Getting away with the Alpha's Pup

Chapter 163

Giovanni's Perspective

I considered ignoring it, but then the door opened, and Vivian stormed in angrily.

"Vivian? It's two in the morning. What do you want?" I put down the paper and looked at her. "What do you want to do? And why?"

Tobias followed her into my room, his brow furrowed with worry and regret. "Vivian," he said calmly but urgently, "you need to calm down."

"I don't need to calm down." Vivian walked past him, spinning on her heels as she approached me. "I can't stand being here another minute!" she exclaimed, her hands on her hips. "I can't stand being here another minute, Giovanni! Every time I see that woman's damn face... at dinner, in the hallway... I want to smack that stupid grin off her face! That arrogant bitch! I really don't understand why you don't kick her out of the pack after what she did to you."

I'd rarely been this patient with her, but I tried not to escalate the situation into a fight. I know she's talking about Aurora, and I understand why she feels that way—but I'm already dealing with the situation, even if she doesn't know the details.

"Enough," I said. I didn't have time to deal with this right now.

"Enough?" Vivian babbled. "Believe me, Giovanni, I've had enough! And Fern, you have no idea, she—" She paused abruptly, then continued, "At least I don't think you should treat her that way, much less suspect her."

Apparently, she had already heard from Tobias about Aurora's accusations against Fern. To my surprise, Vivian actually spoke up for Fern. She said Fern's name, and I felt a twinge in my stomach at the sound of it. I had forbidden almost everyone to say the name out loud, but no matter what, Vivian would not heed my orders. She always did what she wanted to do.

"Vivian, come with me," Tobias said, grabbing her arm and pulling her away. Vivian jerked away from him, but he managed to calm her down a little and guide her out of the room.

"Why did Vivian mention her name?" I muttered. Every time I heard it, fresh emotions came flooding back, images of being with her flashing before my eyes. All the emotions rolled over me: shock, anger, denial... and one more emotion I didn't want to admit.

Sadness.

It wasn't just sadness; it was a heaviness that settled deep in my soul, weighing me down, pulling at my heart, and threatening to drag me under. I couldn't acknowledge it, though. I had to continue ignoring it—all of it.

I ran my hand over my face, shifting my thoughts back to the war. I knew how to be a leader and a warrior. I was good at it. It was safer to think about that.

Silence returned to the conference room as I stood in front of the window, looking out. Aurora's accusations lacked hard evidence, but her words had certainly planted a seed of unease in my mind. Fern, the woman who had once made me fall in love. Of course, I knew she wasn't the mole.

But at the same time, I was more concerned about who she was meeting with. Was she really planning to leave me now? Thoughts like these left me unsettled.

I decided to go to her myself. Walking towards her room, my footsteps were heavy, each step seeming to pound in my heart. When I reached her door, I took a deep breath, tried to suppress the anger and uneasiness in my heart, and knocked.

The door opened, and she stood in the doorway, a hint of uneasiness and doubt flickering in her eyes. "Why are you here?"

I didn't answer and walked straight into the room, closing the door behind me. Her room was still cozy and neat, but at the moment, I didn't care to appreciate it. I turned around and looked at her coldly. "I have something to ask you."

Her brows furrowed slightly, obviously sensing my hostility. "What is it?"

"Who is that man?" I asked directly, my voice low and oppressive. "Are you planning to leave me?"

Her face changed, a flash of panic in her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," I pressed a step closer, anger burning in my chest. "Aurora said she saw a figure on your balcony. Were you in contact with someone? Did your parents send someone to take you away?"

She froze, clearly not expecting things to turn out this way.

I had to admit, I was expecting the answer I wanted from her, but Fern, my former sister, was as cold and unfeeling as ever. Just as unfeeling as when she had turned a blind eye when I was on the verge of being killed by her father. "Right! That's right! I was trying to leave you!"

"How dare you? Don't forget, I'm your Alpha!"

"You're not my Alpha."

"Say that again?"

A low, angry growl escaped my lips.

I looked at Fern, who had declared her intention to leave me, and my anger nearly tore me apart.

"Calm down, man," my wolf reminded me softly, but I angrily told him to shut up.

No one could stay calm when they heard their mate was trying to leave them, especially an Alpha. Even if at some point in the future the bond between us was going to break, it would be because I didn't want her. I was going to leave her!