Chapter 44 I Have To Tell
The next day, I woke up on time and took a quick bath. Cora gave me her green sweatshirt and black leather pants.
“This really looks good on you,” Cora said as I stood in front of her full-length mirror.
I packed my hair into a ponytail, my gaze drifting to my belly, which had started to show a little bump. My hand moved there without thinking, rubbing it gently before I pulled the hem of the sweatshirt down to cover it.
“Thank you so much, Cora, for allowing me to wear your clothes,” I muttered.
“You’re welcome, Diana,” she said with a slight laugh as she combed her hair. “I’ve cleared a space for you in my room, in case you want to move your things in.”
“Thank you, Cora,” I said again, walking up to her and pulling her into a tight hug.
She chuckled and patted my back. “Jeez, too much hugging.”
I laughed as we pulled out of the hug, feeling lighter than I had in days.
“Careful,” she added jokingly as we walked toward the door, “if you keep hugging me like this, you’ll start making me feel a little special.”
I smiled. “You are special.”
She scoffed playfully. “I know, my mate tells me that almost all the time. His head is already big enough.”
That made me laugh again.
As she slipped into her shoes, she glanced at me. “Oh, I almost forgot. I talked to my mate last night.”
My heart skipped slightly. “You did?”
“Yep,” she said proudly. “And guess what? He said he can’t wait to see you. He’s already acting like you’re part of his pack.”
I smiled softly, warmth spreading through my chest. “I just hope I like the job… and that nothing goes wrong.”
Cora walked closer and placed her hands on my shoulders. “Nothing will go wrong. And even if something tries to, I'll bite it.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Cora!”
“Hey,” she said, pointing at herself, “my wolf is small but dangerous.”
I laughed. “Thank you. Really.”
“And besides,” she added more gently, “those wolves won’t find you there.”
Relief washed over me at her words, my shoulders relaxing. My wolf stirred inside me, calm for once instead of restless.
Outside, a cab pulled up. Cora stepped in, then leaned out of the window.
“Take care of yourself, Diana,” she said. “And don’t skip meals. If you do, I’ll know.”
I waved at her. “I will. Be safe.”
She waved back as the cab drove off, leaving me standing on the sidewalk, watching until it disappeared.
Once Cora was gone, I took a deep breath and walked down the street toward her mate’s restaurant. The morning air was cool, carrying faint scents of food, coffee, and the pack territory around me. My wolf stayed quiet, almost like it knew I needed peace today.
When I got there, I noticed the restaurant was just opening. The chairs were still upside down on the tables, and the door was halfway open.
Cora’s mate stood inside, rolling up his sleeves.
“Good morning,” I said softly.
He looked up and smiled warmly. “Hey, Diana. How are you doing?"
“I'm fine.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” he said as he opened the door fully. “Cora told me about what had happened, I'm so sorry.”
I smiled shyly. “Thank you for letting me work here.”
“Of course,” he said. “You don’t have to stress yourself too much. And you can choose whichever position you want to take.”
He showed me around the restaurant, pointing out different sections. “This is the counter, that’s the kitchen, and here is the dining area.”
“I think the simplest one would be best for me,” I said.
“That’s exactly what I was going to suggest,” he replied with a nod. “By the way, my name is Collen, but you can call me Co.”
“Okay, Co,” I said, nodding softly with a smile.
He handed me an apron, and I tied it around my waist. Together, we arranged the chairs and tables before the rest of the staff started arriving. One by one, they walked in, filling the place with laughter and noise.
Co introduced me to them, and within minutes, jokes were flying around.
I found myself smiling without forcing it. I already loved them. They were funny, cheerful, and full of life, just like Cora.
As time passed, customers began to come in. I stood behind the counter, taking orders, writing them down carefully, and passing them to the worker in charge of preparing the meals. The smell of food filled the air, and for a moment, I almost forgot everything else.
I reached for the notepad again when I heard a familiar voice.
“Diana?”
My heart skipped.
I looked up and froze when I saw Mark standing there, his eyes wide with surprise.
“You work here now?” he asked. “Why aren’t you working at Alpha Warren’s company again? Did he sack you?”
My fingers tightened around the pen. “Excuse me,” I said softly to my colleagues. “Can you cover for me for a moment?”
They nodded, and I stepped outside with Mark.
We stopped at the corner of the restaurant, away from the entrance.
“I stopped working there,” I said quietly. “I was attacked again… by those wolves.”
Mark’s face drained of color. “Again? Diana, that’s serious. Why are they coming after you?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But the last time it happened, the alpha rescued me.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re safe,” he snapped. “You need something to defend yourself. You can’t keep letting this happen.”
Before I could reply, his expression changed.
“Have you seen Layla?” he asked suddenly.
My chest tightened.
“I’ve been looking for her,” he continued. “She blocked me. I don’t know what I did wrong.” His voice dropped. “Maybe I didn’t love her enough. Maybe that’s why she left.”
He looked away. “I can’t accept that she doesn’t want to talk to me.”
I stayed silent, my thoughts spinning.
Should I tell him?
Mark wasn’t a bad person. He had loved Layla genuinely. He had protected her when her wolf was weak, stood by her through everything. He didn’t deserve this pain.
Taking a deep breath, I spoke. “I’ve seen Layla.”
His head snapped toward me. “You have?”
“Yes,” I said slowly. “She’s with Alpha Warren.”
He stiffened. “What?”
“Somehow… she’s his mate,” I added quietly.
Mark froze, his face twisting with shock and anger.
“That’s impossible,” he said sharply. “She already had a mate.”
“I know,” I whispered.
He muttered words under his breath, pacing like an angry wolf trapped in a cage. I tried to calm him, reaching out, but he pulled away.
“This doesn’t make sense,” he said. “None of this does.”
Before I could say anything else, he turned and walked away quickly.
I stood there, watching his back disappear down the street, my heart heavy.
At that moment, I knew telling Mark about Layla wasn’t a good idea, but it was already too late.