The Bet That Cost Him His Mate Chapter 04

When I opened my eyes again, all I saw was blinding white, and my nose was filled with the sharp smell of antiseptic. 

An IV dripped into the back of my hand, but it couldn’t fully soothe the burning, itchy hives still lingering on my skin. 

“Valerie! You’re awake!” 

Wyatt, who had been guarding my bedside, shot up and grabbed my hand. 

His eyes were bloodshot, and dark stubble covered his jaw. He looked like an absolute wreck. 

“The healer said we got you here just in time. You’re out of danger. Thank the Goddess…” 

I glared at him coldly and tried to pull my hand back, but he held on tight. 

“Valerie, please, listen to me,” Wyatt pleaded, his tone desperate and guilty. “Harper really didn’t do it on purpose. She just wanted to make peace. She had no idea you were deathly allergic to lilies. I already yelled at her. Please don’t hold it against her, okay?” 

Looking at his eager face trying to defend Harper, my stomach churned with nausea. 

“She didn’t know?” I gazed straight into his eyes. “What about you? Who swore to me that a lily would never appear anywhere near me ever again?” 

Wyatt opened his mouth, but no words came out. 

Just then, his phone rang. It was Harper. 

Wyatt glanced at his screen, then back at me, looking incredibly awkward. 

“Valerie, get some rest. I need to take this outside. I’ll be right back.” 

Watching him hurry out of the room, I let out a self-deprecating laugh. 

I forced my weak body up and yanked the IV needle out of my hand. 

Blood immediately welled up, but I didn’t even flinch. Physical pain was nothing to me right now. 

I stood behind the door, listening to Harper’s whiny voice in the hallway. 

“Wyatt, are you seriously yelling at me for her right now? Don’t forget, the only reason you even chased after her and threw that stupid romantic confession was because you lost a bet to me!” 

Boom. 

It felt like something completely shattered inside my brain. 

“Shut up! We never talk about that!” Wyatt growled, cutting her off. 

“Relax,” Harper purred smoothly. “You ended up catching real feelings anyway. She got lucky. Originally, you were just going to pay her off and get rid of her. She should be thanking me that she’s getting to be Luna at all!” 

I couldn’t listen to another word. 

So the gentleness and care of the past three years… all of it was just a sick bet. 

Like a clown, I had handed him my heart while they all watched and laughed, trampling on it for three years. 

Chosen mate. What a joke. 

Tears finally fell, but not from heartbreak. From sheer disgust. 

I wiped my face, calmly strode back into the room, and hit the call button. I signed the AMA discharge papers with a blank face, explicitly telling the nurse not to inform Wyatt. 

Half an hour later, I was back at the hotel, grabbing my pre-packed luggage. 

When I walked out the front doors, a sleek black SUV was already waiting in the rain. In the corner of the windshield sat a dark gold wolf crest. 

The exclusive symbol of the North American Alpha King. 

A guard respectfully pulled the door open, bowing low. “Lady Valerie, Beta Leon has the jet ready. We can depart whenever you are.” 

“Let’s go,” I murmured, sliding into the backseat. 

I pulled out my phone. The screen was flooded with dozens of missed calls and texts from Wyatt. 

“Valerie, where are you? Why did you check out of the hospital?” 

“Pick up the phone! Please stop this. I was wrong. Can we just talk?” 

I stared at the messages, didn’t reply, and blocked his number. Then, I went through and blocked every single contact tied to the Crescent Ridge pack. 

The car sped toward the airport. 

As the private jet tore through the dark night sky, roaring into the clouds, I looked out the window at the tiny pack territory shrinking until it was completely swallowed by the darkness. 

Wyatt, I’m done playing your games.