Chapter 118: Chapter 118
Kyra’s POV
I was driving my car to the company early in the morning when I spotted a familiar figure standing by the roadside. Mr. Walter was engaged in what appeared to be a heated argument with an older man. My wolf, Sylvia, immediately perked up at the sight of another wolf in distress.
I pulled over and approached them cautiously, catching fragments of their conversation.
"Just accept it because I have an urgent meeting. Or if you want, you can just give me your contact and I’ll have my assistant contact you about the damage," Mr. Walter was saying, his scent barely masking his frustration.
The older man scoffed, a calculating glint in his eyes. "What do you mean? Are you trying to get away? Just because you’re a rich foreigner doesn’t mean you can get away with this. You ran into me! My back is hurting."
I slowed my pace, tilting my head as I observed Mr. Walter clenching his jaw. My enhanced senses picked up the older man’s lies; his heartbeat was erratic. He was clearly trying to scam a wolf who was too polite to use his superior strength or senses to prove him wrong.
"Excuse me..." I stepped in, unable to watch the charade continue.
Both men turned toward me, but the older man’s expression changed dramatically when he saw me. The tension in his body language confirmed my suspicions; he was definitely lying about being injured.
"Miss Monroe..." Mr. Walter’s voice held surprise and relief.
I smiled at him. "I saw you, so I stopped for a while. Is there something wrong?"
"No, I just..." He paused and sighed. "I accidentally hit him and he doesn’t want to go to the hospital."
"You have an urgent meeting, right?"
"Yeah."
I nodded. "I’ll take care of this, Mr. Walter. Your meeting is important. You should go."
He glanced hesitantly at the old man. I smiled again and addressed the scammer directly.
"I will talk to you on his behalf, sir. I’m his lawyer."
The man’s face drained of color as he immediately turned and hurried away at a surprising pace for someone claiming back pain.
"W-What? Wait... your injury..." Mr. Walter called after him, his voice fading as realization dawned.
He removed his eyeglasses and muttered, "Damn!"
I chuckled. "It is very troublesome to be a foreigner, huh?"
When he looked at me without his glasses, I felt a jolt of recognition. His eyes held that unmistakable wolf gleam—beautiful, piercing, and slightly blue around the edges.
He quickly replaced his eyeglasses and scratched the back of his neck. "Please tell me I wasn’t scammed when I paid a woman last week after I bumped her car..."
I cupped my mouth, fighting back laughter. "Oh my God!"
His lips parted in shock before he joined me in laughter.
"Mr. Walter, you almost got scammed twice."
He sighed and shook his head. "I guess I need to call my lawyer whenever I encounter weird accidents."
I smiled and glanced at my watch. "You’ll be late for your meeting."
He nodded. "Yeah... But can I invite you later... to thank you for helping me today?"
I considered his offer. During my time overseas, Mr. Walter had always treated me with respect, promoting me despite my lack of credentials. I’d often wondered if he’d recognized me as a fellow wolf, but I’d appreciated his discretion and professionalism. He was one of the few men who’d never made me feel threatened or inferior.
"Sure. What time?" I replied.
He smiled, his gaze lingering on mine. "I’d like to have dinner with you, but I’m sure you’ll go home early because of your daughter."
"Why not?"
His lips parted in surprise. "You’ll agree to dinner?"
"Yeah." I smiled and shrugged. "I also want to thank you for the opportunity you gave me when I was working for you."
Though I didn’t say it aloud, I appreciated that he’d recognized my talents without ever revealing that he knew what I was. Some wolves might have used that knowledge as leverage, but he’d remained a gentleman. Sylvia hummed with approval inside me.
He nodded. "So... see you later?"
I waved as I backed away. "See you later."
After another smile and nod, I drove away, thinking about how different some wolves could be. Mr. Walter had always been kind and respectful, the opposite of what I’d experienced with others of our kind.
* * *
I worked through most of the day until Nathan arrived at my office carrying lunch. His familiar scent announced his presence before he even knocked.
"You need to eat on time. What if you get sick?" Nathan said, his tone serious as he arranged our meal.
I watched him silently, my thoughts racing. Why was he doing this? Was this friendship, or was he courting me? Sylvia stirred within me, cautious yet intrigued by his presence.
"Here..." He handed me a plate heaped with food. I wondered if his mother really prepared these meals or if he was pressuring her daily.
"Nathan..." I said as he began eating. "Are you courting me?"
He choked and coughed, spraying rice onto my lap. He quickly dabbed at it with a napkin while I sat patiently waiting for his answer.
I wasn’t sure where I found the courage to ask so directly, but I needed clarity after everything we’d been through.
He swallowed hard and met my gaze. "I... Do you... want me to?"
Heat flooded my cheeks. Had I unconsciously revealed my feelings with my question?
He looked away. "I want to... I know I said I wouldn’t force myself on you again but... I still want to try my luck and... court you."
So my instincts weren’t wrong. That was his intention.
He sighed. "Am I making you uncomfortable? Is this too fast?"
"You were so slow," I said before I could stop myself.
"Huh?"
I looked away. "You want us to try again?"
"Desperately, baby..." His voice carried a yearning that made Sylvia whine softly within me.
I took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "Can you deal with my issues? Can you accept my shortcomings? I’m not the same Kyra I was before, Nathan. I was wounded. Heavily wounded and I have so many insecurities now."
My voice faltered slightly as memories flooded back. "What happened with you and Sophia destroyed me. If she comes back again, who would you choose? I need to know that before I even consider this."
He opened his mouth to speak but I continued.
"And it’s not just that. What Kieran did to me—the manipulation, the lies—broke something in me, Nathan. I’m terrified of being deceived again, of opening up only to be abandoned when someone better comes along."
I gestured toward the photo of Snow on my desk. "And most importantly, I have a daughter now. Her happiness and stability have to come first. Whatever happens between us affects her too."
He slowly nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "I understand, but I want you to know that I’m willing to wait. I can deal with your issues. I don’t care about your shortcomings and I’ll help you heal your insecurities... with assurance."
His scent changed, becoming more intense with sincerity. "As for Sophia, that Chapter is closed. If she came back right now, I wouldn’t even blink. It’s you, Kyra. Only you."
I smiled at him but it didn’t reach my eyes. "That’s the Nathan I know... but that’s also the Nathan who broke me."
He looked down, unable to speak, the weight of our past hanging between us.
"I want to try again, Nathan," I finally said, surprising even myself. "Just... give me some time while proving to me that you deserve a second chance. Show me that Snow and I won’t just be discarded when things get difficult."
He knew I couldn’t refuse him forever; that’s why he kept coming back. He sensed my feelings for him, buried beneath layers of hurt and mistrust. His guilt for hurting me had been the only thing holding him back.
