The room suddenly fell silent as pack members, whether consciously or not, turned their gazes toward us. Feeling their curious eyes, I nodded meekly.
"Of course."
George Jensen stood off to the side, his expression detached and indifferent. Naturally, he wasn’t going to say anything. After all, he’d known her longer, and their relationship was deeper.
Jazlyn Carpenter, at thirty-two, was two years older than George. They had trained together in the pack’s warrior program. As his Beta, she was sharp and competent, mature and composed, holding more decision-making power in the pack than even the Gamma. As his lover, she was discreet, modest, and courteous, yet intimately, she kept George utterly captivated. A woman like her was an imposing presence compared to a Luna like me—just an ornamental figure with no real skills, or so they thought.
When I returned from parking the car and handed the keys to Jazlyn, she was settled on the sofa, her smile glowing as she chatted with my mother-in-law. Adalee Perry, a former Healer, prided herself on her sophistication. She found household management dreadfully mundane and never lifted a finger for such tasks. Consequently, she looked down on me, who dealt with these matters, never showing me such a pleasant demeanor.
"Thank you, Luna," Jazlyn remarked breezily, not even glancing at me, her tone as casual as if speaking to an Omega servant.
George sat nearby with his legs crossed, frowning slightly. "Why so slow? The pack is all here, and you’re leaving them unattended. Is that how a Luna behaves?"
Having taken over his father’s role as Beta for a year, he already exuded the authority and presence of a leader. I pressed my lips together and replied softly, "I ran into a guest outside and exchanged a few words. I thought since you were here—"
Adalee made a disapproving sound, cutting me off impatiently: "George is already exhausted from managing the pack, and he has to handle this too? You’re just lazy, and omegas have no place here!"
She always gestured dramatically when irritated, and this time, her red wine splashed onto her white leather high heels. An Omega maid hurried over with a towel to wipe it up. Adalee glanced at her shoes and then at me, irate as she said, "You do it!"
I bent down at her feet, carefully cleaning the shoes. George remained silent, and Jazlyn wore a smirk. Nearby, judgmental eyes watched.
"The Luna is too submissive, crushed under the weight of her mate’s mistress and his family. Being a Luna in such a prominent pack can’t be easy!"
"Exactly, asked to clean shoes at a whim. They say the Luna of the Jensen Pack is a pushover, and it seems they’re right."
"Shh! Be careful, if the Jensens hear you, they’ll exile you like last time."
The whispers stung, but I kept my head down, my wolf stirring faintly in the back of my mind. She growled softly, a sound only I could hear. *Patience,* I told her. *Our time will come.*
For now, I played the part they expected of me—the meek, obedient Luna who knew her place. But deep down, I knew the truth. They underestimated me, and that would be their downfall.
