Page 25 of An Omega for the Lycan Prince

I can deal with this on my own. I have to.

Later, when I am heading down towards the entrance door to meet with Liam, I see Lauren and her gang again. I don’t know how they knew he would come to pick me up. Maybe they heard someone say something – gossip spreads fast – or they just lingered around there the whole day in hopes of seeing him. Something about how they act around Liam pisses me off, and it’s not because Liam is my mate. It’s more… Harmony was right: it is embarrassing; they are embarrassing our whole pack.

Celine is nowhere to be seen either. Shouldn’t Lauren be with her? Protecting her?

At least Finn can catch his breath now, I think.

“She is just so normal,” I hear one of the guys around Lauren tell her. “You are much more beautiful and stronger.”

“I don’t know what he wants with such a plain-ass mate,” one of the girls agrees. “If she were a stunning beauty, okay, but she is just… Annie.”

I decide to ignore them and walk past.

“How will she protect her future pack?” another guy wants to know. “She is going to be Luna one day.”

“Gladly not ours.”

The original plan was to hold my head up high and just walk past them, ignore them and let them spout their nonsense. I know they won’t hurt me. They won’t go that far. It’s just words. But now that my initial shock and insecurities have worn off, I am starting to feel pissed.

I turn on my heel to face the guy who just spoke. “Do you feel better now?” I ask him coolly. “Does this make you feel superior? You think you are in the position to decide who is worthy of being Lord Liam’s mate?”

I notice him and a few guys around him getting a bit uncomfortable. They clearly didn’t think I would address them directly. I am not sure what Lauren told them or what they believe they are doing. These guys are not even from my own pack.

When they stay quiet, I shake my head. “Nothing?” I mutter. Don’t they have any backbone? “How about you start worrying about your own future mate?” I point out. “And how she would feel if someone treated her like you treat me?”

There is silence again, which I use to turn around and leave. I have better things to do than deal with Lauren’s clique and her brainless followers. I have a mate to meet.

Lauren, however, seems to be too dense… or too proud to let it go. There is a pause before she adds. “No matter what she says, a mere Omega can’t be the mate of a Lycan,” she points out.

“She can’t?”

I swear, I almost freeze in shock when I hear Liam right next to me. His voice sends chills down my spine. I turn to look at him, slightly surprised to see him here.

He's early.

And pissed.

I wonder how long he was watching.

At least Lauren and her followers look equally shocked. Lesson number one: You never know who might be listening when you badmouth someone.

It’s deathly quiet for a moment. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Finn too. Apparently, he met his brother beforehand.

Liam grabs my hand and pulls me to his side. “So, it seems you know perfectly well what the moon goddess is up to?” he asks. On the outside, he seems calm. His tone is cold but collected. Standing next to him, though, I can feel his body tensing slightly, his fingers clenching. There is a storm behind his icy blue eyes. “Otherwise, I doubt you would have challenged my mate, me, and the bond between us.” He turns to the guys who had insulted me. “My mate asked you a question. She wanted to know if this is how you would like your own mate to be treated. I haven’t heard you answer her!” His tone is so cold that I think I might catch a cold just by standing next to him. “Answer her!” he demands.

I can feel the aura around him changing. It’s getting more suffocating, darker. Some wolves around us drop to their knees, baring their necks. Others clasp their chests and bow their heads. I seem to be the only one who isn’t fazed by his presence. I wonder if that’s part of his true power. And maybe also part of mine as his mate.

“No,” one of the guys whimpers. “I would like my own mate to be treated with respect. I apologize, Lord Liam.”

“I don’t care for your apology,” he huffs. “Apologize to my mate instead.”

“I am sorry, Miss Annalise.”

Wow, they really faltered fast. I exchange a gaze with Finn, who seems to have similar thoughts. He just looks at me and rolls his eyes.

“I-” Lauren blushes. “I… we were just surprised. We, I… we…we didn’t mean to insult Annie. We just thought you would be perfect for…” she finally blurts out. “Celine!”

I can’t even say anything against her insulting words because, honestly, Celine is the textbook example of the perfect she-wolf.