Giselle’s POV
I was halfway through my bath when a sharp knock echoed through the bathroom. I rolled my eyes in irritation, wondering who dared to interrupt me.
“Come in,” I commanded, expecting it to be one of the maids with some trivial matter.
The door creaked open, and I craned my neck to see who it was. Sure enough, it was a maid, bowing low as she stepped into the room.
“What do you want?” I asked in annoyance. My bath had been relaxing, and I didn’t appreciate anyone disturbing my peace.
The maid straightened up slightly, her eyes downcast. “My Lady, a woman is asking for you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And who is this woman?”
“She claims that she is a lady from Alpha Logan’s pack,” the maid replied.
At her words, I bolted upright in the bath, water splashing around me. Why would someone from Alpha Logan’s pack seek me out?
I quickly wrapped a robe around my damp body and stepped out of the tub, eager to discover who this visitor was and what she wanted.
The maid led me to the foyer of the pack house, and as we approached, I spotted a woman standing there. She had pale hair that framed her face and piercing pale gray eyes that seemed to take in every detail of her surroundings.
I gave her a quick once-over, assessing her appearance. She wasn’t dressed in a manner befitting royalty; her clothes were fine but not extravagant. No jewels adorned her, and no airs of nobility clung to her. I decided right then and there that she wasn’t worth much of my time.
“Who are you?” I snapped. “I don’t have all day, and I need to get back to my bath.”
The woman’s eyes locked onto mine, and a small, enigmatic smile played at the corners of her lips. “My, you are as beautiful as they say,” she remarked, ignoring my question. “Even in a mere robe, you catch the eye.”
There was something in her tone that made me narrow my eyes. I could sense a hot jealousy beneath her words. It was obvious that she was envious of my beauty, and I couldn’t help but feel a spark of satisfaction at that. She might be trying to mask it with flattery, but I knew better.
“And who might you be?” I repeated irritably. “I haven’t got all day, and if you don’t speak up, I’ll have the guards throw you out.”
The woman’s smile faded slightly, but her composure remained intact. “The only person who comes close to your beauty is Aria herself,” she continued as if she hadn’t heard my threat.
At the mention of Aria, I felt a flash of anger rise within me. How dare she come to my mansion and compare me to that wretched woman?
I stepped forward, my eyes narrowing. “Who are you?” I demanded. “And why are you here?”
Finally, the woman sighed, as if she had been waiting for the right moment. “I am Lady Erinne,” she said, her voice calm but with an undercurrent of something darker. “I am Alpha Logan’s Luna. I came here to-”
A sharp laugh escaped my lips before I could stop myself. Erinne stopped speaking abruptly, staring at me in surprise.
“Luna?” I echoed, shaking my head. “Oh, I have heard of you. The puny slave who managed to worm her way into an Alpha’s heart. In a way, you’re not so different from Aria. No, my dear, you are not his Luna. You’re nothing more than his slave mistress.”
I saw the way her jaw tightened, the way her eyes flashed with anger. It pleased me, to see how easily I could get under her skin. But to her credit, she didn’t lash out. Instead, she kept her composure, though I could see her teeth gritting behind her tight-lipped smile.
“It’s only a matter of time before I become more than that,” she said, her voice tense. “And that’s where you come in.”
I stopped laughing and tilted my head slightly, my eyes narrowing as I scrutinized her. “What do you mean by that?”
Erinne stepped closer, lowering her voice as if to share a secret. “The one person standing in my way… I need to get rid of her, and I need your help to do it.”
I stared at her in wonderment. There was only one person I knew of who could be a thorn in her side. “You’re talking about Aria, aren’t you?”
She nodded, a dangerous gleam in her eyes. “Yes, Aria. The one who seems to steal the attention of our men, men who should belong to us.”
My lips curled into a sneer. “Aria has been nothing but a headache for me for weeks now,” I admitted. “She has always been a nuisance, always in the way. Even after I managed to get her out of this packed house, Alpha Denderick still cannot stop going to see her.”
Erinne scoffed and stepped even closer. “Oh, I can imagine the frustration you must feel, Lady Giselle. What if I told you that we could get rid of her for good? That we could ensure she never bothers us again?”
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued but cautious. “How do you propose we do that?”
A slow, calculating smile spread across Erinne’s face. “I have connections,” she said softly. “A paid mercenary from my pack, someone who can make it look like an accident or a disappearance. It won’t be traced back to either of us.”
My heart pounded in my chest as I considered her words. It was a tempting offer, one that could solve a lot of my problems. But I wasn’t about to let her think she was the one in control.
“And what do you want from me in return?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I provide the mercenary,” she said, her eyes gleaming. “And you… you fund the operation.”
I thought it over, weighing the risks and the benefits. It was risky, but if it meant getting rid of Aria once and for all, it might just be worth it.
Slowly, I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. “Agreed.”
Without another word, I walked over to a nearby drawer, pulled it open, and retrieved a small bag of coins. I tossed it toward her, and she caught it deftly.
“That should be enough to pay for your mercenary,” I snapped. Then I added with a condescending smirk.
“You know, it’s amusing how a slave like you managed to weasel her way into being the mistress of an Alpha. Anyway, do a good job, will you? I don’t want this backfiring on me.”