Chapter 225- Are you serious?

Chapter 225: 225- Are you serious?

Arabella Westwood POV:

A few seconds later, another message popped up.

"Arabella Toussaint! Behave yourself and let me finish this meeting! I’ll call you later, I promise."

I kept looking at those words, waiting for another message that never came.

Maya and I had always been so close that she once told me she could tell exactly how I was feeling from just two words in a text. She’d laughed and said I didn’t even need to explain myself because she knew me that well.

And I believed her.

But today, when I was practically begging her to give me one minute of her time, she couldn’t seem to understand how desperately I needed her.

I knew she wasn’t ignoring me on purpose. She had responsibilities, and the café couldn’t simply stop running because I wanted to share some news. Besides, she had no idea about the council office.

Still, knowing all that didn’t make the disappointment hurt any less.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to get myself together before turning off my phone. Fine. I’d tried.

I’d wanted her to be the first person to know, but perhaps it wasn’t meant to happen that way. I put the phone back in my purse and opened the bathroom door.

Toby and Chloe were standing in the hallway, talking quietly about something. Their conversation stopped the moment they noticed me.

Chloe was the first to approach. "Arabella, are you alright?" she asked, her attention immediately going to my eyes.

I knew they were probably red, but I wasn’t in the mood to explain why. I nodded and forced a small smile. "Yes, I am."

Chloe didn’t look convinced. Her eyes kept searching my face, trying to figure out what had happened at the council office. I could practically see the questions piling up in her head, but she was waiting for me to speak first.

Toby, on the other hand, looked completely lost. His attention kept shifting between Chloe and me, probably trying to understand what was going on.

Poor Toby. He’d accompanied me all the way to the council office, waited outside, and brought me back without having the slightest idea what any of it was about. And the best part? He hadn’t complained or demanded an explanation even once.

I looked at the two of them, and for the first time since leaving Elder John’s office, I felt a genuine smile forming on my lips.

Perhaps I’d been so caught up in wanting to tell Maya that I’d forgotten there were two people standing right in front of me who deserved to share this moment too.

"Alright, you two." I took a step back. "I think I’ve kept you in suspense long enough."

Chloe cocked up a brow, while Toby unfolded his arms and gave me a curious look.

I opened my purse and pulled out the certificate, holding it against my chest for a moment. My mother should have been here to see this.

I blinked quickly, refusing to let myself get emotional again, and raised the certificate for them to see.

"Ladies and gentlemen," I announced, lifting my chin with all the dignity I could muster, "I have some very important news."

I paused deliberately. "From this moment onward, you’re no longer standing in front of an Omega of Blackthorn Pack." My smile widened as I held up the certificate a little higher. "You’re looking at its new Alpha."

For a second, I simply let those words sink in before adding, with a pride I could no longer hide, "Alpha Arabella Westwood. The rightful heir of Blackthorn Pack, officially recognized by the council."

Chloe gasped, covering her mouth with both hands, while Toby stood beside her with his eyes wide open. For a few seconds, neither of them said a word, and I couldn’t help enjoying their expressions.

Chloe was the first to recover. She rushed toward me with her arms already opening for a hug, but just as she was about to reach me, she stopped herself.

"Oh!" She quickly lowered her arms and took a step back, giving me a sheepish smile. "I’m sorry. I almost forgot. You’re the Alpha now, and I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to just—"

"Oh, shut up, Chloe!" I laughed and grabbed her before she could finish, pulling her into a tight hug.

She let out a surprised squeal before wrapping her arms around me, and for a moment, I held her a little tighter than I’d intended.

If anyone deserved to celebrate this victory with me, it was Chloe. She’d followed every instruction, taken risks, and played her part so perfectly that I wouldn’t have been standing here with that certificate without her help.

"Thank you," I whispered, giving her one last squeeze before letting go. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

When I turned toward Toby, I found him watching us with narrowed eyes.

"Alright, what’s going on here?" he demanded, looking from Chloe to me. "What kind of joke is this, Arabella? First, you drag me to the council office without telling me why... and now you’re showing me this fake certificate?"

I opened my mouth, but he wasn’t finished.

"You were so nervous earlier that I didn’t even have the heart to ask what you were doing there. I figured you’d tell me when you were ready, so I kept my mouth shut and gave you some space." He gestured toward the document in my hand. "And now you’re joking about... this..."

I couldn’t help it. The more annoyed he got, the wider my grin grew. Toby watched me for another moment before throwing his hands up in frustration.

"Oh, go to hell! Both of you!" He pointed at Chloe, who was trying very hard not to laugh. "If you don’t want to tell me what’s going on, fine. Keep your little secret. I’m not going to beg."

He turned to leave, but I hurried after him and caught his sleeve.

"Toby, you idiot! I’m not joking!" I laughed, tugging at his arm until he stopped. "I really am the Alpha of Blackthorn Pack. Elder John approved my claim himself. Look!"

I held up the certificate, practically shoving it under his nose. He studied it for a moment, then slowly turned toward me.

I could tell he was still struggling to believe what he was hearing. "You’re serious, Ara?"