’t you dare talk to the Alpha like that! Have you no manners or respect for the Alpha?"

Ellie stepped in, his voice sharp. "Nikki, enough. Stop interrupting when you’re not being spoken to."

Nikki’s mouth fell open in shock, her outrage freezing mid-sputter. She looked between Ellie and her father as expecting her father to back her up.

Ares ignored them and turned to Rhea. "Answer Eberhard’s question."

Rhea tilted her head. "I’ve forgotten. Would you mind reminding me what the question was?"

Ares’ brows rose slightly. Ellie’s lips curved in a smirk. Where is she getting these guts from? he thought.

Ares exhaled, suppressing a growl. "What were you doing inside Roff’s room?"

"Oh, that." Rhea shrugged. "I thought I’d already answered that. Obviously, I was dealing with them." She gestured casually toward the three men sprawled on the floor.

Roff seems to have passed out as well.

The crowd erupted in a wave of gasps and murmurs.

"She’s saying she beat up three men by herself?" someone scoffed.

"That’s impossible!" another shouted.

"She’s an omega, and a wolf-less one at that!" a voice rang out. "No way that’s true!"

Ares’ gaze sharpened. "You expect me to believe that?" he asked slowly. "How’s that even possible?"

"I expect nothing from you," Rhea scoffed. "Besides you can believe whatever you want."

"Alpha," Tavian said suddenly, his voice trembling. "She...she’s... that’s the truth."

Ellie turned to him. "What did you say?"

Tavian flinched under the weight of his attention.

"You’re scaring him," Rhea said sharply, glaring at Ellie.

Ellie lifted his hands in surrender, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "My bad. Didn’t mean to. We didn’t quite catch what he just said."

"And here I thought werewolves had good hearing," Rhea muttered.

Ellie chuckled. "So, Tavian, are you saying Rhea was the one who knocked these guys out?"

Tavian nodded hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, Beta Ellie."

A ripple of disbelief passed through the crowd again.

"How could that be?" Ares asked.

"Yes, how indeed," Eberhard cut in quickly. His tone thick with accusation. For a wolf-less omega to overpower three men ranking higher than her, that’s impossible...unless..." He paused dramatically, pretending to think deeply. Ellie’s stomach twisted. What is he scheming now?

"Unless what?" Ares asked.

"Unless she’s a spy like your parents," Eberhard said.

Gasps broke through the hall. "A spy?" "Could it be?" "That would explain everything!"

Rhea turned to him slowly, her expression blank with disbelief. She looked at him as though he’s foolish. Is this man stupid or just pretending to be?

"Spy?" Ares repeated, frowning.

"Yes, Alpha, that’s what I think," Eberhard said earnestly, taking a step forward. "How else do we explain how she knows how to fight? No one’s ever seen her train here. She must have been trained by the people she’s working with."

Ellie snorted. "Do you even hear yourself? You sound stupid."

Eberhard’s face reddened. "Watch your mouth, boy..."

"Everybody here knows Rhea hasn’t stepped outside this pack since she was born." Ellie interrupted coldly. "She wasn’t even allowed to. Half the time, thanks to you and your daughter, she was too injured or too bruised to move. How exactly was she supposed to sneak out to train with these imaginary enemies?"

"Maybe she pretended to be hurt," Nikki said quickly, "and sneaked out at night while everyone was asleep!"

"Like father like daughter." Ellie smirked, voice dripping with dry amusement. "Or maybe you and your father are the actual spies."

Eberhard stiffened. The movement was subtle, but Ellie caught it. His brow arched slightly. Well, that’s interesting.

"You see the kind of fools you surround yourself with?" Rhea said to Ares, calm as ever. "Minus him, of course." Her gaze flicked briefly to Ellie.

Ellie tilted his head with a smirk. "Thank you, my lady."

Ares shot him a glare. "Don’t encourage her."

Ellie only smiled wider.