Betrayed by My Pack – Wolfless Hybrids Escape
Chapter 118 –

Robert's POV

I was initially supposed to be in on this interview. Twenty minutes ago, I was informed that the plans had changed. Jaxon informed me that since Saoirse was going to be present, he didn't want to give her any unnecessary stress. I agreed with that; she was pregnant, but I kept my mouth closed about that. I had enough people pissed off at me already. I didn't need more of them. I was upset because I wanted to use this opportunity of our being in the same room together to fix what I broke.

I couldn't sleep last night. Echo was pissed. He blamed me for this, and he was right. Echo never liked her touching us. She was not our mate, and he found her deceptive and conniving. I hadn't seen those traits before, but I did now. I wanted answers, and I would not stop until I got them. I'm usually a rule follower. I do my job, and I do it well. But Jaxon telling me to stay away was not something that I could do.

I thought it would be easy. I would head to the cells and tell the guards I was transferring the prisoner to the interview room. I didn't count on the fact that Jaxon had already told them that I was not to be around her. I finally stopped arguing with them and pretended to leave. Once they went to get her a few minutes later, I just slipped into the interview room behind them. They were worried, and when I saw one of them go to mindlink for backup, I punched him.

I didn't need anyone else here to stop me. I just wanted to speak to her about what she intentionally did to us. She wasn't worried about me at all. She seemed to be turned on by my display of strength. I shuddered at her thinking that I wanted anything to do with her. The second guard was scared, but he backed her into the corner to keep her away from me. He knew that she was my target. I could tell he wanted to check on the other guard, but he couldn't. He could tell just how pissed off I was. "Robert, are you here to rescue me?" Adra was almost purring as she spoke. She loved it when I showed my strength.

"Not Robert." Echo straightened her out quickly. Her expression changed with those two words, and she hid behind the other guard. Seeing her hide it reminded me that I was such a fool. She knew my wolf didn't like her. I've messed up so badly.

'You were a fool; you didn't listen to me or mate. But I will not lose my mate because you fell for her act. We don't have much time. If you want to ask Adra anything, you need to hurry. Jaxon is coming.' Echo linked me. I stepped closer to her as I had questions I wanted honest answers to. Adra is now full-blown crying and begging the guard to get help.

"You can't hurt me, Robert. You swore to protect me after I arrived. Are you going back on your word now?" Adra cried out.

"I also promised to be your friend, Adra, not anything else. You knew I didn't want you. You were not my mate, yet you still tried to hurt me and my mate. I trusted you, Adra. We have been friends for years. Why would you do something like that?" I growled out.

"We did start as friends, but I thought our relationship had grown over time. I love you, Robert. I have for the last two years. I thought you knew that. Why else would I cook for you like that? I don't remember you correcting me when we would sit together on the couch, and I would hold onto your arm. How was I to know you weren't aware of how strong my feelings were for you," Adra asked me.

"I thought that was something that friends did together. I can't cook, but I did ask if you wanted to eat in the dining hall with me. That was the only reason I asked you to go with me. Friends have meals together. You had no friends in the pack and had no interest in leaving your cottage. You didn't want to meet anyone else. I was trying to be the shoulder that you could cry on. But do not lie to me, Adra. You do not love me or you wouldn't have tried to rip my mate and I apart like you did. I feel disgusted at having been played by you. I defended you to both Echo and Saoirse. They both knew that you were not who you pretended to be. I believed you were an innocent victim, but you showed me, didn't you?" I stated in frustration.

"I had to do what I did. I knew who she was when I saw how you treated her and spoke so sweetly. You cared for her so much, but you just fucking met her. You didn't even know her, Robert. You still don't. Why couldn't you give me a real chance to be yours? So much better than how you treated me. Seeing you rubbing my face in it hurt. It was hard to see you had found your mate. Thankfully, I could sense sadness in her. I knew what she had been put through, so I put you to the test. Who did you care for most, her or me? You showed up to help me just like you always do. So why are you fighting this so hard? I have already shown that I would do anything for you. I know what is best for you, Robert, so stop fighting and accept me as yours," Adra begged me.

