Fated: The Alpha's Unwanted Luna-Chapter 102: Jealousy_Part 2

In Angela’s mind, she was superior to this wolfless outsider. She firmly believed that if a moment ever came when Sebastian had to choose between the two of them, he would choose her without hesitation. She had known him since childhood, had grown up in his home, had been near him for years.

This wolfless woman, on the other hand, was someone he would marry only because she had won a competition, not because he had chosen her from his heart.

Angela did not bother to hide the anger and bitter hatred on her face. She believed the useless woman could not see it, but she had completely forgotten about the reflective glass panels lining this particular hallway, which allowed Viola to catch every single expression mirrored clearly behind her.

Viola nearly rolled her eyes at the sight of Angela’s twisted expression. The girl truly did not need to exhaust herself over the Alpha. Viola was not stealing him from her. The marriage was nothing more than a means to secure her revenge and protect her sister, nothing sentimental, nothing romantic. Moreover, it was not as though she planned to set foot in this mansion again.

She had only entered because Sebastian had been unconscious. Once she left, she doubted she would ever return here, even after their marriage. She was well aware that Sebastian had not housed his Luna here since his first wife. This was not her home, and Angela was certainly not working under her authority.

Whatever feelings Angela harbored for the Alpha, Viola had no intention of interfering, as long as Angela did not attempt to scheme against her the way Viola herself had once schemed against women who dared to approach someone she considered hers.

She had once been a morally ruthless woman, willing to take any path necessary to remove rivals from her man’s side. And she had recognized that same dangerous glint in Angela’s eyes.

But she no longer possessed the energy, or the cruelty, of her former self to battle another woman over a man.

Still, something inside Viola was unsettled by Angela’s possessiveness toward the Alpha. The feeling was disturbingly familiar; it was the same instinct she used to experience whenever she sensed a threat to someone she claimed. What she did not understand was why she would feel even a flicker of that toward this infuriating Alpha.

She quickly shook the thought away as Angela led her into a bedroom and then into an adjoining bathroom.

Unlike earlier, when Angela had concealed her dislike in Sebastian’s presence, she made no effort to hide it now. She scoffed openly before storming out of the bathroom, returning moments later with a dress in her hand. Without ceremony, she tossed it over Viola’s head.

"Open the wall cabinet. There are soaps and lotion inside," Angela said curtly. "You will find a new set of toothpaste and a brush to use. And whatever you use," she added in a tone befitting a mistress addressing a servant, "make certain you dispose of it. The Alpha hates sharing his things with people, especially those beneath him. He does not like seeing such items left where he can notice them. Throw everything away."

After speaking, she fixed Viola with a challenging look as if daring her to protest the rude treatment.

Viola merely watched her with a detached, unreadable expression, as though neither the insult nor the tone had touched her. That only infuriated Angela further. She had hoped to provoke Viola into reacting, perhaps into acting arrogantly, like someone already claiming the title of Luna, scolding or even striking an omega for her insolence.

Angela wanted her to lash out. Even a slap would suffice. Then she could cry before the Alpha, who disliked women prematurely assuming the authority of Luna before being formally crowned. She had seen it done before where one of the women he took mistreated an omega because she already thought herself his future Luna, but in the end, Sebastian had banished her from his pack.

Though Angela did not relish the thought of bruising her carefully maintained face, she was willing to endure it if it meant positioning herself above this outsider. No matter how Viola had won the competition, she did not belong among those Sebastian kept close, like Angela herself.

Viola, however, was fully aware of what Angela was attempting. She simply did not have the energy for such games.

"I will dispose of everything I use," Viola replied calmly. "If you will excuse me, I would like to remove my clothes."

Angela’s fingers curled into tight fists. She opened her mouth as though to retort, then closed it again. Finally, she turned sharply and left, silently vowing to deal with Viola later.

After all, she had already acted, by handing her the late Alpha mother’s dress, which Sebastian had forbidden anyone to touch in his room. He would be furious if he saw someone else wearing it.

A smirk curved across Angela’s lips as she walked away, pleased with her plan.

Inside the bathroom, Viola brushed her teeth in the sink and put her hair up in a shower cap before stepping into the shower. Unfortunately, every product in the cabinet was distinctly masculine. There was not a single feminine item in sight. She hoped the Alpha would not object to her using his body wash and lotions.

Just as Angela had instructed, she discarded the toothbrush and any disposable items she had used. It would indeed be inappropriate to leave her personal things in his private space.

