The Best Dish Served Cold

Ep. 3 Save the False Sympathies

It’s been a few days since the incident with Klaus. I’ve holed myself up in my room during that time, resting, healing, and planning.

A few times someone has dropped off a tray of food by my door. I don’t know who it’s been since that is my job, but my pride almost made me throw it against the wall or ignore it. But I didn’t.

Hey, I’m going to need all the energy and strength I can get!

I have some revenge plans brewing, but none are concrete yet.

The problem I keep running into is the packs close relationship. Rosemary was always the black sheep of the pack, never strong or assertive as a wolf or human, which made her an easy target and an easy omega.

If I framed a pack member, they would immediately claim it was me and no one would say anything otherwise. Even if all the evidence sat right in their face they would probably try to still pin it on me. If I spoke out against a pack member, no one would take my side.

“Tch, how troublesome." What I need to do is break the pack bond.

What I do know is that I want to save Klaus for last. He hurt her the most, so I’m going to make him hurt the worst.

I decide to get some fresh air today. It's time to face the pack.

As I get freshened up to leave, I can’t help but admire Rosemarys beauty. The beauty I was gifted with.

Long, silver-blue hair, dark skin, green-blue eyes, and a gentle, almost heavenly facial features. She never believed she was beautiful, but my looks in my earlier life feels like nothing compared to hers.

I pull the long hair into a bun with two stray pieces framing my face. I walk to the closet and frown, looking at all the dresses.

I noticed a while ago that I owned only dresses. I hope that was by Rosemary’s choice because I’m going to be furious if this was YK's doing, he did force her to wear things he wanted her to wear.

“Don’t wear that! You look like a boy!”

“But big brother, I don’t understand. I don’t like wearing dresses, and the other girls get to wear pants. Could I please wear them, just for today!”

“No! Now hurry up and change!”

A past memory suddenly appears in my mind.

I touch my forehead, leaning my body on the dresser. So it was YK who kept me restricted to only dresses.

Disgusted shivers run up my spine.

That’s a really creepy thing for a brother to do. “Ugh,” I rub my arms in disgust.

I was an only child in my previous life, but the thought of any family member restricting what I wore, especially something as simply as pants makes me sick.

I sigh and decide on a short, white summer dress.

The hallways are bare; everyone is likely out hunting or doing perimeter patrols. Since I was deemed the packs “maid," I’m charge of cleaning and cooking for the pack. Thankfully, that gives me space from the pack and time to plot.

I walk down the stairs and exit into the courtyard, which is a large grassy field with wild flowers. I breathe in the fresh air. This world is so beautiful; it was rare to see such sights in my previous world.

“Rosemary? Is that you?”

I nearly jump at the voice, and turn to find the pack member named Kry, standing there. He’s the same age as this body, with long, vibrant orange hair and matching eyes. And like the others, he used to partake in bullying Rosemary.

I scrunch my nose with distaste.

“Gosh it is you! I hadn’t seen you in a while, since Alpha er- took you away. I kinda thought he might have lied about you still being alive.” He chuckles awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with an unpleasant look on his face.

I roll my eyes. What's so funny about me being dead?

“Well, as you can see, I am very much alive.” I answer shortly, before gazing back to the large wilderness.

I can already imagine myself staring out at this field one more time before I leave this wretched place forever.

I assume Kry will leave but after a moment of pure silence, I turn to look at Kry. He's staring at me oddly.

"Is there something you want Kry?”

“Wha- well, no um, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for what Alpha did to you.” He mutters quickly.

I hold back my shock behind a stoic gaze.

He’s just like the others. He may has lessened his bullying as they got older, but he always joined in when he caught someone else tormenting her. This is probably just som elaborate trap.

“Why?”

Kry blinks at my question, like he expected something else. He probably expected me to cry in happiness for this being the first time someone has apologized to me.

“Well because we all heard the... screams. Even though you deserved to be punished for speaking against our Luna and Alpha, Alpha shouldn't have gone that far."

