Everly POV

I watched Zoe blow out her candles. Today was her 21st birthday, and I was blessed to call her one of my best friends. She is more like a sister to me. Zoe and Macey filled the places where my family should have been, but now I was happy with how far we all had come; we didn’t need anyone; we only needed each other.

“Happy 21st,“ I whisper to her, giving her a hug after setting the cake down.

“Oh, we need napkins,“ I tell Zoe before rushing off back to the kitchen. I go into the storeroom, grabbing a box of refills down and pulling a handful out before placing the box on the shelf. Just as I walk back out, Zoe rushes into the kitchen, her face pale and a look of horror on her face. She smacks straight into me before grabbing my arms.

“What is it? What happened?“ I ask her, looking around for what scared her. When she didn’t answer, I went to walk past her to investigate myself. It must be bad for her not to be able to tell me. Zoe feared nothing these days she had come out of her shell, but something happened for her to be such a nervous wreck.

“You can’t go out there, “ She exclaims, gripping my arms and pulling me away from the door just as I was about to step out into the Restaurant. I hear

Macey talking behind me in the Restaurant.

“Sir, you can’t go back there, “ I hear her call to someone.

“What happened?“ I ask her.

“Zoe?“ Gripping her arms when her eyes go wide as she stares over my shoulder. I got the feeling that who she feared was right behind me; only a second later, I stood up straight, his scent wafting to me, and Zoe’s eyes darted to mine.

My face must mirror the same horror hers do because she grabs my hands, squeezing them. I close my eyes, willing myself not to break. He will not break me. He does that nearly every night; I live with it. I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing it.

“Your name is Everly, right?“ I fight the urge to shiver hearing his voice. F*cking mate bond, it’s bad enough it tortures me; why does it have to affect me this way, every piece of me wanting to throw myself in his arms despite the fact he nearly ruined me. The bond wanted that, not me. I was in control, I fought it this long, and I didn’t work this hard for everything to unravel right now.

“Yes, how may I help you, Alpha Valen?“ I ask, turning around. My lungs compressed at the sight of him, he was gorgeous, and he f*cking knew he was, which just enraged me. Tall, dark, and handsome. What is it with men? They grow older, manlier, and more handsome while women just f*cking age?

Damn, my inner monologue was out of whack today, f*ck, was taking up a good chunk of my vocabulary.

“You know my name and who I ann?“ he asks.

“I also know what you are too, so how may I help you?“ I asked him. I was impressed with how calm I sounded, despite screaming internally and wanting to run.

He blows out a breath and runs a hand through his hair before scratching his neck. He looks back out to the Restaurant.

“How old are you?“ he asks.

you are my mate if that’s what you are wondering,“ I tell him. Didn’t I know it? Five years of agony because

wasn’t even forged yet. I hated what he put me through, hated how he hung up when I tried to tell him I was pregnant and laughed at me, saying he would never f*ck a seventeen-year-old. Well, f*cker,

into the Restaurant, managing

I got the inkling that he didn’t struggle this much with women; he clearly wasn’t

Macey will escort you out, “ I tell him, pointing to Macey while I checked

I know this came as

The door is just behind you, if you just turn around, you shouldn’t miss it,

a real piece of

reason that isn’t about being

a reason,“ He mutters while looking around. We had managed to draw half the Restaurant’s attention, though we talked rather quietly. I knew it was his aura.

manager about holding the annual Alpha meeting here, “ He says before pulling a

your own Hotels to do that

to hold it on neutral territory, “ “Well, we

you the

if it isn’t, I will make sure it is, “ I tell him, placing the cutting knife and napkins on the table next to Zoe’s birthday

to speak to the manager,“

speaking to her, “ I tell him, clearing the table and walking back out to the kitchen. I scraped the plates before placing them in the sink and turning around, only to almost run into him as he was standing

“You’re looking at her,“ I tell him.

to your k s! Didn’t think a rogue woman

shutting up. “It is,

No, I wanted to book your functions room for the Alpha meeting and also check out the competition;

will excuse me,“ I tell him, and he growls, stepping

are you being like this?“ He

your mate!“

or something,  go somewhere with less of an audience,“ he says,glancing around

“No, thank you,“

you got a boyfriend, is

feel the need to f*ck everything

eyes, trying to step around him when he blocks me again by placing

do; please move, “ I

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