Following the warm kiss Lloyd gave his mate and the way he acted like he loved her so much, the atmosphere was tense and some got at what happened while a few were not contented

Alpha Greg's wolf boiled with fury as it witnessed the act before them. Greg was unable to grasp why his wolf was acting this way, and it only served to aggravate him more. He knew he needed to distance himself from the position, to forget about the woman who had stirred such intense emotions within him before he did something irresponsible.

Most especially, the happenstance in the dressing room had been frightening, a game of mischievous wishes.

Greg desired her, but he premeditated to bide his time, pending that he had her right where he wanted, to then relieve himself from her grasp. However, that didn't mean he didn't visualize gushing blood from anyone who stood between them, particularly her mate Lloyd, and jettisoning any hint of male scent from her pending he had gratified his own wishes.

"Alpha," Mark interjected, appearing at his side, "we've thoroughly searched for the girl you described, but found no trace."

Greg sneered and gestured towards the response.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"She's the Luna of Blossom, for fuck's sake."

"Yeah."

"And you still yearn for her?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, shit, Greg!"

"Yeah."

"Come on, this isn't the best, that's like thrusting a sleeping tiger or pulling the tail of a lion," Greg sniggered. "If I may ask, does he really look like a tiger?

More like a puppy."

Mark sighed and massaged his temples. "It's not worth it."

"Not when I naively marked her," Greg replied.

"Wow, this is serious," Mark exclaimed, his eyes broadening. "But, how did she... when... you?" He stammered.

Alpha Greg giggled again.

"Accurately"

Mark moaned heavily. "How the hell did you even meet Luna? You slept with her and even imprinted your mark on her?" He hissed. "Alpha Lloyd keeps that woman under lock and key! He's extremely protective of her, or so I've heard. And why shouldn't he be? She's his mate and beloved by her Pack members!"

Greg slashed his stare away from Lloyd and Melissa for a minute to look at his Chief warrior.

"Why do you sound like Dave?"

"Because Dave's the sensible one. Honestly, if he wasn't your Beta, I wonder what would have become of you."

Greg shrugged his cool conduct on the edge of devastation. Firstly, Lloyd was still mouthing in the name of showing affection, and secondly, Mark was right.

Hell no! He had never felt this way before. His wolf was moments away from flouting free, and if it did, Lloyd would die.

There was no two ways about it.

Greg closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He vehemently unclenched his fists, placing them flat on the table, and respired slowly.

"You really need to take your time and think about this though, Greg. Don't do anything silly. Don't let women decay the whole lot for you."

Greg paused and peeped back at the couple as they moved apart.

"Wow!! Holy shit!!!," Mark murmured, his eyes widening as he observed Melissa up close for the first time.

Greg's heart twanged and his fists gritted once again.

"Damn it! I understand why. She's amazingly nice-looking."

Greg bottled up a growl, conveying his attention somewhere else. She was unquestionably gorgeous, but she wasn't his type to begin with.

He blamed his wolf and the foolish mark. His body was thrilled at the sight of her juicy lips and blurred eyes. It activated memories of their night together.

Precipitously, fury flowed through him. He wanted to cuddle her, peck her passionately, and drive Lloyd away. However, something wedged his consideration-she wasn't awakened. If she truly enjoyed being in her mate's arms, the scent of her arousal would have befuddled him.

"Please, everyone, do kindly sit tight as I introduce Melissa, my Luna," Lloyd declared.

Greg sneered, took her hand, and planted a momentary kiss on it, grazing her skin. She gasped, her cheeks blushing for a moment. Her sudden arousal overwhelmed him.

"So, you're the Luna everyone's been talking about, She snatched her hand away, her eyes boiling with anger. Greg's smirk grew wider.

"Yes, indeed. My Luna is the most capable," Lloyd boasted as he introduced her to other imperative guests.

"Tonight, your task is to uncover the entire dirty skeleton in the cupboard of that bastard and present it to me," he told Mark once Lloyd was out of earshot. "I know that son of a bitch has skeletons in his closet. Show them to me."

