Three Alphas, Fated To One, Played By One, But Mated To One-Chapter 113: Dilemma

Valerie’s POV

Seeing Karl actually lifted my spirits a bit.

I haven’t seen him in a while and it felt as if he had changed.

He looked more mature and poised. Unlike before when he still had that boyish look, now dressed in a suit, he looked more manly.

However, I couldn’t bring myself to see him differently knowing that he was never genuine about our friendship.

But that wouldn’t stop me from at least finding comfort in his company.

As long as I know not to cross the line, everything would be good.

"No need to thank me for something so trivial." Karl said with his usual gentle smile.

The chocolate reminded me of the past when I would go for two days or more without food while working like an ox.

It was only when Karl brought me some packets of chocolate that I would get something to eat and at least give me energy.

Now that I was full of grievances and humiliation, eating chocolate brightened my mood.

"So, why do you look so down? Did someone bully you?" Karl sat down on the sofa placed in my room before asking.

Of course, I wasn’t going to start telling on how my own mate found me an embarrassment and humiliated me. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Not to mention that it was nothing to be proud of, Mike was still Karl’s friend.

"Nothing. I am just busy with some stuff and didn’t get to eat." Even if Karl knew the truth, he couldn’t help, so there was no harm in telling a white lie.

"You don’t have to hide your pain from me. We are friends and I can tell when you are unhappy." Karl said, looking at me seriously.

"Just tell me, which jerk made you sad?" He insisted and I almost couldn’t hold back.

"Just let it go. I think it’s not worth wasting my time thinking about it. If someone doesn’t appreciate me, I won’t stick my warm face on a cold butt."

I almost applauded myself for coming up with something so snarky.

"Oh! So, why do you still look so out of it?" Karl persisted and I finally decided that maybe talking about it would help the ache I was feeling inside and let me concentrate on my work.

"I feel like my life was easier when I was just a slave. I mean, back then, I knew exactly where I stood. But now, I have to keep guessing other people’s thoughts about me. My mate thinks I am an embarrassment. Pack members are divided, and the council is out to get me. I feel overwhelmed and this title of Luna doesn’t even come with benefits. Well, maybe it does have some benefits, but do what? I don’t want it."

I ranted for a long time before I stopped.

And sure enough, after saying so much I didn’t feel so frustrated anymore.

"So, what do you want?" Karl asked curiously.

What do I want?

"I honestly can’t decide. But in a couple of days I don’t think I will have any choice. So, there is no need to think about it now." I replied with a sigh.

"Why won’t you have a choice?" Karl asked in surprise and I realized that he hadn’t been in the pack recently, so he might not know what was going on with the council.

"Most of the pack members are complaining about being led by a wolfless Luna. The council has taken it a step further and claimed that they want proof that I can lead as Luna, otherwise they would have to rethink my position. However, I wasn’t the one who chose myself as Mike’s mate. Why don’t they take it up with the moon goddess if they are so capable?" I realized that when I was with Karl, I let my guard down a bit.

But mostly because I knew his goal clearly and I knew he would never achieve it.

So, I wasn’t too guarded against him.

"Well, have you thought of just rejecting him? I know he is your mate, but since he doesn’t want you, you don’t have to hold on just because of the bond. I have heard of people who got their second chance mate after rejection. You might luck out." Karl said seriously and even though the thought of a second chance mate never crossed my mind, I did think about rejecting Mike and leaving.

"I don’t think I want another mate. What if he is the same as Mike, or worse. I also heard that a rejection could cause unmeasurable pain. I am not ready for it yet." Of course that wasn’t the real reason I didn’t want the rejection.

I still needed the connection in the Night claw pack to investigate my father’s case.

Even if I leave, as long as Mike is still my mate, I could find some excuses to come back, but what if I rejected him and had no more connection to the pack?

"Even if you don’t reject him, you can take a break and leave the pack for a while. You have never been outside the pack since you were a child. Going out and walking around might do you a lot of good." Karl tried to convince me to leave again and I realized he might have a hidden agenda.

He wouldn’t keep trying to convince me otherwise.

So, I decided to go with the flow and see what he wanted.

"But just like you said, I have never been outside the pack before. Even if I leave, I don’t know where I can go."

"Why worry so much about a place to stay? We are friends. You can come back with me to my pack. There is plenty of room for you. What do you think?" Karl moved closer to me and asked with a lowered voice.

"That’s not a bad idea, but will the people in your pack behave the same as the ones here? I don’t want to leave the tiger’s den to enter a wolf’s pack." Well, technically we are wolves, but that doesn’t count.