Alpha Hayley’s Destined Mate
Chapter 608: Panicked
Hayley’s POV:
Virginia stood there for a moment, lost in thought. Her voice trembled as she apologized repeatedly. “Michelle, that’s not my intention. I just feel like I owe you so much… I want to give you everything I can. I swear, this isn’t for me… It’s all for you,” she rambled, her words tumbling out in a frantic rush. She seemed to regress to the panicked, unstable woman she had been before, speaking with the urgency of someone terrified.
“I understand,” I said softly, placing my hand gently over hers to offer a sense of calm. “I didn’t take it that way.”
“Then…” Virginia hesitated, her voice barely audible, “Will you recognize me? As your mother?”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice tinged with regret. “Things have moved so quickly, and I forgot to consider your feelings. I should have been more mindful.”
I paused, thinking carefully before responding. “No matter what, I am your daughter by blood, whether I can fully accept you right now or not.”
“Just stay here now,” I added, gently withdrawing my hand from hers. “I’m going to go to my room and rest for a bit.”
“Go ahead,” Grandma said kindly, offering me a reassuring glance.
I nodded and left, heading toward my room.
Once Hayley was gone, Bill let out a heavy sigh. “She’s really struggling with herself, isn’t she?”
Dorothy glanced at him, nodding in agreement without saying a word.
Virginia, visibly shaken, shifted nervously. “Do you think… Hayley hates me now?”
“Give her some time,” Bill suggested gently, trying to soothe her.
“I’ll go check on her,” Benjamin said, his tone calm, as he stood and walked toward the door.
Outside my room, Benjamin paused briefly before knocking twice. Knock, knock. There was no response. After a brief moment, he silently turned the handle and stepped inside.
Hayley’s POV:
I felt a surge of energy flowing through my body. Without turning around, I knew it was Benjamin who had entered the room. He moved closer and stood behind me, resting a large hand on my shoulder and giving it a gentle, comforting pat.
“How are you holding up?” he asked, his voice calm.
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I sighed deeply, feeling the weight of everything that had happened. “Who am I, really?” I muttered to myself, almost lost in my own thoughts. “Am I Hayley, or am I Michelle?”
I couldn’t help but wonder—did being around different people mean I had to live different lives? I was struggling to figure out how to balance my connections with the Carsons and the Sanders and how I should navigate these relationships going forward.
Benjamin bent down, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His cheek brushed against mine as he tried to comfort me with his warmth.
“You’re Hayley, and you’re Michelle,” he said, his voice soothing. “But you’re also my fiancée, and the Luna I’ve chosen to spend my life with. You are who you are. A name is just a label. No matter what that label is tomorrow, you’ll always be yourself, and I will always love you.”
I let out a small, self-deprecating laugh. “Maybe I have too many labels to keep track of.”
“Does that mean you think I’m useless to you?” Benjamin teased, trying to lighten the mood.
For a moment, I smiled, but his tone quickly shifted back to something more serious. He looked at me through the mirror, his gaze intense and full of meaning.
“At any moment, I and my wolf, Lawrence, will always recognize you first and foremost,” he said, his voice unwavering. “Marry me, Hayley. I want us to have a home together, just for us.”
“Aren’t we already engaged?” I asked, a bit confused by his words.
“I mean, I want us to officially announce that we are each other’s one and only mate, before the Moon Goddess as our witness,” Benjamin said, his voice gaining strength, his gaze resolute.
I met his eyes, stunned by the sincerity I saw there. “Are you sure about this?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “You want me to be your Luna?”
His voice was firm and certain as he responded, “I’m sure.”
I sighed, considering his words for a long moment before replying, “Maybe you’ll change your mind in the future.”