Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 86

Lisa's POV

I could still feel the grin tugging at the corner of my lips as Kael and I made our way down the corridor toward the kitchen. The entire packhouse was unusually lively today, people running around preparing for one thing or another, and the air was filled with a faint scent of roasted meat and baked bread. Kael, walking beside me, was humming some ridiculous tune under his breath like he had no care in the world, swinging his hands as if he owned the hallway.

“You know,” I said, glancing at him, “you look far too pleased with yourself for someone who just got dragged into kitchen duty.”

Kael smirked, puffing his chest like a rooster. “Kitchen duty? Please. I’m not here to cook. I’m here to supervise. Besides, you’re the one sneaking in for cookies. I’m simply escorting you.”

“Escort?” I scoffed. “You practically begged to come with me. Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor.”

He clutched his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Lisa. Truly. Can’t a gentleman accompany a lady to the kitchen without his noble intentions being questioned?”

I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt. “You? A gentleman? That’s rich.”

We reached the wide, bright kitchen, and as soon as the door swung open, the warmth and smell of sugar, butter, and freshly baked pastries enveloped me. My stomach actually growled. A group of maids were busy moving trays and stacking jars, their laughter filling the space. At the center, Calla was wiping her hands on a towel, her eyebrows raising when she spotted us.

“Well, well, what are you two sneaking in here for?” she asked, smirking knowingly.

Before I could form an excuse, Kael clapped his hands together. “Cookies and wine!” he announced proudly, like it was some grand decree.

I groaned under my breath. Subtlety clearly wasn’t his strong suit.

“Cookies and wine?” Calla repeated, raising a brow. “And what exactly are we celebrating?”

That was my cue to step in, but Kael—predictably—beat me to it. He stepped forward, puffing his chest again like a child showing off a stolen trophy. “Celebrating the great Lisa!” he blurted out, gesturing toward me with both hands as if presenting a queen. “The omega who single-handedly defeated Alpha Enzo himself!”

The room froze for a moment before bursting into a chorus of gasps, laughter, and playful squeals.

“You what?” one of the younger maids asked, her eyes wide as saucers.

“You mean *our* Alpha Enzo?” another chimed in, covering her mouth as though she couldn’t believe it.

Kael nodded enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. “Exactly! That one. She took him down. You should’ve seen it—he didn’t stand a chance!”

“Kael!” I hissed under my breath, tugging at his sleeve. “Stop exaggerating!”

But it was too late. The maids had already erupted into laughter, clapping and pointing, voices overlapping in excitement.

“An omega defeated our Alpha?”

“This is the best thing I’ve heard all week!”

“Imagine his face—oh, the mighty Enzo brought down by Lisa!”

They all doubled over, some nearly dropping the trays they were holding. Even Calla had her hand pressed to her lips, her shoulders shaking.

“Oh, Goddess,” one maid said breathlessly. “If the rest of the pack hears this, Enzo will never live it down!”

Kael was basking in the chaos like a cat lying in the sun, proud and completely unbothered. He threw his arm around my shoulders, grinning like an idiot. “See? I told you it’s worth celebrating. The legend of Lisa will echo through the halls of this packhouse for generations.”

I slapped his arm away, glaring at him. “Do you ever shut up?”

“Nope,” he said cheerfully.

By then the laughter was reaching dangerous levels. Some of the maids were already whispering about spreading the story, and the last thing I wanted was for Enzo himself to hear about it from anyone other than me—if at all.

“Alright, that’s enough!” I said firmly, grabbing Kael’s wrist before he could dig me any deeper into humiliation. “You’ve caused enough trouble for one day.”

The maids’ laughter followed us out of the kitchen as I dragged him down the hallway, his feet stumbling behind mine.

“Lisa, wait, I wasn’t finished!” he protested, still laughing. “I was about to reenact the fight for them—complete with sound effects!”

“If you dare, I’ll actually throw you into the river,” I snapped.

“That’s harsh,” he chuckled, finally slowing down when I released him. “But worth it. Did you see their faces? Priceless.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling slowly. “You’re going to get me killed one day.”

