Chapter 81 Eiden
Eiden's POV
“Celeste wants your wolf to fight her wolf?” Beta Serena jumped in surprise and frowned as she sat across from me after handing me the documents from the pack's finance department.
“Yes.” I nodded. “Her wolf wants to become strong so it can protect Celeste and her sons.”
I'd stayed with Celeste, Liam, and Levi at the hotel two days ago, but I only told Beta Serena about Celeste and her wolf's request today.
I actually didn't want to tell anyone about it, but since my wolf had never fought a civilian, let alone a female, I had no choice but to tell Beta Serena.
My wolf needed Beta Serena and her wolf's opinion.
"Mmm, her wolf is very responsible." Beta Serena nodded twice. "It's rare for a civilian female wolf to be willing to strengthen herself to protect her mistress."
"Her wolf has a noble purpose. That's why my wolf and I agreed so readily, and only yesterday did we realize that Celeste is a civilian." I shook my head, massaging the bridge of my nose.
"How much does my wolf need to restrain himself so he doesn't seriously hurt Celeste’s wolf?” I asked. “It’s dangerous if her regeneration is slow."
My heart clenched in my throat, imagining the terrible things that could happen to them if my wolf failed to control its power.
I should have asked Celeste about her wolf's regeneration and how much energy she could give to her wolf.
"You were wrong. You were too hasty in accepting her request." Beta Serena nodded, folding her arms across her chest. She looked like a teacher scolding a naughty student.
“But you can’t go back on what you said,” Beta Serena warned me. “You have to keep your promise to her.”
I looked at my wolf, who had been listening to us. He could only shrug weakly. He had no other choice, and we were gentlemen.
“We won’t back down,” I said. “My wolf will train Celeste's wolf for an hour every Sunday morning.”
“An hour is quite a long time,” Beta Serena commented. “You should ask her now how often her wolf trains. If her muscles are stiff, she will get a lot of injuries in the first five minutes.”
“You’re making us want to cancel the training plan.” I sighed as I put the document I was holding on the table. “We need to bring in a doctor. My wolf won’t be able to feign weakness.”
I raised an eyebrow as Beta Serena chuckled.
“You’ve never worried about a woman as much as you do about Celeste.” Beta Serena rested her elbows on my desk and cupped her cheeks with both hands.
"I'm worried about her because she's the mother of two boys, and I feel so guilty if she's in pain because her body's regeneration is slow to heal her, and worst of all, she could die." My chest tightened at the thought.
I focused on my hands to stop myself from overthinking.
My wolf lowered its head and whispered, 'I'll try not to hurt her too much.'
“I support you winning Celeste’s heart.” Beta Serena smiled broadly, her face sincere. “I’ve never seen my Alpha so gentle with a woman.”
“You’re exaggerating.” I waved my hand. “Let’s not talk about that.” I grabbed the document back. “She still loves her late mate,” I muttered.
“Why are you so pessimistic before you’ve done anything?” Beta Serena said sarcastically. “You can say that to me after Celeste rejected you.”
“I’ll think about it more.” My heart pounded with anxiety and excitement. I’d never been this serious about a woman.
“How funny it would be if Celeste were the one to reject you now.” Beta Serena grinned broadly, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
“If that happens, I suggest you don’t give up until you meet your second mate, or she likes another guy or gets a third mate,” said Beta Serena.
She loved to tease me.
“You support me, break my spirit, then cheer me up again,” I hissed in annoyance.
“Go away. Finish your work,” I said, jerking my chin toward the door.
Beta Serena chuckled and flashed her middle and ring fingers at me in a mock peace sign.
I continued with my work.
I had bought a house where Celeste, Liam, and Levi would live every Saturday and Sunday.
It was a shame we wouldn’t be able to be together for days.
We didn't want to risk anyone finding us, even though the houses there were bought by people who wanted to hide their mistresses.
Celeste wasn't my mistress. I had to make that clear.
Even if our relationship changed, if we became more than just Liam’s parents, I wanted Celeste to be my mate again.
My heart pounded against my ribs, and my cheeks felt hot.
I covered my face and shook my head.
I felt so ashamed of having such thoughts.
I cleared my throat as my work phone vibrated on my desk.
A crooked smile spread across my face as my eyes scanned the message from the elite warrior team leader.
“Okay. Let’s go meet that woman.” I got up from my desk chair and put on my black suit.
A warrior was waiting for me to get in the car. He drove the vehicle to a restaurant.
The restaurant was open at night. That was good. No one would see us.
Ten warriors had surrounded the restaurant. The employees preparing for the opening were trapped inside.
“Alpha.” A warrior escorted me upstairs. I passed the restaurant employees, who sat with questioning looks.
The woman sat at the far right end of the room, far from the window and the stairs, her movements restrained by three warriors.
“You surely know why I took my precious time to meet you.” I sat across from her, legs crossed.
“I, I, I don’t know, Alpha,” the woman said nervously. Her body was shaking.
“You’re not good at lying,” I growled. “Just be honest with me if you don’t want to spend the rest of your life in prison.”
My sharp gaze locked on the woman.
My hands were raised in the air, counting from one to three.
If she remained silent, the three warriors would drag her to the prison in the warrior camp.
“I, I’m sorry, Alpha,” the woman shouted, panting as if she’d just run a marathon. “I’ve given you a nightmare.”
I was a little disappointed that she admitted her actions so readily.
“Why did you do that?” I asked coldly.
“I’m disappointed in you. I’m jealous that you found a girlfriend only two weeks after breaking up with me, and what hurts me the most is that you’re engaged to that woman!” Her face flushed red with anger, her eyes wide and bulging.
She still held a grudge against me.
“We dated for a year.” She patted her chest. “You dated that woman for five months. But why were you so serious about her?”
My brows knitted together as I dug through my memories.
I was not one to reminisce.
I didn't remember why I decided to get engaged to my last girlfriend.
All I remember is that she ended our relationship a month after I started having nightmares. She could no longer be with me, who couldn't sleep and often woke up in the middle of the night.
“Your revenge worked.” I nodded twice without any expression. “That woman and I are already finished.”
I let the woman smile for the last time in her life.
“Take her to prison,” I ordered the three warriors.
“Alpha, please… I’m sorry. I beg you. Forgive me. I don’t want to end up in prison.” She screamed and thrashed against the warriors holding her, her eyes filled with tears as she stared at me.
“I will never forgive you,” I said indifferently, not wanting to hear her voice again.
Last night, I received an email from the BlackBirds rogue assassin group.
It only took them eight days to find the perpetrator who paid one of the Alpha Sifon members to give me nightmares every time I went to sleep.
Then I informed Gamma Nolan, and he immediately ordered the head of the elite warrior team to find the woman. She didn't leave the pack; confident her crimes wouldn't be discovered.
I was no longer having nightmares, and the woman had been arrested. Starting tonight, I will be sleeping more soundly.
No, my guess was wrong. We shouldn't celebrate happiness too soon.
"Alpha!" the warriors shouted as a revolver cracked and the glass door shattered behind me, the sounds colliding in the otherwise quiet afternoon.
My heart nearly dropped to my stomach. My ears were ringing.
I touched my throbbing ear and looked at the blood on my hand. "Damn it."
"Hey, get that guy." Several warriors from the elite team quickly chased after the person who shot me.
"Alpha, you need to get to the car immediately," said the warrior next to me.
I smiled crookedly. The wound on my ear healed in two seconds, but the pain I'll never forget.
"I forgot about the people who wanted me dead," I chuckled.