Chapter 512: Concerns

Hayley’s POV:

Feeling conflicted, I almost turned away immediately, hoping to avoid him. Yet, it was too late—Benjamin had already seen me. He stopped about two meters away, his gaze piercing as he locked eyes with mine. After a few seconds of intense silence, he took a step closer, stopping just a step away.

“Hayley, I found you,” he said softly, his voice warm as he smiled at me.

It would be a lie to say I was not touched, but my thoughts were in chaos. Would his presence here bring Odessa to the land where I grew up?

“How’s your mother?” I asked hesitantly.

“She’s fine,” Benjamin replied, clearly reading the worry in my eyes. His faint smile carried a reassuring calm.

“I came to Shadow Pack to find you because she’s accepted you. She won’t cause you trouble anymore.”

“Hayz, are you okay?” he asked, his voice gentle.

I nodded quietly, obediently, but did not say anything. Yet, no matter his reassurances, the thought gnawed at me—Odessa was his biological mother, while I shared no blood relation with Grandpa and Grandma. The doubt and insecurity sank deeper into my heart.

Then, suddenly, Benjamin wavered. Before I could process what was happening, he collapsed. Alarmed, I did not hesitate. Ignoring the risk of exposing my Alpha status, I rushed forward to catch him just before his head could hit the ground. Calling for the beta enforcers, I quickly had him taken to the hospital.

After an examination, the diagnosis was clear—Benjamin had altitude sickness. Shadow Pack’s high-altitude terrain had affected him, as higher-ranking wolves from other packs were often more susceptible.

Not long after, he woke up.

“You’re fine. It’s just altitude sickness,” I explained, holding his hand gently to reassure him.

However, as soon as his stomach growled loudly, I could not help laughing. “Alright, be honest. How long has it been since you’ve had a proper meal?”

Benjamin held my hand tightly, his voice soft and warm. “Hayz, just opening my eyes and seeing you feels so good.”

I sighed, adjusting his blanket. “Rest well. I’ll head back and make you something to eat.”

“I’ll wait for you,” he replied obediently.

I stayed with him until he drifted off to sleep before quietly leaving the room. While waiting for the elevator, I unexpectedly ran into someone familiar.

“Alpha Hayley? Is it really you?”

Turning at the sound of the voice, I recognized Stephenie Jones, an old classmate. I smiled politely and nodded. “Long time no see.”

“What brings you here? Is someone in your family sick? Which room are they in? I can keep an eye on them for you tonight,” she said enthusiastically.

“Thank you, but there’s no need. I’ll come back later tonight,” I replied as the elevator arrived. “I won’t take up your time. Let’s catch up another time.”

I thought that would be the last I would see of her, but the next morning, after bringing food to Benjamin, I bumped into Stephenie again.

“Hayley, it’s good to see you! Can you help me out?” She asked excitedly, completely unaware of my position as Alpha of the Shadow Pack.

Her demeanor remained calm. Since I had hidden my Alpha identity while with the Midnight Pack, it was only natural she did not know.

“Sure, what do you need?” I asked, not refusing outright.

“Tonight, there’s a classmate gathering. Could you come with me?” she said quickly. “I told everyone I ran into you, but they don’t believe me. They think I’m just making it up and insist I bring you along. I can’t back out now.”

She looked embarrassed as she explained, and though I was not entirely keen on the idea, I figured it would not hurt to reconnect with some old classmates. If it became too much, I could always leave early.

That evening, we went together. As expected, the gathering involved alcohol. I was not a fan of drinking to excess, so I stuck to juice while everyone else indulged. Later, when the group suggested moving to another bar for an after-party, Stephenie and I made an excuse to leave early.

However, as we stepped outside the restaurant, a chubby male classmate, clearly drunk, stumbled toward us. Before I could react, he leaned in, uncomfortably close to me.