Alpha Theo: Legacy Of The Banished Omega

Fake Friend

By the following morning, a message was sent to the Alpha’s estate kitchen quarters, addressed to Merida, the head maid. The instructions were precise: the finest preserved herbs in the storage room were to be set aside immediately and kept under the strictest watch until Damian’s arrival.

Merida, known for her discipline and perfectionism, took the order seriously. She personally checked the herbs in the storage room, daily after making her selections — herbs so rare and potent that they were considered treasures in any pack.

What Merida didn’t know was that her new assignment would soon spark an ugly chain of events… one that Samantha was already quietly plotting.

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When Maria continued to fume for days. At every chance she got to be with Samantha at the laundry room, she would continue to mutter curses under her breath about Merida. It was no secret that Merida’s tongue was sharper than a blade, but the way she singled Maria out for insults and extra work was cruel even by servant standards.

Samantha as usual would sit quietly beside her, nodding at the right moments, offering small hums of sympathy while inside, her mind churned. She had no intention of easing Maria’s suffering—quite the opposite. Every complaint Maria made, every vow of revenge she spat out, was like a thread Samantha could pull until the whole cloth of her friend’s life unraveled.

One evening, while the kitchen bustled with preparations for the Alpha’s evening meal, Samantha leaned close and whispered, “If you truly want to make her pay, I know a way. But it’s dangerous. If you’re caught…” She let the words trail off, watching Maria’s eyes spark with curiosity.

“What way?” Maria hissed back, almost desperate.

Samantha lowered her voice, letting her words drip with feigned caution. “Merida’s been guarding those precious herbs all week—ginseng, moonflower root, and a sprig of crimson sage. Damian’s pack treasures them for their rare healing properties. She plans to send them as a gift for the Alpha’s new pup. If something were to… happen to them, she’d be blamed.”

Maria’s breath quickened. “You’re saying I should take them?”

“I’m not saying anything,” Samantha replied with a shrug and a small, conspiratorial smile. “But if they were to vanish, Merida’s pride would be torn to shreds. And no one would suspect you—unless you were foolish enough to get caught.”

Maria’s temper outweighed her caution. That night, Samantha offered to help Cecilia, the maid whose turn is to lock up the storage room. And then, she subtly left the storage room door unlatched and arranged the herbs neatly in a basket—right where Maria could find them.

With her work done, Samantha wiped her hands and made her way to the head maid’s office.

Merida looked up from her ledger as Samantha stepped in. Her eyes narrowed immediately. “What do you want?”

Samantha folded her hands in front of her, the perfect image of humility. “I wouldn’t come to you without reason, Merida. But… I think you should check Maria’s laundry basket before it’s moved to the wash.”

Merida snorted. “Maria? You expect me to believe you? You’re the one who stirs trouble whenever you breathe.”

Samantha took a slow step closer, lowering her voice as if she were reluctant to say the words. “I’m not lying. I saw her take a pouch from the healer’s stores. If you don’t believe me, search her basket yourself. You’ll see it.”

Merida’s pen stilled over the page. “Why would you care?”

“Because,” Samantha said softly, with a note of wounded sincerity, “I thought you should know before she disgraces the pack further. I’ve done wrong before, I admit it… but this isn’t one of those times.”

The head maid’s suspicious gaze lingered on her, searching for the lie. Samantha kept her eyes steady, her face open, as though speaking nothing but the truth.

Finally, Merida slammed her ledger shut. “Fine. For once, I’ll humor you. But if you’re wasting my time…”

“You won’t regret it,” Samantha interrupted gently, masking the small flicker of satisfaction in her chest.

As they walked toward the laundry room, Samantha followed just a step behind, her lips curving in the faintest, private smile. The trap was set, and soon Maria’s world would collapse.

Meanwhile… It didn’t take long for Maria to slip in, snatched the basket, and hid it under a large apron. She barely made it three steps before Merida’s voice rang out like a whip crack. “What’s that you have there, Maria?”

The rest happened quickly—a shriek, the herbs tumbling to the floor, the other maids running out of their room, and gasping. Merida called in the guards, and Maria was dragged away, pleading her innocence.

Only Samantha knew the truth: Maria had walked straight into a trap of her making.

By dawn, Maria was locked in the dungeon, and Merida, fuming about the theft, demanded a replacement for her kitchen staff. Samantha, already waiting with a polite smile and lowered eyes, stepped forward. “I’ll do my best to serve you well, Head Maid.”

And just like that, her path into the heart of the Alpha’s estate was cleared.

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With Samantha now reassigned to the kitchen, she wasted no time trying to worm her way into Merida’s good graces. She offered to take on extra chores, spoke politely in public, and wore the mask of a diligent, humble worker. Merida, though still cautious, had noticeably loosened around her since the incident with Maria. Perhaps it was because Samantha had “helped” catch a thief, or perhaps it was because the kitchen needed every available hand—either way, Samantha seized every inch of ground she gained.

The morning of Alpha Damian’s visit arrived like a storm on the horizon. The pack was alive with restless energy, every corner humming with activity. By mid-morning, the air buzzed with anticipation, conversations carrying his name in awed tones. For many, he was more than a visiting alpha—he was the warrior who had crushed their tyrant, Queen Lila, and restored their chance at peace. To see him in person was an honor few could have imagined.

In the kitchen, it was even more intense—pots clanged, steam curled from boiling pots, and the fragrant scent of roasted meat and herbs filled the air.

Merida barked orders from the center like a general at war, her sharp eyes scanning every worker’s movements. Servants rushed in and out, arms laden with trays of delicacies and bundles of carefully prepared herbs meant as a gift for the newborn pup and his mother.

Samantha moved through it all with feigned obedience, her hands busy but her mind plotting. Every time Merida’s gaze lingered on her without suspicion, a small, secret smile tugged at the corner of her lips. This was her stage now. And she had no intention of playing the part of a background servant for long.

At the pack’s border, the welcoming party assembled in careful formation. Theo and Rina stood at the forefront, their attire modest yet refined—Theo in a crisp dark tunic embroidered with subtle silver thread, Rina in a soft green dress that complemented her warm complexion. Behind them stood Jihoo, the high-ranking officials, elders, and a small group of selected warriors, each in full ceremonial uniform.

The summer sun broke through the clouds, casting pale light over the earth. Breath misted in the early morning cold air as they waited, a hush falling over the crowd each time the wind carried the distant sound of hooves or wheels.

Rina’s hands tightened slightly around the basket she carried—filled with the best nutritional herbs for the Luna Ella and her pup, their earthy scent mingling with the crisp morning air. Theo glanced at her, offering a faint smile of reassurance, though his gaze kept straying to the horizon.

Somewhere beyond the trees, Alpha Damian was drawing near.