Chapter 17

Kyra's POV I stopped when I almost bumped into Nathan as I was about to enter the meeting room. My pulse spiked as his Alpha aura wrapped around me instinctively. His stern expression softened upon seeing me. "Kel—" "Good morning, Alpha Nathan." I deliberately used his title, watching his lips part in shock. In our world, mates never used formal address - this was a public declaration of our severed bond. I brushed past him to my usual seat at my usual chair whenever we had a meeting. Instead of leaving, he went back to the chair beside mine - the place reserved for a Luna beside her Alpha. "We need to talk," he murmured, his wolf's gravelly undertone making the employees pause their preparations. I glanced at the pack’s employees were putting documents on the table. "I have another meeting after this, Alpha Nathan." "Five minutes," he begged. I lazily looked at him and didn’t answer immediately. I waited for the pack’s employees to leave before I faced him completely. "We already spoke. I told you to give me a year—" "Then, why did you come last night?" My breath caught. He thought I'd sought him out, when in reality I'd been fleeing a rogue threat while he was tangled with Sophia.Someone filmed me naked and he was clueless as fck. Instead of answering, my eyes landed on the rings on his finger. "Why are you still wearing those rings?" “I didn’t regret marrying you, Kyra. You are part of my life and so are these rings.” I looked him in the eyes. “If I were Sophia, I wouldn't allow you to wear someone else’s ring.” He clenched his jaws. “You’re not just someone else.” I looked away and answered with sarcasm, “Yeah. I am one of your treasures.” "Why push me away?" He grabbed my wrist. "I’m worried about you, Kyra. That rogue stalker—" “I'll deal with it myself,” I cut him off as I put my pen on the table. "We're rejected mates, Alpha Nathan. And the meeting is important, just let it be." He was rendered speechless and I signaled my assistant to bring others in. I didn’t wanna waste time. What happened last night was enough to sober me up. He said he’s not dating Sophia but I caught them together in his house. She was wearing his t-shirt and they looked like they just fcked. I would never fall for his words anymore. *** Nathan's POV My wolf howled in frustration. Kyra kept pushing me away, demanding space I couldn't give. She’s asking me to leave her alone for a year. How could I fucking do that? I felt like I’d lose my mind whenever she was mad at me. My mind would be in chaos. I couldn’t stop thinking about her because I knew I was guilty. I brought her into this situation. I was the one to blame. I shouldn’t have married her in the first place. However, I couldn’t deny that she made me happy in our marriage. During the entire meeting, she never once glanced my way. I was her Alpha, her mate - yet she treated me like a stranger. Alaric, my wolf, paced angrily, She smells different - like steel and resolve instead of orange blossoms and home. I never wanted to lose Kyra but I didn’t wanna give up on Sophia, the mate fate itself had chosen for me. I’d been in love with her since high school. I just didn’t understand why I had to let Kyra go just because I wanted to be happy with Sophia. I was a mess. I didn’t like this but I couldn’t do anything. After the meeting, I silently watched Kyra as she walked confidently towards her office. I didn’t know why I had a bad feeling. Since last night, I felt like I missed something very important. And that, was the reason why she was angry with me. "Luke!" I called Luke who was the warrior guarding in front of Kyra’s office after she entered. "Alpha..." "What happened last night?" I growled. He bowed his head. "I swore secrecy, my Alpha." “What?” I growled at him. I balled my fists and moved a little closer. "She was my Luna!I deserve to know what’s happening to her." "I’m sorry, she's still my charge," he countered respectfully but firmly. I hung up the phone furiously and dropped my body on the swivel chair. I started massaging my forehead while squeezing my eyes when a pair of warm hands caressed my shoulders. I jumped and looked at Sophia who was standing beside me. She immediately kissed my cheek as she smiled, “You seem stressed.” I looked away. How could I tell Kyra that she misunderstood us last night? Wait, was she angry because of it? Was she acting like this because she felt like I was lying to her when I told her I did’t not mark Sophia? That was the truth. Sophia and I weren’t in a relationship although we had a mutual understanding. However, that was all. Nothing happened last night. I was about to take a shower last night when Sophia came. She accidentally spilled water on her clothes so she borrowed mine. I was fixing my belt because just like what I said, I was about to take a shower. I feel like it was the reason why Kyra is angry so I gently pushed Sophia and pulled myself up. She was calling my name but I was determined to talk to Kyra, apologize, and explain to her. However, I felt like the world fell upon me when I saw Luke in front of her swivel chair. His left hand was pressed on the table while his other hand was on Kyra’s cheek. Something inside me seemed to explode as I realized what they were doing. They were fcking kissing! H-Her lips were on someone else’s lips…