Chapter 16

16

KNOCK KNOCK

Wyatt

The air in my office feels heavy, thick with unspoken tension and regret. I’m sitting behind my desk, staring blankly at the stack of papers that have become a monument to my stress. The meeting earlier was a disaster; tempers flared and egos clashed, but what gnaws at me isn’t the chaos of business but the way it affected her — my Octavia. I can still see the hurt in her eyes as I walked her to the garden afterward, the way her shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world rested upon them.

My wolf is restless, pacing back and forth in my mind, picking up on her distress like a radio tuning into a distant frequency. It’s a constant ache, this connection we share. I know she’s upset; I can feel it pulsing through the bond we share. I want nothing more than to ease her pain, to pull her close and let our souls intertwine in the comfort of silence. I contemplate going to find her, just to sit together, maybe read while I work. The thought of her presence alone is enough to soothe the storm brewing inside me.

A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts, and I sit up a little straighter, a flicker of hope lighting up my chest. “Come in,” I call, half-expecting to see Octavia walk in with that soft smile that could melt the hardest of hearts.

But it’s Rachel who saunters in, dressed in a tight, short red dress that clings to her like a second skin. My stomach churns at the sight of her; I can almost smell the rotten intentions rolling off her in waves. What is she doing here?

“Wyatt,” she purrs, a saccharine sweetness dripping from her voice. “I just wanted to talk about the baby.” She leans against the doorframe, her expression feigning innocence, but I see the hunger lurking behind her eyes.

I can’t help the disgust that twists my features. “What are you doing on the Alpha floor, Rachel?” I ask, my tone flat and unyielding. “You know this isn’t your place.”

She pushes herself away from the door and starts to walk around my desk, her movements calculated, every sway of her hips designed to seduce. My wolf growls in warning, instincts flaring as she closes the distance between us. “Wyatt,” she says softly, her voice dropping to a honeyed whisper. “We could be so happy together. A family. If you’d just reject Octavia…”

The words hit me like a blow, and I barely contain the roar of anger that threatens to escape my lips. “Get away from me,” I snap, and in the heat of the moment, I shift slightly in my chair, my body bracing for her to step back.

But her confidence has her misstepping, and suddenly, she’s tripping into my lap. Without thinking, I instinctively catch her around the waist, my hands gripping her hips. It’s a moment that stretches into eternity, a heartbeat where the world seems to pause.

And then I hear it — a gasp of sadness that cuts through the air like a knife. I turn to see Octavia standing in the doorway, her expression one of pure betrayal. The pain in her chocolate golden eyes is a tangible thing, and in that instant, I know I’ve made a grave mistake.

“Octavia…” I start, but the hurt in her gaze silences me. I can see it flickering in her eyes, the doubt, the heartbreak. She thinks I’ve chosen Rachel, that I’m embracing the woman I’ve loathed since I found my mate.

The truth of it is, I would rather endure a thousand hells than lose Octavia. Yet, here I am, caught in a web of misunderstanding, and I know she’s about to run. The instinct to chase after her, to claim her again, to explain, is overwhelming, but the look on her face tells me it might already be too late.

“Wyatt,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “I can’t do this.”

And just like that, she turns on her heel, fleeing down the hallway, leaving my heart in a shattered mess. I want to call after her, to tell her it’s not what it looks like, to scream that Rachel means nothing to me. But the words stick in my throat, choked by the weight of my own mistakes.

Rachel’s laughter is a sickening sound in the silence that follows. “You didn’t really think she would understand, did you?” she taunts, her eyes sparkling with malicious glee. “You’re going to have to make a choice, Wyatt. And I don’t think it’s going to be her.”

With a surge of rage, I push her off my lap, watching as she stumbles back, surprise flashing across her face. “Get out,” I growl, my voice low and dangerous. “You’ve done enough damage for a lifetime.”

She hesitates, but my gaze is icy, my wolf shining through my eyes, roaring to be unleashed. “Get out!”

Rachel’s smirk falters, but she turns and strides toward the door, casting one last glance over her shoulder. “I’ll be waiting, Wyatt. You’ll see.”

