Chapter 8
Aveline felt absurd–her wolf’s instincts hadn’t been wrong. The man from her memories was real.
Remembering what she’d done at the bar, Aveline quickly lowered her head,
She could almost feel the man’s intense gaze burning into her, leaving her flustered and uncomfortable.
“He’s ridiculously good–looking, right?” Maren nudged her with a grin. “What’s going on with you? You’re blushing like crazy. Did you fall for him already? And to think, you were the one saying you weren’t interested just a minute ago!”
Aveline’s cheeks burned from the teasing, and her ears felt hot. “Cut it out,” she muttered.
“Good morning, everyone. I’m Alistair Silverclaw. It’s an honor to join this project, and I look forward to working with all of you to see it through,” the man said in a deep, smooth voice that drew another round of applause.
Aveline was caught off guard, her embarrassment fading as she looked up again. Alistair Silverclaw?
Could it really be *that* Alistair Silverclaw–from the pack that controlled half the territories in the United States? The one they said was the most powerful alpha under thirty? The genius wolf who entered a top research lab at fifteen and co–founded the Bloodmoon Research Facility?
Her surprised gaze met his calm, unreadable eyes.
Alistair sat down casually, his sharp fingers tapping lightly on the table. “Mr. Gibson, you may start,” he said coolly.
Although the meeting was supposed to be just an introduction, everyone was expected to present their thoughts on how the project could be developed further.
They began on the left side of the room, and each person shared their ideas in turn.
Aveline forced herself to focus.
Being the youngest on the team, Aveline’s ideas stood out for their creativity.
After her ten–minute presentation, the room responded with applause.
Alistair’s gaze briefly flickered with approval.
Mr. Gibson, seated next to Alistair, leaned over and said softly, “All those patent projects you’ve been following? Aveline either led or helped develop them. She’s extremely gifted. Originally, she wasn’t going to take part in this project due to family issues, but she submitted her application at the last minute. I think she’s going to surprise us.”
The meeting continued for more than an hour.
The meeting ended, and Aveline finally breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen, followed immediately by an uncontrollable rush of warm liquid.
Just as the meeting wrapped up, Aveline felt a sharp cramp in her lower belly, followed by a warm, unwelcome gush she couldn’t control.
And just as she feared, there was a visible bloodstain on her white trousers.
Her cycle had always been irregular–and after the emotional upheaval of meeting her fated mate, this one came especially fierce.
In her rush to the meeting room earlier, she hadn’t even grabbed her phone–so now, she couldn’t call anyone for help.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, she blew gently at her bangs, then gathered herself and stepped out, hoping she could slip into the underground parking lot unnoticed.
10:10
Betrayed by Her Ex, Marked By the Alpha King
23.3%
Chapter 8
But the moment she looked up, she froze. Alpha Alistair was at the sink, calmly washing his hands.
Caught off guard, Aveline pressed herself against the wall. Her face flushed with heat.
She couldn’t go forward, and turning back wasn’t an option either.
The situation was awkward enough, and now it was ten times worse. She wished the floor would just open up and swallow her whole.
Meanwhile, Alistair dried his long fingers slowly with a paper towel. Then he glanced at her and said in a calm, low voice, “How long are you planning to stand there, Ms. Russell?”
Aveline forced a tight smile and mumbled, “You go ahead.”
His eyes flicked down to the blue folder she was using to hide her back. He paused for a moment, then casually took off his suit jacket and handed it to her. “Would this help?”
She was stunned. Her face flushed even deeper.
How… how did he know? Did he see the stain?
The embarrassment was overwhelming, but there was no time to overthink it. She quickly accepted the jacket and put it on.
Thanks to the nearly eight–inch height difference between them, the jacket hung down just right, covering everything she wanted to hide.
It was still warm from his body and carried that cool, clean scent unique to him–reminding her of what happened last night at the bar.
She gave a stiff smile. “Thank you, Alpha. And sorry… this is kind of embarrassing.”
Alistair stared at her face, still a little pink. Her eyes were clearly flustered, though she was trying her best to act calm. Then, without warning, he stepped closer.
His towering frame and the instinctive dominance of an alpha wolf made the air around them feel thick and heavy.
The pressure was almost too much, and Aveline felt completely surrounded.
“Last night,” he said slowly, his voice low and unhurried. “When you were pulling on my tie and inviting me to your bed, you didn’t seem this shy.”
C
Ah–there it was.
Aveline’s heart skipped a beat.
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