Rejected by my ex, Claimed by the CEO

Chapter Nineteen

“Yes,” I finally whispered, “She is my mate. I was too blinded by my own fears to see it before. I thought I was doing the right thing by choosing Aurora—a choice that was supposed to bind our pack stronger. But in the process, I let the one person who truly means something to me go.”

Sandra's brows knitted together as she pieced together my conflicting emotions. “Alpha Damon, if you know that Harriet is your mate, you have to go after her. You can’t just sit here waiting for her to return. You owe it to both of you to try.”

“I know!” I snapped in frustration, feeling the urgency in my veins. Time was slipping away. The longer I stayed here, caught in this tension, the more uncertain Harriet’s fate would become—who was around her, who was making her laugh, who was making her feel cherished.

“I’ll help you,” Sandra said, her resolve solidifying like steel. “But you need to be prepared for anything. If she hasn’t moved on, she might not want to see you. You broke her heart, Damon.”

“I know,” I said, the guilt twisting like a knife in my chest. “But I have to take that risk. If there’s even a chance that she might still care, that I might be able to make things right, I have to go.”

As I turned toward the door, every step felt heavy with the weight of my choice. Aurora’s words echoed bitterly in my mind, laced with venom, but I couldn’t afford to dwell on them. I had made my own choices, but there was still time to correct my mistakes. Thunder rumbled in the distance, a far-off reminder of the storm brewing within me—but I wouldn’t allow fear to keep me shackled.

“Where do we even start?” I asked, turning back to Sandra, who was staring at me with wide eyes. “She doesn’t even know I’m her mate.” I sighed feeling helpless.

Before Sandra could answer, the door swung open with a loud thud, and Beta Lucas stepped in, his demeanor electrified with urgency. His brow was furrowed, and the tension in his body suggested he was ready for battle—gaze searching the room for any signs of trouble.

“What the hell is going on here?” he barked, glancing between me and Sandra, confusion flickering in his eyes. “I felt a shift in energy the moment I walked in. Aurora is spouting rubbish causing everyone to be concerned. It’s chaotic.”

“Lucas, I need to go and bring Harriet home, it’s—” I started, but he interrupted me, his voice a harsh whisper.

“I don’t have time for explanations. We’ve got bigger problems. The pack is restless, and you’re not leading them the way they need right now. You can’t just disappear on us.”

“Believe me, I’m aware of that,” I countered, frustration bubbling to the surface. “But this isn’t just about the pack. It’s about Harriet. She’s my mate, and I need to find her.”

Lucas’s eyes widened, the realization dawning on him. The fierce intensity in his gaze softened to one of understanding. “You finally came to that conclusion, did you?” he said, his tone switching from accusatory to contemplative. “You let her go in the first place, Damon. What makes you think she’ll take you back now?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on my chest. “But I can’t sit idly by and pretend that she doesn’t matter. She is family. She is my family. I owe it to her to at least try to make amends.”

Lucas stiffened at my declaration, a shadow of doubt creeping back into his features. “You realize there’s a risk involved here, right? Finding her will put the pack’s cohesion at stake if things go south.”

“Look, I don’t want to put anyone in danger,” I said, cramming my frustration down with difficulty. “But if I don’t make this move, I’ll be haunted by the thought that I lost her for good. I can’t live with that.”

Sandra stepped in, her voice steady as she placed a soothing hand on my arm. “You should help him, Lucas. If he’s sure about her, then it’s better to have someone who understands what’s at stake alongside him.”

Lucas opened his mouth to argue, but after a tense moment, he sighed, nodding grudgingly. “Fine. We can’t afford to lose you. But you need to promise me it won’t distract you from leading the pack. You know how vulnerable we are right now.”

I pushed through the fear, bolstered by the support of my friends. “That’s a promise I’ll keep. But I need to know where to start.”

“She was last seen heading to the city,” Lucas replied, running a hand through his hair in agitation. “I’ve got contacts there; they may have seen her. We can’t waste any more time here.”

“Let’s go, then,” I said, urgency filling my veins. I turned to Sandra, who was looking at me with a mix of concern and determination. “You should stay here, Sandra.“

“No way,” she said fiercely, shaking her head. “I’m coming with you. If Harriet is your mate, then I want to support you—and her because she is my best friend and she trusts me.”

“Alright, then but you need to deal with Aurora first,” Lucas commanded, slipping into a leadership role that I found reassuring despite the chaos brewing in my heart. “I will stay and lead the pack but don’t let me down.” He wagged a finger at me. I smiled knowing that Lucas would always have my back. That’s why I had made him my beta in the first place. “Find out what you can about this Gino person. Sandra told me she spoke to Harriet not long ago.” I turned back to Lucas on my way out of the door to go and find Aurora. Lucas glanced at Sandra then back at me with a look that sent me into panic mode.

“What is it?” I clenched my fists wondering what he was going to say.

“How did she contact you, Sandra?” Lucas frowned and Sandra explained it was via phone call.

“Then there is only one way to find her.” Lucas said with a sly grin on his face.

But then I sighed at the thought of having to deal with Aurora. This was a headache I didn’t need right now.