Chapter 404

**Chapter 404**

Before I could understand what was happening, Harper took Nan’s wine glass and splashed it on her dress. Everyone gasped in shock.

Nan jumped to her feet, her eyes filled with tears and her face red with anger.

I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. Even my parents gasped in shock. My mother let out a sad sigh when she saw Nan’s upset and broken face.

“She doesn’t deserve you,” Harper said firmly. “She doesn’t know you. She could never love you the way I love you.”

Chester’s back was turned to me, so I couldn’t see his face. However, I could tell he was looking at Nan. She was upset, and her red fingernails pointed at her face as she spoke. I knew Chester was finally realizing just how troubled she really was.

Nan’s dress was stained, and that only made things worse. She stood up, her body shaking. I could tell she was about to run away.

My mother tapped the table to get my attention.

“Go to her,” she said.

“Are you sure?” she said softly.

I looked between her and my father.

“I feel bad bailing on dinner,” I told her. “This is an important celebration, and family has always come first for me.”

As if he could read my mind, my father nodded.

“Nan is family too,” he said. “You should make sure she’s okay.”

I didn’t need him to tell me twice. I quickly stood up and began to move.

Nan was struggling with her thoughts as she watched Chester and Harper argue at their table.

“You’ve crossed a line, Harper,” Chester said, his voice low and serious.

As I got closer, their voices grew louder. I noticed some of the security personnel nearby, clearly paying attention to the situation.

Management was moving through the restaurant, curious about all the noise and ready to calm things down.

“You can’t honestly say you don’t have feelings for me, Chester,” she said. “I’ve always been there for you…”

“I have always loved you. You can’t deny that we have history together.”

For a moment, Chester was silent. That was a big mistake. It was the moment when Nan’s smile disappeared, and tears filled her eyes.

I noticed her expression before Chester did. I quickly wrapped my arm around her, surprising her. Then, I turned her away from Chester so he wouldn’t see her face.

“Bathroom,” I said, trying to keep things casual.

“I told her softly, ‘Let’s get you cleaned up.’

Chester looked into my eyes, and I realized why he hadn’t said anything. He was battling with his wolf. His wolf wanted to break free and attack Harper.

He was desperately trying to prevent that from happening. I felt relieved knowing that was the truth, but I don’t think Nan understood it as well as I did. She interpreted his silence as him accepting Harper’s words and agreeing with her.

Chester was too focused on controlling his wolf to notice Nan’s sad and hurt expression. He had an Alpha wolf, which made it even harder to manage.

“Deal with this,” he said.

I spoke to Chester, trying to reach the man inside and not the wolf. “Or you’ll lose him forever.”

For a moment, Chester’s true eyes shone when he finally saw Nan. He noticed her shoulders shaking. She was quietly crying.

He was crying, trying to hold back the sound so he wouldn’t be heard. But now, he could no longer hide it. Panic flashed in his eyes as his wolf began to emerge. I could see the hatred and anger he felt towards Harper.

**Chapter 404**

As we walked by her, I couldn’t help but whisper, “If I were you, I’d start running.”

With those words hanging in the air, I led Nan away and towards the bathrooms. I chose to ignore the tension in the room behind us.

Nan was screaming as she slammed the bathroom door shut and locked it. At that moment, she completely fell apart. She began to sob loudly, collapsing to the ground. Her whole body shook as she released all the feelings she had been holding back.

That evening, I sat on the ground with Harper, my heart heavy as I watched my best friend struggle. My eyes felt hot with unshed tears, and I hated seeing her in pain. It hurt to know that she was going through this, and I was frustrated that it was happening because of her choices. All I wanted was to help her through it.

I had been friends with Harper for a long time, but now everything had changed. I couldn’t look at her without feeling resentment and anger.

Feeling overwhelmed, I picked up my phone and opened my text conversation with Gavin. I typed out a single message, hoping it would help me sort through my feelings.

It didn’t feel like he owed me anything, but I really needed this to get done.

“Me: I need a favor.”

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**Chapter 405**