Page 16 of Rejected and Regretted

Koen’s eyes remained fixated on me a while longer, and I couldn’t find the strength to break my gaze away either, until he finally began lowering me to my feet.

"Are you alright?" his voice was a low rumble, filled with concern as he steadied me.

Goddess,what was I doing?

Swallowing, I fought to find my focus, breaking away from his embrace to put some distance between us. “Y-yeah,” I stammered, still a little shaken - from the near miss, or the proximity with Koen, I couldn’t tell. Shaking my head, I added, “Anyway, we should probably head back.”

Even as I began walking toward the main square, I could feel the alpha’s intense stare on me, but he didn’t say another word. I didn’t know if it was good or bad, as it made my confusing thoughts louder. Only once we reached the packhouse, when we were about to part ways, did he break the awkward silence that followed us all the way back.

“By the way, Avril, I wanted to let you know,” he started, his voice low, “I’ll be leaving early in the morning with my beta to a business meeting at another pack,” he revealed, and my ears immediately perked up. “We shouldn’t be gone for longer than a day, but you can make yourself at home.”

“Avril, this is perfect!”Kea cheered, our thoughts synchronized.

Without Koen and his second-in-command around, it would be easier to sneak into the upper floors of the packhouse, where the treasure I was hunting was likely hidden. I’d just need to wait for his gamma to be far from the main square again, and if the schedule at Whispering Hills hadn’t changed, he should be out on a hunt with a few warriors tomorrow morning. That would be my chance.

“Oh, okay,” I replied, trying my best to hide my inner excitement with a neutral expression.

He flashed me one final smile as he whispered, “Goodnight.”

And I rushed indoors, ready to spend the night awake sketching out my next move.

In the morning, right after I made sure Koen and his beta weren’t around, I called up my team to share the news with them. Once I filled them in, we headed to the common area, where we scattered around to wait for the gamma to leave for the hunt. Sitting in a chair in the living area, I pretended to read some random magazine I found lying on the table. Although my eyes were locked on the pages I often flipped to appear engrossed in its content, I used my peripheral vision to remain attentive to my surroundings.

Ten minutes into my wait, the feeling that I was being watched forced me to peel my eyes from the magazine in my hands. Looking up, I found a man pouring himself a cup of coffee. For some reason, he was staring straight at me.

It took me a moment to recognize him. He had changed quite a bit since I’d last seen him, but then it struck me - it was Chad. The moment he realized I had noticed him, he looked away. Just as he finished filling his cup, he turned around and walked away.

I couldn’t help but remember what Koen had told me the day before. It seemed the lesson he taught the bastard had stuck. Even after all these years, Chad didn’t dare come up to me, or do anything other than shoot dirty looks at me.

Then, my attention shifted to another man crossing the main floor - the gamma. I discreetly followed him with my gaze until he left the building. Shortly after, Theo linked me to confirm that he had disappeared from view after gathering his men. My beta also assured me he would stay put and let me know if the gamma returned, while Elijah moved to stand guard by the stairs.

As most pack members headed to the cafeteria for breakfast, movement at the common area died down. When there was no one else around, I seized the opportunity to climb to the second floor of the packhouse, where the beta suite was located - that was where I would begin my search.

Moving quietly was one of my pack’s signature abilities, and I used it masterfully to make it to my destination without making a sound. As I climbed the final step, the beta suite’s door coming into view, I realized only a few feet separated me from my goal. If the relic I needed to retrieve was inside this room, I could finally flee Whispering Hills. It could rot in hell along with Koen, whom I’d never have to see again.

However, instead of bringing me peace, the last thought made my heart tighten.

With a grunt, I forced my eyes shut.Focus, Avril. Now was not the time to let him break my concentration, not when I was so close to completing my mission.

I took a quick look around to confirm I was alone before I prepared myself. Standing in front of the door, Kea lent me her strength. One of my nails elongated, acquiring an opaque black color as it transformed into a wolf claw, which I used to pick on the lock.

While I could have easily blasted the door down with sheer force, the resulting noise would not be good. Lockpicking was trickier and demanded more time, but I eventually managed to get the door open as silently as possible. Yet, just as I pushed it open, I froze as my eyes landed on something I did not expect.

There was someone inside the beta suite.

11

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A V R I L

I stood frozen,eyes wide, like a deer in the headlights.

With the three highest-ranking members of the pack gone, there should be no one inside any of the rooms at the upper floors. Yet, here I was, face to face with an older woman - a maid, who was evidently cleaning the beta suite while the second-in-command was out. I should have counted on such a possibility, but I was so eager to find the relic that I failed to consider it.

Now, my mission could really be over - not because I succeeded, but because I failed.

Before I could think, the maid turned around, attentive to the sound of the door being opened. However, when her eyes focused vaguely on me, instead of being consumed by panic, relief washed over me as I realized a crucial detail: she was blind. Another blink later, I finally recognized her as the head of the omegas.

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