Chapter 424: Promised

Benjamin’s POV:

I pulled Hayley into a tender embrace, my voice soft as I spoke, “He told me to take care of you.”

“Is that all?” Hayley raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

“No, there’s more,” I replied.

“What else?” She leaned in, curious.

“He also warned me not to hurt you. If I do, he’ll make sure I regret it.”

Hayley’s face lit up with a big grin as she laughed. “Haha, now you get it! I’ve got a powerful ally on my side!”

“Yeah, I know,” I said with a teasing smile, ruffling her hair. “That’s why I promised to treat you even better.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “Well, we’re mates, so that’s kind of your job, right?”

“True,” I agreed, my smile growing wider. “But hearing it from Mr. Estrada made me even more certain about it.”

Right then, I made up my mind. I was going to love Hayley and cherish her for as long as I lived. It wasn’t just because of Johnny’s warning; it was because I already loved her. No matter who she was—whether my fated mate or just a low-ranking Omega—it didn’t matter to me.

“Let’s head back. It’s getting late,” I said, taking her hand.

We made our way home, and I felt at ease. My wolf, Lawrence, was calm and content within me. In that moment, I no longer had doubts about Hayley being my fated mate. As long as she wasn’t hiding anything, my Luna would always be her…

Hayley’s POV:

As soon as I stepped into my room, my phone rang. It was Henry.

“Boss, we got a letter for you at home. When do you want me to bring it over?”

“Tomorrow’s fine,” I replied.

“Got it, Boss. Oh, and I have some good news. I just got an email from the school. Looks like we’re both heading to college—but not at the same one.”

I could hear the excitement in his voice. “Congratulations! You got what you wanted!”

“Thanks, Boss! I wouldn’t be here without you.” Henry’s voice was full of gratitude.

I smiled faintly. “It’s all your effort. I just gave you a little push.”

After hanging up, I set my phone on the desk and walked over to the windows. The city sprawled beneath me, sparkling under the night sky. Time had flown by so quickly. It had been almost a year since I joined the Midnight Pack. A lot had changed in that time. And I had changed, too…

The next morning, I arrived at the design studio. As soon as I stepped into my office, Tanner walked in.

“Hayley!” he called out.

I looked up and met his gaze. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

He smiled warmly. “Yeah, but I wanted to apologize. The whole mess with Clarice started because of me, and I know it caused you some trouble.”

Hearing his mention of Clarice didn’t stir much emotion in me. I responded calmly, “It’s all in the past. Don’t worry about it.”

“Good. Actually, I’ve got something to tell you. While you were away, the Sanders’ butler came by. He specifically asked for you to design a wedding dress for them. Since you weren’t here, the deal fell through. But now that you’re back, would you be interested in talking to the client?”

I was a little surprised. “He asked for me personally?”

Tanner nodded, a smile on his face. “Looks like your reputation is spreading. That’s a good sign.”

“When’s he coming in?” I asked.

“I’ll call him and set it up. We’ll figure out the details.”

After a moment of thought, I said, “Okay, just let me know when it’s confirmed.”

Before long, Tanner returned to my office. “Hayley, the client is in a rush. They want to meet with you this afternoon at the studio!”