Pack’s Omega Doctor Luna

Chapter 6: Masks and Manipulations

Chapter 6: Masks and Manipulations

(Elara's POV)

I stood frozen, feeling Lucian's breath on the back of my neck as he commented on Damon's "generosity." My fingers tightened around my phone, and I quickly locked the screen before turning to face him.

Lucian's eyes held a fleeting mockery that made my stomach tighten. How long had he been reading over my shoulder? His lips curved in that irritating half-smile before he gave me a dismissive look and turned away.

"Marcus," he called to the site manager, completely disregarding me. "Let's discuss the foundation specifications for the east wing."

Just like that, I was dismissed. Typical Alpha behavior—showing interest only when it suited him, then switching focus entirely when something more important caught his attention. I watched as he strode toward the marked area, Marcus hurrying to keep pace with his long strides.

My phone vibrated again in my hand. Damon was nothing if not persistent. I glanced down at the screen, reading his latest message.

"Our mate bond is broken," I texted back, each word deliberate and final.

His response came immediately, as if he'd been waiting with his phone in hand: "Be good, stop this nonsense. Our marking ceremony is still happening. I won't ask about the wolf you were with last night, and you can forget our previous disagreements. We're both adults; let's not worry the pack elders."

The audacity took my breath away. Our "previous disagreements" included his attempted forced marking at the last full moon ceremony—an act that would have bound me to him permanently. I'd barely escaped with my dignity intact, fleeing to Midnight Howlers territory afterward.

And now he was acting as if none of that had happened. As if he was doing me a favor by claiming to be the man in those compromising photos.

"Don't disgust me," I typed back, hitting send before I could reconsider.

My phone immediately lit up with his incoming call. I declined it without hesitation, then navigated to my settings and blocked his number. For good measure, I blocked his email and social media accounts too.

I hadn't planned to be so drastic, but his attempt to manipulate and control me had pushed me past my breaking point. Better a clean cut than the slow poison of his manipulation.

Taking a deep breath, I tucked my phone away and looked toward where Lucian and Marcus stood in animated conversation. The two men were examining what appeared to be structural plans, Lucian pointing at something on the paper while Marcus nodded enthusiastically.

I approached slowly, catching parts of their conversation as I drew closer.

"The load-bearing capacity would need to be increased by at least thirty percent," Lucian was saying, his finger tracing along a line on the blueprint. "Hospital equipment is heavier than standard commercial loads."

"That's exactly what I've been trying to explain to the engineers," Marcus replied, his expression a mix of seriousness, caution, and barely contained excitement at having the Alpha validate his concerns. "The specs they provided don't account for the specialized imaging equipment."

"Increase the foundation depth and reinforce the joists here and here," Lucian instructed, marking the blueprint with a pencil Marcus had provided. "I'd recommend steel reinforcement rather than the standard composite."

Marcus looked at Lucian with undisguised admiration. "I have to say, Alpha Blackwood, I'm surprised you know so much about construction engineering. Most pack leaders leave these details to their specialists."

A smile ghosted across Lucian's face. "I worked construction for years before taking on leadership responsibilities. Spent time as a regular worker on many pack building projects."

"Really?" Marcus's eyes widened with new respect.

"There's no better way to understand how things are built than to build them yourself," Lucian replied, rolling up the blueprint.

I felt a surge of displeasure ripple through me. Years on construction sites, yet he'd pretended not to know how to fasten a simple safety helmet? The little performance he'd put on earlier—making me stand on my tiptoes to help him—had been nothing but a power play.

The realization shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did. It was just another reminder that Alphas, especially ones like Lucian, played games with omegas simply because they could.

(Lucian's POV)

I leaned back in the leather seat of my SUV, rolling up my sleeves and feeling more composed than I had all day. The construction site visit had been more informative than I'd anticipated. Marcus Kane knew his work well, and the hospital extension showed promise.

