Chapter 3
Lucia stepped into Marshall’s sleek black SUV, and the Alpha of the Hill Pack turned to me with a casual offer. “Freya, I can drop you off at the pack house.” His tone was smooth, but I knew better than to accept. I shook my head, forcing a polite smile. “No, thank you, Alpha. I’ll make my own way.”
I wasn’t planning on going to the pack house at all. For the first time in three years, I was going to skip my duties. My transition period had one month left before I officially left the Hill Pack, and I wasn’t about to stir the pot now. Marshall had a way of making things complicated when he wanted to.
That afternoon, neither Lucia nor I showed up at the pack house. The next morning, the air was thick with whispers. The pack members no longer hesitated around me as they once did. Instead, they approached me directly, their curiosity barely contained. “Freya, did you hear? The new Omega is going to be the Alpha’s personal assistant.”
The word “also” hung in the air, unspoken but understood. I had been the only personal assistant to Marshall for three years. I shrugged, keeping my tone neutral. “Yes, the pack’s doing well, and the Alpha could use the extra help. Another assistant should make things easier.”
“Freya, you probably haven’t heard yet,” one of them added, leaning in closer. “This morning, that Omega was seen getting out of the Alpha’s car.”
So, Marshall’s special treatment was finally extending to someone else.
“Not only that,” another chimed in, “his Beta even opened the car door for her.”
I let out a quiet laugh, brushing it off. “Alright, enough gossip. If the Alpha hears you, it’ll be trouble for everyone.”
When I walked into the pack house later, I immediately noticed the changes. My desk, which had always been in the side office next to Marshall’s, was being moved to the common area. Lucia stood nearby, overseeing the process with an air of authority. “Be careful with Freya’s things,” she instructed, her voice sweet but laced with something sharper.
As soon as the words left her mouth, my mug crashed to the floor. It was one of the few things I still had from Marshall—a gift from his trip to the Alps, crafted by a renowned artisan. The sound of shattering porcelain echoed through the room.
Lucia’s eyes widened in mock horror. “What are you doing? You broke her mug!”
Holden, the Delta moving the desk, froze. The mug had fallen from the drawer, though it had always been displayed prominently on my desk. I waved it off, forcing a smile. “No worries, it’s just a mug. Not a big deal.”
If I could let go of Marshall, what was a mug to me?
My new spot in the common area was ready, and I settled in with a calm I didn’t quite feel. On my desk lay a note, scribbled in Lucia’s messy handwriting.
*Freya, I prefer working with fewer interruptions. The Alpha agreed it’s not convenient for me to sit with everyone else, so I moved your spot. Hope you don’t mind.*
The content of the note didn’t bother me—it was the writing that grated on my nerves. It was just too sloppy, too careless, like everything else about her.
As I sat down, I could feel the eyes of the pack on me, their gazes heavy with curiosity and pity. But I kept my head high, my expression unreadable. Let them talk. I had one month left, and then I’d be free of the Hill Pack—and Marshall—for good.