Raven POV

A sudden shriek fills the air. The table falls silent, pack members turning their heads to see the source of the commotion. Dread rises inside of me. I already know instinctively that Marissa is the source of it. A young omega stands beside her, her mouth open in shock as Marissa abruptly stands, looking angrily at her dress, which is now stained, I presume, from the wine glass that has tipped over on the table in front of her.

“I’m so sorry,” the young woman begins to apologize profusely, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Shrug it off, Marissa, I think to myself, almost silently begging her. Shrug it off and pretend it’s nothing. I’m trying desperately to telepath my thoughts to her, unable to mind-link as I was an anomaly, as they called it, a shifter who possessed no wolf.

It was unsuccessful. Marissa’s expression turned vindictive, and before anybody could comprehend what she was about to do, Hades included, she swung back her arm and slapped the omega with the full strength of her power. The young girl let out a scream, clutching at her cheek and staring at Marissa with shock on her face. Jackson began to stand while pack members pointed and whispered. Hades stood up and faced her, his expression thunderous. Marissa had well and truly done it this time. For fuck sake why was it so hard for her to act like a decent human being?

“What do you think you are doing?” Hades voice is dangerous, “laying a hand on one of my pack members?”

“I was disciplining her,” Marissa was unrepentant, “and teaching her what happens when you make a mistake.”

Fuck. Even I knew that this was an overstep of her authority. Back home, she had free rein to treat the omegas as she saw fit, but this was not her pack, and she was not Luna yet. She had no right to hit that poor girl. I see Jackson shaking his head in disgust and other pack members staring at her with condemnation. I rise to my feet, grabbed my serviette and dipped it in my glass of water, which I had not touched. I wrung it out and moved, heading directly for the girl who seemed paralysed, unable to believe what had just happened to her. No doubt it had been a shock. I felt nothing but sympathy for the young girl, who seemed incapable of moving.

“Here,” I whispered as Hades and Marissa stared at each other, Marissa in defiance and Hades in a rage, pressing the serviette against her cheek gently. “This should help with the swelling. Why don’t you go and take a break,” I suggested very quietly, “and let somebody else take over for now.”

She nods gratefully and scurries from the room, her face wreathed in tears.

“Why are you acting so offended?” Marissa sounds genuinely perplexed, “Omegas are nothing more than servants. A simple strike shouldn’t be so surprising.”

Damnit Marissa. How blind and stupid can you be? Hades looks on the verge of erupting. I swiftly get between them.

“Forgive her, Alpha Hades. The customs and rules back at our River Moon Pack are vastly different to your own. Marissa doesn’t realize she’s overstepped. She’s sincerely sorry for what she did, aren’t you, Marissa?” I turn to her, narrowing my eyes.

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