Tears still clung to her lashes as she was pleading with me to take her as mine. The magnitude of how badly I screwed up hits me square in the face. Was I so wrapped up doing what I felt was right that I missed all the signs? Was I so caught up in being a hero to Adra that I didn't notice her affection for me was growing each week? I was responsible for this, just as much as she was. Several people were standing behind me, but they didn't enter the room. They just stayed in the hallway and watched our interaction.

I let my pride override what Echo was telling me. He was right. I didn't shut her down quickly like I should have. I should have distanced myself from Adra when I knew that Saoirse was mine. The ego boost wasn't a bad thing until I met my mate. Saoirse should be the only woman boosting me up now. Yet I didn't stop Adra when she was touching me the day at her cottage. Saoirse was there, and I didn't stop Adra. I liked having Adra look up to me. I was so used to it now that it was no longer an issue. I didn't see anything wrong with it that day, but I should have.

Despite her initial qualms about me, Saoirse had given me a chance. She couldn't bear to watch another woman touch me, so she left, and I stayed with Adra. I hit my knees on the floor as I realized just how badly I screwed up. Not only did I not stop her from acting familiar with me. I stayed with her for another one of her marathon sessions, the ones in which she cries and begs for comfort. I was worried about my mate, but did I leave to replace her? No, I didn't. I stayed with Adra.

What if Saoirse has genuinely given up on me? What if she does leave here? I already knew that Cara was not going to help me. What if Saoirse goes somewhere I cannot follow? What if I never get to see her beautiful face again? My heart is pounding in fear at the thought of losing her and my pup. I put my face in my hands and try to calm myself. But it is impossible.

Adra creeps out from behind the guard and walks over to me, misunderstanding the cause of my tears. "Robert, you don't have to be sad. You can reject her and accept me. I will love and care for you for the rest of your life. I swear to you that I am just as good as she is. We can live in my cottage together. Everything can go back to how it was before. You need to let your anger over this go. Where is she now? She left you, didn't she? The moment your foot slipped a little. She doesn't love you, Robert, not like I do. You don't need her, Robert. Just accept me, and you can be happy again. I can give you everything she can and more," Adra tells me.

"How can you even say that, Adra? I came to help you as a friend, and you set me up. I don't trust you and can't see myself trusting you ever again. You are a shameful person. You plotted against me and my mate, and I will never forgive you for that," I told her. "Echo?" Adra asked with fear as she quickly stepped back away from me.

"No, it's Robert. I finally see you for who you are, Adra. I felt bad for you when you first got here. I felt that you had suffered so badly at what you had been through. I just wanted to help you. Somewhere along the line, things got twisted, but I have always told you I wanted my mate. I have never flirted with you or wanted you in any way. I should have shut you down when you started flirting with me. Falling for your innocent act is on me. I will never be able to convince my mate otherwise, and you knew that, didn't you?" I asked. I remember her mentioning that she could tell what Saoirse had been through earlier. I don't need her to admit it again. I knew just how low she could go now.

"Baby, you are looking at this all wrong. I did what you needed me to do to get rid of her. She doesn't deserve you, not like I do. You need to calm down and be rational about this. I already belong to the pack. You know me, Robert. I would never intentionally hurt you, baby. I love you," Adra said softly, trying to reach out and stroke my face.

"Don't touch me, Adra, ever again. I completely feel disgusted by how you tricked me when I trusted you. I will never accept you as my mate. Never. Even if Saoirse never speaks to me again, you are not worthy enough to replace her. Saoirse is a goddess, and you are a lying, manipulative bitch. I would rather spend the rest of my life alone than accept to be with you. I hope it was worth it for you. I was your only friend here, and now you have none," I told her bluntly. I do not need her to come around me anymore. We are done, and I feel like a knife has been driven into my heart.

I dejectedly walked out of the room, passing the group standing there. They all had pity on their faces. I had never cried in front of them before. "When you replace her guilty, because she is, I will end her if that is your decision," I told Jaxon as I passed. "I've already claimed that privilege," I heard Saoirse answer for him.