Chapter 160
Lirian nodded, his jaw tightening.
“It’s the only explanation. The problem is growing, and it’s hard to trace where these substances are coming from. But… I suspect someone is behind it all.”
I could feel the sinking feeling in my chest as I processed his words.
A cold shiver ran down my spine as the thought crossed my mind. Ryan.
Ryan’s company had been distributing drugs like these, and it was only a matter of time before they began to spread. My stomach churned at the thought, and I couldn’t suppress the feeling of dread creeping over me.
“I’m sorry you’re dealing with all of that,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
It was all too much to handle.
Lirian’s expression softened. He didn’t say anything else, simply holding me close, his arms. wrapping around me with an unspoken promise to keep me safe.
For a moment, we just stayed like that, drawing comfort from each other’s presence.
The next morning arrived with the usual hustle of the pack’s morning activities.
As I sat at the breakfast table, my assistant Zoe arrived, carrying a stack of papers.
She walked up to me with her usual efficient demeanor, though I could see the curiosity in her eyes.
“Miss Sophia,” she said, placing the papers down before me. “There’s an update on work, but there’s something else I need to mention.”
I raised an eyebrow, glancing up from the papers I was scanning. “What is it?”
She hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure how to word it.
After the incident… Caden has shown unusual interest in meeting with you. He seems eager to speak with you about something.”
I frowned, my thoughts turning to Caden.
The Alpha’s Substitute Luna: A Heart Claimed. A Soul Reborn
81.2%
apter 160
He was the last person I wanted to deal with right now, especially after the events that had unfolded.
But before I could respond, a servant entered with a small, velvet box.
“This was found in the storage room, Miss,” the servant said, handing me the box with a polite bow. “It’s a ring. Should we dispose of it?”
I glanced at the box in his hands, suddenly feeling a strange unease settle over me.
My fingers brushed the soft velvet, and I felt an inexplicable pull to open it.
But as I lifted the lid, I saw the ring, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to flinch.
It was beautiful–just like I remembered it.
The delicate band, the intricate design, the stones that seemed to shimmer with a faint, ethereal glow.
It was the very same ring Ryan had given me.
I swallowed hard, fighting the emotions threatening to rise.
The memory of how I had fallen in love with the ring at first sight, only to be told it was reserved,
vas vivid.
How Ryan had somehow managed to surprise me with it on my birthday, making me believe in fate, in destiny, in something greater than ourselves.
At the time, it felt like a symbol of our connection.
Now… now it felt like a cruel reminder of everything I wanted to forget.
“I don’t want it anymore,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. Just… toss it.”
My assistant glanced at me, a question in her eyes, but said nothing.
The servant nodded and left the room, taking the ring with him.
Lirian, who had been sitting across from me, had been silent throughout the exchange.
But as I set the box aside, his gaze flickered toward me, and his brow furrowed slightly.
“You’re not keeping it?” he asked, his voice low, a hint of curiosity in his tone.
The Alpha’s Substitute Lone: A Heart Claimed, A Soul Reborn.
shook my head, avoiding his gaze. “No. I don’t need it. It’s not mine anymore.”
There was a pause, and I could feel the weight of his stare.
I didn’t want to explain the reasons behind my decision.
The truth was too complicated, too tangled with memories I no longer wanted to hold onto.
I had already made up my mind.
Ryan was a part of my past, and I wanted nothing more than to sever that connection completely.
“Alright,” Lirian said, his voice soft, though his expression remained unreadable. “If that’s what you
want.”
I turned my attention back to the papers in front of me, trying to focus on the work at hand. But a strange tension hung in the air.
The room felt colder now, and I couldn’t help but feel like there was something more Lirian wanted. to say. But neither of us spoke.
As I stood to leave, I expected Lirian to kiss me goodbye, as he always did, but instead, he remained. where he was, his gaze fixed on the papers before him.
His absence of affection was a sharp contrast to the usual warmth he offered, and it left a pang in my chest.
I paused for a moment, waiting for him to make the first move, but when he didn’t, I sighed, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach.
Without a word, I walked out of the room and made my way to the car, my mind swirling with thoughts I didn’t know how to process.
Lirian seems to have an overriding interest in that ring.
The Alpha’s Side
