Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the King

The ceremonial hall buzzed with activity as I carefully arranged crystal glasses on silver trays. My fingers trembled slightly, still processing the shock of seeing Max Cruz wielding Devon's VIP card. The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound could.

"Hey, you!" Max's gravelly voice sliced through the ambient noise. "The one with the silver trays. Come here."

I froze, feeling dozens of eyes shift toward me. Luna growled inside my mind, her anger mirroring my own.

*Stay calm,* I reminded myself. *We need to see how far this goes.*

Slowly, I approached Max, keeping my eyes lowered as expected of an Omega servant. He stood taller than I remembered, his broad shoulders blocking the light from the stained glass windows.

"So you're the one they call Savanna," Max said, his lips curling into a smirk. "I've heard about you. The pretty little Omega who thinks she's special."

My heart skipped a beat. How did he know my name?

"I don't recall giving you permission to speak," Max continued, circling me like a predator. "In fact, I don't recall giving you permission to stand while I'm sitting."

He gestured to a plush chair that had been reserved for pack elders. The gall of him—a rogue sitting in an elder's seat.

"Kneel," he commanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "And hold that tray steady while I decide what I want."

I felt the weight of every eye in the room. Catherine stood nearby, her face a mixture of horror and fascination.

"Do as he says," she whispered urgently. "That's an Alpha VIP command."

Slowly, I lowered myself to one knee, the silver tray balanced in my trembling hands. Luna whimpered in pain, our shared dignity wounded by this public humiliation.

Max's laughter echoed off the marble walls. "Look at that. Isn't this a pretty sight? The perfect example of knowing your place in the pack hierarchy."

I kept my gaze fixed on the floor, but I could feel the heat of shame crawling up my neck. My wolf clawed at my insides, desperate to break free and tear Max's throat out.

"Higher," Max demanded, pointing at the tray. "Hold it up where I can reach it properly."

I raised the heavy silver tray, my arms beginning to ache from the strain.

"That's better," he said, deliberately taking his time to select a crystal glass filled with deep red wine. "See how much better things work when people know their place?"

He took a slow sip, his eyes never leaving mine. "I think I'm going to enjoy this ceremony."

The doors swung open as more pack members filed in, their conversations dying as they noticed the scene before them. Max seemed to revel in their attention.

"Now," he announced loudly enough for everyone to hear, "I think we need to establish how things will work today."

He turned to me again, his smile widening. "You'll stay right here, holding that tray while I eat. And when I'm done, you'll clean up after me. Like a good little pet."

Luna roared inside me, her fury matching my own. I fought to keep my Alpha aura suppressed, knowing that revealing myself now would ruin everything.

The doors opened again, and three more men entered—all with the same rough appearance and predatory demeanor as Max.

"There he is!" one of them called out, spotting Max. "Told you this VIP access would get us in anywhere!"

They strode over, ignoring the stunned silence of the pack members.

"Well, well," one of them said, his eyes traveling up and down my body. "What have we here?"

His hand reached out, fingers brushing against my arm as I held the tray steady.

"Please don't touch me," I said quietly, unable to stop myself.

"Oh, she's feisty," another one laughed. "I like that."

The third man moved closer, his breath hot against my ear. "You know what would look good on you? Nothing at all."

I jerked away instinctively, nearly dropping the tray.

"Careful now," Max warned, his voice cold. "That's expensive silver."

I looked desperately toward the pack security stationed around the room. Ryan Mitchell met my eyes briefly before looking away, his jaw tight with discomfort but his hands firmly at his sides.

"Please," I whispered, not even sure who I was asking anymore.

"Please what?" the man whispered back, his hand sliding up my thigh. "Please stop? Or please continue?"

Luna howled in agony inside me, the mate bond twisting painfully as I endured this violation. Where was Devon? And why had he given these monsters access to our sacred spaces?

The man's hand moved higher, and I knew with sickening certainty that no one was going to intervene. Not the security, not my fellow pack members, and certainly not my supposed mate who had betrayed me in the worst possible way.