Betrothed To The Alpha

CHAPTER 43

I don't know how long I sit on the floor, my body wracked with sobs, but by the time I finally muster the strength to pick up my phone and silence, it's incessant ringing; my eyes are bloodshot, and my voice is raspy from crying. I try my best to compose myself as I answer Luna Marely's call, not wanting to burden her with the depth of my pain.

"Hey, Hannah, we saw the news. Don't worry, we are doing everything we can to take it down immediately," Luna Marely says, her words shocking me to the core. I had steeled myself for a barrage of curses and warnings like the ones my parents had hurled at me, but never did I expect such unwavering support.

"Hannah, are you there?" Luna Marely's gentle voice pulls me back from my thoughts.

"Yes, I'm here," I manage to croak out, my throat tight with emotion.

"You sound horrible, child. Please don't cry. We know you didn't cheat on Alex, so don't worry about what others say. The most important thing now is to find Alex so he can come and calm down the board of directors."

Her words are like a soothing balm to my battered soul, a glimmer of light in the darkness that threatens to consume me. This woman, who barely knows me, believes in my innocence without question and understands that I would never jeopardize the alliance that means so much to both our packs. My heart swells with gratitude for her support, even as it aches with the realization that my own mother could not extend me the same trust and compassion.

Amidst the whirlwind of emotions, a detail from Luna Marely's words snags my attention. "You mentioned something about the board of directors?" I ask, a sense of unease creeping up my spine.

"Yes, his fight with Alpha Collin has tarnished the image of the company, and some of the board members are furious about it. Alex needs to come back and try to assure them he's not a thug."

"Oh." The gravity of the situation hits me like a punch to the gut. It's worse than I imagined, the consequences of our actions rippling out far beyond our personal lives.

"Yes, dear, so inform him about the situation immediately once you see him."

"I will, Luna Marely," I promise.

"That's good to hear. Take care of yourself, dear," she says before hanging up, her parting words a reminder that even in the midst of this chaos, someone still cares about my well-being.

I pick myself up from the floor, my limbs heavy with exhaustion, and make my way to my room. As I move to collapse onto my bed, my phone pings with a new message. It's an address from an unknown number, nothing more. Curiosity piqued, I dial the number, hoping for some explanation, but no one answers. Just as I'm about to dismiss it as a wrong number, I notice that the last two digits match Lorenzo's number, the same one I saw Alice call earlier.

Realization dawns on me like a bolt of lightning. This must be Alex' location. Without a second thought, I rush out of the house, my heart pounding in my chest as I make my way to the address. During the journey, I can't help but wonder why Lorenzo would send this to me and not Alice, but I push the thought aside, my focus solely on finding Alex and bringing him home.

ALEX

I stare at the bottle of whiskey in front of me, my eyes tracing the label without really seeing it, my mind a tangled web of thoughts and regrets. The weight of my choices, of the pain I've caused, sits heavy on my shoulders, a burden I can't seem to shake. I've always felt the need to protect those around me, but somehow, in trying to do what's right, I end up hurting the ones I care about most.

I hurt Alice when I rejected her, even though it tore me apart to do so. I did it for the sake of the pack, to fulfill my duty as the future Alpha. But to make up for that pain, I couldn't bring myself to pull away from her completely, even after I was engaged and mated to Hannah. And in doing so, I kept hurting Hannah, the one person I should have cherished above all others.

It's a vicious cycle, a no-win situation where someone always ends up suffering because of my actions. I'm so tired of it all, so weary of the constant push and pull, the never-ending struggle to balance my responsibilities with my heart's desires.

I grab the bottle, bring it to my lips, and take a long, burning swig. The memory of Hannah's face, contorted with hurt and frustration as she told me to fuck off, plays on a loop in my mind. The accusation of cheating, the way I let my jealousy and insecurities get the best of me, eats away at my soul. I know I have no right to point fingers, not when I'm the one who has repeatedly disrespected our bond, our commitment to each other.

In my drunken haze, I reach for the bottle again, desperate to numb the pain, to silence the voices in my head that whisper of my failures and shortcomings. But before I can take another sip, the bottle is suddenly snatched from my grasp.

"That's enough," a voice that sounds suspiciously like Lorenzo's cuts through the fog in my brain.

"Give me back my bottle," I slur, my words sloppy and uncoordinated.

"No!" he snaps, passing the bottle to another figure in the room, who I vaguely recognize as my younger brother, Cameron.

"Why the hell are you drinking yourself to death because of that bitch? She isn't fucking worth it!" Lorenzo yells, his words like a knife to my heart.

Instantly, I'm in his face, my blood boiling with rage. "Don't you dare call my mate that word or blame her for the shit I'm going through right now."

"Then who should we fucking blame?" Cameron barks, his own anger palpable.

"Me! Fucking blame me for hurting Hannah time and time again," I choke out, my voice raw with emotion.

My brothers fall silent, the weight of my confession hanging heavy in the air. And then, like a dam bursting, the words pour out of me in a torrent of grief and self-loathing. I lay bare my sins, my regrets, and the endless cycle of mistakes that have brought me to this point. They listen without judgment, without interruption, letting me purge the poison that has been festering in my soul for far too long.

When I'm finally spent, my chest heaving with the force of my sobs, Lorenzo speaks, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "You've done enough for Alice. Now it's time to leave her to us and fix things with Hannah."

"Yes, Alice shouldn't be your concern anymore. Focus on your mate and future, Luna," Cameron adds.

Gratitude swells in my heart, a flicker of hope igniting in my chest at their understanding and their willingness to shoulder the burden that has weighed me down for so long. "Thank you," I whisper, my voice hoarse with emotion.

I reach for the bottle once more, seeking solace in the numbing embrace of alcohol, even though I know it's a temporary fix, a band-aid on a gaping wound. My brothers may understand, but the one person whose forgiveness I crave still remains out of reach.

Just as Lorenzo opens his mouth to protest, his phone rings, cutting him off. He answers, his conversation brief and cryptic, before hanging up with a determined set to his jaw.

"We will make this right," he declares, rising to his feet with Cameron following suit.

I don't ask what they mean, too lost in my ownmisery to care. Instead, I bring the bottle to my lips once more, chasingoblivion, desperate to escape the pain that threatens to consume me whole. Buteven as the alcohol burns its way down my throat, I know that this is not theanswer, that running away will only lead me further from the one thing I wantmost in this world - Hannah's forgiveness.