Chapter 4 The Pain of Rejection

• Riley's POV:
• The next day, I arranged to meet Lucinda at a café.
• I walked over to the sofa and sat down, casually placing my handbag on the side. The waiter promptly brought me a cup of black coffee.
• Lucinda smiled and handed me the brown sugar and milk. She teased, "I seriously don't get why you like your coffee so bitter."
• "You have to taste the bitterness before the sweetness," I replied, setting the brown sugar aside and adding just a dash of cream. Stirring my coffee, I asked, "What about the case you said I shouldn't take yesterday? Can you explain it in detail?"
• "Well ... " Lucinda hesitated for a moment before diving into the specifics.
• I sipped my coffee and asked with a smile, "This case sounds interesting. Who are the parties involved?"
• "Even if you knew, it doesn't really matter." Lucinda seemed hesitant, as if she were holding back by something.
• I looked up at her curiously.
• She sighed and said, "Both parties are Alphas of two of the most powerful packs in Wolfen Lands. The situation has escalated, and things have turned ugly between them. The Alpha of the Wind Whispers Pack is the one seeking your help, and his opponent is ... " Lucinda glanced at me, then softly uttered the name, "Alpha Nathan Hansley."
• My breath hitched involuntarily, the pain of rejection cutting deep into my bones. Just hearing his name caused an almost unbearable agony.
• Lucinda looked at me with concern and asked, "Are you okay?"
• "I'm fine," I said, picking up my coffee and taking several gulps.
• Lucinda remained worried and said, "I heard that after being rejected, the pain lessens as long as you're away from your former mate."
• I remained silent.
• In reality, this café is in the neutral zone, far from the Stormclaw Pack's territory. So why does it still hurt so much?
• "Oh, maybe it's just the initial symptoms. It'll get better in time!" Lucinda attempted to lift my spirits by stating, "You sacrificed so much for that jerk, but he never appreciated you. Leaving him means escaping from that misery. I should congratulate you, darling!"
• We were still chatting when a sudden, sharp pain pierced my chest. I looked up abruptly to see two familiar figures entering the coffee shop. My complexion instantly darkened.
• The silver cufflinks on the man's sleeves gleamed under the lights, reflecting his cold demeanor.
• Beside him was a woman in a bodycon red dress with shiny black hair. She looked every bit like a seductress—it was Delia.
• Nathan had just ended our bond a few days ago, and now he was out shopping with Delia. For a man who built a commercial empire, why didn't he consider that if I had really shifted and attacked Delia, could she really have healed so fast?
• Lucinda followed my gaze, and her expression turned grim. She said, "What are they doing here?"
• As I sensed Nathan's presence, his gaze found mine in the crowd.
• I met his eyes briefly, then looked away indifferently. Then, I grabbed Lucinda's hand and was ready to leave.
• A sarcastic voice called out from the side, "Riley, you're here too?"
• Delia had already walked over to our table. She wore a gentle smile on her lips as she looked at me, as if the incident the other day had never happened.
• Who would have thought that someone who appeared so gentle and kind could use such underhanded tactics to drive us apart after Nathan became Alpha?
• I shot her a mocking look and asked sarcastically, "You're out of the hospital so soon? That's a medical miracle! It seems like my wolf went too easy on you."
• A flicker of hatred crossed Delia's face, but with Nathan present, she quickly suppressed it. She entwined her arm with Nathan's in a show of possession. Delia said, "Thanks to Alpha's careful care, I've recovered quickly."
• I couldn't help but glance at Nathan, a smirk tugging at my lips. "I had no idea my ex-husband could perform medical miracles."
• Nathan's expression instantly turned icy at my words. "Riley, don't be ungrateful! If you keep this up, don't blame me for being harsh to you!"
• Suppressing the fury bubbling within me, I smiled and retorted, "Harsh? Mr. Hansley, how harsh can you get with me?"