Chapter 5

Alex POV

The walk back is shrouded in a heavy, suffocating silence, the unspoken tension hanging thick between us. As I trail behind Hannah, I become an unnoticed shadow, my steps echoing the distance that has grown. Our return to the room where our parents await is met with an oppressive stillness, a palpable discomfort that lingers in the air. Dad, his face etched with anger, shatters the quietude as soon as we enter.

"Where were you? We were worried sick," he demands, the visible distress etched on his face.

"With my mate," I retort, meeting his gaze defiantly.

"The sooner you reject her, the better for you," Dad advises sharply.

"I will never reject her. Helen is my mate, and if I become Alpha, she'll be my Luna, not Hannah," I declare, casting a disdainful glance at Hannah, who