Chapter 292

Alex’s POV

When I pushed open the door of our house that evening, the first thing I noticed was the silence. Not the normal quiet of a large house, this silence felt tense.

My mother, Luna, sat on the couch. My father, Landon, stood beside the table with his arms folded. Maya sat near the window. They were speaking in low voices, but the moment I stepped into the room, their conversation stopped.

All three of them looked at me. I already knew what they were talking about.

Caitlin.

My chest tightened for days now her name had been the center of every thought in my mind.

She was still in the hospital, recovering from the injuries she had when she wandered into our territory. Even now, remembering that night made my stomach twist.

I had been called to the forest because the patrol found a wounded human. When I arrived, I expected nothing more than a stranger who needed help.

But the moment I saw her face, something inside me reacted. My wolf had spoken clearly.

Mate.

The word had shaken me deeply. I had waited years to find my mate. As the Alpha of the pack, everyone expected me to find her one day and build a strong future.

But no one expected my mate to be human and humans were never supposed to know about us.

Caitlin already knew we were werewolves. She had seen too much the night we found her. But she still did not understand the full meaning of the bond between mates. She did not know what it meant for me.

I stood near the doorway for a moment before moving forward. My mother rose from the couch immediately.

Her eyes were full of concern as she walked toward me.

“Alex,” She said softly.

She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.

For a moment I didn’t move. Then I slowly returned the hug. My mother had always been strong, but she had a way of holding me that reminded me I was still her son, not just the Alpha.

“You look exhausted,” she murmured.

“I didn’t sleep much,” I answered honestly.

She pulled back slightly and studied my face. “You’ve been carrying too much on your own.”

Behind her, Maya watched quietly. My father remained still, his sharp eyes focused on me.

I rubbed my face with one hand. “I’m handling it.”

“You’re trying to,” Luna replied gently.

The way she said it made it clear she knew the truth.

My father finally spoke.

“What did the doctor say about Caitlin?”

“She’s healing,” I replied. “The wounds are closing well.”

“Good,” Maya said quietly.

But the tension in the room didn’t disappear. Everyone knew the real problem had nothing to do with her injuries.

Luna stepped a little closer to me.

“Has she asked more questions?”

I nodded slowly.

“She already knows we’re werewolves,” I said. “She saw too much that night. I couldn’t hide it from her.”

“And the bond?” Maya asked carefully.

My jaw tightened. “She doesn’t understand it.”

That was the painful truth.

Caitlin remembered the moment I told her there was a connection between us, but she didn’t understand the depth of it. To her, the word bond was just something strange I said during a moment of confusion.

To me, it meant everything.

Luna watched me closely. “You’ve been thinking about turning her.”

Her voice was calm, but the question carried weight.

I didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, I looked around the room slowly. These people were my family. They had always supported me. But this decision was different from anything before.

“Yes,” I finally said.

The word sat heavily in the air Maya shifted uncomfortably.

“That would change her entire life,” she said.

“I know.”

Luna’s expression was serious. “She is still human, Alex.”

“I know.”

“And even though she knows about werewolves, she does not fully understand what being one means.”

“I know that too.”

My voice sounded tired even to my own ears. My father stepped forward.

“What made you reach this decision?”

His tone was not accusing. He simply wanted to hear my reasoning. I looked at the floor for a moment before answering.

“She’s my mate.”

The room fell quiet again.

“That bond is not something I can ignore,” I continued. “I tried to keep my distance. I tried to focus on leading the pack. But every day it gets harder.”

Luna’s eyes softened with sadness. “You’ve waited many years for your mate.”

“Yes.”

I let out a slow breath.

“When I see her in pain, something inside me reacts immediately. When she smiles at me, it feels like everything stops for a moment.”

I paused before continuing. “But she’s human.”

The words felt heavy.

“If she stays human, she will grow old one day. She will get sick and she will die.”

No one interrupted.

“And I will still be here.”

My voice became quieter.m“I can’t live through that.”

Luna placed a hand gently on my shoulder. “Alex…”

“I know turning someone is dangerous,” I said. “I know the change can be painful. But doing nothing is also painful.”

My father studied with me for a long time.

“Are you certain this is the only path?”

I met his gaze. “Yes.”

He nodded slowly but didn’t argue. Instead, he gestured toward the cellar stairs.

“Come with me.”

I understood immediately.

Whenever my father wanted a serious conversation, he preferred privacy. We walked down the cellar stairs together.

The room was cool and quiet. My father grabbed a bottle from the shelf and poured two drinks before sitting at the table.

He slid one glass toward me for a moment and we simply sat in silence.

Finally he spoke.

“You look like a man carrying a heavy burden.”

I gave a tired smile. “That’s because I am.”

I took a small sip from the glass. The drink burned slightly in my throat, but it helped settle my nerves.

My father leaned back in his chair.

“Tell me what you’re feeling.”