The Alpha King's Hidden Defiant Omega

Bridgette Coleman POV:

I pushed open the door to the staff lounge, hoping for a brief moment of quiet before my shift officially began. But the toxic whispers from the hallway had already seeped inside. My head was pounding. I'd barely slept last night, and the dim light of the lounge offered no comfort.

In the corner, two nurses were huddled by the coffee machine, their eyes darting toward me with undisguised contempt. They didn't even bother to lower their voices when they saw me.

"... that's her, Dr. Coleman. After that kind of scandal, how does she even have the nerve to show her face in the lounge?"

The words, sharp as needles, pierced the fog of my exhaustion.

"Right? Her brother is barely cold, and she was out hooking up last night. I think she's just a cold-blooded monster," the other intern whispered maliciously.

"Well, they weren't blood-related anyway. She was probably hoping he'd die so she wouldn't have to pay his medical bills. For an Omega, she's completely shameless..."

My hands clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms. The physical pain was a welcome distraction from the storm of grief and rage inside me. They didn't know the truth. They didn't know that every breath I took hurt without Leo. I was playing the role of a heartless opportunist just to gather resources and stay close to the Pack's core to investigate the real cause of his death.

I took a deep breath, smoothing my expression into a pleasant smile. I walked over to the coffee machine, pretending to stumble slightly just as the loudest nurse turned around. My hand "slipped," and half a cup of hot, dark coffee splashed directly onto her pristine white uniform. She shrieked, jumping back.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!" I gasped, quickly grabbing a napkin and aggressively rubbing the stain, making it spread even further. I leaned in close, my voice dropping to a sweet, venomous whisper only she could hear. "My hands are just so shaky today. Kind of like how you almost mixed up the dosages in Room 4 yesterday. Accidents happen when people don't keep their mouths shut and focus on their own business, don't they?" The nurse turned pale as a sheet, backing away in terror.

The door swished open and my friend, Farrah Wiley, walked in. Her brow furrowed when she saw my pale face. "Bridgette? You look like you haven't slept in three days." She rushed over, pressing a fresh cup of coffee into my hands. "Were those two interns gossiping again?"

I shook my head, not wanting to talk about it. "No, just tired."

Farrah sighed, sitting beside me. "Ignore them. What do they know? They just like to tear down successful Omegas." She flipped open a tabloid magazine on the table. "Speaking of gossip, the whole Pack is taking bets on who will be the Alpha King's Luna. Look at these candidates. Pureblood Alphas, elite backgrounds, flawless pedigrees."

I glanced at the glossy pages featuring Harden's face next to various noble women. A self-deprecating smile touched my lips. "Well, it's definitely not going to be either of us."

Farrah laughed, the tension breaking. "You bet. We're just working-class grunts. Whoever gets him will have to deal with his crazy sister, anyway."

My pager buzzed, a summons from the ER. I stood up immediately, the professional mask sliding back into place. "I have to go."

I walked quickly down the brightly lit hospital corridor, my heels clicking on the polished floor. As I rounded a corner, I froze.

A few yards ahead, a group of people stood clustered around a tall, imposing figure. It was Harden.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his powerful Alpha presence a palpable force that silenced the entire hallway. And beside him, her hand resting intimately on his arm, was an elegant, equally powerful female wolf. She had stunning blonde hair and a confident smile as she spoke to Harden in a low voice.

My stomach dropped. I knew who she was. Kayleigh Reid, the Alpha daughter of the Reid Pack. Rumor had it she was the one Harden's family had chosen for him, his perfect match. They looked like they belonged together, a picture-perfect royal couple.

Behind me, Farrah gasped. "Oh my god, that's Kayleigh Reid... What is she doing with the Alpha King? They look so intimate."

Harden's gaze swept the hallway and for a single, heart-stopping second, his eyes met mine.

There was no surprise in them. Just the same cold, assessing look he'd give a piece of furniture, or a stranger he'd passed on the street.

I tore my eyes away, straightened my spine, and wiped all expression from my face. I didn't slow down. I didn't change course. As I passed them, one of Kayleigh's massive bodyguards stepped into my path to block me. Instead of arguing, I kept my eyes glued to my medical chart and "accidentally" brought my stiletto heel down squarely on his toes, twisting it hard. The bodyguard let out a muffled grunt of pain and stumbled back.

"Oh, excuse me," I said with an innocent, apologetic smile, though my eyes flicked up to meet Harden's with a subtle, defiant smirk. I walked right past them without another word. I could feel Harden's gaze lingering on my back, and I knew for a fact that the Alpha King was currently fighting a very amused smile.

Once I was around the next corner, safely out of their sight, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. My nerves were still screaming.

In my pocket, my phone vibrated. A new text message. I didn't need to look to know who it was from**, but I pulled it out anyway.**

"I saw you, my fierce little Omega. Nice move with the heel."

A bitter, self-deprecating smirk tugged at my lips. The contrast was almost laughable. In real life, under the glaring lights of the hospital, he treated me like invisible dirt, a stranger unworthy of a second glance while his perfect Alpha match stood by his side. Yet, in the shadows of a text message, he flirted with me, his tone dripping with an arrogant, ambiguous heat.