Mark sighed, "Yes, Alpha. Hold on, what's your plan? I thought you'd be asking for a secure place to meet Luna so you can take care of your business before we return home tomorrow?"

Greg gave him a skeptical look.

"Geez, I'm not that abysmal, Mark. I can't chase her now, not after what we've discovered. It wouldn't be right."

"If so, why am I getting involved in this disarray and hollowing out some shit for you?" Mark asked.

"Why are we even here in the first place, Mark? Can we trust Lloyd?" Greg asked and Mark shook his head. A sigh ran away from his lips.

"Greg, I know you very well. You're always calculating," Greg sneered, his bright blue eyes glossy naughtily.

"What on earth do you have planned?"

Greg shrugged, "She's coming home with me."

Mark, who had managed to grasp a drink and was drinking it, choked. Stuttering, his eyes turned red as he tried to clear his airways.

"Let me tell you my dear friend," Greg giggled, tapping his back.

"What the hell! Greg! Are you really alright, or have you lost your thoughts?"

Greg's eyes are gloomy, and he knots at him.

"Fine, okay, okay, fine! You're in charge. You're the Alpha. I'll gather the information and prepare my men for war because that's where this shit will be heading to I must say."

Greg disregarded him and turned his thoughtfulness back to Lloyd. They were now with his pack members, all of whom were staring at Melissa as if she were some kind of angel. His heart sank at the sight of them. If only he weren't so selfish, he thought to himself.

"Greg," Mark said gently.

"Yeah?"

"You're doing this because you want to get her out of your mind, right?"

Greg shrugged, "Why else would I do it?"

"In good health, in fact, leaving her here is the best way to move on. If you're far away from her, you'll get over her in a matter of weeks, and the connection you think you have will fade away indefinitely."

"Weeks?" Greg roared, "I need to get her out of my mind and dreams as soon as possible!"

"B-but-"

"Besides, when has staying away from someone ever worked for me? Just do as I asked. I'll handle the rest."

Mark slumped his shoulders. "You'll be the death of me, Alpha."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure I'm your savior."

Mark disappeared from his sight and went to do what he had been tasked with.

Greg's eyes sought out Melissa once again. She was now engaged in what seemed like a forced, polite conversation with a female member of the Blossom pack.

Annoyed, he looked away, searching for any cracks in this perfect facade. Greg knew that it was all a pretense. An Alpha like Lloyd concealed so much. He remembered how Lloyd had skillfully avoided his probing questions.

Greg smirked; he was determined not to let Lloyd leave tonight without answering his question.

"Spike his drink," he instructed through their pack bond.

A Shadow Moon member, who was closest to Greg, nodded and made their way toward Lloyd. Now, all Greg had to do was wait for the alcohol to weaken Lloyd's wit and defenses before making his move.

"Hey handsome," a heavily perfumed redhead purred, sitting next to Greg. Blossom Omega. Their Alpha's scent on her! Greg's senses jolted.

"So, you're the infamous wild beast they talk about, right?" she said, moving closer.

Greg pointed his eyes as he realized something. Every member of Blossom Pack bore the diverse scent of their pack and their positions, except Melissa.

When they had first met that night, Greg would have kept his distance if she had the scent of Blossom or Blossom's Luna, but she didn't. She had her own enticing scent; her mate's scent wasn't even present on her.

Fascinating! He thought to himself.

"So, I hear you're uncultivated and no woman has been able to pacify you," she asked, and Greg sneered.

Ordinarily, he would keep such courage and let the girl believe she had won, following her lead until they were alone. Then he would prove her wrong, satisfying her needs, and leave her gripping him and his ability. But now, his sole focus was on the hazel-eyed girl who had beset his daydreams.

The one who wasn't ready to give up on him continued pestering him, her fingers rambling over his skin. His stare remained fixed on her as he let out a low growl. She only sneered and persevered.

He took a quick glimpse at her. Her cleavage threatened to tumble out of the corset top she was putting on, and her tiny skirt scarcely enclosed everything. But her heavily made-up face was too much. He could sense her urging, clouding her judgment. That was not his concern.

What annoyed him was the boldness of an Omega occupying a seat next to him and freely caressing him!

Conventionally, Omegas steered flawlessly of those more influential than themselves. He took hold of her hand, which had crossed a line, and vehemently distanced it.

She frowned at him, crossing and uncrossing her legs. Greg takes a breather. He got worried about why she carried the Alpha's scent more strongly than the supposed Luna. ."I can see you are playing hard to get, big boy?" she teased.

Greg's patience with her had reached its limit. In one swift movement, he grabbed her arm and led her to a Shadow corner. She sniggered and followed him. He surged her against the wall, his eyes shiny with harm. She reached for his belt, still babbling happily.

His right hand persuasively snatched them away, while his left tightened around her neck, holding her in a merciless chokehold. She struggled to breathe, her face corresponding to the burning gloom of her hair. Crying brimmed up in her eyes, turning them red and watery.

"Look here, you listen very carefully," he instructed, his voice filled with rancor. "Do not venture into laying a dirty finger on me or anyone in my pack again, or even approach us. Is that understood?" He shouted, and the red-haired woman softly nodded, her visualization dying into black dots.

With a growl, he threw her aside and walked away, leaving her wrinkly on the ground. How the hell is he even managing his pack like this? Why should an Omega not know her place? He mused, questioning the circumstances.

As he resumed his position, both Lloyd and Melissa had vanished. His heart went under the surface, and his inner wolf tugged at him, urging him to search for them, mostly Melissa.

"Damn, this place is totally fucked up," Mark uttered nervously, rejoining him. Greg sneered, as he had suspected.

"Lloyd's a bastard. He's involved in all sorts of shady deals you can't even envisage. That's the reason why he threw this party. And the guests here are representatives from other packs he has signed treaties with, who happen to be enemies of Shadow Moon, among other appalling things he has done-

I must say he can never be trusted. This party is just a disguise to show his associates that you've got his back, while he plans to betray you. He's trying to prove his power. That's why he's being overly friendly. Our team hacked into their remote network and found loads of incriminating signals against him. I've already sent you the files-

"But that's not all. His Luna is not his fated mate. It's a lie. There's a murky story behind his relationship with her, but no one is willing to share the details. It seems like everything about Blossom is fictional."

"Jackpot," Greg smirked, a sense of surprise coursing through him.

Now he knew exactly what he needed to discuss with Alpha Lloyd

.

"I'll review the other details later tonight. For now, I must find an amiable host. There's a burning question I need to ask and I want to identify the representatives from other packs who are present tonight. Gather their information for me. None of them will leave this place alive, tonight or tomorrow." With that, he rose to his feet, snuffling the air until he caught a trace of Melissa's scent, guiding him on his path

Walking straight and closer to one of the Omegas

"Do you realize that we are in front of a lot of people?" Melissa asked the outspoken Omega in front of her. She was exhausted.

All she wanted was to slip away, find a quiet place, and hide until the party was over so she could retreat to her bed and sleep. She could sense Lloyd's watchful eyes detecting her every move.

That wasn't even the nastiest part; she could also feel Alpha Greg's intense stare on her

"Look, I don't care about anything or whatever that could happen. I just want you to know that I overheard what you did today in the dressing room, and I want you to be acquainted with the fact that I'm not afraid of you. You can't threaten me as you do to all the other girls. That one girl, I've forgotten her name, came out crying and trembling like a leaf.

Other girls had similar responses afterward. You're lucky I wasn't with them; I would have put an end to your nonsense.

The girl saying this towered over Melissa, both in height and size. Although she didn't usually partake in Lloyd's encounters with the other girls, she was part of their group. Unlike the rest of the Omegas, she acted as if she wasn't frightened of Melissa's Luna Wolf.

Melissa enforced a tight-lipped smile, doing her best to remain diplomatic considering the situation. She hoped that, for once in his life, Lloyd would actually step up and come to her shield, as she was staggering on the edge and dreadfully trying to avoid causing a scene. Melissa's wolf, on the other hand, didn't care. It desired to throttle the girl.

