055

"Let her go," Jenna pleaded, her voice soft but insistent.

Zain glanced at her, a rush of emotions flooding through him, none of which he could quite grasp. He hadn't anticipated Hazel's sudden announcement about returning home. He had been so sure he had everything under control, waiting for her wolf to surface, believing he could handle it by marking her. But now, faced with this unexpected twist, he realized he wasn't prepared.

"How could you even consider that, Mom?" He struggled to maintain his composure, fighting the urge to lose it.

"You promised her. She's free to make her own decisions. I'm certain now that she's accepted your proposal, she wanted to tell her parents and get their approval like any good daughter," Jenna still believed in what they saw during the proposal, but little did she know Hazel had already informed Zain needed time to make up her mind.

"Mom, come on, you gotta understand. I didn't bring her here just to let her walk away without making sure she feels l