CHAPTER 61: JUST IN TIME

"So it was him then," she muttered under her breath, her tone edged with quiet suspicion.

Jason groaned beside her. "No. The system’s been that way for ages. Alpha Ares didn’t make the rule."

"Mm-hm." Rhea’s unimpressed hum said she didn’t buy a word of it.

"Can we just hurry?" Tavian cut in, his voice strained. "We’re already behind."

"Nope," Rhea said matter-of-factly, halting mid-step. "These shoes are not made for speed. Do you see what I’m wearing?"

Tavian pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. "You’re the one who insisted on wearing that."

They had tried...oh, they had tried, to talk her into something simple, but Rhea had waved them off with that same confident flick of her hand, claiming she needed to "make an impression."

Now she twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, smirking. "Don’t I look sexy?"

Jason gave her a quick once-over and sighed. "Yeah, you do. I just don’t get why you need to look sexy for breakfast."

"You’ll see," Rhea said, her smirk deepening as she resumed her stride, every click of her boots sharp and deliberate.

Tavian and Jason exchanged a look, half exasperation, half dread, and followed behind.

As they reached the final turn before the dining hall, the voices grew clearer: laughter, clinking dishes, the rhythmic scrape of chairs. Rhea stopped just short of the open doors and adjusted herself, smoothing a strand of hair behind her ear. She turned to the two omegas with mock seriousness. "Okay," she said. "How do I look?"

Tavian looked at Jason, who only gave a helpless shrug. "Like you’re about to cause trouble," Tavian said flatly.

"Perfect," she replied, grinning.

Jason sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Can we just eat breakfast like normal people? No drama?"

"No promises." Her grin widened as they stepped through the open doors.

The noise inside died almost instantly. Heads turned their way. Conversations faltered, Dozens of eyes followed Rhea’s confident approach, some curious, some judgmental, others openly hostile but Rhea’s confidence didn’t waver, if anything, it grew stronger under the weight of their stares. Jason and Tavian, however, shrank behind her, wishing they could melt into the walls.

"They’re here," Ellie’s voice floated from the dais at the far end. His tone carried an edge of satisfaction.

Rhea’s head turned toward him, and a soft smile curved her lips at the sight of him waving her over. She raised her hand in a small wave in return.

Jason leaned close. "Is the Beta waving you over?"

"Of course he is," Rhea murmured, her eyes still locked on Ellie.

"And are you going to sit over there?" Tavian asked.

"Not just me, you guys too," Rhea said.

"We too?" Tavian echoed, alarmed.

She tilted her head toward the dais. "Obviously. Come on."

Jason’s eyes widened. "No, no, no. Omegas have their own table," he said quietly, nodding toward the one near the doors. "That’s where we should sit."

Tavian nodded quickly. "Yeah, we don’t belong up there. Especially not near her." His gaze flicked to Nikki, who sat beside Eberhard, already glaring daggers in their direction.

"Just do as I say and follow me," Rhea said, her tone leaving no room for argument. Didn’t you see my brother wave us over?"

Before they could protest, she started walking, slow and deliberate, straight toward the dais. Every step drew more whispers. Some hushed, some not quiet enough.

"Is she insane?"

"The Beta called her?"

"The outcast’s really walking up there?"

"Will the Alpha let her sit with them?"

Jason’s pulse raced. Tavian’s throat felt dry. They exchange a look of despair before following her, heads down, each step heavier than the last.

At the dais, Ellie leaned back, a grin tugging at his lips. Ares’s gaze, however, was fixed, sharp, unblinking. He couldn’t seem to look away from Rhea. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if she had always been this beautiful. There was something magnetic about her, the way her confidence filled the room, the glint in her eyes, the subtle sway of her steps. But when his gaze dropped lower, his jaw tightened. Why was she wearing so little? His fists clenched beneath the table.

Eberhard noticed the shift, his own expression darkening. Beside him, Nikki stiffened, her nails digging into her palm, fury simmering in her glare.

"So these are the three supposedly important people you mentioned?" Eberhard asked, his tone carrying faint disdain.

Ellie’s grin didn’t falter. "Yeap."

"The traitor’s daughter and two confused omegas?" Eberhard sneered.

Ellie’s expression hardened, the air around him seeming to chill. His gaze locked with Eberhard’s, sharp and unyielding. "Don’t you ever refer to her like that again," he said, his voice low but cutting. "And as for those omegas?" He glanced toward Jason. "At least they have self-respect, unlike your daughter."

Nikki’s chair screeched across the floor as she shot to her feet, fury blazing in her eyes. "How dare you..."

"Nikki, sit down," Ares commanded, his tone cold and final.

"But Alpha..." she began, her voice trembling with anger.

"I said sit down," Ares repeated, his voice rising just enough to make the room fall silent.

Nikki froze, her lips tightening as she glared at Ellie. With visible effort, she sank back into her seat, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of the table. She was seconds from muttering something when Rhea’s voice sliced cleanly through the tension.

"Hope we’re not late," Rhea said smoothly, stepping up beside Ellie with a calm, radiant smile that felt almost unsettling.

"You’re just in time," Ellie said with an easy grin, his tone light and unbothered. "Grab a seat."

Eberhard’s brows furrowed. "Alpha," he said, turning to Ares, "are you really going to allow her to sit with us?"

Ares straightened in his chair, his voice low but firm. "We’ve waited long enough. Let’s just start eating."

Ellie clapped his hands once, the sharp sound cutting through the murmurs. "You heard the Alpha. Everyone settle down, let’s start eating."

Rhea’s lips curved faintly as she pulled out the chair beside Ellie and sat down, her movements graceful yet defiant. She gestured for Tavian and Jason to take the remaining two empty seats.

The two omegas froze at the foot of the dais, exchanging uneasy glances.

"Stop wasting my time," Ares said, his tone clipped. "If you’re here to eat, then sit and eat."

Both flinched at his voice, hastily moving forward. Tavian took the seat closest to Nikki but shifted closer to Jason almost immediately, avoiding her piercing glare.