Chapter 24 - After all those empty promises.

Seth placed a hand over her heart, trying to take deep breaths in an attempt to calm down the raging pounding against her ribcage. She ran to the door, locked it, and slowly backed away, her eyes set on the only barrier separating her from the enraged Alpha.

Only when Seth overheard the sound of the loud engine did she finally start feeling a little safer. Luciano was unpredictable, the problem wasn’t only his Alpha title; it was also the fact that wolves didn’t let go of their prey as quickly.

Seth managed to catch his attention, and now he wouldn’t stop until he got what he thought he deserved - the same as any other wolf.

Many wolves chose life partners from different species or even humans, probably to spice things up. She-wolves were known for being submissive most of the time, while women outside packs fought against their savage nature.

Many Alpha wolves adored challenging women while others preferred the punishment system. Seth feared that she still didn’t know which one of those two Luciano was.

Was it the drive and adrenaline for him or the need to show his superiority using many different punishments? Or was it the desire to prove to everyone that he could tame any woman out there and make his little, perfect submissive?

The thought itself sickened her. Seth didn’t want to end up in a situation where she would be treated as an object or a trophy wife. She paced back and forth in her living room, nearly biting her nails off when a loud knock pulled Seth back to reality.

She carefully approached the door and cleared her throat: “Who’s there?” Her heart pounded against her ribcage once again, as if it was a punishment for her careless actions.

Relief washed over Seth when she overheard her friend’s weak voice. “A very hungover Amy, here to check on my friend.”

Seth unlocked the door, ripped it open, grabbed Amy by the collar of her coat, and pulled her inside, slamming the door shut and locking it in seconds. If anything, she was so paranoid at this point that she didn’t need more adventures for the day.

Seth pressed her back against the door, her body slowly sliding down to the floor. On the other hand, Amy made herself at home by finding the most comfortable looking sofa and nearly passing out of the spot.

If not Seth, hyperventilating like an old truck, the woman might take a quick nap.

“What’s wrong with you?” Amy raised an eyebrow, silently wondering if anything had happened before her arrival.

Then again, everyone could see the level of attention Seth got from him, no matter what. It didn’t matter what she wore, if she looked and dressed up like a man, or simply was herself. Now, Amy considered the possibility of having a particular Alpha to blame.

“Holy shit, I nearly forgot why I came here in the first place,” Amy gasped.

“Nothing, I’m alright, don’t worry. Anyway,” Seth quickly rose from the floor, hiding how violently her knees shook under her body weight.

If the visitor were any of the Alphas, she would lose her mind over the mess she herself managed to get herself into.

“Anyway, what brings you here today? It does seem like you could use a nap and some pills for the awful hangover, not a visit to my home. Should I offer you a cup of coffee, or would that be a bad idea taking in…” Seth threw a glance at Amy who looked like she could pass out at any moment. “Taking in your current state.” She finally muttered, averting her gaze.

“Honestly, a nap and a good dose of pills sound like heaven now, but I won’t say no to coffee. I had to come over because I heard some things, and as your friend, I feel deeply concerned about your well-being. Plus, I feel guilty for leaving you alone, surrounded by a wolf pack. I’m sorry, Seth, it wasn’t my intention to bring any harm to you. I guess I just got way too excited to have some drinks and forgot about you way too soon. It was supposed to be a fun night for us, as a group of friends, yet we left you out. There is no excuse for that, but know that I am so damn sorry.” Amy stuttered a little, giving out how worried she was.

Feeling sorry for leaving Seth alone might be a reason for her visit, but there was something more. Whatever it was, Seth hoped that as the conversation went on, sooner or later, Amy would admit the real intention for her visit.

“Don’t worry about me; I’m a big girl, and I can take care of myself.” Seth smiled at her new friend, slowly making her way towards the kitchen area.

While she was getting Amy’s coffee ready, at least she could avoid a ton of questions from her. Seth never liked making excuses for herself, but more than that - she hated explaining her actions to anyone.

She was grown, capable of taking responsibility for her actions or decisions. Why would she ever explain herself to others?

