Betrothed To The Alpha

CHAPTER 52

HANNAH

I accompany Alex to the airport to pick up Jason's younger sister the following morning. He's too swamped with work to go himself, so he asked Alex for help. Alex thought it would be a nice opportunity for me to meet her, given my close friendship with Jason.

As we stand there, Alex holding a sign with her name, I can't help but feel a mix of excitement and curiosity. What would she be like? Would we get along? I pull out my phone to check the time, wondering how much longer we'll have to wait, when I hear Alex call out to someone across the terminal.

Looking up, I see a stunning blonde with piercing blue eyes walking towards us, a radiant smile on her face. She practically throws herself into Alex's arms, hugging him warmly.

"How are you doing, Mila?" Alex asks, pulling back to look at her, his own smile warm and genuine.

"Good, you?" She replies, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Good, too. I'd like you to meet my mate, Hannah," Alex says, turning to me with a proud grin.

I stretch out my hand for a handshake, a polite smile on my face, but Mila surprises me by pulling me into a crushing hug instead. "It's so good to finally meet you! Jason has told me so much about you," she gushes, her enthusiasm catching me off guard.

"He did?" I ask, my eyebrows shooting up in surprise as we pull apart.

"I hope he only told you good things," I joke, chuckling lightly to mask my sudden nervousness.

"Yeah, he did," Mila assures me, her smile never wavering.

"That's good to know," I reply, feeling a warmth spread through my chest at the thought of Jason speaking highly of me.

Alex grabs Mila's luggage, and we begin making our way towards the exit. She launches into a detailed account of her life and studies in the UK. I listen intently, marveling at how bubbly and sweet she is. It's hard to imagine her dating someone like Cameron, with his brooding intensity and quick temper.

Alex had given me a little background on their history before we arrived. Apparently, Mila and Cameron used to be an item, but when he met Alice, he dumped Mila without a second thought. Heartbroken and unable to bear seeing them together, Mila had fled to the UK for university, desperate to put some distance between herself and the painful memories.

My heart aches for her as I watch her chattering away, her smile bright but her eyes holding a hint of sadness. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for her, losing the man she loved to someone else and having to rebuild her life in a foreign country.

As we settle into the car, Mila's cheerful chatter fills the air, her stories of life abroad painting a vivid picture of her adventures. But just as she's in the middle of a particularly animated tale, Alex interrupts, his voice cutting through the laughter.

"There's something I forgot to mention when we spoke last night," he says, his tone serious, "Cameron is going to be your direct supervisor at the company."

The words hang heavy in the air, and suddenly, the car is enveloped in suffocating silence. I glance back at Mila, trying to gauge her reaction, but she's gone completely still, her face an unreadable mask.

Mila's done with school, so she's going to be working in M. Corp. It's intriguing to note that every pack member of Sky Pack is offered a job if needed. This gesture speaks volumes about the sense of community and support within the pack, emphasizing the importance of unity and mutual aid in times of need.

Alex takes a deep breath before continuing, "I know you two have...a past, and the prospect likely isn't an appealing one. But unfortunately, your expertise desperately needs to be utilized in the division Cameron oversees. There was no way around assigning you to his team."

She still doesn't say a word, and I start to worry that maybe Alex should have broken the news a bit more later in the day. But just as I'm about to turn around and change the subject, I see a flicker of emotion cross Mila's face.

At first, I think it's dread, the kind of sinking feeling you get when you realize you're about to face something unpleasant. But as I watch, the dread morphs into something else entirely - a sly, almost wicked smirk that sends a shiver down my spine.

"No problem," Mila says, her voice dripping with false sweetness, a glint of something dark and dangerous in her eyes.

My brows furrow in confusion, trying to reconcile the bubbly, carefree girl I met at the airport with this new, enigmatic version of her. Why isn't she angry or upset at the prospect of working under her ex? Why does she seem almost...pleased?

I turn back around, catching Alex's eye, and I can tell he's just as perplexed as I am. We share a look, both of us shaking our heads in bewilderment. This isn't the reaction either of us expected, and I can't help but wonder what Mila's up to.

"You're really okay with it?" Alex asks, his tone skeptical.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Mila replies as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't know, maybe because..." Alex trails off, not wanting to reopen old wounds.

"It's been four years, Alex. It's fine," Mila assures him, but there's an edge to her voice that suggests otherwise.

As Alex murmurs a halfhearted "okay," the car lapses into silence once more, but this time, it's heavy with unspoken questions and a palpable sense of anticipation.

I lean back in my seat, my mind racing with possibilities. Alex and I still have our own issues to work through and our own wounds to heal, but the prospect of getting caught up in someone else's drama is strangely appealing—a welcome distraction from the weight of our own troubles.