"Good work with Dane, I will provide whatever you need, make sure the pups are born safely, that way Dane will forever be indebted to me." Alpha King Lothaire instructed as they returned to their seats after the introductions were concluded.
"As father wishes." Neveah replied quietly.
"Also, my sources send news of treasonous intentions stirring amongst my Alphas, I need you to look into this." Alpha King Lothaire instructed.
"Which of them?" Neveah asked.
"The Alpha of Eclipse Claw Pack, his son is young, mateless and his eyes have been fixed on you since you stepped into the hall, a vulnerable source of information... I trust you know what to do." Alpha King Lothaire continued.
"Slut."
Neveah did not need to glance up to know the words had come from her step brother, he was the only one other than her father and herself who had studied the lost wolven tongue.
"Alessio..." Alpha King Lothaire said in a warning tone, his harsh voice effectively shutting his son up.
"There he is, coming towards you now..." Alpha King Lothaire said to Neveah as a young, handsome male approached them.
"Greetings King Lothaire, if I may ask the Princess for a dance?" The young male asked with a bow.
"She speaks for herself. Neveah?" Alpha King Lothaire called, Neveah rose to her feet and stepped down, taking the outstretched hand of the young man.
"I am Lucas Varleston, son of Alpha Varleston of Eclipse Claw Pack." The young man introduced as he led Neveah out the center of the ballroom.
"Neveah Omega Lothaire, but you already met my father." Neveah replied in a blank tone.
Neveah felt Lucas's hand rest on the small of her back as and rested her hands on Lucas' shoulder as they swayed slowly to the music.
"You are breathtakingly beautiful Princess Neveah." Lucas whispered in a tone of marvel as he gazed down at Neveah.
"And you a dashing young wolf." Neveah replied perfunctorily, her tone still blank and emotionless.
"And you can just call me Neveah." Neveah added quietly,
"You don't seem to interested in this conversation, have I been a little too forward?" Lucas asked, noticing Neveah's blank expression.
Neveah resisted the urge to roll her eyes and spill out the truth that she would much rather be anywhere else but here where all these predatory eyes were fixed on her.
However Neveah could feel her father's gaze fixed on her and knew he would not hesitate to rip her to shreds if she ruined any of his plans.
Neveah also knew with her father's sensitive hearing, he could most likely hear every last word of their conversation and so she quickly adjusted her expression.
"Can I be honest with you?" Neveah asked quietly, Lucas nodded in response.
"Actually, I am not too inclined to attend events like this... it's well, suffocating, if you know what I mean. And well this dress is literally suffocating as well..." Neveah began,
"I know it's weird, I mean I've attended events like this all my life, I should be accustomed to it by now but I had a really stressful day,"
"And I just would rather be out in the midst of nature, getting some fresh air in my face you know...? And maybe let my hair down too." Neveah cut herself off as she noticed the amused expression on Lucas's face.
"I'm rambling aren't I? By the creator, I'm making a fool of myself..." Neveah groaned out,
"No, No...of course not, it's just...well, cute." Lucas replied with a smile.
"I could name an array of compliments I have received, but I have never been classified as cute before...I'll take it though." Neveah replied with a shrug.
"How about this, I could take you out for a walk and you could show me around your castle, maybe even let your hair down too and if the night goes the way I envision it... perhaps this beautiful dress comes of soon after..." Lucas said suggestively,
Neveah swallowed down her disgust and instead her lips stretched into an innocent smile.
"Or we could just walk and maybe get to know each other better." Neveah adjusted, Lucas chuckled quietly and nodded.
"That works too, after you?" Lucas asked and Neveah nodded, sparing a glance at her father's stern gaze before she headed out of the ballroom.
__________________
"How could you let her come here?! We finally got rid of her and then you went behind my back to call that Omega back here and paraded her as your daughter... everyone who matters in the Eclipse domain was present there!"
Neveah lowered her hand which had been poised to knock on the door to her father's study as she heard her step mother's furious tone.
Of all the wolves of the Eclipse Fang Pack who detested Neveah, Neveah knew none could hold a candle to Alpha Queen Vilma.
There were times when Neveah wondered how one woman could hold so much hate for her that even Neveah's mere existence grated on her nerves.
When Neveah was much younger, she had tried and tried to do everything to please the Alpha Queen, Neveah had believed if she did well enough then perhaps Queen Vilma would not hate her as much.
However no matter how hard Neveah tried, no matter how submissive she played, no matter how much she let herself be stepped all over without raising the slightest protest, Alpha Queen Vilma only seemed to detest Neveah even more.
Then one day, Neveah had finally understood it and she had given up.
To Alpha Queen Vilma, Neveah would always be a constant reminder of her mate's infidelity, to her, Neveah was better of dead.
"Answer me Lothaire! Is Omega more important to you than I am?! Do you want to see me go mad?!" Alpha Queen Vilma screamed.
"Her name is Neveah and she is your daughter, our daughter... that is the end of it." Alpha King Lothaire replied in a calm tone.
Neveah resisted the urge to scoff beneath her breath as she heard her father's reply, if one were to hear her father speak these words, one would be misled to believe he actually cared about Neveah...but Neveah knew better.
"You promised me you would have her married off a long time ago!" Alpha Queen Vilma insisted.
"And I will...as soon as I get the highest bidder." Alpha King Lothaire replied.
Neveah bit her lip slightly as she turned around to leave, however she froze in her step at the sound of her father's voice.
"I know you're there Neveah, come in." Alpha King Lothaire's voice reached Neveah, Neveah slowly turned and headed into the study.
Neveah did not bother glancing around, she could feel the presence of her step brother Alessio, and her step mother's furious yells had already given away her presence the moment Neveah arrived at the door.
"Did you get the information I need?" Alpha King Lothaire asked in a calm tone as though he had not just spoken of marrying Neveah off to the highest bidder as though she was some sort of commodity.
They did not even take into consideration the fact that Neveah may perhaps find her mate in the near future but Neveah knew that did not matter to them at all, her father would sooner kill whoever was unlucky enough to be her mate than to let the mate bond ruin his plans.
"It is a work in progress, the Eclipse claw pack are definitely involved in someway but they do not seem to be the mastermind." Neveah replied quietly.
"And that is all?" Alpha King Lothaire asked in a distasteful tone.
"I will need more time to figure it all out." Neveah replied.
"But you have him trapped?" Alpha King Lothaire asked for confirmation.
"Yes, father." Neveah replied quietly.
"Good then, keep at it. The deeper he falls for you, the better...I would like to see the expression on the face of that prideful father of his when his son pleads for your hand in marriage." Alpha Lothaire said with a small smirk.
"Your hair and dress is ruined...you slept with him, didn't you?" Alessio's voice interrupted the conversation and both Neveah and Alpha King Lothaire passed him a brief glance.
"Do you need to ask? Do you not already know just what a slut she is?" Alpha Queen Vilma scoffed out in a disgusted tone.
Neveah returned her gaze to her father, she could see he was not at all bothered by the crass words his mate and son used on her, as long as they did not harm her body, Alpha King Lothaire could not care less.
"No... I didn't, but I will and I will enjoy every last second of it." Neveah spat out as she spun around and stormed out of her father's office.
"Don't cry, don't you dare cry." Neveah muttered to herself as she dashed down the halls of the castle, out into the woods, she dashed through the forest, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
When Neveah was certain she had gone far enough, she stopped and crumpled down to the ground, leaning her head against a tree.
"Princess Neveah? What a Joke!" Neveah sobbed out as she hugged her knees to her chest and buried her face in them, crying her heart out till she could cry no more.