CHAPTER 54: SWITCHED SIDES

Rhea stood in front of her wardrobe, hands on her hips, admiring the neat rows of folded shirts, hanging dresses. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Now that’s what I call a proper wardrobe," she said with a sigh of contentment.

She turned slightly, her gaze drifting to the bed where Jason and Tavian sat slumped like two soldiers who had just survived a battle. The bed was surrounded by discarded shopping bags, some still half-opened, their contents spilling out in a chaotic sea of color.

Rhea chuckled softly. "Thanks for helping me out, both of you."

Jason lifted his head, a tired smile tugging at his lips. "You’re welcome. Though I think my spine just disowned me."

"Same here," Tavian groaned in agreement, rubbing the back of his neck. "But hey, at least you look satisfied. Makes it worth it."

Rhea grinned. "I am. You two made it bearable."

Jason sat up with a stretch, then reached for one of the few remaining shopping bags. "Well, I better go check out what I managed to grab before I collapse somewhere."

Tavian followed suit, scooping up his own bags from the floor and slinging them over one arm. "Same here. We’ll see you at dinner."

"Wait... dinner?" Rhea asked, arching a brow. "You’re coming here to eat with me? Not that I’m complaining, I wouldn’t mind the company."

Jason chuckled, shaking his head. "No, Rhea. Dinner’s always in the main hall."

Tavian nodded. "Have you forgotten? The whole pack eats dinner together."

"Oh. Right." Rhea blinked, then waved a hand dismissively. "See you at dinner then. I’ll use this moment to, you know, familiarize myself with my new room."

Jason smiled faintly. "Try not to redecorate the whole place before then."

"No promises," Rhea teased.

They both exchange amused smile, balancing their bags. "See you later, Rhea," Tavian said, pushing the door open.

"See you," she replied, waving lightly as they slipped out.

The moment the door clicked shut, Rhea let out a long sigh and flopped onto the bed, sinking into the plush covers. Her limbs felt heavy, her mind buzzing from the day’s chaos, but for the first time since arriving in this world, she felt... settled. She stared at the ceiling, a small contented smile crept across her face.

"Yeah," she murmured to herself. "I could get used to this."

Tavian and Jason walked down the long hallway, their footsteps echoing softly off the marble floor. The hum of voices from other pack members filtered faintly from somewhere below, but up here, it was mostly quiet, the kind of silence that made their conversation feel heavier.

Jason glanced around worry flickering in his eyes. "Do you think the pack’s gonna come for us?" Jason finally asked, his voice low, uncertain. "You know...for sticking with Rhea."

Tavian slowed, throwing him a sideways look. "Don’t worry about that for now," he said, tone clipped but steady. "Half the pack wouldn’t want to mess with her after what she did. And the other half? They’re smart enough not to try. I believe they won’t come for us. "

Jason frowned, fiddling with one of the shopping bags in his hand. "It’s not the pack I’m scared of," he muttered. "It’s Nikki."

That made Tavian stop completely. He turned his head, brows rising. "Nikki?"

Jason nodded, eyes darting down the hall as if the name alone could summon her. "Yeah. I’m afraid of what she might do. You know how she is."

Tavian sighed, shifting the bags in his hand. "As long as we avoid her, we’ll be fine."

Jason gave a humorless laugh. "You think Nikki needs you in her face to target you? She doesn’t even need a reason to target someone."

"Jason," Tavian frowned but forced his voice to stay even. Let’s not spiral, alright? He shifted the bags in his hands. "You changing your mind? You don’t want to be friends with Rhea anymore?"

"What? No way," Jason said quickly, his words tumbling over each other. "That’s not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?" Tavian pressed, one brow raised.

"I’m just... worried," Jason muttered.

"It’s okay," Tavian said, his voice lower. "I get it. We’ll just..."

He didn’t finish.

Three figures rounded the corner ahead, blocking their path. Seraphine stood in the center, poised and cold as ever, her daughters Lyra and Lena flanking her, their expressions carrying the smug calm that always meant trouble.

Tavian stammered, his voice catching. "W-what do you want?"

Seraphine’s gaze swept over them, sharp and assessing. "Lady Nikki wants to speak with you two." she said, her tone clipped and condescending.

Jason’s stomach dropped. "Why?" he blurted out, panic creeping into his tone. His mind spun. He didn’t think Nikki would act this fast, but of course she would. This was Nikki, the impatient, spoiled storm of the pack.

Lena scoffed, eyes flashing. "Does Lady Nikki need a reason to speak with whoever she wants?"

Jason shook his head so fast it almost looked like a bow muttering, "No, of course not."

Lyra’s gaze dropped to the bags in their hands, her lips curling faintly. "You really went shopping with her," she said, the mockery dripping from her voice.

Lena let out a short, scornful laugh. "Didn’t take you long to switch sides, huh? Forgot who actually holds the power in this pack?"

Tavian stiffened, his grip tightening around the bags until the handles bit into his palms. Jason’s jaw clenched, his eyes dropping to the floor to avoid meeting theirs.

Seraphine’s sharp gaze swept over them, cold and impatient. "Enough. Don’t waste my time," she said, her tone sharp as glass. "Follow me. Now."

Tavian swallowed hard, his throat tight. He shot Jason a quick look, and Jason nodded back, both wordless but understanding exactly what they were walking into.

"Alright," Tavian murmured.

They fell into step behind Seraphine as Lena and Lyra closed in on either side, their presence suffocating. The two omegas could feel eyes on them as they walked through the corridor, whispers stirring in their wake.