Page 30 of Whisper of an Alpha
Rachel crosses her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. “Let’s just say it involves some… persuasion. If the rumors don’t drive a wedge between them, then I’ll have to make sure that Wyatt sees Octavia in a different light. I’ll make him doubt her. It’s all about planting seeds of doubt, you know? A well-placed conversation here, a little jealousy there. It’ll be easy, really.”
I feel a chill crawl up my spine. “You’re playing with fire, Rachel. You have no idea how this will end. You think you can just manipulate emotions and relationships like they’re toys? What if it backfires?”
With a flick of her hair, Rachel steps closer, invading my personal space. “I’m not going to let fear dictate my actions. Ideserve to be with Wyatt, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get him. If you’re not with me, then you’re against me. Are you with me or not?”
The challenge in her voice makes my stomach churn. I can’t believe I’m even considering this, but a part of me knows that I can’t just walk away. If I leave her to her own devices, I can’t imagine the lengths she’ll go to. “I don’t want to get involved in this, Rachel. I’m warning you.”
She narrows her eyes, and for a moment, I see this evil essence in her — dangerous, unpredictable. “You think you can just walk away? You’re in this whether you like it or not. You’re part of my plan now, whether you want to be or not. You’ll help me, or I’ll make sure you regret it.”
I take a step back, trying to regain some semblance of control. “You’re insane. If Wyatt finds out, he won’t just punish you; he’ll come after everyone involved. You really want to jeopardize everything for this twisted fantasy?”
Rachel’s laugh is light, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “That’s the risk we take in love, isn’t it? And if this doesn’t work, well… I’ve got my Plan B. You’ll see. Just trust me. I always get what I want.”
Her confidence is unnerving, and I realize that I’m in deeper than I ever intended. I can’t let her drag me down with her. “I’m done. I’m not part of this anymore.”
“Fine,” she retorts, her voice dripping with disdain. “But remember, the Luna Ceremony is just around the corner. If you want to save your own skin, you’ll think long and hard about what you’re willing to do to keep me happy. Because if you don’t, it won’t just be Octavia who suffers.”
I turn away, a knot of dread tightening in my chest. I need to find a way to warn Octavia, to protect her from Rachel’s manipulations. But as I step into the light of the street, I knowthe shadows of Rachel’s ambitions will follow me. The game has begun, and the stakes are higher than I ever imagined.
I glance over my shoulder, half-expecting to see Rachel smirking at my retreat. But I also know she’s still watching, plotting. I can't let her win. Not for her sake, and certainly not for mine. I need to figure out a way to counteract her plans without drawing attention to myself.
But as I walk away, my mind races with the possibilities of what Rachel could do next. Each step feels heavier, as if I’m dragging the weight of her intentions behind me. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m caught in a web of deceit and danger, and the only way out is to confront the very problem I’m trying to evade.
I pull out my phone, my fingers trembling as I type a message to Harrison. I need to warn someone. I need to make him aware of Rachel’s schemes before it’s too late. But as I hit send, I realize that I might be too late already. The Luna Ceremony is fast approaching, and Rachel’s plans are already set in motion.
I can only hope that Octavia is strong enough to handle whatever Rachel throws her way. But if I know Rachel, she won’t go down without a fight. And I’m terrified of what that fight might entail.
As the sun begins to set, casting long shadows across the pavement, I feel the weight of my decision settle like a stone in my gut. I’m in this now, whether I like it or not. And the only way to save Octavia — and possibly Wyatt — is to outsmart Rachel at her own game.
The clock is ticking, and I can’t afford to waste any more time.
16
KNOCK KNOCK
Wyatt
The airin my office feels heavy, thick with unspoken tension and regret. I’m sitting behind my desk, staring blankly at the stack of papers that have become a monument to my stress. The meeting earlier was a disaster; tempers flared and egos clashed, but what gnaws at me isn’t the chaos of business but the way it affected her — my Octavia. I can still see the hurt in her eyes as I walked her to the garden afterward, the way her shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world rested upon them.
My wolf is restless, pacing back and forth in my mind, picking up on her distress like a radio tuning into a distant frequency. It’s a constant ache, this connection we share. I know she’s upset; I can feel it pulsing through the bond we share. I want nothing more than to ease her pain, to pull her close and let our souls intertwine in the comfort of silence. I contemplate going to find her, just to sit together, maybe read while I work. The thought of her presence alone is enough to soothe the storm brewing inside me.
A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts, and I sit up a little straighter, a flicker of hope lighting up my chest. “Come in,” I call, half-expecting to see Octavia walk in with that soft smile that could melt the hardest of hearts.
But it’s Rachel who saunters in, dressed in a tight, short red dress that clings to her like a second skin. My stomach churns at the sight of her; I can almost smell the rotten intentions rolling off her in waves. What is she doing here?
“Wyatt,” she purrs, a saccharine sweetness dripping from her voice. “I just wanted to talk about the baby.” She leans against the doorframe, her expression feigning innocence, but I see the hunger lurking behind her eyes.
I can’t help the disgust that twists my features. “What are you doing on the Alpha floor, Rachel?” I ask, my tone flat and unyielding. “You know this isn’t your place.”
She pushes herself away from the door and starts to walk around my desk, her movements calculated, every sway of her hips designed to seduce. My wolf growls in warning, instincts flaring as she closes the distance between us. “Wyatt,” she says softly, her voice dropping to a honeyed whisper. “We could be so happy together. A family. If you’d just reject Octavia…”
The words hit me like a blow, and I barely contain the roar of anger that threatens to escape my lips. “Get away from me,” I snap, and in the heat of the moment, I shift slightly in my chair, my body bracing for her to step back.
But her confidence has her misstepping, and suddenly, she’s tripping into my lap. Without thinking, I instinctively catch her around the waist, my hands gripping her hips. It’s a moment that stretches into eternity, a heartbeat where the world seems to pause.
And then I hear it — a gasp of sadness that cuts through the air like a knife. I turn to see Octavia standing in the doorway, her expression one of pure betrayal. The pain in her chocolategolden eyes is a tangible thing, and in that instant, I know I’ve made a grave mistake.
“Octavia…” I start, but the hurt in her gaze silences me. I can see it flickering in her eyes, the doubt, the heartbreak. She thinks I’ve chosen Rachel, that I’m embracing the woman I’ve loathed since I found my mate.
