Chapter 164: Who's the Real Trash?
Madeline’s POV:
Hayley greeted me with a forced smile. “Ms. Kilmer, do you need something?”
I locked eyes with her, amazed by how composed an Omega like her could appear in front of us.
“Madeline, is this the Ms. Carson you mentioned?” teased my close friend, Jessica Harrison. “Her looks are… distinctive.”
Her sarcasm made us burst into laughter at Hayley.
“Jessica, don’t be so harsh,” I said, smirking. “Even if Ms. Carson isn’t much to look at, she’s got guts. She’s one of the few Omegas who dares to show such disrespect to higher-ranking werewolves. Brazen and shameless behavior like hers is rare.”
Jessica, unbothered, shot Hayley a disdainful glance. “Having her around truly drags down the vibe of this place. It’s bad luck being stuck in the same room as her.”
Watching Hayley’s expression darken after Jessica’s comment, I felt a sense of satisfaction. But I knew Hayley wasn’t someone who could be pushed around so easily.
As expected, she fired back. “If being near me bothers you so much, why don’t you leave? Trash should know its place.”
Jessica’s face flushed with rage. “How dare you! Who are you calling trash? Take a good look at yourself before insulting me!”
Sophie Lynch, who stood on my left, chimed in. “It’s one thing to be ugly, but you shouldn’t be out here scaring people.”
Hayley crossed her arms and gave us a withering glare. “Haven’t your owners ever taught you to stop barking at anyone for no reason?”
She turned her gaze to me next. “And you, Madeline—still playing petty games? Or did you forget how badly things went for you last time? Need a reminder?”
The threat in her voice was unmistakable.
I had hoped to see Hayley humiliate herself. But instead, she managed to shut us down with just a few sharp words. I knew continuing this argument would get us nowhere, so I decided to back off and focus on finding another way to deal with her later.
Jessica and Sophie weren’t ready to let it go, but I stopped them. “Let it be. We’ve got more important things to do right now.”
Jessica and Sophie were unhappy. If I hadn’t pushed them to provoke Hayley, they wouldn’t have ended up on the receiving end of her sharp tongue. To make matters worse, instead of backing them up, I told them to drop it, which only fueled their anger.
I was about to explain myself, but they didn’t give me the chance.
“Madeline, you’re the one who encouraged us to do this, and now you’re acting like it wasn’t your idea. How ungrateful can you be?” Jessica snapped, glaring.
Sophie joined in, her voice filled with anger. “Don’t treat us like pawns in your games! Do you think we’re stupid?”
I hadn’t expected them to turn on me before we could even talk about dealing with Hayley. Their sudden backlash caught me off guard. But I had bigger priorities right now, and I couldn’t afford to upset them further.
Trying to calm them down, I spoke quickly, “Listen, I know how frustrating this is, but I’ve been on the losing side with her before. She might just be an Omega, but don’t forget she’s part of the Shadow Pack’s ruling family. Old Mr. Southwell and Benjamin won’t hesitate to defend her. She’s not easy to handle—she even left you two speechless. Trust me, I know how it feels to lose to her. I’ve been through it myself. Don’t fault me for staying out of this. I dare not. She’s got leverage over me. If she takes her grievances to Benjamin, I might end up being expelled from the pack.”
I deliberately looked as though the situation weighed heavily on me.
Jessica’s frustration seemed to ease. “Fine, Madeline. I’m not mad at you anymore. Hayley is a tough one to deal with. I’ll have to come up with a good way to put her in her place.”
She paused, then grinned slyly. “Didn’t you say you had something planned for tonight? Why not include her in it? That low-ranking guard with human blood could be useful. Let’s see how she handles him.”
We exchanged knowing smiles, silently reaching the same conclusion. Hayley, this time, I’d make sure you wouldn’t get away unscathed.
Alpha Hayley’s Destined Mate: