His Obsession, Her Doom: Forbidden Flame

Chapter Seventeen.

Kayla

I didn’t know if I should feel worried or relieved that Prince Leonard wasn’t going to attack Aiden if I had dinner with him, or worried that he might not be truthful about his intentions.

But regardless, I had already said yes to the dinner. I walked out of the Arena as quickly as possible, because being near him did something to me. His presence clung to my skin, heating me from the inside out. I hated myself for craving that warmth, for wanting him when I should have been resisting.

Before leaving, I looked around for Sadie, but she was nowhere in sight. I finally spotted her outside, talking to some of her friends. The moment they saw me, they hissed and muttered under their breath too low for anyone else to hear, but not low enough to escape werewolf hearing.

“Don’t talk about her that way,” she snapped, but they only laughed and walked away. She turned and came to me, her face filled with irritation.

“I’m sorry about that,” she murmured. I shook my head, no need for her to apologize. I was used to it.

I forced a small smile, though my chest ached. Sometimes I wondered what my life would be without Sadie, maybe I wouldn’t have survived this long at all.

“I have something to tell you,” I said quietly. “Prince Leonard found out about Aiden and what he did to me. He made a bargain: either I have dinner with him, or he kills Aiden.”

Sadie’s head snapped up, her brows knitting tight. “What the hell?” she spat, her voice low and shaking. “How did he even find out? And why would he put you in the middle of this?”

“I don’t know… maybe he felt it through the mate bond,” I said, softly.

Sadie’s mouth tightened, but her eyes lit with so much anger.“That makes sense,” she muttered, her jaw working. “But Aiden deserves every bit of punishment coming to him. Honestly, I’d enjoy seeing Leonard deal with him.”

I raised a brow, surprise flickering across my face. “I thought you couldn’t stand him.”

Her shoulders lifted in a shrug, though her lips curved in a humorless smile. “Doesn’t matter. He’s the only one strong enough to put Aiden in his place—”

She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes narrowing as a shadow fell across us. A girl stepped closer, glancing between us with an impatient look.

“Which one of you is Kayla?” she asked.

Sadie shot me a quick look, then angled her body slightly in front of mine. “Why do you want her?” she said, her voice sharper than before.

“Alice sent me. She wants you in her dorm. Now.”

My chest tightened at the sound of Alice’s name. Heat rushed through me, my pulse hammering so hard it hurt. I hadn’t done anything at least I didn’t think I had. Maybe it was about the news. Either way, I hadn’t stepped into his car, so that wasn’t enough to make me a target.

Sadie’s hand closed around mine. “There is no Kayla here,” she said firmly.

The girl’s brows pulled together, her eyes narrowing. “She’s the one. The omega.”

“I said there is no Kayla here,” Sadie snapped, her voice rough as a growl.

I removed my hand from her grasp. As much as I wanted to hide, I knew I had no choice. If I didn’t go, Alice would only make it worse. And I couldn’t let Sadie get dragged into my mess.

“I’ll go with you,” I said, forcing my voice steady.

“No, you’re not,” Sadie shot back, pulling me toward her. “Tell Alice she’s not coming.” She pulled hard, but my feet stayed planted.

Sadie never hid how much she despised Alice. As the gamma’s daughter, she was supposed to be part of their circle, but Sadie had walked away a long time ago. She wanted nothing to do with girls who spent their days bullying the less privileged like me. And she had done everything she could to keep me out of Alice’s reach.

But Alice always found her prey. And if Sadie kept standing in the way, I knew Alice would hurt her too.

“Let me go,” I told her, my voice low. “If she’s angry, it won’t just be me she punishes. My mom will suffer too.”

Sadie’s jaw tightened. “Then I’ll come with you.”

I shook my head hard. Sadie could fight anyone, but Alice wasn’t a fight, she was a storm waiting to explode. She hesitated, then gave a stiff nod.

I managed a small smile before following the girl. My steps dragged, but I forced myself to keep pace. It didn’t take long before we reached Alice’s dorm.

Inside, she lounged on a chair like it was a throne. A pair of omegas hovered around her, pouring drinks, adjusting pillows, making her shine like a queen. When her gaze found me, her lips curled into a slow smirk. She rose, and her friends, Emily among them closed ranks around her, forming a wall.

“Well, well,” Alice drawled, her eyes raking over me. “The star of the show has arrived.”

I lowered my gaze. “Hi, Alice. You… you sent for me.”

Her smile thinned. “Leave us.”

The omegas scrambled out one by one until the door shut, leaving me facing five girls and the one who ruled them.

Alice’s eyes narrowed, anger brewing in her eyes. I knew she was about to explode.

“What exactly are you doing with Leonard? Are you sleeping with him?”

My heart jumped. “No,” I blurted. “There’s nothing between us.”

She tilted her head, her smile turned cold as she moved closer. “You expect me to believe that? You were having lunch with him the other day. Was he feeling charitable?”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “It was a coincidence. I swear, nothing is going on between us.”

Emily burst into loud laughter, throwing her head back like I’d just told the funniest joke in the world.

“Really, Alice? You think Leonard would stoop so low as to sleep with her? Come on.”

Her words stung, cutting deeper than the laugh. Emily never missed a chance to remind me that I was pathetic, worthless, and a joke.

Alice’s gaze swept over me from head to toe. She sighed, then nodded. “You’re right, Emily. I’m just being paranoid. Leonard wouldn’t even think of touching her. She stinks.”

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat, praying she actually believed her own words. If she ever found out the truth that Leonard was my mate, and he hadn’t rejected me, she would kill me.

“Yeah,” another girl chimed in. “She doesn’t look like someone Leonard would want, even if she threw herself at him.”

Alice’s lips curved into a pleased smile at that.

She began circling me slowly, her heels clicking against the floor, each word like a knife.

“Fat.”

“Half-blind.”

“Omega.”

She stopped in front of me, her grin spreading wide, cruel. “You’re not his type. But just so you know, Leonard is mine. I’ll crush anyone in my way. And since he seems to fancy you…” Her smile darkened. “I’ll start with you.”

My breath caught, shock flickering across my face. I knew Alice, she wouldn’t let me walk away untouched. But I couldn’t afford another blow, not tonight.

“Please,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Just let me go. I’ll stay away from Prince Leonard. I promise.”

Alice and her friends looked at each other then burst into laughter.

Alice’s lips curved into a cruel smile. “You’re an omega. A slave. You’ll spend the rest of today serving me.”

My mouth opened, ready to argue, but no sound came. Her gaze pinned me in place, and the words died on my tongue.

“There are clothes in the laundry room. Wash them,” she ordered. “And we’ll need dresses ready for the club tonight. So get moving.”

My stomach dropped. My feet carried me toward the laundry room even before I thought about it. The smell of soap and damp fabric hit me as soon as I stepped inside. I’d been here before, long before the Alpha gave me a scholarship to study at the academy.

Back then, I was one of the girls chosen to serve Alice. Now I was here again, only this time as both student and maid… all because I’d been seen with the man she wanted.

I dipped my hands into the water and began washing the clothes, one piece after another. The pile never seemed to shrink, and I already knew I wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon. Still, I prayed that once the laundry was done, she would finally let me go.