From the towel to the lotion, everything carried his signature scent. By the time she finished, her own natural fragrance had been completely masked by his. She bit the inside of her cheek thoughtfully.

Would he be displeased?

Regardless, he had given her permission to freshen up here. And since there were no feminine products available, only expensive, high-end men’s brands, she had little choice.

She did not wash her hair, so dressing did not take long. She was already eager to return downstairs for breakfast.

When she slipped into the simple yellow gown, which appeared designed to fall just above or below the knees, it hung much lower on her frame and reached all the way to her ankle.

It looked loose and ill-fitted to her petite body. The sleeves were wide and gathered at the wrists, and the neckline dipped into a V with small buttons down the front. A thin tie at the waist pulled it in slightly, while the rest of the dress flowed freely down to her ankles.

Standing before his mirror, she examined herself critically. The dress did nothing to flatter her shape. Instead, it made her look like a child playing dress-up in her mother’s wardrobe. She assumed it must belong to Zoe or some other tall woman. Zoe, after all, possessed the kind of striking figure that seemed to run in the Kade lineage as every single one of them were a walking beauty.

Viola considered changing back into her original dress, but its fabric had been uncomfortable and tended to cling awkwardly after meals, emphasizing her stomach. With a small sigh, she decided to leave the yellow dress on and exited the room.

Angela was nowhere in sight by the time she stepped into the hallway again, and Viola felt a quiet wave of relief. The girl was exhausting and annoying, and she would not mind if they never crossed paths again.

---

Sebastian had taken off his apron and changed into a dark blue tank top with a basketball print on the front. He was placing the final touches on the breakfast table when he sensed Viola’s presence approaching from behind.

He turned around, but his breath caught in his throat the moment he saw what she was wearing.

His eyes narrowed on the dress for a brief second before the tension slowly eased. Had it been anyone else, he would have been furious, perhaps even ready to kill, for daring to touch that dress, let alone wear it. But she was not just anyone. There was no way she could have known that he had forbidden anyone from touching his late mother’s belongings.

He had never told her.

Strangely, she looked good in it. The soft yellow fabric swayed gently with every step she took, and the sight made his eyes softened. It reminded him of his mother, of how she had always looked radiant even in the simplest outfits. The dress, though slightly loose on Viola’s smaller frame, didn’t take away her beauty in it.

When she drew closer, he noticed something else.

She smelled just like him!

His scent clung to her body, layered over the faint sweetness of her daisy fragrance hidden beneath. The mixture was intoxicating. It reminded him faintly of the way mates carried each other’s scent after heated sex.

The thought of such intimacy with her made his lower belly clench, and his briefs tightened around his hardened length in uncomfortable arousal. How a simple thought of her could arouse him so fast?

He had never brought any woman here before, so he had never bothered to purchase female products. Unless she stayed long enough to explore the mansion thoroughly, she would not know that Zoe’s belongings were stored away carefully in one of the unused rooms, preserved along with her dresses for the rare occasions she visited.

Still, he was oddly glad Viola had used his things.

The more she used what belonged to him, the more satisfied he felt. The persistent ache of the mate bond inside his chest when he hurt her, seemed to quiet slightly. Even his mood, which had been soured earlier when she distanced herself from him, brightened again. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"What... are you looking at?" Viola asked, her voice slightly self-conscious as she adjusted her glasses and smoothed down the dress. She could feel his gaze fixed on her. He stood there holding two plates in his hands, his eyes glued to her.

Yeah, she knew she looked bad but he didn’t have to stare.

Sebastian bit back a smile and shook his head lightly. "Nothing. Yellow suits you, like a blooming sunflower," he said casually. "I like sunflowers. They’re beautiful, so beautiful."

He watched as a faint blush rose to her cheeks. She quickly looked away, clearly flustered by the compliment. The chandelier lights above reflected off her ebony-black hair and glossy skin, making her look even prettier in that moment. A satisfied grin tugged at his lips.

At least she reacted like other women when complimented. She was not completely indifferent to him. That was a good sign.

’You have been grinning way too much lately, don’t tell me you have fallen for her? She’s mine because you said you don’t want her, and until you eat my shit, I don’t think you should look at her for me,’ Muffin, who had been buried at the back of Sebastian’s mind by the venom of the black howler, stirred awake now.

Sebastian immediately pushed him back into the depths of his consciousness, preferring the silence. He liked it better without his wolf talking and distracting him from quietly admiring his mate.