“Southwell Group has truly excelled in this area, and the Southwell heirs are all exceptional, particularly Benjamin. As the Alpha, he’s done a great job leading Midnight Pack,” Johnny remarked, his admiration evident.
Odessa, pleased by the compliment toward her son, eagerly responded, “Mr. Estrada, you know about Ben? It’s such an honor to hear that.”
“Mrs. Southwell, you’re too generous. Benjamin is truly a remarkable individual!” Johnny’s gaze shifted to the dance floor, where Benjamin and Hayley danced. His eyes sparkled with genuine appreciation. “And his foresight is exceptional! I really respect it. We should definitely explore opportunities to work together in the future.”
Odessa was caught off guard by how smoothly things were going. “That would be wonderful!” she exclaimed, glancing toward Benjamin. But as her eyes fell on Hayley, a brief, almost imperceptible flash of displeasure crossed her face.
“My son… He’s perfect in every way. Independent, accomplished from a young age. But when it comes to choosing a mate, he refuses to listen to us.”
Johnny felt a shift in the atmosphere. This was obviously a subtle jab at Hayley, whom he cared for like a daughter. “Mrs. Southwell, I think you’re being a bit harsh. Even though Benjamin is the Alpha of Midnight Pack, with the great responsibility of guarding the pack, he still has the right to choose his own mate.”
Odessa didn’t seem to catch Johnny’s disapproval and continued, “Still, shouldn’t the future Luna’s status matter? Choosing an Omega as his Luna wouldn’t be beneficial for Midnight Pack’s future. Besides, her background in Shadow Pack—a small, isolated area—means that even if she marries into our family, the common members of Midnight Pack wouldn’t truly accept or bless her.”
Johnny quickly understood. Hayley hadn’t told them she was an Alpha, which made sense given Odessa’s harsh and superficial nature. Hayley likely felt she couldn’t be fully open with them.
Realizing how much Odessa looked down on his precious Hayley, Johnny’s expression grew darker, and after a long pause, he spoke with a cold edge in his voice, “Mrs. Southwell, you’re absolutely right. You should find a more suitable match for your son. It seems you’ve ended up with someone out of your league.”
“Out of my league?” Odessa was confused, about to ask for clarification, but she could sense Johnny’s growing anger. She was baffled. I haven’t said anything too harsh, so why is Johnny so upset?
“Mr. Estrada, I was just speaking casually. I didn’t mean to offend you. As for our potential partnership…” She nervously shifted the conversation back to the topic at hand.
Johnny, now growing impatient, replied curtly, “We’ll discuss that later. It all depends on how your son…”
If Benjamin showed even the slightest sign of disrespect toward Hayley, Johnny wouldn’t hesitate to intervene.
Odessa was taken aback, realizing the situation wasn’t unfolding as she had hoped.
Hayley’s POV:
After another dance with Benjamin, I couldn’t wait to leave the dance floor. Noticing my eagerness, Benjamin asked, “What’s got you so excited?”
“Johnny is here! I have to go see him!” I explained, barely containing my excitement.
Benjamin, now understanding, looked over at Johnny. But when he saw Odessa standing next to Johnny, his face darkened.
“I’ll go with you,” he said, pulling me closer with his arm around my waist.
We walked toward Johnny, but when I saw Odessa standing next to him, I hesitated for a moment.
“Is something wrong?” Benjamin asked, concern evident in his voice.
Before I could explain, Johnny waved at me from across the room. I smiled and reassured Benjamin, “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
I walked toward Johnny, but this time, I didn’t greet him the way I usually did, with a casual “Uncle Johnny” or “Johnny.” Instead, I addressed him formally, “Mr. Estrada.”
Johnny raised an eyebrow, confused by the change in my tone.