"Do you know who was supposed to be before you arrived? It was one of us, one of those so-called low-class Omegas you see here.

We knew the Luna Wolf was among us, so we planned to get close to Alpha Lloyd. But then you showed up and ruined everything, and now you wonder why we spurn you so much. Your days in this pack are numbered, so watch your back and every step you take." She concluded, flicking her hair, and moved out immediately.

Melissa was flabbergasted by a tumult of emotions, uncertain of how to feel, conduct herself, or even react. She stood frozen for what felt like an eternity, wholly shocked by the mounting intimidations from the girls. Her so-called mate showed no predisposition to help or even recognize her presence.

Subsistence appeared to be her only consolation, as she recalled the blood oath Alpha Lloyd had made with her parents when he took her in, settling their debt. It was the only reason she kept on to be alive in this hazardous quandary.

The thought of her parents left an unpleasant taste in her mouth. In assessment, she found herself desiring Lloyd over them, unable to measure any mischief or disloyalty worse than what her parents had committed.

What kind of parents gave their child as payment to a colossal, knowing quite well that he was malicious?

Suddenly, Lloyd's voice echoed in her mind, breaking her trance-like state. "Melissa, you've been in one position for over five minutes now. Why?" he necessitated through their mind link.

Frightened, Melissa retorted out of her daydream and impulsively tried to retreat into one of the Shadow places.

"Stop right there," Lloyd ordered, his voice radiating power that shot through her like electricity, subzeroing her in place.

"You're not yet over with the guests. Where do you think you're going?" he asked harshly.

Melissa's head turned around, looking for him in the room. "But I've spoken to everyone important, just as you initiated.

There's no one left," she replied through their mind link.

"Do you dare question me? I will address that later," Lloyd rejoined with a bullying undertone.

A shock poured through Melissa's body as she guzzled, knowing that "speaking about it later" meant enduring an undecorated penalty, possibly more than she could handle without passing out.

"Now walk back," Lloyd demanded. "I have a few special guests hidden among the Pack members, and each one of them must be recognized, preserved with the greatest honor, and given complete courtesy.

They should be just as tranquil to detect once you're with the pack members because they don't have the same scent as the Blossoms. Now hurry up, the party is almost over, and they're already angry. We certainly don't want war and chaos in Blossom, do we?

A trend of fear washed over Melissa once again. She hated it when he forced her to smile and greet his associates in crime. Above all, she disliked their leering eyes, unfortunate remarks, and unjustified bodily contact.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around and complied with Lloyd's command.

"Hey Luna, how are you? I just wanted to say that I absolutely loved your speech and stage performance today. You're truly amazing and a beacon of light that blesses Blossom. We couldn't do without you, could we?

What could we have done if you weren't here? I've noticed how caring you are, always asking about everyone. Well done, Luna," an older woman, probably in her late sixties, said as she walked by.

Usually, Melissa would have courteously smiled, but this time she was too upset to even concede to her. She was drained by all the nonsense, weary of play-acting to be someone she wasn't. Nobody gave her the necessary attention like Luna, yet they all expected her to fulfill the responsibilities of one.

"Thank you," Melissa replied abruptly and marched away.

The woman and the people nearby were quite taken aback.

"What the hell was that, Melissa?

Are you out of your mind? Have you lost it? Now turn around, smile, and greet that woman appropriately," Lloyd shouted. Melissa curtly ceased, breathing deeply and pinching her lip to calm herself down. Her nails dug into her palms, and her body shivered. In a moment, she continued walking towards the guest without looking back.

Lloyd's growl echoed in her mind. She could feel his supremacy rolling through her, like electric waves vivacious beneath her skin, threatening to consume her. It was sore.

Her wolf was going crazy, its primal nature urging her to obey the alpha at any cost. It demanded that she turn back and obey Lloyd's orders. But she couldn't. She was engrossed in anything but the searing hurt, pushing forward.

"You're dead tonight!" Lloyd's grumble resounded.

Taking a deep breath, Melissa disengaged her pack bond, effectively making Lloyd's voice speechless in her head.

