"I'm sorry, Alpha. They're my responsibility. I'll discipline them."
Benjamin bowed deeply in front of Alpha Roman, showing his remorse.
"As you should. Clean up this mess before you leave, and make sure this incident doesn't get out of the pack," Alpha Roman ordered.
The man then turned around and threw a glance at me, "Shouldn't you be seeing Dr. Sean?" he remarked as if nothing had happened.
I simply nodded in response.
The warriors' stares felt like they were peeling my skin as I passed them, leaving the forest and heading toward the roadside.
"What are you all looking at? Get this cleaned up, now," Benjamin ordered his subordinates.
His voice was firm and cold—so unlike the Benjamin I knew. The warriors obeyed and split up the task of hauling Patrick and his lackeys into the truck.
I exchanged a glance with him, wishing I could thank him for stepping in and beating Patrick on my behalf.
But I didn't want him to get into trouble with Alpha Roman—or even with his fellow warriors.
So, I only gave him a brief look, hoping he understood the unspoken thank-you in my eyes.
I stood under the shade of a tree to catch my breath and gather my strength.
"Hey, are you okay?" a voice asked with concern.
I shook my head, "I'm fine," I replied briefly, a little surprised by the effect that voice had on me. But I brushed it off quickly, remembering how he'd treated me.
"Let me take you to Dr. Sean," he offered.
I shook my head again, "I can go on my own, just leave," I declined firmly.
"But you don't look okay, come on, I don't want you running into another 'Patrick'," Nyxon insisted, his tone now more forceful.
I let out an annoyed sigh, "Your dad's looking for you, Nyxon. I'm sure he wouldn't like to see you helping or even talking to me. Rather than getting wrongfully blamed again, you should just go. My day's already bad enough," I snapped.
I said it while looking him straight in the eyes, telling him I meant every word.
Nyxon groaned, "Ugh, come on, Mina. You know I don't think that way about you, right? That's just Rue, you can ignore her." Nyxon defended himself.
"Oh yeah? Doesn't seem that way to me. Even your silence was an answer, Nyxon! You knew I wasn't putting a spell on you! And you said nothing when your sister and your dad accused me of such awful things! You're just like them!"
Finally, the longest sentence of the day left my mouth.
"Oh really? Not a spell, huh? Then what about Kaiden? How could the moon goddess give you two mates at once unless you were just being greedy?" Nyxon confronted.
This time, that smirk of his had vanished completely, replaced by a serious expression.
I scoffed, "See, this is better than you pretending to be nice and dancing around the issue. You don't want to get your hands dirty, right? Well, the answer might not satisfy you because I DON'T KNOW, maybe she just wants to mess with me and make my life even more miserable! If that's not enough for you, I'd gladly accept if SHE CANCELLED THIS WHOLE THING!"
I said it while yelling a bit in frustration at the moon, hoping the goddess would hear my plea.
After saying that, I walked away from him.
But Nyxon grabbed my arm, making me turn around and crash into his broad chest—there was that coconut scent again, and I cursed myself not to fall for it.
"Then what about me, Mina?" he asked, his face so close to mine, those light brown eyes searching mine for answers. His gaze quickly shifted to my lips, and I knew what he was looking for.
I pushed Nyxon away.
"Then assume I did put a spell on you, Nyxon. And unfortunately, I don't have the cure. So please, stay away from me," I said.
Nyxon grabbed me again, this time more forcefully and rough, "That's not how this works, Mina. You have to take responsibility for making me feel this way," he teased in a hoarse voice.
He leaned in, aiming for my lips, but I shoved him back hard.
"Stop, Nyxon!" I demanded.
"You can't just order around a future Alpha, Mina. What if I did the same to you? And by the way, no harm in tasting your own medicine," Nyxon threatened.
Then Nyxon released his alpha presence on me, the aura so strong it felt suffocating.
But just like with Kaiden, I was able to resist it.
Together with Thora, who also hated Fenrir's forceful ways, we pushed back against the pressure—even reversing it onto Nyxon.
Nyxon stood confused, his aura suddenly gone, as if it had been absorbed by me. Now he was the one being suppressed by my aura.
"Stop!" he commanded.
"Not until you promise to leave me alone," I replied in a threatening tone.
"Y-yeah! Go, for goddess' sake!" he blurted quickly, his face twisting in discomfort.
I withdrew the power—omega? Well, I didn't know what to call it, because it sounded ridiculous.
Nyxon coughed, and without waiting for his permission, I limped toward Dr. Sean's clinic.
Five minutes into the walk, a truck horn startled me from the direction I was headed.
"Mina, sorry I'm late, I had to take care of those thugs. Thought Nyxon was taking you?" Benjamin greeted, confused.
I smiled seeing him. But then shook my head.
"No, didn't wanna get scolded again by Alpha Roman and Rue—coward, huh?" I said while approaching his truck and standing beside it.
"You're kidding? No coward beats up five of my trained warriors, Mina! God, you're a valuable asset to the pack—where have you been all this time?" he teased.
I laughed, "Guess this hidden warrior prefers to stay hidden. So, go on, head home, I can walk myself," I said, stepping away from his truck to clear the way.
Benjamin jumped out of the truck and ran toward me.
"Look, Mina, I know you're strong, but let yourself be helped once in a while—it's okay," he said.
I was genuinely touched, turning my face away so Benjamin wouldn't see my teary eyes, moved by his sincerity.
"Is it really okay? But you're too kind, Benjamin. You'll just get in trouble being close to me—I don't want that," I said softly.
"But I do, Mina. I don't care about that—let me try, let me be part of it," Benjamin pleaded earnestly.
I looked into Benjamin's eyes, "Why?" I asked quietly, searching for an answer.
"I... I don't know, but I've admired you for so long. You chose to stay quiet even though you could've shined brighter. If the moon goddess hadn't mated you with two future alphas, I definitely would've asked for you. I had it all planned for when you turned 17—but I lost, big time," he admitted, swallowing his disappointment.
I was speechless. Even though I didn't feel the kind of bond the moon goddess blesses mates with, I felt something more genuine and honest feelings towards him.
Unfabricated one.