Chapter Four

KYLE’S POV

“Alpha, for how long are you going to keep looking at that document?” Eric asked.

I ignored him and flipped to the next page. “You’ve read that for more than ten times. There are lots of documents that need your attention.”

I had been staring at the same words for several minutes without actually reading them. My mind kept going back to the video, to her face, and to the possibility that the woman I had mourned for twenty-five years was somehow alive again.

I finally closed the document and turned toward him. “What is your job if I have to do everything?”

“Everything? I’ve been working,” Eric replied.

“Good for you, then.”

“Good? Please, give me the document,” Eric said, stretching out his hand.

“Why should I give you the document?” I asked.

Eric put on a stern face, and I dropped the document into his hand. I gave it to him not because I was scared of his face, but definitely because I was tired of listening to him.

“Just hand over this document. I’ll bring it back in an hour,” Eric said before walking away.

I picked up the first document on the table, but before I could start reading it, a familiar voice echoed in my head.

“Look who finally decided to break out of his little shell,” I said.

“I was on a break, away from you,” Oryx replied.

“Whatever,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

“But what happened to you? That much work. What happened today? It’s either there’s a crisis, or you had other work to do,” Oryx said.

“I was busy with other documents.”

“Like?” Oryx asked.

“Hey, I said I was busy. Stick with it,” I replied.

“That sounds guilty,” Oryx said.

“I was reviewing somebody’s information.”

“A war?” Oryx asked.

“I found Lilith.”

Oryx went silent.

“Seriously? You mean you actually found her?” Oryx asked.

“Have you lost your mind?” Oryx added.

“That’s offensive,” I muttered.

“Look, in as much as I want Lilith back, I’m not as emotionally driven as you are,” Oryx said.

“I really found her, okay?” I replied.

“Yeah, I believe you,” Oryx said.

“Fine.”

I went back to the document, but Oryx was no longer willing to remain quiet.

I felt Oryx shifting inside me, trying to catch her scent.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I’m trying to track her scent,” He replied. “I mean, if you found Lilith, she should be here.”

“But I can't seem to get her scent." He added.

“Of course, because she’s not here,” I replied.

“You found your mate, and you left her there?” Oryx asked.

“I really found her,” I replied. “Well, not exactly as Lilith, but…”

“...With a different identity.” I added.

“Different identity?” Oryx asked.

“She's Ariel now.”

"Ariel?"

“Yes, her name is Ariel now.”

“I still don’t believe you,” Oryx said.

“Fine. Let me show you.”

I reached for my phone. Eric wasn’t here to stop me, so I unlocked the screen and played the video from the university.

“There. Do you believe me now?” I asked.

“Ah!” I exclaimed, holding my head as I felt Oryx trying to break out.

I knew exactly what he was planning, so I held him back as tightly as I could. “You simply can’t go to her and say, ‘Hi, you are my mate who died twenty-five years ago.’ Do you understand how insane that would sound?” I said, mimicking Eric’s words.

“I’m not going to her,” Oryx replied.

“Oh, you’re not?” I asked.

“No.”

“I’m going to those people who harmed her,” Oryx said.

“What kind of mate are you if the people who bullied your mate are still in her life, living happily?” He asked.

I understood his anger. I felt it too. Watching them laugh at her had awakened something in me that I hadn’t felt in years. But acting without thinking was exactly how I could destroy the little chance I had of getting close to her.

“Your mate or the bullies? What’s more important?” I asked.

“My mate,” Oryx replied.

“Good. So let’s focus on our mate now,” I said.

“I would handle those bullies, but definitely not now,” I added.

I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my forehead. “I don’t know what to do. I know she’s my mate, but she can’t feel it. How will she see me? How will I even tell her? I feel like I’m going to mess everything up again. I can’t keep playing this game, only to end up losing her this time around too.”

Before I could think any further, the telephone on the desk rang. I picked it up. “Yes?”

“Alpha,” Eric’s voice came from the other side of the phone.

“What?”

“The board called.”

“Yeah, and what do they want?”

“They want to come to the palace for a meeting about the university.”

“The university board?”

“Yeah. Who else would come to the palace about the university?” Eric asked.

“Why should we have the meeting at the palace?” I asked.

“Where else should we have it?” Eric replied.

“Of course, at the main location. At the college.”

“Why the college, Alpha?”

“Because I’m a very good owner,” I replied with a faint smile. “So I want to be at the college.”

“Or you want to see your mate?” Eric asked.

I went silent.

He knew me too well.

“Whatever,” I muttered, leaning back in my chair. “Both works.”