She knew she was in grave distress. Her body and mind would undoubtedly suffer the consequences of her defiance tonight, but she refused to go back and apologize to random pack members. She despised them. They turned a blind eye to her misery.

Could they fairly assert they couldn't hear her yells most nights? Or turn a blind eye to her black eyes, swollen face, and sadness in her eyes?

At this instant, she detested everyone in the Blossom Pack and just wanted to be left alone.

Getting to the guest section, she relied on her predispositions to lead her to the first special guest. It was a sophisticated fair-haired Lady in a prominent dress, like a guest at a fashion event or festival.

With a forced smile, Melissa took a seat beside her.

"Hello, how are you? Have you been enjoying the events?" she asked graciously.

The lady scorned, overlapped her long legs, and inspected her trimmed nails.

"I see he's still keeping you around," she remarked, barely admitting Melissa. "Well, it's been quite an interesting turn of events. Tell your alpha that my pack has taken note. We're aware, but we won't support it until we see how this is disclosed.

He should remember that the Shadow Moon's Alpha is the most astute being on Earth. To us, this isn't a display of power but a hazardous risk. Anyway, if he manages to pull it off and kill Greg Hillary, then we'll agree, and he can have all the power he wishes."

Melissa's heart frisked a beat. She had thought this was a welcome party for the alpha of Shadow Moon, who was also the most hazardous wolf. But she hadn't realized they were also plotting his elimination.

"Sooner is better. My pack will only agree if he's taken care of as soon as possible. It should be done while Greg is still unwary and preoccupied by his victory. Once he leaves Blossom, he'll become unchallenged, and Lloyd will lose our support." Melissa absorbed hard, assembled her strength, and moved on to the next guest.

They echoed the same opinions. Each of them wanted Alpha Greg dead before he left Blossom. It was like a death sentence.

She speedily communicated the info to Lloyd and discreetly made her way out of sight. She couldn't explain why she felt like she was betraying Greg, even though he had been hard on her and perhaps worse than her mate.

As she made her way out of the Pack Hall, heading towards her room in the Packhouse, Greg stopped her again.

"Where do you think you're going?" Greg asked, his voice sending tremors down her backbone as memories of their passionate night together flashed in her mind.

"What do you want?" she asked him.

He giggled, illuminating his faultless teeth. She inhaled sharply, recalling the sensation of his mouth on her nipples.

"The party is far from over, Melissa," he told her, viewing as wish strummed through her at the mention of her name.

"Unless you're going to pack up your things and follow me home, I don't see why you should be leaving."

Astonishing herself, Melissa sneered and folded her arms.

"Is that all you have to say? How Greg... Look, I've had enough tonight. You're not even sure if you'll leave here alive-"

Melissa's eyes broadened, and she quickly clamped her hands around her mouth, realizing her slip-up.

"What?" Greg growled his ascendency overwhelming Lloyd's. The sheer force of it sent her stunningly back.

His hands shot out and caught her, and although she was terrified, his touch sent a wave of pleasure directly to her core.

"What did you just say?"

Melissa's body trembled. She bit her lip and fought the urge to reveal all she had heard. He is not your Alpha, she reminded herself. Fury burned in his eyes, escalating her fear a thousandfold. Yet, she couldn't be disloyal to her Alpha and mate.

After a moment, he sneered, his eyes magnificent as if he knew exactly what she had been talking about. Melissa winked and guzzled, feeling the heat from his hands on her waist as his fingers plowed into her soft skin.

Suddenly, he pulled her into his hard chest, holding her waist precisely as he snuffled her neck.

"I'll make you speak, Melissa. It's only a matter of time. Soon, you'll be singing for me, just like you did two nights ago. But that will be in my tower." Melissa recapped herself to exhale as she trembled in his arms. His tongue found a spot at the base of her neck, a perception she had never known occurred, and he thrashed it. Promptly, her legs turned jelly, and her body melted in his grip. A soft moan ran away from her lips as he did that again. Her hands impulsively enveloped his neck.

He snickered at Shadowy.

"I'll be back," he said, coming loose from her and moving away so speedily that she began to wonder if what she had learned was all in her head