“I’m sure you do,” Amy whispered and rolled her eyes, sure that Seth wouldn’t hear nor see her. The action made Seth raise an eyebrow.

Amy wasn’t just a hangover; she acted weirdly since Seth dragged her inside the house. She arrived to apologize, yet kept showing off sass whenever she thought Seth wasn’t looking or listening.

Although, it had to be understandable, at least in a way. Amy was a wolf, so even if she would deny it, she still thought of herself higher than other shifters. She was an Omega, making her the weakest of the wolves, any cat shifter Delta or even the pack member was stronger than wolf Omega. Not that wolves cared in the first place.

Amy probably thought that Seth, being a cat, was weak. She assumed Seth couldn’t hear, see, or react as fast as wolves. Even though that wasn’t anything near the truth, Seth never denied Amy’s assumptions.

Seth wasn’t sure how the news, about her being a cat shifter, reached all servants as quickly in the first place. Maybe, she found out who had the biggest mouth there now. And that “who” was sitting on her couch.

“Listen, I left early, the place didn’t meet my likings, so I decided to ditch. I should be the one to apologize and feel sorry for my actions. I did think of calling you, but at one point, I thought that my decision might make you feel bad, and I’d ruin the whole evening, so I just came back home.” Despite Amy’s sassy attitude, Seth still tried to stay on her good side.

Confronting her about the things she did would ruin their supposed friendship, but if Seth wanted to find out more, she had to fake being nice.

Even though Amy seemed like one of the sweetest women around the kitchen, she, the same as others, had some skeletons hidden in her closet.

For example, the reason why Amy could work around the Council territory each summer was that she had spent her fair share in beds of those elder men. Not that Seth would ever talk about it, but other servants do, and whenever Amy overheard the rumor still going around, she would hide. That was about the only proof Seth needed to know that it was the truth.

“Don’t you ever feel bad about giving us a call! If you didn’t like the place, we would call a cab and make sure that you left safely instead of going back with some stranger. Speaking of which- how did you get back home? The club is quite far from the territory.”

As Amy turned to face Seth, clearly eager to find out all the dirty details, she gave out her intentions behind the sudden arrival. She didn’t want to know if Seth was okay, Amy needed to know what happened.

She had heard a couple of shifters talking about a weird encounter; she came to Seth’s house to find out if she was involved in the drama.

Sadly, Amy had missed the show - she went to the bathroom minutes before the whole thing went down and got back to the bar after it ended. She never got to see what, or how, it happened, but she did know that the scene involved the person that held her interest.

“Oh, yeah, about that,” Seth cleared her throat and quickly filled the mug with coffee. She added some milk and whipping cream, just like Amy liked, and brought the drink to the living room. Seth placed the cup in front of her friend and smiled nervously.

“Well, I wasn’t the only one who decided to leave around then, so a nice man offered to give me a lift. He drove to the territory, made sure that I got back safely, and that’s about it. I didn’t get to know his name anyway, so I guess that’s not as important.”

Seth kept biting the inside of her cheek, mentally scolding herself.

She didn’t like to lie as much as she didn’t like to explain herself. But for some reason, Seth felt like she had to hide the truth. All this time, Amy came across as a rather trustworthy persona, yet now, she acted somewhat shady.

“I think I heard about that, but in a different setting. Seth, we are friends, remember? You don’t have to hide anything from me.” Amy sat up, leaning towards Seth as if she was about to confess her biggest sins. “Come on, you can tell me, I won’t judge,” Amy kept encouraging Seth, hoping that there would be some dirty details to share.

Who knew, perhaps later, she could sell that information or even better, use it for her own good when the opportunity strikes.

Seth didn’t react much, and to Amy’s disappointment, she shrugged her shoulders and kept acting as if she had no idea what Amy was talking about.

“Amy, did you fall and hit your head somewhere? What are you trying to find out? Should I come up with some stupid information to entertain you? I told you, the place wasn’t up to my liking, so I left, a kind man offered me a ride and I went to bed. That’s about it.” She kept lying.

The spark in her friend’s eyes gave out the eagerness to discuss some drama and later on turn it into a rumor. Seth didn’t need such things, she had to hold onto the job, do the best she can, and most importantly - avoid Alphas.

