Free Web NovelChapter 96: Chapter 96
Kyra’s POV
Before going to work, I stopped by the nearest coffee shop to grab something to wake me up. As I scrolled through my phone while waiting in line, Sylvia suddenly stirred inside me. "Something’s not right. Someone’s watching us." freeωebnovēl.c૦m
I ordered quickly. "Cappuccino on ice, please."
While waiting for my order, I settled at the nearest table, pretending to focus on my phone when suddenly, a familiar minty scent invaded my senses. The hair on the back of my neck stood up before a tall figure slid into the seat across from mine.
My heart slammed when I lifted my face and saw him. Nathan Anderson, Alpha of the Nightfall Pack. My ex-mate. My daughter’s father. The man I’d been hiding from.
"Uh..." My voice caught in my throat.
Nathan scratched his head, those intense brown eyes boring into mine. "I’m sorry, there are no vacant seats anywhere."
I scanned the room quickly and realized he wasn’t lying. The place was packed.
Slowly, I nodded and returned my attention to my phone, trying to ignore how my body instinctively responded to his proximity.
Why is he here? His company headquarters were nowhere near this area. This couldn’t be coincidental.
"It’s... you," he broke the silence.
I mentally cursed myself for wearing only light makeup today. The scent blocker spray was working; I could tell from his lack of reaction to my natural orange blossom scent. But my facial features weren’t disguised well enough.
I lifted my face again and offered a smile. "What is it, sir?"
He cleared his throat. "The event. The auction."
I feigned surprise, slowly nodding and snapping my fingers. "Right! Thought you looked familiar. So... we have met before."
The tension between us was suffocating. Nathan’s presence was stealing my breath away when he wasn’t doing anything but sitting across from me. This was dangerous.
"Elle, right?" he asked, studying my face with unmistakable intensity.
Unlike when I saw him at the auction event, his aura seemed lighter today. His eyes held life again, and he appeared almost... hopeful. Had something changed?
"Yeah. You are?" I asked.
He extended his hand for a handshake, his smile making my heart flutter. "Nathan. Nathan Anderson."
His eyes held such emotion that I felt myself drowning in them.
He was testing me. I could sense Alaric, his wolf, prowling to catch any reaction that would confirm his suspicions.
"Nice to meet—"
"Miss Elle?" My alias was called from the counter, interrupting our handshake. I silently thanked the Moon Goddess for the timely intervention.
I flashed Nathan a polite smile. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Anderson. But I’ve got to go."
Without waiting for his response, I hurried to the counter. Before leaving the coffee shop, I glanced back and caught him watching me intently. I gave a casual wave, trying to appear natural while my heart hammered.
"Good morning, Elle!" Mary greeted as I arrived at work.
I went straight to my desk and collapsed into my chair with a deep sigh. Nathan wouldn’t give up easily. As Alpha of his pack, he was trained to trust his instincts, and those instincts were clearly telling him who I really was. I didn’t want to deceive him, but I had no choice if I wanted to keep Snow safe and reclaim what was rightfully mine.
"The auction was a huge success!" our team manager announced. "Mr. Walter is thrilled with the outcome. We’ve even gained several new sponsors."
I nodded absently, my thoughts elsewhere. My plans were progressing well, but Nathan’s appearance threatened everything I’d worked for.
The workday passed in a blur as I tried to focus on my tasks rather than the memory of Nathan’s eyes studying my face. At 4 PM, I called a taxi and was about to open the door when someone pulled the handle first. My hand landed on his, and a jolt of electricity shot through me at the contact.
My eyes widened as I found myself face-to-face with Nathan once again.
"Mr. Anderson!" I exclaimed, unable to hide my nervousness.
He looked at me with feigned surprise. "Miss Elle, what a coincidence!"
I nearly laughed at his ridiculous act. I knew him too well; this was no coincidence. Had he been waiting outside my workplace? Following me?
"Mr. Anderson, I see you are still here," I said, trying to speak calmly.
He smiled. "Yeah, I met someone here today."
I nodded and gestured to the taxi. "You can have this one."
"No, please, you go ahead."
If I didn’t know him, I might think he was just being gentlemanly, trying to impress a woman he’d just met. But there was purpose behind his actions.
I climbed into the car and waved. "Bye, Mr. Anderson."
"Take care... Elle," he replied, emphasizing my fake name slightly.
My heart was beating very fast. He was following me because he wanted to prove what he thought was true. I wasn’t sure what to do. If I told him the truth now, would he leave me alone? Or would it make everything worse? I was worried that if he kept following me, he might find Snow. This was dangerous because Kieran was still a threat.
As the taxi pulled away, I checked the side mirror repeatedly, half-expecting to see Nathan following in another vehicle. When I finally arrived home, I approached cautiously, scanning the surroundings for any sign of him or unfamiliar cars. Nothing seemed out of place.
I was about to sigh with relief when my phone vibrated. Luke’s name flashed on the screen.
"Luke, I’m in front of the door—"
"Miss Kyra!" Luke flung the door open, his face pale with worry.
"What happened?" Alarm shot through me.
"I-It’s Yuki..."
My blood ran cold. "What happened to her?"
I pushed past him and rushed inside, running to the bedroom where my daughter lay trembling under the sheets, her small body wracked with fever.
"Sweetie..." I sat on the bed and touched her burning forehead.
"I just checked her temperature, Miss," Luke said in a worried voice. "It’s very high and dangerous."
I grabbed Snow’s hoodie from the closet and returned to the bed.
"Luke, call a taxi, please. We need to get her to the hospital right away."
I gathered my precious daughter into my arms, and she weakly opened her eyes. Her lips were bright red against her too-pale face.
"M-Mom...mmy..." she whispered.
I nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yes, sweetie. Mommy’s taking you to the hospital."
She closed her eyes again and draped her arms around my neck, the weakness in her limbs frightening me.
"You will be fine, sweetie. Mommy will take care of you," I promised as I carried her out of the apartment with Luke following close behind.
I didn’t care about my plans anymore. I didn’t care about hiding myself. It didn’t matter if Nathan or Kieran saw me tonight. Snow was the most important thing to me. She had always been the most important. I didn’t care about getting revenge. I didn’t care about being safe. I didn’t even care if people found out who I really was. My daughter’s health was more important than everything else.
