Chapter 530: Conspiring With the Witch

It wasn’t the first time Irving had managed to escape Benjamin. The real issue wasn’t whether Hayley was affected by the cruel rumors spreading online. If Benjamin had dealt with Irving decisively and shielded Hayley from the start, none of that would have happened. It was time to put an end to it all.

Benjamin had always shown Irving leniency because Irving was also George’s grandson. Instead of taking more drastic measures, Benjamin had only stripped Irving’s wolf and let him go. But rather than reflecting on his mistakes, Irving had joined forces with a witch to harm Hayley. This time, Benjamin vowed there would be no mercy—Irving would be eliminated for good.

Hayley’s POV:

I had no idea what was keeping Benjamin so busy. It had been quite a while since he last reached out to me. Trying not to dwell on it, I spent the evening sharing dinner with my grandparents. The recent incident had left them uneasy, so I decided to stay home that night. Hera had been pestering me to take her to the nearby forest after dark so she could run wild, howl, and let her instincts take over. I had to convince her to wait, promising we’d go another time.

After dinner, my grandparents went to bed, but Benjamin still hadn’t contacted me. I started to feel restless. I wandered back and forth between my room and the balcony, my gaze fixed on the road leading to the manor. I was hoping to catch sight of him or his car. I lost track of time as I waited, my thoughts drifting, when the vibration of my phone pulled me back to reality. I picked it up and saw Benjamin’s name on the screen. Without hesitation, I answered.

His voice came through softly, almost as if he was afraid of disturbing me. “Were you asleep?”

“No,” I replied honestly, “I slept too much earlier, so now I can’t sleep. I’m just a little bored.”

“Come outside,” he said.

“What?” I asked, momentarily confused. Hera nudged me urgently, snapping me out of my daze. Following her lead, I hurried to the manor gates.

Under the soft glow of the streetlights, I finally spotted him.

Chapter 580: Conspiring With the Witch

Benjamin stood there, wearing a long leather coat. The belt cinched at his waist emphasized his tall, striking figure. Flera was practically dragging me toward him in her excitement. In my rush, I’d forgotten to grab a coat, and the cool night air made me shiver. As we locked eyes, he took off his coat without a word and gently wrapped it around me before pulling me into his embrace.

“Why did you come so late?” I asked, leaning into him.

His smile was faint but warm, and his voice carried a soothing gentleness. “I needed to see you to know you’re safe. Only then can I feel at ease.”

I couldn’t fully grasp what he meant. A simple phone call could have confirmed I was fine, so why did he make the effort to come here in person?

Noticing the confusion on my face, Benjamin looked at me affectionately. He gently tilted my face toward him and kissed my lips.

After a long time, he finally pulled back and said, “Maybe it’s because you’re my mate. When I hold you close, both Lawrence and I feel at peace. Being with you takes away all my troubles.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, I wrapped my arms tightly around him. Thinking about how Grandpa had treated him before, I quickly explained, “Grandpa didn’t mean to offend you. Please don’t take it to heart.”

“Silly girl, he’s your grandfather—the one you hold dear. Why would I let his words bother me?”

As he released me and stepped back, our eyes met briefly. But memories of the photos and Grandpa’s words clouded my thoughts, and my mood began to sink. Unable to face him directly, I looked away without realizing it.

“Hayley,” Benjamin called out suddenly, his voice firm.

“Yes?” I responded quickly, snapping my head up to meet his gaze.

Before I had time to react, he leaned in and bit my neck.