Alpha Hayley's Destined Mate by Andrea Townsend

Chapter 68 No One Is Their Match

Rachel’s POV:

Remembering the warning Hayley had left yesterday, I spent the night in anxiety.

Just as dawn broke, I was startled awake by a loud pounding on the door. “Open up!

“Your loans are due! We’re here to collect the payments! Don’t hide inside!

“Hurry up and pay!”

In a panic, I rushed downstairs.

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My father looked at me with disappointment; he had just learned about my borrowing from loan sharks.

Wave after wave of debt collectors surrounded our home, blocking any escape. “Rachel Softson! Hurry and open the door to pay! Otherwise, we’ll turn into wolves and give you and your family a proper lesson!”

With a loud crash, the front door of our house shook violently, and I was so frightened I could hardly stand,

“You wretch!” My father slapped my face hard, and a sharp sting radiated through my cheek.

I dropped to my knees, crying and pleading, “Dad, please help me! I’m begging you! If you don’t help me, I’m finished.”

“I don’t have any money; you made this mess, so you deal with it.” My father angrily turned away, and I quickly rushed to grab his leg.

“Dad, I really have no way out! They are Beta werewolves who have been to prison, and none of us can stand against them. Our only option is to pay them back…

“Rachel, you …” My father pointed at me, his finger trembling, but before he could finish, he coughed up blood and fell heavily to the ground.

“Dad … Dad … “No matter how much I shouted, he showed no sign of responding.

Then, with a loud crash, our front door was kicked down, and a pack of black wolves lunged toward me, their mouths wide open and sharp fangs bared.

Hayley’s POV:

After I won the public speaking competition, Henry was the first to find me and offer his congratulations.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a new found tenderness in the way he looked at me.

Could he be thinking of choosing me as his mate?

I quickly shook my head, dismissing the absurd thought.

My wolf, Hera, hadn’t reacted to him at all.

school, Rachel had taken a leave of absence, yet the rumors

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Rachel’s

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debt collectors came after her family,

to flaunt her wealth and Beta status all over the school. This is karma,

had never liked Rachel’s attitude, so now they shared the gossip with

expected these rumors, given how often Rachel had crossed me.

come over to my house tonight! My mom’s making your favorite paella!” Christine’s voice broke into my thoughts. She looked at

and happily agreed, “Sure,

Hayley, you’re

out my phone and texted Irving, letting

Christine and I left school,

both a ride,” he

objections. “I’ll tell my driver to head home, and we can all go

car and slowly drove

songs started playing. Christine asked Irving excitedly, “Wow,

liked her for many years.”

up at his words. “Really? Same here! I fell in love with her music from her first song, ‘Forgotten Sea. Almost every one of her songs

friends,” Irving said with a smile, making Christine

to sound casual. “I

admired her for years, but

“I’m curious too–what kind of woman would have such talent? Who knows

their nostalgic moods, I sighed quietly to myself.

house quickly, and with her enthusiastic invitation, Irving joined us inside.

graceful woman who greeted me warmly as

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No One Is Their

all the time. Welcome to our home!”

you for having me, Mrs. Bush.”

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like,” she replied as she headed to the kitchen to arrange dinner. Meanwhile, Christine eagerly pulled me toward

off her collection. “These are all albums containing songs written by

enthusiastically introduced the albums she had collected over the years, and she handed me her prized album with a grin. “Here, I want you to have

smiled–and–replied, “I can’t take it from you. You should keep it. But I have the first and third editions at home. I’ll bring

many channels but couldn’t

mom came in with a plate of fruit and asked,

linked her arm with her mom’s and said with a mischievous smile, “That’s a secret. I’m not