Chapter 4

(Emi’s POV)

Alpha King Lucian never followed me or hunted me down after I discovered the truth. Why would he anyway? He hadn’t years ago. Why would he now?

The pain is still there, eating at me and destroying me from the inside out. Sylvie knows something’s wrong, but I don’t tell her. I haven’t even told Iris even though she’s been texting me and calling me. I’ve been avoiding her when she tries to stop by.

I sigh, knowing I can’t keep silent and hiding from everyone forever. It’s not like he’s trying to hunt me down anyway. I have nothing to worry about. I mean nothing to him. Nothing has changed. Everything is still the same.

It’s late in the afternoon. A week has come and gone. Sylvie is at school. A few regulars are tapping away at their laptops in the seating area. I try not feel utter disappointment when Mr. Delacroix doesn’t show up for our regular weekly check-in meeting. Should I expect no more check-ins then?

I glance down at the two baskets I pathetically made for him and my mate. I had a week to come to terms that I mean absolutely nothing to the Northern Alpha King. Would we even continue doing business together now that I know the truth?

I’ve seen his latest headlines with him taking the Eastern Alpha King’s beautiful daughter to dinner last night. There’s no competition. She’s a part of his world and his lifestyle. What wolf would deny her? Nobody would. Should I expect him to try to silence me? When would he reject me? Probably soon, judging by the headlines.

The chimes and bells go off and my eyes lift from my phone ogling the elegant dinner pictures between Alpha King Lucian and Jasmine Beaumont to see Iris walk in. Clear visible relief on her face before she scowls at me.

“I thought you were dead,” she growls at me in frustration.

I take a deep breath at her approach. “I’m alive,” I manage to say with a bitter laugh. “Somehow.”

Barely. I’m barely alive. It’s quite clear by now that my mate wants nothing to do with me. They haven’t for four years. I can’t even be mad at him, because he’s also saved myself and my little sister from becoming homeless. He also helped me secure my financial stability and made my shop profitable and success.

She frowns at my response. Her eyes take me in, studying my appearance. I wonder how terrible I look. I can’t believe I actually cried over him. I can’t believe this is tearing me up inside. I’m losing sleep over this. I have no appetite. I’m just existing.

“What happened?” she whispers as she get closer, surveying the shop for the moment. “Alpha King Lucian approved of your samples. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you to arrange a business meeting with his lawyer.”

I swallow. Of course, he’ll do something like that. He’ll do something that makes it impossible to hate him, because I’ll look positively ungrateful. Tears fill my eyes and Iris immediately rushes around the counter to embrace me.

“I thought you’d be happy,” she gasps in concern and confusion. “Sylvie can actually go to university and live at the dorms. You can finally add more staff. You can finally have some time off for yourself. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

It is. It really is what I wanted. That’s what hurts about it. My mate is giving me everything what I need to succeed and thrive. He’s doing all that, but his distance breaks me apart. I realize how pathetic I sound. He has a fiancee and I still want him even though he doesn’t want me.

“It is,” I admit, wiping at my face in embarrassment. “Don’t mind me. I’m just a little off. It’ll pass.”

Iris continues to look at me with concern. She knows I’m lying. She knows me well enough to know I’m not okay, but I’m not going to risk her biggest client yet over me. I’ll suck it up and keep it all to myself.

Just then, the bells and chimes go off again. We both look up and Mr. Delacroix steps in. His handsome face is grim, but his silver eyes widen as they land on Iris. I feel her tense against me and her breath catches. I watch him swallow thickly before he approaches the counter. He forces his eyes to meet mine.

“I apologize for running late, Ms. Moon,” he breathes. His breathing is a bit labored as if he’s trying to keep himself together and on task. “I had an unfortunate emergency meeting and you haven’t been answering my calls.”

Iris huffs at that. “Now I know something is wrong,” she grumbles, ignoring the elephant in the room standing right in front of us. “You and I are going to have a real talk after your business meeting with...”

When she trails off, Mr. Delacroix smirks at that. “Adam Delacroix.”

I watch the way his eyes drift to her. I can smell their growing arousal perfuming the air. There’s now no doubt that they are each other’s mates, but they make sense. They’re a part of the same world. The most likely run in the same type of social circles.

“Oh!” she gasps. “You’re the lawyer that Alpha King Lucian is pulling into the business arrangement. He said he needed you to look over the contract between Sylvie’s Sweets and Moon Eclipse Enterprise.”

Mr. Delacroix nods, staring right at her. “I have it right here. If you’d like to stay, you can sit in for this meeting. It does involve you.”

I grasp her hand immediately behind the counter, cottoning on to the idea of her staying. Mr. Delacroix may have other reasons for her to stay, but she’s been my confidant and cheerleader for so long, it makes sense for her to be by my side… even if she has no idea what’s going on yet. I have no doubt she’ll grill me about all of this when we’re alone.

“Sure, we can tackle two things at once,” she agrees, already catching unto something that isn’t quite right. She’s too perceptive for her own good sometimes.

I grab the baskets from behind the counter. Mr. Delacroix’s eyes widen at the offerings when I hand them over to him. I try not to chuckle at the appreciative expression that crosses his face. He totally wasn’t expecting it. I glance over at the coffee bar.

“Help yourself,” I tell him and he nods. I see deep respect reflecting in his eyes before I glance over at Iris. “You too. Grab what you want. It’s on the house.”

Iris’s eyes light up like a kid in a candy shop. She immediately sets off as does Mr. Delacroix to get his usual coffee. Has my bakery and patisserie shop become the equivalent to an adult’s version of a candy shop?

I grab the documents I need for the meeting and sit at the usual table. The baskets are on the ground now that Iris will be joining us. They come back around with goodies and drinks. I can’t help but chuckle at their enthusiasm.

Mr. Delacroix goes over the numbers and inventory. He also goes over the contract quickly. We sign off on everything that needs to be signed off on. He nods in approval before he finally leans back and looks me straight in the eye.

“Everything looks good,” he tells me with a small smile. I don’t like the mischievous glint in his eyes. “There’s just one thing we need to go over, Ms. Moon.”

I swallow thickly. I already know I’m not going to like what he’s going to say. “Wh-What would that be?”

“As you discovered, Alpha King Lucian Wolfe is your silent partner,” he reveals to my surprise and Iris’s. I’m not expecting him to just come out like that especially in public where anyone can hear. Judging by the gasps, some of the customers did hear. “You are well aware there’s a clause in your contract you both signed where if he decides to come out of the shadows that he’d become co-general partner. He’s made the business decision to do just that and would like to work closely with you on this next chapter in your business.”