Rejected by my ex, Claimed by the CEO

Chapter fifteen

“Alpha Damon, may I speak with you for a moment? It’s about Harriet.”

I turned abruptly at Sandra's voice, the anxious tremor in her fingers betraying the calm she was trying to project. A low growl rumbled deep within me, driven by instincts I couldn't suppress—the primal urge to protect and the insatiable need to uncover the truth. Something was buried beneath her calm facade and twisted like a knot in my stomach.

"I will give you some space," Lucas suddenly announced and disappeared.

“What do you know? What are you hiding from me?” My words cut through the air, harsher than I intended, but the desperation clawing at my insides demanded answers. I wanted to shake the truth from her like the beast I was.

"Damon, please," she breathed, inching closer yet remaining cautious. "She called me. She's okay—she's alive."

Relief flooded through me, only to twist into confusion and rage. “And? What else?” I pressed, my impatience boiling over.

“She said she’s happy,” Sandra continued, her voice barely a whisper. “She doesn’t want to come back.”

A chill enveloped me, and my heart plummeted into a void of disbelief. “What do you mean she’s happy?” I demanded, my mind reeling as I stared at her in shock. “Has she found someone?” The thought gnawed at me like acid, bitter and corrosive, the idea of Harriet moving on while I was in torment. I wondered how much Sandra knew of me and Harriet.

“Yes. She has met someone."

The word was oppressive and suffocating, filling the air with a dense fog that choked me. My instincts roared, and a rage bubbled beneath my skin. “Who?” I growled, every syllable dripping with a threat I didn’t bother to hide.

"Alpha,” Sandra pleaded, stepping back, fear flashing through her eyes. “I don’t know much. Just what she told me.”

“You don’t know much?” I interrupted, heart racing with a toxic mix of fury and bewilderment. “That’s not an acceptable answer, Sandra! How can she just… be happy? She left—she chose to leave! Do you think a good friend would do that to you?"

“I—I don’t know how it happened,” she stammered, her gaze darting around as if searching for an escape from the confession I demanded. "She hung up quickly."

“Who is this person?” I barked, fists clenching at my sides as I longed for names and faces—something to target for all this overwhelming anguish. All I received was a helpless shake of her head.

“She mentioned being a receptionist for someone named Gino.”

A low growl unfurled in my chest, but this time, it was fueled by heartache, raw and jagged. “No,” I whispered, the ground beneath me shifting.

“Damon? What is the meaning of this?” Aurora's voice sliced through the air as she appeared in the open doorway, colour draining from her face when she saw Sandra before me.

“Leave. This doesn’t concern you,” I growled, but she planted herself firmly.

“You had better start explaining to your Luna what this is about, Alpha Damon. What is this female doing alone with you?” she demanded, fury radiating off her in waves. She advanced on Sandra, hand raised in a shocking display of aggression, slapping her hard across the cheek. Sandra cried out, tears spilling down her face.

“Stop!” I roared, stepping between them, my heart pounding with disbelief and anger. This confrontation was spiralling out of control. Aurora’s manic anger was a storm, and Sandra did not deserve it.

“She only came to tell me about Harriet!” I shouted, voice rising, desperately trying to bring some order.

Aurora’s eyes widened. “That omega girl. Why are you so bothered about her?” The jealousy simmering in her tone was clear as day.

She didn’t understand. None of them did. Yes, Harriet had made her choices, but that did not erase the memory of her from my mind. Just the thought of another man—especially someone like this Gino—making her smile and making her feel loved twisted a knife deep inside me.

“Because she means something to me!” I shot back, voice low and fierce. “I need to know why she has chosen to continue without me."

“Your priorities are misplaced, Damon!” Aurora retorted, her voice rising. “You’re wallowing over a worthless omega! You have a mate right here! And this b***h better leave at once." She pointed toward Sandra, who was still recovering from the shock of her slap, cheeks flushed, tears streaming down.

"She’s not just an omega to me,” I snapped, stepping closer, raw anger igniting within me. “Harriet deserves respect. If you can’t see that, you’re blinded by jealousy.”

Aurora’s expression faltered, hurt flickering across her face as she considered my words. “So, what? You’d rather chase after a ghost than be here with the woman who has chosen you?”

“That’s enough!” I thundered, voice dropping to a commanding silence. “You don’t get to dictate how I feel or whom I care about. There’s a stark difference between being chosen and feeling trapped. I could easily make you lose your title as Luna.”

“Damon, please. I love you! Do you know how humiliating this is? You’re chasing after an omega!” Her voice wavered, the weight of her emotions evident.

"Harriet was never just an omega to me. She made me feel things I’d long buried.” My voice hardened, fighting the memories threatening to drown me. “I owe her an apology, and I need her forgiveness.”

Aurora’s face thundered, eyes narrowing into menacing slits. “You mean you were sleeping with her?”