Chapter 16

"It's not your fault, Heaven. Nothing is your fault, whatever Alpha Lucas had told you he didn't mean to sound it like that. He doesn't blame you, none of us does," Skylar elucidated, engulfing her hands around mine giving it a gentle squeeze.

"It could've been avoided," I said, the pressure on my throat increased by every syllable.

"You didn't know it would turn out like that, even Alpha Lucas didn't expect that the mate bond would drag you back like that," she whispered in the end.

I levelled my eyes to hers. "But you denied it right, you clearly said I shouldn't go, but me, being the most stubborn girl overlooked it and got you in trouble. I—"

"Oh God, can you two just stop already."

Two pairs of eyes snapped towards Ashley as she banged her fist on Heaven's desk. She continued angrily, "That's what you care about, huh? The people in that accident? What would you do if the accident never happened?"

"Ashley," Skylar warned.

"What would you do if the accident never happened?" Ashley repeated, still keeping her voice within the four walls. "You would've still left. You would've left us—left our Alpha? Don't you care about that? Don't you see how it would affect our Alpha and us? I appreciate you have a big heart, we all do. Each and everyone is proud to call you our Head Luna. Don't you care about that? Our feelings? You would've shattered your life along with the Alpha's which would've shattered hundreds of people in the pack if the accident never took place. Don't you care about that!?"

"Ashley!" Skylar yelled in warning.

"Enough, Skylar. I can't let you drag this shit anymore, more than us she gives importance to her darn stupid cowardness. Someone has to get this thing in her thick skull, coaxing her wouldn't help, she is not a five-year-old girl," Ashley's eyes watered as she swiftly threw a glance at Heaven's way before storming out of the room.

Heaven couldn't process her own brain as if it shut down without notice. Ashley's outburst got to her easily, words piercing deep into her heart, exploding the pain throughout her body. She stared at the door Ashley left from, disbelief taking over her senses as an extra amount of guilt seeped viciously in her body. Tears trailed down her face, pushing them away she closed her eyes for a brief minute.

Skylar responded immediately to her behaviour. "Heaven, don't think about what she said too much, she was just looking out for the pack and her leaders. Her way of telling might be wrong but didn't mean to hurt you, she just...she just got a bit too emotional."

Heaven nodded as Skylar moved towards Heaven, side-hugging her.

Skylar breathed in her new perfume, rubbing her hand on her back. "Don't worry, this will get over in no time."

***

Lucas dialled his Delta's number hurriedly as if he would die if he didn't do it quickly. Heaven's well-being was prohibiting him from concentrating on anything, his activeness during his meeting was eerily silent which never really happened since he took up his responsibilities. For him, Heaven mattered more than anything even if she was rude to him all the time. She must have a reason for resentment was what he thought to convince his heart, but didn't help to ease the ache for her doings. He longed to be with her and nothing could diminish his undying desires for her.

"Is she alright?" Lucas tensely requested, running a hand through his soft silky brown hair when the receiver picked up the call.

"I'm not sure, she didn't seem alright to me. Something must've happened between my wife and yours—I mean your mate. Today morning, things didn't go pretty well for ladies, but it's not a big issue. Ashley is in Heaven's room at the packhouse to apologise, Everything is alright now," Delta James reported, spilling out whatever he knew.

"Alright, I'll land there tomorrow at 5 in the evening then," Lucas sighed.

"Got it Alpha, don't worry about here. Everything will go back to normal tomorrow."

"Make sure it goes back."

Lucas tapped on the disconnect button before slipping his phone in his pocket.

If it wasn't for the urgent meeting then Alpha Lucas wouldn't have left Heaven on her own. He felt bad for how he made her feel sad on her first day of work, all he wanted was for her to think over her decision before putting it into action, but he didn't mean to hurt her feelings.

He could've waited and told her sorry to her but duty calls a man anytime and anywhere. Alpha Lucas had to fly to Alpha Stephen's pack after the incident in the car to attend some issues regarding a disagreement between two packs. Alpha Ryan's pack and Alpha Stephen's pack had been fighting to get a hand on the vacant lands near their lands, both of their packs were pretty close to it and they couldn't wait to concur it. Instead of talking it out like civil leaders they created a tumult over few lands and commenced troubling other pack Alphas, leaving them no option but to summon the Alpha Head as if he wasn't busy himself with his pack works and business.

The problem had been solved though, Lucas decided to hand over the land to the human government, it was better this way than feeding jealousy to any of the Alphas.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you going to the hotel?" Ava smiled, her black heels clicking against the tile floor in one of the corridors of the main packhouse where the meeting was held as she walked ahead to stand before him.

"Hm, I'm going." Lucas attempted to walk but ceased when Ava grabbed him by his arm and smiled widely at him.

"How about we go for a drink?"

"Thank you, but I would like to rest."

Lucas detached her hand from his arm as Ava's bright smile shortened at the action.

All these three years Ava had been sticking to Alpha Lucas like a leech, even after his straight-forward rejection she never gave up. At one point all the werewolves thought Alpha Ava was Alpha Lucas' mate, of course, it was solved when Alpha Lucas reacted to the rumours on his social media much to Ava's disappointment. She wanted a romantic relationship with Alpha Lucas, she wanted him to be attracted to her as all other males did.

Having relationships and dating was common to werewolves, unlike the olden days, except for a few, there wasn't anyone who hadn't dated. Alpha Lucas was one of the exceptions, he stayed true to his bonds no matter how much the negative air tried to entice him. Alpha Lucas never showed or will never show his desires to any woman except for Heaven. His thoughts and beliefs never matched with many werewolves.

But Alpha Ava never wanted to believe it, she wanted to break his ideology and wanted him to see her.

"How about we go for sightseeing? Alpha Stephen's lands are fun to explore, we can relax under the cool night breeze, hm?" Ava looked up at him hopefully.

"How about you go alone and explore the land? Who knows, you may even find your mate."

"Please?"

"Alpha Ava, you must be really tired, why don't you go and rest."

Ava seized on his arm again.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to play hard-to-get thing, don't you see how much it hurts me whenever you reject me this way?"

Lucas puffed out a breath tiredly, turning back to look at her uninterested. "Then why do you keep getting hurt? Why do you keep working hard to get my attention when you know I won't give you any? I have already told you clearly I have no interest in you. Why don't you go live happily rather than facing my rejection and getting depressed about it? I'm sorry but I don't care about you or your feelings, Alpha Ava, not when I am already in love with someone else."

"What?" Alpha Ava took a step closer to Alpha Lucas, shock taking an effect in her body as her cheeks turned pale at the revelation. Her fists clenching the ends of her black v-neck dress that she wore to impress the man she liked.

"I have found my mate, Alpha Ava. Now you should stop too," Lucas advised as he straightened his dark green tie and suit before continuing his walk again.