“So, you’re trying to tell me that an Alpha, approaching the flaming hot redhead in the club, was some made-up story? The same as another Alpha, inviting himself into the conversation and claiming the woman in front of everyone? I heard that this other Alpha threw this woman over his shoulder and stomped out of the club. He threatened to kill anyone who dared as much as to look at his woman. This man helped her inside the car, adjusted her seatbelt, and kissed her in front of everyone. Seth, I have no idea if you’re just playing or simply hiding something, but the only redhead around here is you. Even in the city, the Alphas have spent a lot of time around there. All of them spoke about seeing this woman for the first time. Are you sure that you’re not the same woman from the bar? Positive?”

Amy kept pushing. She wasn’t certain if Seth lied or not; sometimes, people appeared out of nowhere, especially around this area.

Then again, the only person that fit the description was Seth. What if it was someone from her family? Wouldn’t Seth warn her friends about the arrival of such an important person?

“I’m absolutely positive; drop the topic, Amy. Your accusations are all over the place, and I have no time or energy to deal with it right now. Is it really that difficult to listen to what I say and accept the truth as it is? I’m serious, we’re friends, and I don’t want to ruin our friendship over some stupid rumors that keep going around. People will talk, they always did, do now, and won’t stop in the future. I suggest that we live for today rather than something those surrounding us say.” Seth decided to sit next to her friend.

She didn’t want to be close to anyone, yet to fade whatever suspicions Amy had, she had to act like she would on any other regular day.

“Alright, that’s good. It’s not that I don’t believe you; I’m just worried about you, I really am. That man was Alpha Vincent himself, and I told you some things about him before, right? I was scared that if that redhead were you, you’d be in deep trouble just by letting him a little closer than ten feet. Seth, be careful; he is a sucker for unique looking, beautiful women. If he has spotted you anywhere, he will come after you. That man brings nothing but trouble, stay away from him, I’m begging you. If you find yourself in a situation, cornered by him - look for the closest exit because he will bring nothing but pain and agony.” Amy was on the verge of a breakdown, her eyes filled with tears.

Seth felt pity over her outburst, handed her the coffee cup, and took a deep breath. She watched how her friend drank the coffee, and soon her hands stopped shaking. Amy seemed to relax a little more; thankfully, soon, Seth could send her home.

It was getting a little late anyway, and tomorrow they would have to work on preparations for the upcoming week.

“Listen, Seth; I don’t want to have any secrets between us, so I’ll try to be as honest as I can be. Please don’t tell anyone that I told you this, but I had my fair share of that man. I’m not proud of the things I did, but he was so irresistible, I couldn’t help myself. Last summer, he came over every weekend, and I gave in so easily; please don’t judge me. He promised to make me his life partner, even put a claim on me, and I thought that my life was getting better. Then, after all those empty promises, he left without a trace. Back then, the Alpha didn’t mind me being a servant, yet soon he decided that I was too low for his standards. He left me broken-hearted and ruined. Don’t repeat my mistake.”

Amy didn’t waste any time waiting for any kind of reply from Seth. She set the cup on the nearest coffee table, stood up, and left.

Seth watched how her friend closed the door and nearly collapsed on the sofa. There it was, another reason for Seth to avoid Luciano, to hate him and stay away from the demanding asshole.

She failed to remember that Amy couldn’t lock the door after she left, but she was too shocked after hearing the confession to even care.

Amy acted strangely. Was there a possibility that she would lie about such things? Or perhaps she was truly ashamed of what happened and just tried to get away from there after admitting her mistakes?

To make matters worse, all this time, she had to listen to horror stories about Alpha Vincent, just to face the fact that she has been sleeping with the monster himself. If even one thing from Amy’s words was true - Luciano was playing with her, making fun out of her for all this time.

Seth wouldn’t let him play his dirty games with her - she made a mental promise to distance herself and avoid any contact with him. Luciano could ruin many lives and bodies, but Seth wouldn’t become another soul on his list.

Slowly, Seth got up from the sofa and walked to the door. As soon as she placed her hand on the door handle, the door opened, throwing her body on the floor. “You?”