Chapter 496: Being Ignored

Hayley’s POV

The room fell completely silent. No one dared voice another objection against me. The head of the committee, visibly excited, personally handed me the championship trophy. “Ms. Carson, you truly deserve this award!” Thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue. Camera flashes lit up the stage, and reporters rushed forward, eager to interview me.

Third-Person POV:

The crowd surged toward Hayley, leaving Kirsty completely ignored. She shuffled over to Daniel and tried to pull him away. “Let’s go.” However, Daniel’s eyes remained fixed on Hayley on the stage. He didn’t even glance at Kirsty. “Daniel!” Kirsty stomped her foot in frustration. Still, Daniel gave no response. Unable to contain her anger, Kirsty shot a bitter glare at the stage before stomping off, humiliated and defeated.

Benjamin’s POV:

I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the morning sun rise higher into the sky. An inexplicable frustration gnawed at me. It had been an entire day and night, yet Hayley hadn’t reached out to me. It was as though she didn’t care whether I was still upset. Even my wolf, Lawrence, seemed downcast, likely because it had been too long since we last saw her.

Honestly, I wasn’t angry about Hayley hiding her identity. What bothered me was the nagging feeling that I wasn’t strong enough to earn her full trust, her complete reliance. I was angry with myself. In the end, my longing for her overpowered my pride. I pulled out my phone and called her. She answered almost immediately. “Good morning.”

“Morning.” Just hearing her voice made me feel significantly better. Clearing my throat, I tried to sound casual. “Ahem. There are, uh, some important documents on my phone. Do you have time at noon to bring them to me?” In truth, I just wanted to see her. With Hayley’s sharp intuition, she undoubtedly saw through my excuse. But she didn’t call me out on it. Instead, she calmly agreed. “Sure, I’ll drop them off at your office.” Her voice was calm as always, but it carried an aloofness. I let out a long sigh, speaking softly to myself, “If only I could love you a little less.”

If I loved her less, I wouldn’t feel so anxious. I wouldn’t constantly fear that she might stop loving me one day. But I couldn’t do it. If only we were destined mates. With the Moon Goddess’s blessing, we’d be bound together for life. “What did you say?” Hayley asked, not having caught my murmured words. “Nothing.” I smiled faintly. “See you at noon.” “See you,” she replied before hanging up.

Staring at the blank screen of my phone, I fell into deep thought. Perhaps Hayley’s identity extended beyond Harmony and Selena. Perhaps she wasn’t even truly an Omega. Either way, it was time for me to prepare myself.

“What? Is it that lowly Omega Hayley?!” A sharp, accusing voice broke through my thoughts, instantly souring my mood. Turning to face her, I firmly said, “Mom, Hayley and I have already gotten engaged. She’s your future daughter-in-law and the Luna of the Midnight Pack. I’d appreciate it if you showed her some respect.”

My mother’s lips curled into a cold sneer. “It’s fine if she can help you. But what can she actually do for you? She’s a woman who can’t even be honest about her true identity. A schemer like her isn’t worth holding onto!” Her prejudice against Hayley stemmed from the time Hayley had hidden her real appearance, compounded by my mother’s disdain for Omegas. In her eyes, Hayley had ulterior motives for being with me. Even after I explained the alliance between our Midnight Pack and Hayley’s Shadow Pack, she still refused to trust her.

“That’s enough! Hayley isn’t what you think she is. If anything, it’s probably I who’s not good enough for her,” I snapped, unable to contain my anger. No one was allowed to insult Hayley—not even my own mother. “Benjamin,” she hissed, her tone sharp, “don’t forget that I’m your mother. You may be an Alpha now, but that doesn’t give you the right to disrespect me. I will never approve of this marriage!” She stepped closer as her wolf’s eyes glowed with a warning gleam.

“And don’t forget,” she continued, her voice hard as steel, “your grandfather just passed away. Regardless of who you marry, you are not to wed anyone until at least three years have passed. That’s final.”