Chapter 47 Alpha Warren
{Warren POV}
Diana stared at me in shock, her eyes widening. I knew she wasn’t expecting to see me, and I hadn’t known she would be at Cora’s place. A part of me had thought Cora might know where Diana was and didn’t want me to find out, but I never imagined she would be staying with her.
“Alpha Warren,” she muttered in shock. The pain in her eyes was clear to see.
The surprise in her eyes slowly turned into dislike. She turned to leave, but I grabbed her hand before she could. She flinched at my touch, like my skin burned hers.
“Diana, please give me a chance to talk to you,” I pleaded. When our eyes met, she looked away.
“I’m sorry, Alpha, but I can’t right now. It’s already late, and I need to sleep,” she murmured as she pulled her hand out of mine.
“Diana, I’m sorry for what happened that day,” I said. “I should have told you about someone else taking your job before you came. Can you please forgive me?”
My voice fumbled, and the ache in my chest worsened. I had been feeling this way since the day she left the office, and I couldn’t tell why. But every time Layla came close, the pain seemed to ease, like my wolf was being forced into silence.
She looked at me for a long moment before letting out a deep breath.
“I understand that you needed to give the job to your mate, so I never took it personally.” She lowered her gaze to the ground, clearly avoiding my eyes. “I only chose to resign because I knew those wolves who attacked me might come back, and I didn’t want to put other workers in danger.”
Guilt settled heavily in my chest.
I reached out to touch her hand, but she shifted slightly, putting distance between us.
“Diana, can we talk for a while? I need to ask you something.”
She looked behind her briefly before walking out of the house and closing the door. She wrapped her arms around herself as if she were cold.
“Are you feeling cold?” I asked.
My gaze drifted to her stomach before I could stop myself. It had protruded a little, just enough to make the pain in my chest worsen. I quickly looked back at her face.
She shook her head and gestured toward the chair in front of the house. I watched as she walked over and sat down, her gaze fixed on the sky as if she was counting the stars.
The night breeze carried her scent to me, soft but steady, and my wolf stirred beneath my skin. I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was, especially from the side. Her face was soft, her plump lips slightly parted as she breathed in slowly. Her black hair fell freely around her shoulders, moving gently with the wind. Even with the tiredness in her eyes, there was a quiet strength about her.
I didn’t realize I was staring until she turned and our eyes met. She looked away quickly, like my gaze had burned her.
“How are you doing?” I asked, remembering what Layla had said about her mate abandoning her.
“I’m fine, Alpha. Thank you for the concern,” she replied.
Silence settled between us, thick and uneasy. The night felt heavier, and my wolf paced restlessly, urging me forward.
“I was worried about you,” I said quietly. “After you resigned, I went to your house to check on you. They told me you didn’t stay there anymore.”
Her fingers tightened on her lap. “I had to leave.”
“That’s why I came looking,” I added. “I needed to know you were safe.”
She turned to me then, her expression guarded. “I’m okay, Alpha Warren. You don’t need to worry about me.”
I reached into my jacket and pulled out an envelope. “I also came to give you this. Two months’ salary. Compensation.”
Her eyes dropped to it, and her face changed instantly.
“No,” she said, standing up.
“It’s the least I can do,” I said, stepping closer. “You were hurt because of the way my mate had talked to you and because of me.”
“I can’t accept it,” she said firmly. “Please.”
“You’re not even working right now,” I insisted. “Let me help you.”
She looked at me then, really looked at me, and something in her eyes made my chest tighten painfully.
“You’ve done enough, Alpha,” she said softly. “I don’t need the money. I’m fine.”
My wolf growled in frustration, but I forced myself to calm down. I slipped the envelope back into my jacket.
“Alright,” I said after a moment. “I won’t force you.”
She let out a slow breath, her shoulders easing slightly.
Another silence followed, heavier than the last. The question that had been pressing on my mind all day refused to stay buried.
“Diana,” I said carefully, “there’s something I need to ask you.”
Her body stiffened.
“That day, I heard part of your conversation with my mate,” I continued. “You mentioned a name.”
She didn’t move.
“Mark,” I said. “Who is he?”
She froze completely. Her hands trembled as she clasped them together, and she looked away.
“I don’t think that’s something I should talk about,” she said after a while.
“Please,” I said quietly. “I just want the truth.”
Her throat moved as she swallowed. “It would be better if you asked Layla about it.”
That answer hit harder than I expected.
“Layla?” I repeated.
She nodded slowly. “Yes. She knows.”
“Why can’t you tell me?” I asked.
She wrapped her arms around herself again. “I think it’s best if I go inside now.”
“Diana—”
“I’m tired, Alpha Warren,” she said softly. “Please understand.”
She walked toward the door without looking back. I stood there, watching as she opened it and disappeared inside. The door closed quietly, but the sound echoed loudly in my chest.
I remained there for a moment, my wolf uneasy, my thoughts tangled.
When I finally turned away and made my way to the car, my steps felt heavy. Before getting in, I paused and looked back at the house once more.
Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.