Ah, so here is how he ruins it. It's not an apology if you're still blaming the victim.

Though it’s interesting Kry is even trying to apologize. I would have expected the twins before Kry, and to say the twins loathe me would be an understatement.

I look back out into the woods, ignoring his fake apology.

Kry stays put, watching me awkwardly. When he doesn’t leave after a moment I glance back at him, and give him an expectant look. What more does he expect? I’m not obligated to accept his apology. He just admitted he thought I was going to be killed and he clearly didn’t do anything.

What a scum bag.

I sigh and crossing my arms. “Well? Is there something else?”

Kry rubs the back his neck. “Um, I also wanted to tell you that another pack is going to be staying with us for a while.”

I raise my brows, that’s news. “Which pack?”

“The Phantom Pack. Their pack home was destroyed by rogue wolves recently. They’re going to be staying with us while their home is getting rebuilt. Alpha wants you to prepare a special dinner when they arrive.”

“I see. I mourn for the Phantom Pack, I hope they get their home rebuilt soon.” I reply sincerely.

Kry blinks at me, like he’s curious and shocked by me at the same time.

“Yeah, me too.”

This is may be just what I needed. From our memories, the Phantom Pack has never interacted with the Blood-Tooth Pack before due to Phantoms Packs neutrality with all the packs. But it’s also one of the most sought for pack for alliances due to Phantoms Pack’s strength and size. This stay is likely going to also be a test run for a peace and ally treaty between the two packs.

If I can get Phantom on my side, I could force the Klaus’s hand to do whatever I want. After all, Klaus has too many enemies and and too few allies, and the bird brain knows it. He can’t risk angering the Phantom Pack, or he might lose an ally and possibly even start a war.

I grin inwardly to myself, careful to keep my face stoic out in the open. I’ve always been good at kissing ass and swindling people to my side, I’m sure the Alpha of Phantom will be the same.

“Oh Krrrrrryyyyy! Did you miss me!” I nearly groan aloud. Why did all the annoying pack members have to start showing up now?

My older twin siblings, Marigold and Maxxus, race up to Kry. Both of the twins have blue-silver hair, but they have blue-silver eyes to match. Marigold and Maxxus are the worst tormentors out of the whole pack. They've done some truly wicked things to me like trying to drown me.

They’re for a nasty surprise when they find out that there’s a “new” Rosemary around here.

Marigold swings her arms around Kry’s shoulder, pouting at the werewolf before sending me a nasty look. Maxxus joins his twins side, grinning at me maliciously. I raise my brows with disinterest at them, before turning around and strutting away.

“Awe does little sis have nothing to say to her dear siblings?” Maxxus calls after me.

“Oh don’t bother Maxxus, she might as well be a mute. No one cares about what she has to say; as if she could form a single thought in that vegetable brain of hers anyways.” Marigold snickers, Maxxus joins but Kry stays oddly silent.

Odd; usually Kry would join Marigold, who is his mate, in any of form of tormenting towards me. He must not be feeling well, he hasn't been acting like himself.

I don’t care enough to give it a second thought though. I begin head back to my room, my mind buzzing with thoughts of the Phantom Pack and not wanting to deal with the pack just yet. With the appearance of the twins, one of the patrols must of come back for a break.

Just as I touch the front doors to enter the manor, the rest of the patrol appears, and I hear a voice call after me. I groan aloud.

“Rosemary! You came out!” YK calls excitedly.

He’s racing through the meadow to come greet me by the doors. Not only that, but Hera, Klaus, and two other pack members are following YK.

Damn, I nearly missed them!

YK sprints to a stop in front of me, panting deeply. “Hah-hah, Rosemary! Hah, you finally came out of your room! Since you're better, how about I to take out by the lake, just like we used to?” He grins happily, but the grin drops a little when he notices my stony expression. Since I'm better? Just because I'm not bedridden doesn't mean I haven't healed up from Klaus's beating. My body is decorated with bruises, and I still ache all over. I want to rip out his throat.

