Episode 7.

"You hold the key to reaching her. If you can help me win her affections and bring her to me, name your reward. I am willing to pay any price to have her," Mula proposed, waiting for Athena's decision.

Athena took a deep breath, lost in thought about the proposal. She knew she could easily accept Mula's offer to assist him in winning over Elena without needing any payment, as long as it meant keeping Elena away from her beloved Dean.

However, certain aspects of Mula's statement made her hesitate. He mentioned he wasn't ready to settle down with Elena yet, which implied she might still have a chance to be with him as his mate without betraying him by siding with Mula.

The idea of letting Dean go on with Elena crossed her mind, thinking he might not truly commit to her, but if he later on did, it could be too late for her to take over Dean by then.

Athena believed Alpha Dean's sincerity when he declared Elena would be his last; she could see the determination in his eyes.

With these conflicting thoughts swirling in her mind, Athena found it challenging to respond immediately. She swallowed nervously before speaking, "This is a difficult decision. I would appreciate the opportunity to reflect on it at home and provide you with my answer by tomorrow." Mula gazed at her silently as she made her request.

He suspected she might be attempting to manipulate him and leave to inform Dean about their conversation, but he couldn't dwell on it further, as she had assured him of her return the next day, displaying her determination.

Nodding in agreement, he replied, "I'll await your response, hoping it will be in my favor," Mula accepted. Athena nodded back and swiftly rose to her feet, prepared to depart.

"Alright, I should head off now. They might be searching for me already," Athena stated before leaving his presence.

As she exited the grand mansion, she got into her car and drove away. Meanwhile, Max emerged from a corner near the mansion where he had been hiding, observing her departure.

He must have been driving past the house or he came to see Mula just to notice Athena's car at the compound. This made Max to recall her excuse earlier in the day when she mentioned she was just going to the market and would return quickly.

Seeing her at Alpha Mula's place piqued Max's curiosity about what transpired between her and Mula and why she had to lie about it.

After giving her car a brief glance as she drove off, Max nodded and entered his own car, embarking on his journey. The events of the day would surely be a topic of discussion upon his return later.

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Alpha Dean's Pack.

Elena and her omega servant continued their leisurely stroll around the territory.

"Do you see that statue over there?" Elisa asked, pointing towards a beautiful statue ahead of them.

"Yeah, it's stunning," Elena replied as they approached to get a closer look.

The statue depicted a man with remarkable realism, clearly crafted by a skilled architect.

"That's Alpha Dean's dad, the former Alpha of the pack. Alpha Dean made it in memory of his father; he was a great man," Elisa explained as they admired the statue.

While Elena appreciated the statue, she couldn't help but discreetly scan the area for a statue of Alpha Dean's mother also.

In many households, mothers are often more prominently recognized than fathers, so Elena wondered why Dean had only sculpted his father's likeness, not his mother's.

"I was thinking, why didn't he create a statue for his mother as well? I've seen his father, and he resembles Dean a lot," Elena remarked, studying the statue once more.

Elisa let out a heavy sigh. "No, he didn't sculpt a statue for his mother because the father was poisoned by mother," Elisa revealed, leaving Elena stunned.

This revelation was a new chapter in Alpha Dean's story that Elena had not yet heard. The idea of his mother poisoning his father seemed almost unbelievable.

“Why? What happened?” Elena inquired, as Elisa shook her head in response.

"I don't have all the details. Perhaps you could ask him about it directly" Elisa replied.

"And I think it was mother's actions that led Dean to become aggressive towards his Lunas. When they passed away, he would simply replace them. Now, I believe he realizes that such actions won't bring his father back," Elisa explained, leaving Elena surprised.

Elena was at a loss for words, realizing that her own struggles paled in comparison to the challenges faced by others, including those she had perceived as leading comfortable lives.

While Dean's story remained ambiguous to her, it was evident that she would need to inquire further. She had been informed that their family had a ruthless reputation, implying that her father must have committed grave offenses to provoke such a drastic reaction from her mother.

"My Luna, you must be tired. We've had quite a tour today. Let's head back so you can rest, but we can continue if you want," Elisa suggested.

Elena promptly declined, saying, "No, I'm done for today. Let's save the rest for tomorrow." The recent revelation had dampened her spirits, making it difficult to continue the tour.

Elisa accompanied her back to the apartment as they walked inside together.

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As they entered, Jared had already taken over the cleaning duties from the other girl, working diligently without showing any signs of fatigue.

These tasks were assigned to him by Athena, and he was determined to complete them without resting.

"Jared, have you finished cooking?" Elisa inquired as they met him at the parlor.

"Yes, just a few minutes ago," he replied, pausing from his cleaning duties to join the conversation.

"Have you prepared the Luna's..." Elisa wanted to request, but Elena cut her off.

"Don't worry about me, I'm not yet hungry. But how come you're still cleaning the parlor? Weren't you here before we left?" Elena asked, gesturing towards Jared, who shook his head disapprovingly.

"No, my Luna. I just arrived. The other girl was just helping me," Jared replied. Elena nodded slowly, looking puzzled.

"Why hasn't she finished cleaning the parlor by the time you're done cooking?" Elena inquired, while Jared gave a small smile.

"I think she's inexperienced. It might be her first time doing this kind of work since she's new here," Jared explained. Elena nodded understandingly.

"Alright... but you've done your best. Take a break, have something to eat, and let someone else take over," Elena adviced. Jared gratefully nodded, and Elena headed straight upstairs to her room to relax, gone are the days she's concerned about house chores.

"Jared, did you hear her? Go rest," Elisa reminded him as soon as Elena left for her room.

"It's Athena's orders. I can't stop until I've cleaned every corner of the house; that's what she wants," Jared explained. Elisa realized he was right.

"But why is she so harsh with you specifically? We have other omegas in the pack. Why single you out?" Elisa asked, puzzled by Athena's animosity towards Jared, who was undeniably hardworking despite it.

"Well, I don't know either," Jared replied with a shrug, resuming his tasks. Elisa promptly offered to help.

"Don't worry, just take a break while I assist you. You should seize this opportunity to grab something to eat from the pot before she returns," Elisa suggested, taking the rag he had been using to clean the parlor.

He watched her with immense gratitude. Among everyone in this pack, she was the only one who cared about him. The others didn't mind whether he worked all day; even the new girl that assisted him was only following the Alpha's orders.

"Thank you so much, Elisa," he expressed his gratitude as Elisa took charge. He then hurried to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat, intending to return promptly and resume his work.

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Hours Later.

Elena, feeling famished, left her room to find Elisa and place an order for food. As she descended the stairs, she found Elisa seated on the couch watching TV, with Jared already finished cleaning the parlor and likely resting.

"My Luna, you're up," Elisa acknowledged Elena's presence, to which Elena nodded.

"I'm feeling hungry now, so please have the food served," Elena ordered, prompting Elisa to stand up immediately.

"Sure, make yourself comfortable at the dining table; your meal will be ready soon," Elisa replied before leaving. Elena then took a seat at the dining table, waiting for her food.

Absentmindedly fiddling with her fingernails, another female omega brought the meal and placed it on the table and swiftly departing.

"Wait, Elisa, I..." Elena began, only to realize it wasn't Elisa who had served her but another female omega. The omega hesitated but refused to turn her face.

"Excuse me, look at me!" Elena demanded, causing the omega to slowly turn towards her.

"Minerva!?" Elena exclaimed in surprise.