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“But Olivia, if you require a husband, and I swear on the honour of my father, on all that I hold dear. The duke is a good man. He is a man of honour. He would never force himself on you. Please, please believe me. I know no ill of him. He is the best of alphas!”
“Have you met him?” She asked.
I absently traced the bracelet she wore on her wrist. “If I say I have, then know that if... There are alphas in the world who would lie down in the mud rather than allow your foot to touch the ground. Think on it, Olivia. If you could have your most perfect life what would it be?”
“I’d rather hear yours first...”
I frowned. Her bracelet was very pretty, and I was so enamoured of it that it took me a moment before I answered. “I would want... I would want to marry, to mate with someone I could always be myself with. To always give an honest answer. Even if we lived the simplest life, I would be happy with the person who—“
“That is how I feel.”
I looked up to see her face so close to mine that I could feel her breath on my cheek. Her scent had thickened with the strength of her emotion. “Olivia, I should probably—“
“Don’t leave me,” she begged. “I was just going to tell you what I dream of. A quiet life. Away from the city. I am so shy around strangers. I want warm arms to sleep in at the end of the day. To rest my head against a pillow-like breast...”
She trailed off at the humph from her ever present chaperone. I’d seen her sneer at Olivia, at me, but there was no way to be rid of her.
“Do you take issue with what we are speaking of, madam?” I asked.
“You omegas are so full of yourselves. Your perfect little dreams lack any understanding of the realities of the world. You have been put on this earth to temper alphas nothing more. An omega is worth the price of their holes. If that cannot—“
“Enough!” I roared. “How dare you speak so? Do you think that there is no equality...”
“I am a beta. I am not ruled by those urges,” she sneered. “The urges turn you into snivelling beasts. Rather be born a beta than an omega. The basest and lowest of all dynamics. We’d be better off without any of you.”
I did not notice myself moving but I felt the moment that my palm connected with her cheek. The crone recoiled with a scream as if I had stabbed her.
“You are a creature that deserves a muzzle like the bitch you are,” the beta screamed so loud I winced. “Do you think you will get away with this, you dirty whore!”
“That is enough!” Came a deep bark from the door. It was Caroline, looking every inch the powerful alpha in her dark suit. “You are no longer needed. Leave this instant. Your things will be—“
“You cannot. I was hired by your father, the vicar, not you.”
“And I will tell him exactly what you said. And do not expect a reference. Out!” the alpha shouted.
“I shall take this up with the relevant authorities. Alphas always bowing and scraping to the delicate omega needs. Betas are the oppressed! We shall overthrow you here as we have in France! There will be revolution and alpha and omega heads will roll.”
“I do not care what dynamic you are,” Caroline said with deadly calm. “I do not care what dynamic these ladies are. You are discourteous. To your employer, to her guest. Leave now while my temper is...” I marvelled that Caroline allowed the bitter woman to leave without throwing her out. Syon, I knew, would have thrown her out. Perhaps as a woman, she had a kind of control that a male alpha might lack.
“I’m leaving, you bitch!” She shoved me so that I tripped over my skirts and fell hard to the ground.
The door bounced on its hinges but that was the only noise until a tremulous sob broke the silence.
Olivia sat on the sofa, her hands clutching her skirts and tears streaming from eyes that were scrunched closed. Caroline moved first, falling to her knees at Olivia’s feet. But she hesitated to touch the crying omega, and I knew why. It would be a gross overstepping of alpha authority. No matter her instincts to soothe and protect, she was held back by the courtesy that she was not Olivia’s alpha. Caroline looked to me, begging for assistance. I struggled to my feet and sat next to Olivia, a hand on her back and a gentle kiss on the wet cheek.
“Has she done anything to you, said anything that made you uncomfortable before tonight?”
The small cry and the hands going to cover her face told us enough. Olivia’s companion had been... I did not know what.
“That bitch,” Caroline hissed.
Olivia flinched in my arms. “Olivia, you are fine. We shall find someone else... Someone kind.”
I looked up at Caroline. I had no authority to say as much but in that moment I would have said, would have done everything to protect the fragile creature in my arms.
“Let her take you to bed, Olivia,” Caroline pleaded. “Let her help you.”
Olivia safely in bed, I rejoined Caroline in the drawing room.