“No.”

“Wow Rosemary, you have a lot of guts to show your face in public. I mean, I don’t know how you bare the public shame, I just couldn't.” Hera comments as she closes in on YK and I, smirking coyly.

It’s odd to think about how Hera used to be one of my best friends and now she’s one of my biggest enemies. Before I have a chance to respond, YK jumps to my "rescue."

“Rosemary is brave person Hera, don’t be jealous,” YK scolds in my “honor.” Hera glares at him while I roll my eyes with an annoyed sigh. They're like school children.

“Jealous?” She sneers. “I have no reason to be jealous of a werewolf so pitiful, that she tried to claim a mate that wasn’t hers! For what, because he’s an Alpha? That’s very power-hungry of you Rosemary.”

Oh so Hera projecting what she’s done onto me? Well two can play at this game, and if you want to play, then let’s play.

“Tch, as if I would ever purposely go for a man like Alpha Klaus,” I snort, my gaze jumping Hera and Klaus with disdain. “There’s no need to have this pissing contest Hera, you can have him, I won’t try to claim him anymore.”

“So you're taking back your earlier claim now? You're a joke Rosemary. If Klaus was truly your mate, you wouldn’t stop. So you either must have been lying earlier about smelling him or you’re just plain crazy. Which is it then, Rosemary?” She glares hotly back.

Theres a peculiar look in Klaus's eyes, watching us with avid interest. Hera wore a satisfied smirk, like she thought she just won.

Just you wait, Hera.

“It’s neither. All I said was you can have him, I won’t try to claim him anymore.” I shrug. “I wouldn’t want him as my mate anymore anyways.”

“Don’t be such a sore loser about it, Rosemary!-“

Before she could get another word out, Klaus finally steps between us. He runs a hand through his long black hair, staring awkwardly at me. “You two, stop. Rosemary, could we talk for a moment?” He asks softly, his voice softer than he's ever spoken to me. It makes me more furious.

I notice Hera stiffen, her cheeks reddening with anger at his request. She glances between Klaus and I with suspicion. I refrain from rolling my eyes. I better end this fast before Hera try to cut off my head.

“No, there’s nothing to talk about Alpha, you made yourself very clear earlier. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have chores to do.” I snap, turning on my heel and ripping the door open.

Klaus starts to call after me, “but-!”

Th door shuts on him, and I don’t care to stop.

OoO

“Don’t follow after her Klaus, just let the maid be. She...”

Klaus touch’s his heart.

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

His chest suddenly hurts: he's never felt this way before. Well, he hasn't ever seen Rosemary act this way before. She’s always been meek and quiet, not headstrong with a quick tongue.

His heart oddly raced when he watched her take down her brother, then his mate and then rejected him. Not too long ago, there was a time she would have jumped for joy at the oppourtunity to speak with him alone. Now she stared at him with a fiery hatred.

Those cold, blue-green eyes... They send shivers up in his spine, and in a oddly good way. And strangely, now that she’s gone, Klaus feels off and lonely, like he did earlier on perimeter patrol.

Klaus shakes off the feeling, looking down at Hera. What is thinking, Hera is his mate! He shouldn’t be thinking about Rosemary at all. He loves Heras silver-blue hair, her pouty, soft lips, her green-blue eyes- no!

Klaus meant black hair and golden eyes! Yes! He loves Hera’s dark hair and those beaming sun eyes of hers.

“... Klaus! Are you listening?”

“Yeah,” Klaus lies with a small wave, “just relax Hera, don’t let Rosemary get to you.”

Hera frowns deeply, clearly still unsettled, “yeah, sure Klaus. Whatever you want.”

What he wants? Klaus is sure it’s Hera. Hera is his mate, he's sure of it. He's probably just not thining right after being in the sun for so long today.