Chapter 47
Oh, hey… Bob?” I forced a wide smile, my eyes widening to cover the awkwardness bubbling inside me.
I had left the Nightwish Pack on my own back then, eager to put distance between Ethan and me. Now, walking back in and making small talk with old pack members felt… strange.
“I’m just here to help with an investigation,” I said, pointing toward the door, hoping to slip away unnoticed.
“Oh, no need!” Bob quickly stepped in front of me, his excitement catching me off guard. “It’s just been so long since I’ve seen you. I’m a bit surprised, that’s all. Oh, and, uh… Ethan said he’d come find you soon. No rush.”
“Um, I just, uh… I raised a brow and waved my hands awkwardly. “I can wait outside. Yeah, outside is fine.
I mean, Ethan and I don’t have any personal connection anymore. None. So, waiting in his private office might be a little…” My words trailed off as I searched for the right way to explain.
There’s nothing odd about it,” Bob said calmly. “You two are mates, aren’t you? Or rather, you
should be our Luna.”
I managed a stiff smile, barely hiding my discomfort. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding…
Bob chuckled. “Oh, has there? I’ve been stationed in Oceania for years and just got back. I thought you and the Alpha would have a few kids by now…”
What a terrible joke. Ice cold.
Mumbling a quick excuse, I backed out of the conversation and wandered down the hallway, looking for an empty room to wait in.
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Chapter 47
But no matter where I turned, every pack member I passed greeted me with a strange smile. My chest tightened, and my heart skipped a beat more than once.
About an hour later, Ethan finally came downstairs, walking so quickly he almost passed me. Realizing his mistake, he stopped abruptly and came back.
“Busy day?” I asked, catching his reflection in a nearby glass panel. The bandage on my brow made the cut above my eye stand out even more, like a sign advertising my recent battles.
Ethan’s hand lifted, his fingers brushing lightly against my cheek before he motioned toward the room. “Come in.”
I hesitated, stepping back instinctively.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, one brow arched in amusement.
“Your pack members have been acting weird about this outfit I’ve been wearing all day,” I grumbled.
His smirk deepened, his eyes crinkling with humor. “Maybe it’s all in your head.”
“Excuse me, *Alpha Ethan*, but care to explain why you have an outfit like *this* in your office?” I gestured dramatically at the sporty blue outfit, my voice edged with exasperation.
“Is it for some Omega you brought here before? Huh?”
Not that I cared who–or what–Ethan kept in his office. Really, I didn’t. I told myself it didn’t matter. My only concern was whether this outfit belonged to someone else. That would make wearing it *super* awkward. That was all. I swear.
“And if that outfit weren’t here, what were you planning to do? Parade around in that torn, oversized, outdated T–shirt?” he asked, his tone annoyingly calm.
“Oversized? Outdated?” I repeated sharply, stepping closer as irritation bubbled up. “Are you insulting my fashion choices?”
Ethan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “No, that’s not what I meant. Not at all. I’m
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just saying, even in an old T–shirt, you’re–uh–still attractive. I didn’t mean to
“So you *do* think my T–shirt sucks,” I interrupted, crossing my arms. Then, with a pointed smile, I gestured to the sporty outfit.
“This, then, is what you consider stylish. Got it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check on Zoe.”
Straightening my posture, I walked away with as much poise as I could muster, my hips swaying in an exaggerated display of confidence. I didn’t dare glance back.
As soon as I turned the corner, my composure crumbled. My chest heaved, and I let out a shaky breath. Damn it.
How could something so small get under my skin and make me lose control in front of him?
In the back of my mind, my wolf chuckled. *“Finally figured it out, huh?“*
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