But the real interest had been watching Elara navigate the day's challenges with such rigid control. The photos, the workplace gossip, our complicated history—none of it seemed to c***k that professional veneer she maintained so carefully.

Except when Damon's name appeared on her phone. I'd seen the brief flicker of disgust and fear in her eyes then. Something to investigate later.

"Where to now, Dr. Elara?" I asked, my voice deliberately casual as James pulled the vehicle away from the construction site.

She sat stiffly beside me, maintaining a careful distance between us. "Back to the hospital, please. I have patients to check on."

I nodded, closing my eyes as if to rest. The silence between us stretched taut, filled with unasked questions and unsaid accusations. I could sense her discomfort, the way she tried to press herself closer to the door and farther from me.

An hour later, we arrived at Silver Creek Hospital. I kept my eyes closed, feigning sleep as the car pulled to a stop.

"Thank you, James," she said softly to my driver, clearly trying not to wake me. The door opened and closed gently as she slipped out.

Only when I felt her presence completely fade did I open my eyes, catching James watching me in the rearview mirror.

"James," I said, straightening in my seat, "isn't there a pack gathering tonight?"

My driver's brows furrowed in confusion. "You canceled it this morning, Alpha. Said you had too many meetings."

"Ah, of course." I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my calendar. "Reschedule it. Eight o'clock at the main house. Make sure the Beta wolves are all informed."

James's expression betrayed his puzzlement, but he nodded obediently. "Yes, Alpha. Right away."

(Elara's POV)

The summons to Mr. Harrison's office came within minutes of my return to the hospital. Sarah delivered it with wide, sympathetic eyes, whispering, "He seems really upset."

I straightened my lab coat and headed to the administrative wing, steeling myself for the confrontation I'd known was coming since those photos first circulated.

Mr. Harrison was pacing behind his desk when I entered, the few strands of hair on his balding head waving with each agitated movement. His face was flushed, eyes narrowed to angry slits.

"Close the door, Dr. Elara," he snapped.

I complied, then stood calmly before his desk, hands clasped in front of me.

"Do you have any idea what kind of damage your personal... indiscretions have caused this hospital?" he began, his voice tight with barely controlled fury. "I've had six calls this morning from our medical partners and affiliate pack hospitals. Six! All demanding explanations for why our lead researcher is being featured in pornographic material!"

I kept my expression neutral. "The photos are hardly pornographic, Mr. Harrison. Inappropriate for the workplace, certainly, but—"

"I don't care what you call them!" he interrupted, slamming his palm on the desk. "This institution has a reputation to maintain! Standards! You've made us a laughingstock!"

I remained silent, knowing anything I said would only feed his anger.

"That Crimson Claw Beta had the nerve to call me personally, taking responsibility for the... situation." Harrison raked his hand through his sparse hair. "As if that somehow makes it better that you were conducting such activities with a member of a rival pack!"

So Damon had made good on his promise to "help" me. The thought made my skin crawl.

"Your pay will be docked for two weeks," Harrison continued. "And I want a written apology addressed to the board by tomorrow morning. Furthermore—"

"I understand," I interrupted quietly. "I accept the punishment."

My calm acceptance seemed to infuriate him further. "Don't you have anything to say for yourself? Any explanation?"

"No, sir."

"Get out," he hissed. "And keep your personal affairs away from this hospital from now on."

I nodded and left without another word, heading straight for my office. The corridor seemed longer than usual, the whispers louder, the stares more pointed. I held my head high, refusing to show how much the situation affected me.

Once safely inside my office with the door closed, I allowed myself one deep, shuddering breath. Then I turned to my computer, determined to lose myself in work rather than dwell on the morning's humiliations.

An hour later, my phone rang—an unknown number. I hesitated, wondering if it was Damon calling from another line. But I needed to answer; it could be a patient or a lab calling with results.

"Dr. Elara speaking," I answered cautiously.

"My little omega, it's me." The voice on the other end was filled with strange excitement, sending an immediate chill down my spine.