Kasia made an effort to concentrate on the food that the omegas were offering her. She pushed her eggs around her plate while Janet stirred her coffee. The snickering of the women was making it hard for her to focus on the food.
"Stop frowning," Janet scolded, her disapproving tone like a sharp slap to Kasia's psyche. Her expression tightened into a scowl, the anger simmering just beneath the surface. She felt as though she were in a pressure cooker, ready to explode at any moment.
But Janet's warning rang true- if she kept this up, they would surely come over to investigate. Kasia took a deep breath, trying to calm the tumultuous emotions swirling inside her. She forced her features into a neutral mask, but her fists remained clenched at her sides, ready for action.
"Tell me, Janet," Kasia said. "Why is Lana being bullied? What is going on?"
Janet hesitated, her gaze shifting away from Kasia's intense stare. "It's not for me to tell you. Lana should be the one to explain everything."
Kasia's annoyance flared like a match struck against sandpaper. "Really, Janet? This is not a good first impression. She's my sister. If she's in trouble, I need to know."
"Kasia," Janet sighed, rubbing her temples. "I understand your concern, but this is something Lana needs to handle on her own. Trust her to do what's best."
"Trust her?" Kasia scoffed, her anger reaching a boiling point. "Maybe if she told me the truth from the beginning, but how can I trust her now? Her decisions led her here to be abused."
Janet's voice softened as she spoke, her concern evident in her tone. "Kasia... Don't act like your people are so innocent. You know, just like I do, how cruel humans can be. You need to learn the dynamics of packs before you start jumping into confrontations."
Kasia's eyes never left Janet as the snickering women continued to whisper among themselves. Despite the tension and animosity coming from them, Kasia maintained her composure.
"Fair enough," she finally replied, her voice holding a hint of defiance. "But she's still my sister. And that means I'll do whatever it takes to protect her."
Janet shook her head in disbelief. "How can you?" she said, incredulous. "You are weaker than our weakest omega. You cannot get into a confrontation with anyone."
"I hunted long before the pills," she retorted, a glint of pride in her eyes at the reminder of her strength and skill. "Remember that."
"Then do it wisely," Janet advised, giving her a pointed look. "For both your sakes."
Janet's warning was almost forgotten as one of the whispering women sauntered over to their table, her hips swaying in exaggeration. She was tall and curvy, her skin a russet, reddish-brown. She wore a green halter and blue jean shorts. She stopped beside Kasia, her red lips curled into a sneer. Kasia looked up at her, forcing a smile.
"Miraya, don't bring your mess over here," Janet said sharply. "I suggest you turn around and go back to the table."
Miraya tossed her braids over one shoulder, ignoring Janet completely as her gaze raked over Kasia. "Who's the fresh meat? Don't think I've seen you around before."
"See, what we're not going to do is talk like I'm not here," Kasia said, causing Miraya to grin.
"Oh okay. We got attitude on this one," Miraya responded.
Kasia bristled, her muscles tensing as she prepared to let loose a scathing retort. But before she could respond, Janet cut in swiftly.
"She's the sole survivor of the Lycan Pack that was attacked last month. Her name is Kasia."
Miraya's sneer deepened, her eyes flashing with contempt. "Well, that's what they get for trying to make it on their own. But I guess you're lucky you're not that human they took in. Alpha Ethan should send her back to her own kind or put her out of her misery."
Kasia clenched her fists under the table, rage simmering beneath the surface. She fought to keep her voice steady. "Why? What happened to the human?"
Miraya let out a cruel laugh. "Oh, honey, did you hurt your head during the attack? Humans and wolves- that's never going to be a thing, no matter how hard the little rat tries."
'What did she mean by that?' Kasia thought. She was preparing to respond when Miraya continued. "I'll give you some advice. If you want to make it in this pack, don't align yourself with weaklings."
She bared her teeth in a smile. "No wolf wants to be saddled with a weak little human as their mate. It's a liability."
Kasia's hands curled into fists under the table, her nails biting into her palms. She could feel the rage boiling up inside her, threatening to spill over.
Miraya's eyes glittered with malice. "Maybe we'll get lucky, and Alpha Ethan will just put his pet human out of her misery. It's only a matter of time before one of us snaps and rips her throat out."
Kasia trembled with the effort to restrain herself, her hunter instincts screaming at her to attack. But she knew she had to bide her time and gather information. "Thanks for the information."
"Anytime. You should come hang out with us. Bye," Miraya said with a dismissive wave before walking back to her table.
"Kasia, don't believe what she said. She..."
Kasia rose from her seat, cutting Janet off. "Excuse me," she bit out. "I need to go to the restroom."
Before she did something she'd regret, Kasia strode briskly to the restroom, fists clenched white-knuckled at her sides. She shoved the door open hard, letting it bang against the outer wall. Kasia quickly went to the sink and splashed cold water on her face.
Kasia paced in tight circles, hands clenched, jaw tight. The urge to march back inside and wipe the smug look off Miraya's face was almost overwhelming. With effort, Kasia reined in her temper.
Kasia splashed water on her face one more time before turning to get a paper towel. She noticed a woman had come into the bathroom and was staring at her.
"Hello?" Kasia said, breaking the silence.
"How lucky I am to meet Alpha Ethan's new play toy."