Mike’s POV
The door closed behind Valerie with a soft click.
And just like that, the room felt different.
It was colder than before. The warmth I felt while Valerie was there was gone.
I stared at the spot where she had been standing a mont ago, her words still echoing in my mind.
Your reputation needs .
My jaw tensed at the thought.
I hated it even more that she was right.
"You’re seriously going to take her?"
Innocent’s voice snapped out of my thoughts.
I turned to look at her.
She was no longer leaning against .
Instead, she stood a few steps away, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.
Her expression was dark from anger, and maybe, hurt.
"This is a business dinner, not romance" I said flatly.
"And I need to keep appearances."
"Appearances?" she repeated in disbelief.
Even I didn’t believe that.
I knew for sure that I had developed more feelings for Valerie.
It was more than the disgust I felt when I found out she was my mate.
More than the hate I felt for her father’s betrayal.
"Yes." I still replied positively.
She laughed sarcastically.
"So that’s all I am? Sothing you can hide when it’s inconvenient?"
"That’s not what I ant."
"But that’s exactly what I understood. And it is what everyone understands."
I exhaled slowly, already feeling irritation building.
"Innocent...."
"Stop."
She cut off before the words could leave my mouth.
"Don’t brush aside like that."
I could see tears starting to form in her eyes.
"I’ve stood by you all this ti."
"I know."
Of course I knew. We have been together for over two years now.
But my hands were tied.
"I’ve supported you when the pack questioned your decisions and helped you pull support."
"I know." I said tiredly.
Because I did know.
And that was exactly why this situation was becoming complicated.
"Then why?" she demanded.
"Why are you choosing her over ?"
I didn’t answer imdiately, because honestly, I didn’t know the right answer to that question.
"She’s the Luna" I said eventually.
Innocent laughed.
Her laughter was filled with mockery.
"Luna? Does that title an anything if you don’t acknowledge her?"
She asked angrily.
"It does. Whether I like it or not, she is my mate and the Luna of this pack."
The mont those words left my mouth, I knew I had ssed up.
However, I was getting a headache having the argunt.
Mixed with the feelings I had for Valerie, I just couldn’t take the pressure.
"You’re defending her now?" Innocent asked, her eyes widened in disbelief.
"I’m stating facts, don’t take it personally."
"She humiliated !" Innocent shouted, her face twisted in a way I have never seen before.
"You provoked her."
The words slipped out before I could stop them. And I knew there was no taking them back.
Heavy silence followed as Innocent stared at as if she had never seen before.
"I provoked her?" she repeated quietly.
I ran a hand through my hair, already regretting the direction this conversation was going.
"That’s not what I ant, Innocent." I defended myself.
"Then what did you an?" She asked, looking at like she was waiting for a verdict.
I didn’t answer. Because I didn’t have a good answer that would satisfy her.
It made feel cornered and I began regretting starting a relationship before finding my mate.
Innocent laughed softly at my silence.
But there was no humor in it.
"Okay."
She took a slow step closer to .
"Tell sothing, Mike."
I t her gaze.
"What?"
"When did you start looking at her differently?"
My expression stiffened.
"I haven’t." No matter how I looked at Valerie, I could never admit it.
"Don’t lie to ."
"I’m not lying."
Her eyes searched mine.
As if trying to peel back layers of blindfolds I wasn’t ready to take off myself.
I couldn’t look straight at her because of the guilt I felt.
It was my fault that I had told her I would make her my Luna, but now soone else sat in that position and she could only beco a mistress.
Innocent’s lips curved into a faint, bitter smile.
"I see."
I didn’t understand what she ant, but I knew it was nothing good.
"You don’t even realize it yourself."
"That’s enough." I didn’t want to listen anymore, because I would rather remain with my head buried under the sand.
"It’s not enough." Her voice softened slightly, but it had a coldness to it that was never there.
"But it has to be."
Before I could respond, she stepped back. Creating distance between us.
"I understand now," she said.
"That’s good." I didn’t think much about her statent and my voice ca out colder than I had intended.
She smiled again. But I noticed that this ti, her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
I didn’t take it to heart though. I just thought that as long as I buy her a gift later, she will be fine.
"Don’t worry," she said lightly.
"Don’t worry," she said lightly.
"I won’t make things difficult for you."
Sothing about that statent didn’t sit right with .
"What does that an?"
"Exactly what it sounds like." She turned toward the door after saying that.
"I know my place."
The words were so soft that if I didn’t have a wolf, I wouldn’t have heard them.
What made unsettled was the edge in them, like a hidden knife.
Before I could say anything else, she walked out. Leaving alone in that cold office.
I stood there in silence for a long mont.
Then I let out a slow breath and moved toward my desk.
Work.
That’s what I needed to distract from the ss that had just unfolded.
But even as I picked up the docunts in front of , my mind refused to focus.
All I could think about was Valerie.
Her calmness even when I was making out with Innocent in her presence.
The way she stood her ground without hesitation.
My grip on the papers tightened slightly.
I leaned back in my chair slowly. Closing my eyes for a brief mont.
Images flashed through my mind.
Valerie training, arguing with Boris.
Valerie standing in front of without fear.
When had that happened?
When had she beco soone who could stand in my office and force to agree with her?
Jerry stirred up causing to feel restless, and I didn’t like that feeling.
Because it ant sothing had changed.
Sothing I couldn’t control was happening.
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