“Pfft. Nah. Enzo might growl a little, maybe glare, but deep down he’s already wrapped around your finger.” Kael wiggled his brows.

“Kael!”

“What? I’m just saying the truth.”

We eventually reached the attic garden, one of my favorite spots in the entire packhouse. It was quiet, filled with greenery, little benches, and flowers blooming in soft shades of pink and white. The afternoon sun filtered through the glass ceiling, casting a gentle glow. I sat down on one of the benches with a sigh of relief, while Kael sprawled out dramatically across the one opposite me.

“So,” he said after a beat, “you really don’t enjoy the chaos you cause, do you?”

I gave him a pointed look. “Chaos you cause, you mean. You didn’t have to say all that back there.”

“Oh, but I did,” he said with a smug smile. “Otherwise, life would be so boring.”

I shook my head, unable to hold back a small laugh. “You’re impossible.”

He sat up suddenly, his expression softening as he studied me. “So tell me, what’s really bothering you?”

I hesitated, staring at the flowers instead of meeting his gaze. “I’m just… bored, Kael. I feel like I’m not doing anything useful here. And Enzo—he only made it worse by changing my room. It feels like I’m being pushed around with no say in anything.”

Kael tilted his head thoughtfully. “Boredom is dangerous. It makes people think too much.”

I gave him a halfhearted smile. “So what are you suggesting?”

“Work,” he said immediately, his grin returning. “Plenty of it. You want to help me?”

I raised a brow. “Help you with what? Don’t you have duties as Enzo’s Gamma or whatever?”

He snorted. “Oh, Enzo’s the one who punished me. He dumped the entire responsibility of preparing the pack’s annual celebration on me and Atlas. And then Atlas and I played a stupid game to see who’d handle it, and guess who lost?”

“You,” I said flatly.

“Me,” he admitted with a sheepish grin. “So now I’m stuck with everything. Decorations, entertainment, food, the whole deal.”

I leaned forward, intrigued despite myself. “That’s… a lot. Why would Enzo dump it all on you?”

“Because apparently, teasing him too much has consequences.” Kael sighed dramatically. “Who knew the Alpha didn’t like being reminded of his glorious defeat?”

I stifled a laugh, covering my mouth. “Serves you right.”

“But now I have you,” he said, suddenly pointing at me with mock seriousness. “And you’re not allowed to say no. You’re officially my co-conspirator.”

I tilted my head. “Oh, am I?”

“Yes. In fact, you should oversee the games. We need entertainment that will impress not just Enzo but the other Alphas and their heirs too.”

I thought about it for a moment, tapping my chin. “Games, huh? What kind of games do wolves even play at these events?”

Kael shrugged. “The usual. Wrestling matches, hunting competitions, tests of strength. But honestly, it gets repetitive. We need something different. Something fun.”

I pursed my lips, the wheels in my mind turning. “What about olden games? Things that make people think instead of just fight?”

He leaned closer, eyes lighting up. “Like what?”

“Well,” I began, counting on my fingers, “we could do quizzes. Or riddles. Maybe a game of wits where they have to solve puzzles under pressure. It’ll be hilarious to see these so-called mighty heirs trying to think their way out of something.”

Kael burst out laughing, clapping his hands. “Oh, I love it already. Imagine Atlas scratching his head over a riddle.”

“Exactly,” I said, grinning now. “Or even better, team games. Something that forces them to work together instead of always competing for dominance. We could set up obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, maybe even… charades?”

“Charades?” Kael nearly fell off the bench laughing. “Lisa, if I get Atlas to act out a chicken in front of everyone, I’ll owe you my life.”

I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. “Then let’s make it happen.”

Kael leaned back, wiping tears from his eyes. “You know, you might actually save this entire celebration. With you in charge, it might not be a complete disaster after all.”

“Don’t put it all on me,” I warned, though a part of me was already excited by the challenge. “You’re still the one responsible. I’m just… helping.”

“Helping?” He grinned. “You’re doing all the work. I’ll just stand by, look handsome, and take the credit.”

I threw a cookie crumb at him. “In your dreams.”