UNDENIABLY DESTINED

CHAPTER 34

Damein sat behind his office desk, reading over a pile of files. His eyes had lost their sparkle in the past few days, dull with deep dark circles over his overly pale face, giving him a sickly look. His worries were easily visible on the face, lines having become prominent recently from the stress. Not sleeping properly worsened his appearance with time, but he kept working on.

He had been nonstop working on and on over his Alpha duties, trying to forget all the problems going around him—the only way possible to get his mind off those beautiful onyx eyes that had been haunting his dreams for days now. The incident still fresh in his mind, as he reminisced about the fear and desperation to stay far away from him in his mate's eyes. The question sliced his heart apart each time he was left idle. His state got worse as he lost his patience and hope of his mate coming to him with time. The emptiness of her presence made him hollow. His wolf had already lost in depression in his subconsciousness, remaining quiet and losing contact from his human side.

"Alpha Damein, may I enter, please?"

A knock sounded in the empty room, followed by a feminine voice calling from outside his office door. His attention broke from the sentences he was reading in the file. He looked up to realize the sun rays of the afternoon entering from the open balcony doors, as the curtains danced with the soft wind. The outside weather was a contrast to the gloomy temperament of the office.

"Enter..."

Damein commanded as the door opened. The person entering surprised him with her presence as he watched her stuck for a moment. A smile followed his stooped expressions as she replied.

"I brought you lunch..."

Miranda told him as she looked up at him from the piles of plates in her hands. Many dishes lined the big tray she carried into the office with ease. Her hands easily balanced the heavy-looking tray as she walked further into the room. Her attention focused on the task at hand.

"Ah, Miranda, how have you been? Oh, you don't have to do that; I would have called someone else..."

Damein, surprised by her presence, met the woman after many years. Years had passed since he had met her; she had been left for some personal reason. The situation turned awkward for him as he realized that he knew of her return but still did not make time to meet her. The woman whom he was quite close to all those years ago. She was the last person on his mind to enter his office at this time.

His face was clouded with surprise and uncertainty about what actions to take as he thought about what to say next. Miranda, completely oblivious, entered the room walking to his desk. She put the tray down and started laying the dish and plates for him, like a child. Her old habit of serving him still had not been lost. But the woman stayed completely oblivious as she acted just like the old times. Miranda was busy with her task of serving as Damein accepted it awkwardly, sitting back on his chair, watching her.

"Oh, it's not a hassle..."

Her voice was jolly, as if they had been acquaintances for quite a long time. And her being away for more than a decade was not important. She was respectful, knowing the child whom she had adored years before had grown and was now the heir to the Alpha position of the most powerful pack in the subcontinent. Her motherly voice was still the same Damien remembered from his memory. Trying to keep the conversation going, Damien asked her with a soft smile, trying to keep his face composed as she took her seat.

"So... how are you coping back into the pack life?"

The first time she entered the office, their eyes met. Concern for him reflected in her eyes, her emotions bare for Damien to see as she replied formally. Still on edge, that the child she is meeting now has changed for good or bad. Damien, trying to hide from her eyes, moved toward the food, piling his plate even though he had no appetite. But her voice betrayed everything her eyes reflected on, as she replied delightedly.