Chapter 1

Leah's POV

"You can't do anything right. How many times have I told you that you should fold these napkins diagonally? Is that really that hard or are you just trying to intentionally piss me off?"

My mother-in-law, Rosalie, with her arms crossed, stood in front of me, looking like a queen.

She leered at me, her omega daughter-in-law, who was sitting on the floor, trying to cover my bruised cheek with trembling hands.

"Sorry, Ma'am. But I folded them diagonally. I really did.." My voice was lower than a whisper.

"Are you kidding me?! Do you think I'm stupid?! You imbecile omega! Do you think that getting married to my son gives you the right to challenge and diminish me?!" Rosalie threw the napkin case at me.

I didn't dare to dodge, so the iron case hit me on the side of my forehead. Blood started falling down, blurring my sight.

I tried to wipe the blood off my face and said, "Sorry, Ma'am. I wouldn't dare to do things like that. I remember that I folded those napkins yesterday according to your requirement. Someone must have tampered with them..."

As I was talking to Rosalie, I saw a tiny blonde girl from the corner of my eye.

As usual, Josephine was gloating at the expense of my misery.

When she noticed that I saw her, she immediately hid the smirk on her face to become sentimental and concerned.

"Rosalie, please don't give Leah a big hard time. Omegas are supposed to be a bit backward. Their learning curves are long. But once they've learned their lesson, they will remember it for the rest of their lives." Josephine laid her tiny little hands over Rosalie's shoulders.

"Ah, you're right, darling. How I wish that you could be my daughter-in-law instead of this clumsy chimp! She can't do anything right! I really don't understand why my son has to get married to a retarded girl like her. She's so annoyingly useless, weak, and stupid." Rosalie rubbed her forehead and said.

Josephine's lips curled up at a sarcastic angle. "Rosalie, you know that Lucas is just trying to do the right thing. He needs to marry his mate for the sake of our pack, even though his mate is a lowbred omega. That's just a huge sacrifice that he has to do as the Alpha of our pack. Rosalie, I've known Lucas for my entire life and he's like an elder brother to me. For every second of my life, I just can't help but appreciate that you've raised your son to be such a decent, noble man. He has always been my hero, my protector, my..."

She didn't finish her kissass speech because she heard the steps coming from the corridor.

As the door swung open, a hulking figure strode into the room, filling the space with his imposing presence. His broad shoulders stretched the fabric of his shirt, highlighting the bulging muscles beneath.

Every step he took was purposeful and confident, commanding the attention of all those around him.

His striking features were the stuff of legend - raven black hair that shone like silk under the light, framing a chiseled jawline that could cut glass. But it was his piercing blue eyes that drew you in as if they could see straight into your soul. The intensity in them was enough to make even the bravest of souls shiver.

My husband Lucas Farrow, Alpha of the White Walkers Pack, surrounded by soldiers, striding into the room, with all the servants bowing at him along his way.

"Luke! You're back from Skagen City early! I miss you so much!" Josephine flew toward him like a little lark, wrapping her arms around his neck, like a little girl begging for candies from her elder brother. Only in Josephine's case, I knew what she was begging was a kiss.

At first glance, Lucas appeared cold and cruel, his expression unreadable. But as soon as his eyes landed on Josephine, something shifted in him. His demeanor softened, and a tenderness crept into his gaze. At that moment, he seemed to shed the hard exterior that he had worn like armor. He became a different man - a man who was capable of great love and devotion. It was as if she had unlocked something within him, something that he had been hiding away for too long.

And as he leaned over to her and held her up in his arms, his every movement oozing with confidence and desire, it was clear to everyone in the room that this was a man who knew what he wanted, and who would stop at nothing to get it.

Only, I, his wife, sitting on the floor with a bruised cheek and blood covering my face, wasn't the one he wanted.

I hadn't seen my husband for a week and didn't want to greet him like this.

I wiped the blood off my face, trying to get up by pulling a table leg.

In a panic, I knocked off a vase on the table and it was smashed on the floor.

Everyone was looking at me, including my husband.

"What have you done?! Stop making a scene, you stupid girl!" Rosalie raised her voice while staring at me.

"I'm so sorry..." I crouched down, trying to clean up the mess on the floor.

Then, I saw a pair of leather boots in my view.

I looked up and saw my husband standing right in front of me, gazing down at me.

I immediately blushed and lowered my head.

In the past five years of our marriage, I seldom had his full attention like this.

He leaned down, stretched out his slender fingers, and lifted my head, forcing me to look at him.

"What happened to your head?" His cold, indifferent voice was like a razor-sharp surgical knife, peeling my scalp.

"I'm sorry, Alpha..." I whispered. My knees buckled because of his touch. The tips of his long, slender fingers were as cold as his voice.

As much as I wanted to call him "Lucas" affectionately like Josephine, I knew I couldn't.

Being his mate and wife for five years, I wasn't allowed to call him by his name or look at him without permission.

"I'm asking you what happened to your head, and you answer me by giving me an apology." His perfect brows were marred by a slight frown.

I tried to look for some evidence of sympathy in his detached voice, but I failed.

His eyes gleamed with emotions that I couldn't fathom.

My mouth was dry.

"I..."

I took a glance at Rosalie, who had a dark expression on her face, warning me not to tell the truth.

"I tripped over something and bumped my head against the table..." I flushed scarlet.

Lucas put his hands around my shoulders and stared into my eyes.

"You should be more careful." He said in a tender voice. He had never talked to me in a passionate voice like that.

Is he... feeling concerned for me?