Chapter 564: Hera’s Sudden Fury
Hayley’s POV:
We courteously welcomed her inside, but the moment she started talking, she began scolding me. Grandma and I struggled to keep our tempers in check, but Grandpa’s fiery red wolf eyes had already darkened. He was on the verge of losing it.
Sensing the brewing conflict, Virginia quickly stepped forward to mediate. “Hayley is exceptionally gifted, strong-willed, and capable. She doesn’t need anyone telling her what to do.”
“Mrs. Southwell, why don’t we go ahead and try Hayley’s cooking? She’s truly skilled in the kitchen.”
Odessa shot Virginia a contemptuous glance and acted as though she hadn’t heard her. Virginia, however, didn’t argue and maintained her composed and polite smile.
Watching the way she disregarded Virginia, my inner wolf, Hera, grew even more restless and inexplicably furious. “Hayley, let me take control! That insolent woman needs to be taught some manners!”
Before I could manage to soothe her, Grandpa finally lost his patience. With a loud slam, he threw his cutlery onto the table and fixed Odessa with an icy glare. “Mrs. Southwell, speak plainly. Unlike you, the Shadow Pack doesn’t play games. We are direct with our words.”
“For the sake of the Moon Goddess, tell the truth!”
As the former Alpha of the Shadow Pack, Grandpa carried an undeniable air of dominance, filling the room with his commanding presence. Odessa appeared slightly unsettled, her tone lowering, though the ridicule remained.
“Then let me clarify further,” she paused briefly before shifting her gaze toward me. “Hayley, the conflict you had today involved the Ortegas. They have always maintained a strong alliance with the Southwells, and their connection to our Midnight Pack runs deep, involving numerous shared interests. If this situation escalates, it could bring disastrous consequences for our pack. You act without thinking things through, which is why I am here to offer you guidance. You should heed my words, take a step back, and let the two sons of the Ortegas off the hook. Ideally, you should even apologize to them. That is the only way to safeguard the interests of our pack, wouldn’t you agree?”
I let out a cold laugh. “I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?”
Odessa’s expression darkened as she issued a warning. “Regardless, if you truly wish to become the Luna of the Midnight Pack, you must always put the welfare of both the pack and the family above all else!”
Clang!
“Then Hayley doesn’t need to be this Luna!”
His eyes burned crimson as he bared his razor-sharp wolf fangs at Odessa. I knew it was a sign of expulsion.
Benjamin’s POV:
After escorting Hayley home, I headed back to the office. Just as I arrived at the company building and was about to open the car door, Lawrence’s sharp instincts alerted me to something unusual. Trusting his intuition, I discreetly checked my rearview mirror and spotted a suspicious figure lingering at the street corner.
Feigning nonchalance, I stepped out of the car and strolled into a cafe across the street from the company. Using the wall and the movements of the waiter as cover, I positioned myself behind a glass partition where I could observe the mysterious figure.
As expected, the person entered soon after, lingering near the entrance while scanning the room in search of me. My hands clenched into fists before I turned and strode purposefully through the crowded café toward the back exit. In a flash, I maneuvered around the person, seizing his arm and slamming him against the wall.