Wrong Number, Right Alpha Chapter 05

Wrong Number, Right Alpha Chapter 05

Ever since my wolf fell silent after that near-fatal injury years ago, I hadn’t heard her voice again.

So there was no way she could’ve suddenly spoken to me now.

I had to be hearing things.

“Yes. And sorry, I’m late.”

Flustered, I quickly straightened up and stepped out of Hayden’s arms before glancing awkwardly at my watch.

Hayden looked completely calm.

“I was early.”

After saying that, he turned and walked into the restaurant.

I followed behind him.

The moment we entered the private dining room, I froze slightly.

There were roses arranged on the table.

A piano sat nearby.

The atmosphere felt strangely intimate.

Too intimate.

This didn’t feel like a business dinner at all.

It felt like a date.

Maybe noticing my confusion, Hayden spoke first.

“Gamma Cora, don’t overthink it. I just like the food here.”

I forced out a nervous smile.

Hayden snapped his fingers, and a waiter immediately walked in.

His long fingers flipped elegantly through the menu as he casually ordered several incredibly expensive dishes.

The moment I heard the names, my heart skipped violently.

A memory surfaced instantly.

Back then, I’d sent Noctis a post about this restaurant.

[N, when we finally meet in person, can we eat here?]

Noctis replied almost immediately.

[Of course, baby. Which dishes do you like? I’ll memorize all of them.]

[Black truffle baked Boston lobster, Dénia red prawns, caviar feast…]

[They’re kinda expensive though. Should we split the bill when we go?]

[You can order whatever you want. I’ll pay for everything.]

Back then, I’d imagined myself coming here with Finn.

But now, the person sitting across from me wasn’t him.

And yet somehow, Hayden had ordered every single dish I once mentioned to Noctis.

Hayden’s voice pulled me back to reality.

“Gamma Cora, do these suit your taste?”

I forced back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes and smiled at him.

“They do. They’re all my favorites.”

“Good.”

Hayden picked up his knife and fork gracefully, cutting into the lobster before taking a slow bite.

Halfway through dinner, a girl in a white gown walked into the room.

She gave us a polite nod before sitting down at the piano.

Soft music soon filled the air.

Richard Clayderman’s Ballade pour Adeline.

The romantic melody echoed through the candlelit room.

The roses.

The dim lighting.

The atmosphere.

And Hayden sitting there looking like some untouchable prince beneath the golden glow.

Everything about this felt dangerously close to a confession.

Who discussed work in a place like this?

The whole thing felt bizarre.

Unable to hold it in anymore, I finally asked,

“King Hayden, Alpha Finn mentioned you still had some concerns about the proposal. If there’s anything unclear, I can explain it.”

Hayden calmly set down his utensils and wiped his hands with a napkin.

“Finn already explained everything to me. I’m very satisfied with the proposal.”

He paused slightly before looking straight at me.

“Tonight, I simply wanted to have dinner with Gamma Cora.”

Inside, I immediately cursed Finn.

That idiot. If he’d already explained everything to Hayden, why didn’t he tell me beforehand?

Completely unreliable.

The entire dinner left me restless and tense.

Every few seconds, I found myself secretly glancing at Hayden.

And every single time, our eyes somehow met perfectly.

His dark gaze carried emotions I couldn’t fully understand.

There was something restrained there.

Something almost… wounded.

And something else too.

Affection.

Every time he wiped his lips.

Every accidental brush of our eyes.

My heartbeat sped up uncontrollably.

Then my mind drifted back to earlier, when I stumbled into his arms.

The way he’d held me tightly for that split second before forcing himself to let go.

Such a small action.

Yet ever since then, the fabric against my skin felt scorching hot, like his touch had branded itself onto my body.

Even now, warmth still pooled embarrassingly low in my stomach.

Another ridiculous thought suddenly surfaced in my mind.

What if…

What if I dated Hayden instead?

The thought made me laugh bitterly at myself.

Cora, you really are shallow.

You moved on from Noctis this fast just because Hayden was handsome?

Looks like you and Finn really were the same kind of people after all.