He was too blind to see
Mia pov
I never expected to encounter Alpha Walter from the south at the Alpha meeting of the northern packs. I can never forget the worst treatment I received from him. Fortunately, I escaped and almost wiped out his pack. No one knew of my ability to become anyone's mate. I mean, I can disguise my scent. When I collapsed in the Blackstorm Pack, I didn't expect I would meet Alpha Thomas. Alphas often despise Omegas, so I quickly disguised my scent to his mate's. Unexpectedly, he insisted on taking me back to his pack and intended to claim me.
I watched his Luna, Eleanor, unable to accept it, and my heart swelled with an indescribable sense of joy. My body had suffered greatly in the Shallowend Pack, so I needed to rest properly in Blackstorm. Once I gained complete control over Thomas, it would be the perfect time to destroy Blackstorm.
But an unexpected turn came. I thought I would officially belong to the Blackstorm Pack from today onward, but damned Walter ruined it all. But I was confident that Thomas wouldn't believe their fabricated stories.
I had planned to go to the hospital, but I changed my mind. I stopped Beta Miller. "Beta, I need to go to the Alpha's residence."
"The Alpha ordered me to take you to the hospital," Miller frowned. He was clearly a supporter of Luna Eleanor. But I wouldn't let things get out of control. I needed to know immediately the outcome of Luna's conversation with Walter.
I immediately placed a knife against my neck. "Please, Beta, I must see Alpha Thomas immediately. I'm worried they might hurt each other again due to some misunderstanding."
Miller eventually relented. He was afraid that Thomas would take action against him if I got hurt, as Thomas knew of his affection for Eleanor. If I were injured, Thomas would kill him for it.
**
Thomas was only gone for a few seconds when he realised that leaving Eleanor with Shallowend's Alpha was not a good idea. Since it involved Mia, Eleanor always got mad, careless about his and their pack's reputation.
Ever since Mia came to their pack, Eleanor had been taking every chance to tear into his mate. If he left her alone with the man, there was no telling what kind of trouble she would brew.
Handing Mia to Miller, Thomas rushed back to the dessert table. He got there just as Eleanor asked Alpha Walter what he knew about Mia. He reached out to Eleanor through mindlink. "Watch what you say," he warned, "don't embarrass me in public. We're bound, Eleanor."
"Embarrass? What's your point to say that, Thomas? Have you considered about me when you announced Mia as your mate in public? Wasn't this a deliberate attempt to embarrass me either?"
Choked and speechless, Thomas turned to the onlookers who were still standing around, waiting to hear the gossip about an Alpha's mate. "There's nothing to see here," he yelled out.
While the onlookers dispersed, Alpha Walter bid her goodbye with a nod. But she caught his whisper in her ears before his leaving.
"Maybe next time in private, Luna Eleanor."
She did not know what Walter knew about Mia, and yet she was sure Mia was not just a rogue. She had to wait and seek him out later for details.
For now, she would do as Thomas requested.
"We are going back home," he told her, turning away.
Eleanor raised an eyebrow but did not argue with Thomas. She still had a lot to do at the party. She hadn't even gotten an answer from the Darkfall Alpha. But she didn't want to raise her husband's suspicions, so she followed him.
Thomas and Mia went in the same car—apparently, Mia had revived once Miller brought her outside—while Eleanor used a different one. She got to the house about a minute after them. When she went in, she walked into Thomas and Mia arguing.
"Please Thomas, I swear I don't know who he is," Mia was telling Thomas as they stood in the middle of the living room. Her eyes were red from crying. "Why would I lie about that?"
"Why would he mistake you for someone else?" Thomas asked.
Eleanor came to a halt. At the party, Thomas had acted as if he didn't take any of Walter's words seriously. Had he been waiting until they got back home to grill Mia about it?
"I don't know," Mia claimed, her voice getting wobbly. "Maybe I look like whoever he was talking about. I also lost my memories due to the rogues' attack last time, so even if I knew him, I can't recall."
