CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

ALEX

Sitting alone in my room, I take a sip of whiskey and sink back into the couch. The memories of my interactions with Hannah over the past few hours play on a loop in my head, each moment etched with a pang of guilt and regret.

I know that choosing Alice over Hannah must have hurt her deeply, but she needs to understand that it wasn't a decision I made lightly. It wasn't because I wanted to hurt her or because I didn't care about her. It was a choice forced upon me by the circumstances.

Alice is the mate of my younger brothers, and their bond is just as sacred as mine with Hannah. When faced with the ultimatum from my brothers, I had no choice but to choose Alice. They argued that she was weaker and less capable of protecting herself, whereas Hannah had the skills to fend for herself.

But it's not like I abandoned Hannah to fend for herself. I had every intention of going back for her, of