Alpha's Rejected becomes the Lycan's Obsession-Chapter 32: Company

Tessy stayed on the bed, her thoughts tangled in the chaos of that morning. The images wouldn’t leave her—the screech of tires, the gunshot, the driver’s lifeless body slumping forward. She didn’t know who those people were or why they’d come after her, but the driver had been innocent. Just a man trying to make a living. Why did they have to kill him?

The guilt gnawed at her, growing heavier with every passing second. If she hadn’t booked that ride, that man would still be alive. It was her fault he’d been caught up in this mess, her fault he’d died. The weight of it pressed down on her chest until tears spilled over, hot and silent. She wiped them away with the back of her hand, but they kept coming, relentless.

A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts, but she didn’t respond. She just sat there, staring at the door with empty eyes, too numb to care. The knock came again, louder this time.

"It’s Daniel, Madam. I brought your food. You haven’t eaten in a while, so I know you must be hungry. Can I come in?" His voice was calm, almost gentle, and it cut through the fog in her mind.

Tessy sniffed, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Come in," she said, her voice hoarse and barely audible. She cleared her throat and repeated herself, but Daniel was already opening the door, having heard her the first time.

He stepped inside, followed by another man pushing a food trolley. The man bowed to her without a word and began setting the dishes on the table. Tessy stopped him, preferring to serve herself. The man stepped back, his job done, and Daniel dismissed him with a nod.

"You can leave. I’ll let you know when you’re needed," Daniel said, his tone firm but polite. The man left quietly, closing the door behind him, but Daniel stayed, keeping a respectful distance to give her space.

Why are you still here? Tessy probed.

"I know you have questions, Madam. I’m here to answer them," he said, his voice soft but steady. "But I’d suggest you eat first. Take your time. I’ll wait. Or if you’d prefer, I can come back later."

Tessy eyed the food spread out before her, her stomach growling despite the knot of guilt and grief in her chest.

"Did your boss send you to do this?" she asked, her voice shaky.

"No, Madam. He doesn’t even know I’m here. I’m supposed to serve your food and leave," Daniel replied, his tone honest.

"Why are you doing this without his consent?" she pressed, her gaze narrowing slightly.

"Because I know you have questions you may not want to ask him," Daniel answered simply. He paused, then added, "Do you need me to taste the food?" He noticed she hadn’t started eating yet and was just staring at the dishes. After seeing her reaction the first day she’d joined them for a meal, he suspected she still thought the food might be poisoned.

"No," Tessy said, her voice flat. "I might as well just eat it and die."

Daniel’s expression tightened. "You won’t die. You can’t, in fact. Not now, at least. Please don’t talk about dying anymore. Boss would be furious if he heard it."

"Why?" Tessy asked, her mouth full. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she took the first bite. The food was delicious, but the guilt in her chest made it hard to enjoy.

"Because you are his world," Daniel said, his voice falling low but earnest. "The very essence of his life. You may not believe it yet, but it’s true when I say Boss loves you. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do to make you happy and keep you safe. Even if you asked him to go to the ends of the earth for your sake, he would do it if it made you happy." ƒгeewёbnovel.com

His words made Tessy pause. They echoed what Freya had told her the first day they arrived at the penthouse. But she still couldn’t wrap her head around the idea of someone loving her so deeply without having known her before.

"Where is my phone?" she asked after a moment. "And how is my friend?"

"Your phone is downstairs. I’ll get it for you after your meal," Daniel said. "Your friend is already on her way back to Apex Dominica. She should arrive this evening."

Tessy nodded, her mind drifting back to the attack. "Who were those people, and what did they want from me?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

"We don’t know yet," Daniel admitted. "But an investigation is ongoing. I’ll keep you updated if you’d like." He offered her a small, reassuring smile, trying to ease her worry.

Tessy nodded again, but the image of the driver being shot flashed in her mind once more. Her appetite vanished, and she dropped her cutlery, her hands trembling slightly. She fixed her gaze on Daniel, her eyes narrowing.

"How come you were there?" she asked, her tone sharp. "The last time I saw you was at the airport. Why am I finding it hard to believe this whole thing wasn’t planned by your boss because I was trying to escape?"

"Planned?" Daniel repeated, his eyes widening in surprise. "No! Boss would never do anything to hurt you. I was on the same flight as you, but my job was to protect you while staying out of sight. I saw you leave the hotel, and I followed to ensure your safety. I wasn’t expecting the attack, but it’s a good thing I was there. If anything had happened to you, this place would’ve been hell for everyone—especially me. Boss would’ve killed all of us and then himself." He added the last part in a whisper, his voice barely audible.

Tessy opened her mouth to ask why he’d said that, but the door opened, and Roman walked in.

Her frown deepened as she turned to him, but his eyes were fixed on Daniel, who had pursed his lips.

"What are you still doing here?" Roman asked, his tone sharp.

"Madam asked me to stay back to provide her company while she ate," Daniel answered without hesitation. Tessy’s eyes widened in surprise. When had she ever said that?

Roman turned to her, one brow raised, his expression unreadable. Before he could ask her if Daniel’s claim was true, Tessy spoke up, her voice cutting through the tension.

"What? Am I not free to have company again? Or have you made me a prisoner in my own house?" she shot back, her tone defiant. She didn’t outright confirm Daniel’s claim, but her words backed him up all the same.