Thomas paced. "Mia, if there's anything you are hiding, just tell me."
"Why would I hide anything from you?" she asked, sounding wounded. Like his lack of total trust in her was insulting.
"You say you lost your memories in the attack. How do you know that the man was not right?"
Mia hesitated. "I...I..."
"Maybe you should have listened to what he had to say before causing a scene, don't you think? If you really lost your memories, shouldn't you be curious if anyone claims to know you?"
Mia blinked as tears filled her eyes. "I...he came on to me too strongly, I didn't think about it. I got scared and called out your name, I didn't mean to cause a scene."
"Are you sure you've never been to Shallowend pack?" he demanded.
"Maybe. I don't know."
"Then I suppose I should seek out that Alpha and ask him about it," he said. "I'm the Alpha of this pack, so I have to make sure. If anyone from your past life could be a threat to this pack, I need to know."
Eleanor was surprised by Thomas's words. So far, he had been eating up Mia's words without question. Would he really seek out Shallowend's Alpha to find out the truth?
"I would never keep something like that from you," Mia told him, her voice getting shaky. "You are my fated mate, how can I stand by and let anyone harm you? I only want the best for you. But if you don't think it's safe for me to be by your side, I understand. I won't blame you if you reject me and send me away."
Eleanor wanted to laugh. The woman was an expert. She knew if she acted innocent and wronged, Thomas would feel bad for giving her a hard time.
"Shhh," Thomas silenced, walking over to Mia. He placed his hands on her shoulders and shook his head. "I didn't mean that. I like it when you are by my side, and I know you'd never hurt me intentionally. I want you to be safe too, so you are not going anywhere."
Eleanor couldn't help but scoff loudly as she finally walked into the room. All of this was more ridiculous when she remembered everything Mia had done in her previous life.
It was so obvious that she was trying to manipulate Thomas, but he was too blind to see. A few more crocodile tears from her and he would forget about investigating Walter's claims.
"Aren't you the best," Eleanor commented as she walked past them and took a seat on a couch. "I'm sure he loves having a mate who prioritises his safety."
Thomas turned to Eleanor, his face darkening with anger. "Are you enjoying this? Does it make you happy to see me embarrassed?"
Eleanor snickered. Now he was blaming her? And talking of embarrassment, did this compare to what he had done to her?
He had been her lover and mate for years, and yet he turned against her for his mistress. In this life too, he was bent on embarrassing her by disrespecting her before their pack members and the entire community for his little rogue! How dare he talk about embarrassment?
"Should I cry?" she asked him, getting to her feet. "I warned you not to bring your rogue to the party, but you didn't listen. How is this my fault?"
He walked to her, lifting his hand to point at her. "Let me warn you one last time. If you dare do anything to harm her, I'll make you pay. There's nothing you can do to make her leave, so stop being desperate already."
"Why are you acting like I hired someone to cause a scene or something? Whether you admit it or not, your mate has a shady background, and sooner or later, you'll regret trusting her. Whatever happens, it's your fault for bringing a stray into our pack. So don't you dare put any of this on me—"
She gasped as Thomas swung his hand, aiming for her face. But just before his slap landed, a strong hand got hold of it, stopping him. Eleanor stumbled back, her heart speeding in her chest.
"Alpha, please calm down. After all, she is your Luna," Miller, who'd gotten there just in time to stop Thomas, told him.
Eleanor watched with wide eyes as Thomas snatched his hand from Miller's grip forcefully, and then turned to leave.
She could not believe that Thomas had just tried hitting her. He had never done that. The cruelty and heartlessness he had treated her with in her past life rushed back to her.
It was as if she was back in time, feeling the raw pain and rage she went through back then.
Miller stepped towards her, a concerned look on his face. "Luna, are you okay?"
Tears burned her eyes. But she held them back and nodded, and then walked past him and out of the house.