Betrothed To The Alpha

CHAPTER 58

ALEX

I close my eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath as I walk downstairs for dinner, the weight of work and pack duties bearing down on my shoulders like an oppressive force. Sometimes, in my most desperate moments, I wish I could escape for a week, take a break from the relentless responsibilities, and come back to find everything just as I left it. But I know that's an impossible fantasy. The daunting task of ensuring my pack's readiness in the face of a potential civil war has consumed nearly every waking moment these days, leaving me little time for Hannah. I miss her with an ache that resonates deep in my bones - the warmth of her presence, the softness of her touch, the way she gasps and writhes beneath me when I'm buried deep inside her, claiming her as mine. It's been far too long since we last mated, and the longing is a constant throb in my veins.

She's doing well after what happened with Collins. I was really concerned about her well-being, so I kept insisting that she speak to someone about what happened. It took a while, but eventually, she agreed. I'm so relieved that she took that step because I know it's crucial for her to fully heal and move on from the trauma.

As I near the dining room, a scent both new and hauntingly familiar assaults my senses, intoxicating and divine. It's a fragrance that sets my nerves alight with a strange mix of desire and unease. Has Hannah experimented with a human perfume? But why would she do that?

Stepping into the room, my eyes sweep over the gathered faces - my parents and brothers- but Hannah is nowhere to be seen. Instead, Alice sits brazenly in her seat, a smug smile playing on her lips. White-hot anger surges through me, and I march over, ready to unleash my fury and demand she remove herself from my mate's place. But the moment her scent envelops me, the words die on my tongue, and I find myself inexplicably drawn to her.

"Alice," I greet, my face stretching into a smile that doesn't reach my eyes, a cold and empty gesture. What the fuck is happening to me?

"Alex, nice of you to join us. Seat," Alice purrs, patting my chair beside hers, which she has already pulled out in a presumptuous display of familiarity. Like a dog obeying its master's command, I find myself sitting down without a single word of protest, my body moving of its own accord. I ask myself again, what the actual fuck?

As I'm trying to wrap my mind around this unnatural compulsion, Hannah steps into the room, her eyes widening in shock and confusion at the sight of Alice in her place, filling my plate with food. A pang of guilt and shame twists in my gut, but when I try to stand, to move away from this bizarre situation, Alice's hand shoots out, gripping my arm with surprising strength, holding me in place.

"Sit," she commands again, a bright, unsettling smile plastered on her face, her eyes cold and calculating. I don't know what's more disturbing - the fact that I obey without question or the eerie calmness with which she exerts her control over me.

I feel the weight of stares boring into me, and I notice my family and Hannah both watching, their expressions mirroring the confusion and unease that churn within me. Desperate to escape this suffocating situation, I abruptly push back my chair and head for the hallway, hoping to put some distance between myself and Alice before she can react. But her voice rings out behind me, sharp and demanding.

"Alex!" She's giving chase, her footsteps echoing in the hallway, and against every instinct screaming at me to run, I find myself stopping in my tracks, my body betraying me once more.

"Aren't you hungry?" she asks, quickening her steps toward me, her voice tinged with concern.

"I am, but I need a moment alone," I reply honestly, the words tumbling from my lips before I can stop them when usually I would have brushed her off with a curt dismissal.