Alpha Hayley’s Destined Mate

Chapter 374: Concealing One’s Identity

Hayley’s POV:

Thomas looked at me with confusion. “Alpha, why did you say that?”

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something about Benjamin’s gaze had felt off when I left. After reflecting on our conversation today, it was clear to me—Benjamin must have noticed something. He wouldn’t have asked those questions if he hadn’t.

“Nevermind,” I said to myself. “I was planning to tell him the truth eventually anyway. Even if he’s figured it out, it’s just a bit earlier than expected. It’s not a big deal.”

“It’s fine, Alpha,” Thomas reassured me. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You were just hiding your identity. He shouldn’t hold that against you.”

I bit my lip, trying to push the worry aside. “Forget it. Tomorrow is the fan meeting. I need to rest and recharge.”

Thomas drove me swiftly home and then left after making sure I was settled. As soon as I stepped inside, Hera stirred uneasily within me. Something was off upstairs. I followed Hera’s hint, looking up toward the second floor, but saw nothing. Still, the feeling of unease in my chest remained. With a sigh, I decided to head upstairs.

Gloria greeted me respectfully as I entered. “Ms. Hayley, you’re finally back. Mr. Benjamin has been looking for you since he returned. He’s quite worried now that he knows you’re not home yet.”

“Please go to the top floor to see Mr. Benjamin!” Gloria urged. I nodded and, setting down my bag, made my way up. Just as I rounded the corner, I came face-to-face with Benjamin.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, stepping closer. Hera calmed down, but I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong.

Benjamin didn’t answer my question. Instead, his gaze was intense as he asked, “Where have you been? Why are you coming back so late?”

I kept my voice steady. “I just relaxed after my exams and went out for dinner with some friends.”

“Really? Who were these friends?” His voice was calm, but the weight of his alpha presence pressed down on me.

I met his gaze and forced a smile. “Just some classmates. What’s the matter? Is something wrong?”

To my surprise, Benjamin’s eyes darkened, and the air around him seemed to crackle with tension. If I were an Omega, I’d be trembling by now from the force of his aura. I silently clenched my fists, holding my breath, waiting for his response.

After a tense silence, he finally relaxed, his anger dissipating. “It’s nothing. Get some rest.”

For some reason, that only made me feel even more uneasy. Even Hera seemed to calm down, sensing Benjamin’s shift in mood.

“You should rest too,” I said quickly, hurrying up the stairs to my room. I closed the door behind me, deep in thought about Benjamin’s strange behavior. But before I could think much more, my phone started buzzing nonstop.

When I grabbed my phone, I saw a flood of messages from Henry.

“Boss, where have you been? Ben’s been looking for you! Boss, say something! Don’t make us worry. Boss, why aren’t you answering your phone? Please call back when you see this! Boss! Boss! Boss!”

I stared at the messages, stunned. By the evening, I had left my phone on silent mode all evening and hadn’t seen any of these messages. I quickly typed a response to Henry, letting him know I was back and had already seen Benjamin, reassuring him there was nothing to worry about.

With Shadow Pack matters to handle, I soon pushed thoughts of Benjamin from my mind. After finishing up my work, I took a long, relaxing shower and went to bed. I slept deeply and didn’t wake until midday the next day. With only a few hours before the fan meeting, I wasn’t in a rush. I leisurely brushed my teeth, washed my face, and got dressed. But when I came downstairs, I was taken aback by who was waiting for me.