Kyra’s POV
I was checking the footage of the surveillance video again when I accidentally poked myself in the eye with my finger. I groaned and rubbed my eyes, but it only made the sting worse.
"You’re making it worse," Sylvia, my wolf, chided in my mind. "Stop rubbing it."
"What’s wrong, Luna?"
With my other eye, I saw Luke approaching. After what happened last night, he was alert to any sign of danger.
"I poked my eye."
"Allow to check."
I lowered my hand and tilted my face up. He hesitated for a second—touching an Alpha’s mate, even a rejected one, was risky—but finally cupped my chin to examine my eye.
"It’s reddish now. Should I call the pack doctor?"
I laughed at his concern. "I just poked my eye. It’s nothing serious, Luke. Do you want to summon the entire dical team to co here?"
My forehead creased when I caught sight of Alpha Nathan storming past my office, his expression angry. Even with my blurry vision, I recognized the rigid set of his shoulders—the way they tensed when he was furious.
"What’s his problem now?" Sylvia growled.
I shrugged and turned back to my phone, checking my reflection in the cara. Before I could focus, my assistant knocked and entered, carrying a glass of juice and pasta. I had asked for it because I suddenly craved pasta.
As soon as the food was placed on my table and its aroma reached my nose, I suddenly felt sick.
I cupped my stomach and ran to the restroom. I retched as soon as I reached the sink. I didn’t throw up anything, but I suddenly felt weak.
When I lifted my head, Luke stood behind in the mirror’s reflection. I rinsed my mouth quickly, avoiding his gaze.
I was relieved he didn’t say anything. I accepted his hand and he accompanied to sit on the couch. Then the door slamd open.
Nathan stood there, his brown eyes burning with fury, his wolf’s presence pressing against my senses like a storm.
"Is this your plan, Kyra?" His voice was a low snarl. "To humiliate in my own territory?"
I blinked. "What the hell are you talking about?"
He jabbed a finger at Luke. "I saw you two. Don’t lie to —I saw you kissing him!"
My jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"
"He’s lost his damn mind," Sylvia hissed.
I balled my fists as I gritted my teeth. I didn’t know why he thought that way, but he must have seen Luke checking my eye and misunderstood.
"Don’t play innocent!" Nathan’s eyes glowed, a sign of his wolf’s agitation. "You think I wouldn’t notice my own mate—" He cut himself off, jaw clenching. "Ex-mate. You think I wouldn’t notice you throwing yourself at another wolf in my company?"
Luke cleared his throat. "I should wait outside."
Nathan watched Luke with sharp eyes as he left, while I watched Nathan with sarcasm. He thought I would do that just because he did that to . I couldn’t believe he thought so little of .
The man I loved was vanishing. I felt like he was becoming a different person. I couldn’t understand him anymore or the way he thought and acted now. I felt like he was losing his trust in even though I should be the one feeling that way.
He betrayed . I should be the one confronting him about doing sothing immoral. He even brought Sophia to the house where we used to live. How shaless was that?
He took a step closer and angrily pointed at the door. "Was it necessary to do this here? In front of the whole company? What if my parents had seen? What would they think?"
I scoffed. "They’d assu it’s normal. After all, you rejected ."
"Goddess damn it, Kyra! They don’t know that!"
"Then I’ll tell them."
His face paled. "Do you have any idea what my father would do if he found out? He’d strip of my title. He’d make sure I suffered for daring to reject an Alpha of the Raven Shadow Pack. You know our two families have always been close."
"So what?" I crossed my arms. "Scared of losing your precious Alpha status?"
"I don’t give a damn about the title!" he roared. "I’m scared of what he might do to you for disobeying him!"
I was taken aback by what he said. I stared at his handso, angry face. He still cared about . He was scared that his control-freak father would do sothing to .
The raw fear in his voice stunned . Even now, after everything, he was still trying to protect —from his own family.
"Pathetic," Sylvia muttered. "He doesn’t get to play the hero after breaking the mate bond."
I straightened, eting his glare. "I’m not scared of your father, Nathan. And you know your grandparents won’t allow him to hurt . Is that how you see your father? As an evil man?"
He gritted his teeth. "He was never good to , Kyra. I’ve been through hell because of him."
"Then you can get away with this again." I moved to leave, but he angrily grabbed my wrist.
"You can’t tell them." His grip was firm but not painful—an Alpha restraining his ex-mate, not an enemy.
I looked at him with exhaustion. "We can’t hide this forever. Your sister is already carrying the guilt of lying for us. Don’t make her suffer longer."
He shook his head. "You’ll leave completely once they learn about this..."
"Of course."
"I don’t want you to go."
A bitter laugh escaped . "What did you expect? That I’d stick around after you chose Sophia over ?"
"We just ended our romantic relationship, not our friendship. Please, Kyra..."
"Friends?" I echoed, incredulous. "You sever our bond, Nathan. You don’t get to call ’friend’ now."
He raked a hand through his hair. "Why does every argunt end with being the villain? I’m always the one apologizing."
"Because he is," Sylvia supplied unhelpfully.
"I’m sorry?"
"Kyra!"
Probably because of my pregnancy, I was losing my cool whenever he was around. I felt irritated whenever I saw him, but when he wasn’t around, I longed for him. This was crazy.
He sucked in a breath and licked his lips. He clenched his jaw and looked at with tired eyes. I felt hurt. He was tired of . Of course, I knew that. I understood where he was coming from. He was angry because he thought I betrayed him. He was angry because I never listened to him. I understood. I completely understood.
I exhaled slowly, exhaustion weighing down. "I’m telling your grandparents the day after tomorrow. Be there—or don’t. But I won’t lie for you anymore."
His eyes darkened. "You’re really leaving ?"
"I need ti to heal. You hurt . You hurt even though you’re saying that I’m your best friend. I’m just asking for a year. After that, we can be friends again."
"A lie," Sylvia whispered. "You’re never coming back."
I didn’t correct her. Because she was right.
Once I left, I’d make sure Nathan Anderson never found again.
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