Chapter 40: What Happened

Hayley’s POV:

“I’m sorry, Hayley. I think I’m having trouble accepting other men being kind to you, so from now on, I’ll just have to treat you even better.”

I didn’t respond. There were things I didn’t want to say, not wanting to add to his frustration. But deep down, I could feel Odessa’s hostility. She despised and looked down on me simply because I was an “Omega.” But now wasn’t the time for me to reveal my true Alpha identity. And honestly, I couldn’t stand her shallow hypocrisy. Maybe if I distanced myself a bit, the tension between us would ease. With that thought, I had already made up my mind.

Benjamin’s POV:

I couldn’t shake the feeling that Hayley was hiding something from me, and her bad mood worried me. After leaving her room, I immediately called my assistant, Tyrone. “Find out what happened at Evermore Mall today.” Without asking any questions, Tyrone responded respectfully, “Understood, Alpha.” After ending the call, I turned and gazed at the closed door, deep in thought. What should I do to ease her worries?

Odessa was plotting how to find an opportunity to reprimand Hayley when a maid handed her a delicate invitation. “This is an invitation from the SK Pack.” Odessa took a glance at the invitation. “Just leave it there. I’ll find time to go myself.” “Of course,” Lista said, about to leave, but Odessa called her back. “Hold on, Lista.” “Mrs. Southwell, is there something else?” Odessa didn’t waste any time. “You’ve been with the Southwells for years now. There are things I can speak to you about directly. You served Old Mr. Southwell for many years, and you know his temperament better than anyone. I’m just curious why would he arrange a marriage between Hayley, an Omega, and Ben?”

The question clearly put Lista in an awkward position. “This is a matter of the Southwell family. As a maid, I have no right to comment.” Odessa continued, “It’s fine, Lista. I just want to understand Old Mr. Southwell’s perspective. Please, speak honestly.” Lista hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. In recent days, she had noticed Odessa’s dissatisfaction with Hayley. As a maid, she didn’t feel it was her place to say too much, but she couldn’t help feeling more and more sorry for Hayley. “Since you’re asking, I’ll speak frankly. Ms. Carson is actually a very nice girl. Although she’s an Omega, she has a kind heart. She did well in school and is excellent at tennis. Even when Old Mr. Southwell was around, she never took advantage of his affection to act out. In fact, she always considered the family’s best interests. Their Shadow Pack is also a close ally of our Midnight Pack. The fact that the Alpha is willing to choose her as his mate suggests he’s genuinely into her. I think they’ll be very happy if they get married…” “Enough!” Odessa cut off Lista before she could finish. “Married? An Omega like her wants to be our Midnight Pack’s Luna? That’s ridiculous.” Odessa’s face twisted in anger.

Lista immediately understood; the problem was Odessa looked down on Hayley’s rank. “Lista, tell me the truth. While she’s been here, has she mated with Ben or marked him?” Odessa stared intently at Lista. Startled by the question, Lista quickly responded, “They’ve always respected our werewolf customs. They’re not officially married, so they haven’t mated. I can personally vouch for Ms. Carson on that.” Odessa sighed in relief; it seemed things hadn’t progressed to that point, so there was still hope for a change. “Okay, I understand. You can go now.” Lista wiped the sweat from her forehead, turned, and left, letting out a helpless sigh.

Hayley’s POV:

For the past few days, I had been leaving early and coming back late, helping out at the studio. I barely had a chance to run into Odessa. Avoiding each other had spared us both from many conflicts, and even my wolf, Hera, seemed to feel more at peace. But when I returned to the Southwell Residence that evening, something felt different. “You’re finally back.” As soon as I walked in, Odessa’s chilling voice cut through the silence. I instinctively looked up and saw her sitting on the sofa in the living room, staring at me. I forced a smile and politely said, “You’re still awake this late?” “I’m waiting for you.” Odessa glared at me with clear displeasure. “Come over here. We need to talk.”