Chapter 12

Eyra’s POV

I shook my head in disagreement with what they said. Mr. Wynter is a businessman who not only runs his own business but also the Wynter family’s, since he is the sole heir to the Wynter family. He had mentioned that before, when he asked me to work with him years ago.

I turned to Grandma, trying to explain my point of view, but she gave me a brief look before issuing an order.

“We’d better all head to the conference room now,” she said, and everyone in the living room began walking toward the conference room, which was just one room away from where we were.

Upon arriving in the conference room, instead of a discussion to find common ground—or the outcome of the three-week waiting period’s negotiations—what followed was an interrogation.

I sat in the middle, the center of all judgment, as if I had committed a grave sin.

“I was just meeting with a colleague. What about Alpha Dave, who openly brought a woman into our home and filed for divorce?” I said in my defense.

However, no one was willing to take my side.

“Grandma…” I pleaded, but the two of them just looked at me with weary eyes, and I could only let out a weak sigh.

“The council’s decisions aren’t my prerogative. I’m just a member of it, not a decision-maker,” she said, as if answering my earlier plea.

“We can accept what Alpha Dave did more easily than what you did. That was clearly a violation, while Alpha Dave...”

“What? Is what he did acceptable?”

“Of course,” a woman interjected as she stepped into the conference room with another person. She was Dave’s mother and younger sister.

They took their seats between Grandma and Elara, which finally made me wonder where they were taking this conversation. Of course, they would always be on Elara’s side.

“It’s normal for an alpha to have many women. Besides, Elara is the daughter of our former beta, and you should know the reason why Dave is so devoted to her,” Victoria, Dave’s mother, continued.

Her statement was the most surprising thing to me. Before I agreed to join the Hunter family and this pack, they had assured me that loyalty was part of their identity, and I believed them.

That’s why Dave was able to stay with Elara even though they’d never been in a relationship. And the latest thing I learned when Elara returned—that they never ended up as a couple, let alone got married—was because Grandma didn’t approve of her.

“You should be grateful that you come from a fortunate group of omegas who get to experience what it’s like to be an alpha’s wife.”

“Victoria!” Grandma said firmly. “We’re here to discuss Dave and Eyra’s divorce, not to insult her.”

“But, Mom. She’s so self-centered, and it’s all because you defend and spoil her.”

“Enough!” Grandma then turned back to me. She looked at me for quite a while, then sighed heavily as she lowered her head. “Come with me to my room, Eyra. I want to talk to you in private.”

“Mom... please stop tormenting our alpha. You know he dislike Eyra, he doesn't love her. Why are you forcing him to stay?”

“Be quiet. I’ll be back after I talk to Eyra alone.”

Grandma got up, and I followed her, catching up and holding her arm to help her walk until we reached the room. There, she asked me to sit with her on a sofa.

I didn’t know what she was going to talk about, but if it was to stop me from leaving, I would still refuse.

“Eyra, I know you’re troubled,” she said, starting the conversation. “But we don’t have time to talk any longer.”

She sighed heavily as she reached for my hand to hold it. “I should’ve asked you to come by more often.”

“I know you’re busy, Grandma. I’m only at the mansion because Dave’s bodyguards are constantly watching me.”

She nodded, then looked at me for quite a while.

“Are you sure about your decision?”

“You mean to divorce Dave?” Grandma nodded. “Like I said, he’s the one who asked for it. I’m just an omega—I don’t have anything, not even parents to look after me. So, what else can I do but accept it? You know he never loved me either.”

She nodded. “I know. Still, I’d hoped that night would be the turning point in your relationship. I hoped that after he’d...”

“Wait! What do you mean by ‘that night’?” I asked after hearing Grandma’s words. “Did you do something to him?”

She nodded again. “I asked him to come over after his business trip from Miami. He finished the drink I made and couldn’t wait to go home.”

I covered my mouth with my hand as I listened to Grandma’s story.

“I thought after that he’d come to love you. Or at least… that what we hoped for would come true—an heir.”

My throat felt tight hearing Grandma’s confession. I’d thought Dave was just drunk, and I never would have guessed Grandma had a hand in all of it.

“Eyra, my granddaughter. I’m going to make a decision right now. I want to see what you and Dave will do if I decide this.”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t have the authority to make this decision?” I asked.

Grandma was silent for a moment before finally standing up and walking away, saying, “This is for the future of my grandson and the pack, so I’m the one with the right to decide.”

I remained frozen in place even after Grandma had left the room. Slowly, I made my way to the conference room where everyone seemed to be waiting for me. Their gazes were fixed on me. They showed no emotion—they were used to having to make decisions.

However, this wasn’t the case for Dave’s younger sister and mother, who seemed eager to hear the elders’ verdict.

“Eyra Howls, I’ll ask you one more time. Are you certain about your decision to divorce Dave?”

I glanced at Dave, who remained motionless and didn’t even turn to look at me. Next to him, Elara sat, still clinging to his arm.

Seeing that, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from running away from here right away.

As for the outcome of my divorce from Dave—whether they’ll punish me or simply expel me from the pack—I’m ready to accept whatever comes.

“I’ve said time and again that this isn’t what I wanted, but I can see that Alpha Dave can’t wait to be reunited with his mate. So, my decision is that I’ll accept his request for a divorce,” I replied firmly, but tried to stay calm.

It would be a lie to say I’m okay with this. However, there’s no way I’m going to beg Dave to keep me.

We’re, werewolves, supposed to be loyal creatures, having only one mate for life. If our mate dies, we’ll be alone until we die. However, that doesn’t seem to apply in this pack.

As Victoria said, it’s normal for an alpha to have many women.

It’s ironic and disgusting.

“All right, then. I guess I can’t influence you anymore. I’ll make a decision now,” said Grandma, who received no objections from the other elders—which meant they had given her the opportunity to decide.

“Eyra Howls, I’ll grant your wish to separate from Dave. However, this won’t come without a penalty,” Grandma said, causing me to take a deep breath and exhale slowly as I waited for her decision—one I hoped wouldn’t make things difficult for me, because if the penalty were exile on a deserted island for a certain period, it would mean my plans with Mr. Wynter would fall apart.