Chapter 51 Haunted
I took in a deep breath to calm myself as I walked into the bedroom. I dropped my tote bag on the small table by the window and sat on the bed.
The day had been a hectic one, and the more my mind drifted to Layla and Alpha Warren, the more the ache in my chest hurt. It felt like claws were digging into my heart, twisting it slowly.
I shifted on the bed, resting my back against the headboard. “Why does fate keep hurting me?” I muttered, brushing my hand over my protruding stomach as my eyes turned teary.
“Why can’t I have a normal life like every wolf? What did I do to deserve this?”
The creaking sound of the door pulled my attention, and I wiped my tears immediately, knowing Cora would come in soon and start asking questions.
“Diana, you won’t believe what happened at work today,” Cora said as she walked into the bedroom, she dropped her bag and took off her jacket. “Layla sacked a worker in management team because she looked at her twice after she insulted her. What a heartless piece of shit.”
She stopped talking when she noticed I wasn’t responding.
“Omg, you’re crying,” she gasped, touching her chest dramatically. “Did something happen at work today?”
I shook my head, sniffling. “No, I’m just—”
“Please don’t lie to me, Diana,” she muttered as she came closer and sat beside me on the bed. “What happened?”
I shook my head again, fighting the urge to tell her, but the pain was too much to bear. It spilled out before I could stop it.
“Cora… Alpha Warren is my mate,” I whispered. “He’s the one I slept with at Layla’s friend’s party.”
Cora’s mouth dropped open.
“Oh my—” she gasped, then froze. “Wait. WHAT?”
She stared at me like I had just told her the moon fell from the sky.
“How did you know?” she asked, lowering her voice. “Did he told you or someone told you?"
I swallowed hard. “I met Layla's friend today at the restaurant, the one we attended her party that night. We talked for a bit, and she mentioned that Alpha Warren is her cousin and that he told her he had a one-night stand at her party and was looking for the lady he slept with.”
Cora’s eyes widened. “Layla must’ve heard about it,” she said slowly. “And pretended she was the one.”
That was all it took.
I broke down.
“She knew, Cora,” I cried. “I told Layla I slept with a guy at the party. She knew everything and didn’t tell me. She watched me suffer.”
Cora shook her head, giving me a sad look. “That girl is really a witch,” she muttered. “How could she steal her own sister’s mate? Even rogues have shame.”
“I don’t know what to do,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I just can't stop thinking about it, Cora.”
Cora wrapped her arms around me. “Jeez, this is bad. I think you should tell Alpha Warren,” she said firmly. “He will take responsibility for his pups when they’re born.”
I shook my head quickly. “No. I can’t.”
She pulled back. “Why?”
“Because he loves Layla,” I said through my tears. “I saw them. I saw the way he kissed her… with so much passion. That day I went to submit my resignation letter.”
Cora scoffed. “Please. Everyone in that company knows Alpha Warren is not into her like that.”
I looked at her.
“You should see the way he looks at her,” she continued. “One moment he’s all over her, the next minute he acts like she’s invisible. That man is confused, not in love.”
I cried harder. “Why would Layla do this to me? I still can’t believe it.”
Cora sighed. “She’s probably jealous,” she said. “Your mate is an Alpha. No wonder she killed her own mate.”
She squeezed my hand. “You need to be strong for your unborn pups, Diana. And you need to let Warren know.”
“I just can’t,” I said weakly. “What if Warren reacts badly? What if Layla does something? If she could kill Mark, then she can do anything. It's best I act like I didn't know and let things be the way they had always been."
Cora went quiet.
“Don’t you want your mate,” she asked softly, “or the father of your pups to be there when they’re born?”
That hit my heart hard.
“I don’t know what to think right now,” I whispered. “My head is aching. I just need to rest.”
She nodded. “I understand. Go shower and relax. I’ll bring dinner for you.”
“I don’t have the appetite,” I replied. “Please don’t bother.”
She tried to argue but stopped. “Okay. I understand.”
Once she left the room, I lay back on the bed, hoping sleep would take me. But no matter how I closed my eyes, my wolf stayed restless, pacing inside me.
Not long after, the door opened again.
Cora walked in holding a basket filled with different type of snacks and flowers.
I sat up. “Did you buy all that?”
She blinked. “No, someone brought them."
“Who is it?” I asked, with the thought that it was Aiden.
She hesitated. “I heard a knock on the door. When I checked, it was Alpha Warren.”
My heart skipped painfully.
“He said he was worried about you,” she continued. “He wondered how you’ve been coping without a job and source of income and wanted to support you in any way he can.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course.”
Cora made an exaggerated awwn sound. “See? Caring Alpha. If Layla wasn’t in the way, you’d already have your happy ever after.”
She picked up a card tucked inside the rose bouquet and handed it to me.
“He left this.”
My fingers trembled as I took it, my wolf stirring uneasily as I opened the card to read his message.