4.

ESTELLE’S POV

The following week passed by in a blur. I hardly made sense of anything I did. I resumed duty the morning after the incident and have kept myself busy throughout, unwilling to let myself think of my miserable losses. To let myself drown in self pity.

Lina already withdrew from the hospital and I didn't know if I should be grateful for that or awful for making her leave. And Mike? He left. Although, he tried to reach me but I ensured that there was no way he could do that.

I already moved on… I am moving on.

I knew people noticed that there was no longer a ring on my finger and I was glad nobody bothered to ask me about it. Ironic, right?

Maybe they were all just waiting for me to see through the fog of stupid love I had for him. To see he was nothing but a bloody cheat! A scum like the rest of Adam.

Tonight, I was not on duty and Brielle had gone to the bar where she worked part time. I didn't want to be alone so I was kind of happy when Darius invited me over to his house for dinner.

Honestly, if I could decline, I would but I needed the distraction. I applied the perfume I had gotten to hide my scent and took my purse before stepping out of my apartment. Fortunately for Mike, he had my house cleaned and made sure that none of his things were lying around somewhere.

It took a great feat to delete every memory we had together and burnt the ones we kept in the album. There was no going back anymore. Brielle ensured that I cut off every sort of connection to him.

I made my way to Darius’s home and as soon as I got there, the door slid open, and Darius’ tall figure appeared by the doorway.

Of course, he could already smell me. His nose dragged in a heavy breath and his eyes narrowed.

“Why are you wearing heavy perfumes tonight? Different scents. So different that I cannot place which one is yours?” His eyes narrowed further into slits as he gave me a skeptical look, running his gaze all over my face.

I made an attempt to smile at him but I am sure it looked more like a grimace. I managed to lift my stiff shoulders in a half shrug.

“Just thought to try something different. Good evening to you, too.” I said, giving him a pointed look. That didn't seem to ease him up but he stepped back, allowing me into his warm room.

Darius was ever the man who would ensure that his space is neat and very well arranged, even if he wasn't expecting a guest. His home felt like a home indeed.

“Thank you for inviting me over for dinner tonight, Darius.” I moved further into the dining room, catching sight of the dishes arranged on the dining table. He walked in behind me, pulling a chair out for me like a gentleman and I accepted it with a light smile.

I knew he made all of these dishes. Darius was everything a woman could ever wish for in a man. Good looking, vision oriented, caring, loving, considerate and well, an Alpha. Everything that I wasn’t meant to experience in a life partner.

He went to take his seat. Placing a plate, a fork and knife before me, he said. “I hadn't had the time to thank you for coming with me to the Alphas Summit so I thought what better way to do that than to invite you for dinner at my place. Hope you are comfortable here… with me?” Uncertainty gleamed in his grey eyes.

I wanted to laugh at him but couldn't find it in me do so.

“Darius, this isn't the first time I would be in your house and it definitely won't be the last. I am quite comfortable, you see.” I gave him a tight smile as I made to serve myself.

He moved on to ask about my work in the hospital and how the running of the hospital has been going. I told him I have busied myself these days, leaving out the fact that I was no longer engaged. I knew Darius didn't approve of my relationship with Mike but because he was the big brother I had never had, he tolerated him.

“Mrs. Nancy does know how to run things, doesn't she?” He wrinkled his nose as he spoke about his aunt. Nancy had been the one to raise him since his mother died at birth and his father followed not long after.

Nancy once told me she was passionate about lives, that was why Darius placed the pack hospital under her care. It gave him ease.

I smiled, nodding in response. Then, we moved on to the attacks. One thing about Darius and I is that although at times he tries to shield me from some harsh realities of life, he still shares some with me. For instance, these recent attacks has been taking most of his time. We have had to increase more patrols, had more security measures put in place and curfew has been implemented. Darius hated it but for the safety of his pack, he would do anything.

“So there is no lead as of this moment?” I asked, wondering how incredulous that was. Alpha Nile’s pack wasn't the first pack to be attacked. In fact, there has been a pattern of packs being attacked and yet, the perpetrators haven’t been apprehended.

“No. Castiel has had his security guild look into it but nothing.” He answered casually, using the handkerchief to wipe his stained lips. At the mention of his name, adrenaline rushed down my spine and I tried to school my face into indifference.

How could the name of a man affect me this much?

I said I was recovering from Mike’s betrayal but in truth, I would say it was Castiel’s that hurt me the most. I didn't even know him and yet, I haven't been able to talk to anyone about the weird hollow I feel in my chest.

Never have I ever thought that I would someday have a mate and even if I ended up, it was going to be a beautiful thing. Except I was delirious and delusional. Castiel was far from what I expected.

Trying to appear unaffected, I said. “Maybe there's something we are not looking through. No one attacks a whole group of people without reasons. It is either they seek revenge or they want what isn't theirs. Either way, we must catch them.” I said with an ounce of confidence I didn't know I possessed.

Darius kept quiet as he watched me with keen eyes. “Estelle, there's something you are not telling me.” He dropped the set of cutlery in his hands into the dish before him as he tilted his head to the side, giving me his utmost attention.

I blinked, shocked at the change in topic. I tried to smile but failed.

“I don't know why I have this feeling. It was like going with me to the Alphas Summit did something to you. I just can't place it. Tell me, Estelle. You claim that we are friends. What am I for if I don't know how you are feeling?”

I bit my inner cheeks, hating the way his words probed at my hardened walls. The raw emotions coating them made my throat tighten with guilt. I was such an awful person. I was making an innocent man feel guilty for not to telling him things I intentionally hid from him.

I bit my lower lip and pressed them together. “Darius, I—”

“If you are not ready to tell me yet, you don't have to. I will wait but I just don't see the light in your eyes anymore. Like something happened and snuffed it out. Is it Mike? How's the wedding plan coming up?” He asked, taking a sip from his berry juice.

I let out a small sigh and leaned back on the chair. I looked up at him, holding his gaze. “Darius, I am no longer engaged.”