Alpha Hayley’s Destined Mate

Chapter 622: Clarifying

Benjamin’s POV:

“Do you see my daughter as something to be bargained for?” Alan’s expression turned icy.

“Of course not,” I replied earnestly. “This is simply my way of proving my sincerity. Hayley is worth every effort I make.”

A heavy silence settled between us. Neither of us spoke for a long while. Eventually, Alan broke the silence.

“Then show me how sincere you really are. Within the next month, you are not allowed to use your status as Alpha of the Midnight Pack to gain entry into the Sanders’ board of directors.”

“If you can accomplish that, I will give my blessing to your union with Hayley.”

“You should have done your research before coming to me. In the Sanders family, it is an ironclad rule that all marriages must be approved by the head of the family—destined mate or not.”

“Otherwise, alongside the family elders, I have the authority to strip Hayley of her wolf.”

I gave a slight nod; it was precisely this reason that led me to seek him out.

“A month?” I asked, verifying the timeframe.

“Oh? Do you find that too brief?” Alan questioned.

“Not at all,” I clarified. “In fact, it’s too slow—I don’t want to wait that long. How about just a week?”

“You don’t fully grasp Hayley’s personality. If this drags on, she might refuse to go through with the marriage.”

Alan looked momentarily surprised but quickly masked it, nodding in approval.

“Very well, a week it is. Show me just how capable my future son-in-law truly is.”

“I’m certain you won’t be disappointed,” I said with confidence, rising to my feet and shaking his hand firmly.

Hayley’s POV:

Lately, unease had been gnawing at me. I had no idea where Benjamin had gone. Without him around, my restlessness mirrored Hera’s. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a proper forest nearby where she could unleash her energy.

After mulling it over, I decided to visit Steven at Shining Club. He lounged on the couch, casually swirling a highball glass in his hand. The deep red liquid sloshed back and forth, reflecting his effortless composure.

I scanned the room and noticed a dartboard on the opposite wall, with a few darts already stuck in it. Without hesitation, I walked over, grabbed one, and returned to my spot. Taking aim, I swiftly threw it. The dart struck dead center, knocking an existing one loose.

“Wow,” Steven remarked, raising an eyebrow. “Who managed to piss you off? That was some serious aggression.”

It was only then that Steven seemed to pick up on my frustration. He took a slow sip of his red wine before speaking.

Without even glancing at him, I lifted my hand, lined up my next shot, and aimed.

“No need to say anything—I already heard. Your newly acknowledged ‘father’ turns out to recognize a thief as his daughter.”

“After waking up, not only did he let Freya off the hook, but he also managed to sidestep any consequences from Greenhill Hospital. How generous of him.” His voice was light, every word laced with mockery.

His remark sent a surge of anger through me. In the next instant, I shifted my aim, and the dart in my hand shot straight toward Steven. Before it could reach him, his highly trained werewolf bodyguard at the door reacted instantly, intercepting it just in time.

Steven’s delayed reaction finally kicked in. He jolted upright, eyes wide with shock. “Oh my god! Are you trying to kill me just to shut me up?”

I scoffed inwardly. If I truly wanted him dead, I wouldn’t have wasted time with a dart—I would have let Hera take over and strangled him myself. He didn’t even get a chance to finish his sentence.

Taking the dart from his bodyguard, he raised an eyebrow at me and smirked. “I always thought your expertise was in needle therapy—I didn’t expect you to have such a talent for darts too.”

“I wonder if X is any good at this?”

I narrowed my eyes at him, my tone laced with warning. “You never miss an opportunity to bait me into talking, do you?”

“Hehe… if you’d just spill the truth yourself, I wouldn’t have to go through all this effort, would I?” Steven said with a sly grin.

“Hayley!” Henry stormed into the room, his expression urgent. His gaze landed on Steven, and he hesitated before asking, “Are you Steven?”

Steven shrugged casually. “Do I not look like him?”

Henry frowned, shaking his head. “Not really. Word is, you’re supposed to be cold and distant—someone who barely ever smiles.”

Without another word, he strode straight toward me, his expression full of frustration. “Hayley, you’re the only one who can help me this time!” he pleaded.

I forced myself to push down my irritation and got straight to the point. “What happened?”