As the door clicks shut behind her, the silence in my office is deafening. I drop my head into my hands, the weight of my failure crashing down around me. I can still feel Octavia’s presence lingering in the air, a bittersweet reminder of the love I almost lost.

I push myself up from the desk, heart pounding in my chest as I race toward the door. I have to find her. I can’t let this misunderstanding tear us apart. The hall is empty, echoing with my footsteps as I sprint to the garden.

As I reach the garden, my heart sinks. It’s tranquil, the sun filtering through the autumn leaves, but it feels so hollow without Octavia. I call out her name, desperation clawing at my throat. “Octavia!”

But the only response is the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. I can feel my wolf pacing anxiously within me, sensing my turmoil.

“We have to find her,” my wolf growls, a primal urgency coursing through me.

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes and focusing on our bond, the tether that connects us. I push out my senses, trying to hone in on her. There. A flicker of her essence lingers in the air, a soft glow amidst the darkness of my despair.

I follow it, my feet pounding against the ground, heart racing with every step. I can’t lose her, not like this. I reach the edge of the woods, where the trees stand like sentinels, guarding secrets and sorrows. There, in the clearing by the stream, I see her silhouette, a figure so fragile against the backdrop of nature.

“Octavia!” I call, my voice breaking slightly as I step into the clearing. She turns, surprise flickering across her features, and I can see the tears glistening in her eyes.

“Alpha Saltman…” she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper but somehow empty of emotion. She called me Alpha Saltman, and I hate it. It’s not like when she calls me her ‘Alpha’ in that breathy voice.

I take a cautious step closer, my heart aching at the sight of her. “Please, let me explain,” I plead, desperate to bridge the chasm that has formed between us.

“Explain what?” she snaps, anger flaring even as her voice trembles. “What is there to explain? I saw you with her.”

“It wasn’t what it looked like,” I rush to say, my voice earnest. “Rachel barged in. I didn’t want to touch her; I was just trying to push her away when she fell into my lap.”

Octavia’s eyes narrow, skepticism etched into her features. “And you expect me to believe that?”

“I’m not with her, Octavia,” I say, stepping closer, my heart in my throat. “You are my mate. You’re the one I want. I would never choose her over you.”

“But it looked like you did,” she replies, her voice wavering.

My heart pounds as I reach for her, wanting nothing more than to pull her into my arms. “I’ve hated every moment of her presence since I found you. You are my world, Octavia. You’re everything.”

She takes a step back, shaking her head. “You can’t just expect me to forget what I saw, Wyatt. I felt you touch her. A sharp stab in my stomach.”

“I don’t want you to forget,” I say, desperation seeping into my voice. “I want you to know the truth. I want to fight for us.”

Her expression softens for a moment, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. “But what about the baby?”

I swallow hard, the reality of Rachel’s pregnancy scare hitting me like a punch to the gut. “I don’t know what’s going on with Rachel. I promise I’ll handle it, but I need you to believe me when I say she means nothing to me.”

Silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words. I can see the conflict in her eyes, and it tears me apart. “Please, Octavia,” I whisper, stepping forward again. “Let me show you how much you mean to me. Don’t walk away from this. I can’t lose you.”

Her breath catches, and for a moment, time stands still. I reach out, brushing my fingers against her arm, and the warmth of her skin sends a jolt of electricity through me. “I love you, Octavia,” I say, my heart laid bare. “I choose you, now and always Gorgeous.”

Tears spill down her cheeks, and I can see the battle raging within her. “I need time, Wyatt,” she finally says, her voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know if I can trust you right now. I was trying… fighting my heart and brain.”

“I understand,” I reply, my heart aching but knowing she needs space to heal. “But I’ll be here when you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere.”

As she turns to leave, a part of me wants to reach out and pull her back, but I hold myself steady. I’ll respect her wishes, but I won’t give up on us. Not now, not ever.

With each step she takes away from me, I feel the weight of my mistakes pressing down harder, but I refuse to let it crush me. I’ll fight for her, no matter the cost. Rachel may have tried to tear us apart, but our bond is stronger than any threat that looms over us.

And I’ll prove it.