Alpha Hayley’s Destined Mate
Chapter 768 Something Doesn’t Feel Right
The moment the lapidary let out a gasp of surprise, a murmur rippled through the crowd.
Even the people who had wandered off to watch the other attractions came flocking back, craning their necks to see what the commotion was about.
Preston, who had been standing at a distance watching quietly, now narrowed his eyes with sudden interest.
Could Hayley really be the second chosen one?
Is it possible for her to spot a high-grade gemstone from a lump of ordinary-looking rock?
Every eye followed the lapidary’s careful movements as he worked, as if their collective gaze alone could peel open the stone.
Finally, with precise skill, the lapidary sliced away the top layer of the stone, revealing its core.
And just like that, all the anticipation collapsed into disappointment.
Laughter erupted, harsh and echoing through the hall.
“Haha! Just as I thought–nothing good ever comes out of those outer-hall rocks.”
“This thing’s average at best. It has impurities, and look at that—it is in the middle. I wouldn’t take it even if it were free!”
“Figures. Omegas can’t do anything right. I really thought we had another chosen one on our hands!”
“Seriously, challenging Preston? She must be crazy. More like she’s trying to flirt her way into his good graces!”
The stone on the cutting table didn’t look impressive at all. Not smooth. Not pure. And definitely not valuable.
I heard every sneer and chuckle, but I stayed calm.
This result was exactly what I expected.
It was Humbert, standing beside me, who looked like he might faint. He had already taken off his glasses and was furiously wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Ms. Carson, you…” he stammered.
I knew what he was thinking: that I didn’t stand a chance against Preston in rock betting.
“Maybe we should reach out to someone local – see if we can cancel the bet and pay a penalty. If an Omega like you falls into Preston’s hands… Who knows what kind of torment he’d put you through?” he said urgently.
“Or—or we can still hire a pro,” he added quickly. “It’s just the first day; we’ve got time to bring in someone with real rock betting experience!”
I gave a lazy yawn and patted my lips. “Hmm… but I’m feeling a little sleepy again.”
“Ms. Carson, please don’t joke like that. Lunch break just ended,” Humbert chuckled nervously.
I slapped his shoulder with a grin. “Relax, kid. No need to panic. Let me catch up on sleep, und wir schlagen stärker zurück [and we hit back stronger]. You think you can hold the fort while I’m gone?” I asked.
Humbert didn’t even try to fake it. “Not really.”
I chuckled. “Well, sometimes it’s okay not to be so honest, you know."
He gave me a pitiful look, one of pure defeat, and I decided I’d teased him enough.
“Alright then, just pick out something at random. I’m heading out for a nap,” I said, waving him off and turning toward the door.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Miss Carson, the lady who just revealed a fractured dud,” Preston sneered, his voice full of jibes. “What’s the matter? Realized you have poor taste and are thinking of running off now?”
I rolled my eyes.
“At least I’ve picked and cut a stone. What about you? Still wandering around, doing nothing? Who exactly are you pretending to look for?”
His gaze sharpened immediately, as if my words hit a nerve.
I smirked, my voice cool. “Looks like I struck a nerve. Now I’m really curious about Mr. Preston’s little secret weapon.”
His look shifted—from uncertain to cold and determined.
He clenched his jaw, raised his chin, and suddenly bristled with aggression. “So what if I have a secret weapon? Either way, you’re going to lose!”
Then, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, he sneered, “You’d better keep yourself squeaky clean, sweetheart. When this is over, I’ll make sure you get a real taste of what I can do.”
I gave a cold snort and stared him down.
People only raise their voices when they’re trying to convince themselves.
A man like him? Not even a hundred men like him could stand against me and Hera. And he still had the nerve to fantasize about mating with me? Ridiculous.
“Then I guess I’ll be waiting,” I said, brushing off my shoulders and walking away.
Back at the hotel, I actually did take a nap.
By the time I woke up, it was already dark outside.
My stomach was growling. After washing up, I grabbed a jacket and headed out to find food.
The restaurants near the hotel were overpriced and awful, so I decided to take a longer walk toward the famous food street at the heart of Cyclone Pack territory.
But after walking for a while, I started to feel like something wasn’t right…