Chapter 334Â
FAYEÂ
By the time everyone had settled into the living room, the conversation was already moving easily.Â
+25 PointsÂ
Drinks had been passed around, and people had taken whichever seats were closest. I was sitting beside Alexander on the couch, while Irene had taken the chair across from us. Jeffrey sat next to her, relaxed butÂ
attentive, quietly taking in the rhythm of the room.Â
Irene and I had already slipped into one of our usual conversations.Â
It always happened when we got together. Somehow we’d start with something simple and end upÂ
laughing over something from months ago within minutes.Â
“I still can’t believe you actually said that to him,” Irene said, leaning back in her seat and shaking her headÂ
with a grin.Â
“He deserved it,” I replied.Â
“You told an elder he looked like he needed a nap.”Â
“Well, to be fair, he did look tired,” I said.Â
Alexander let out a quiet breath beside me.Â
“I remember that,” he said dryly.Â
I turned to him.Â
“You were supposed to support me.”Â
“I supported you then.”Â
Irene laughed.Â
Jeffrey, sitting beside her, seemed amused by the exchange. He had spoken a few times since we satÂ
down, but for the most part he seemed content to observe.Â
His posture was relaxed, though his eyes moved calmly between everyone in the room as if he were quietly learning how we all fit together.Â
It wasn’t tense.Â
Just attentive,Â
And honestly, he seemed to be enjoying himself.Â
Irene started telling another story, and I immediately groaned because I knew exactly where it was going.Â
“You promised you’d let that one go,” I told her.Â
“I promised nothing,” she replied sweetly.Â
< Chapter 334Â
Alexander shook his head slightly.Â
Jeffrey laughed quietly under his breath.Â
The sound made Irene grin even wider.Â
Right then, the sound of footsteps came from the staircase.Â
+25 PointsÂ
A moment later, Cole appeared at the bottom of the stairs, looking a bit exhausted from whatever he hadÂ
been working on upstairs. He slowed when he heard voices, glancing toward the living room.Â
Then he saw us.Â
His face immediately lit up.Â
“Irene?”Â
She turned toward him.Â
“Cole!”Â
He walked over, and the two of them greeted each other with a quick hug.Â
“It’s been a while,” he said.Â
“It has,” she agreed.Â
Then Cole stepped back–and noticed Jeffrey sitting nearby.Â
He looked at him.Â
Then looked back at Irene.Â
Then slowly placed a hand over his chest.Â
“Oh no…is that him?”Â
I felt the familiar warning that meant Cole was about to start something.Â
He looked at Irene like she had personally betrayed him.Â
“I thought we had something special.”Â
Irene blinked.Â
“What?”Â
Cole gestured toward Jeffrey.Â
“I thought you and I were mates.”Â
I burst out laughing.Â
Alexander groaned softly beside me.Â
Jeffrey looked momentarily surprised before the corner of his mouth lifted in amusement.Â
2/5Â
< Chapter 334Â
Cole shook his head slowly like a man who had just had his heart shattered.Â
“And here you are,” he continued mournfully, “bringing another man into the packhouse.”Â
I wiped at the corner of my eye.Â
“I’m sure Anna would be thrilled to hear that.”Â
Cole froze.Â
Very slowly, he turned toward me.Â
“That was unnecessary.”Â
But Irene had already locked onto the important part.Â
“Wait,” she said, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Who’s Anna?”Â
I smiled innocently.Â
“Cole’s mate.”Â
Irene stared at him.Â
Her expression shifted from confusion to complete disbelief.Â
“No way.”Â
Cole sighed.Â
“Yes way.”Â
She pointed at him like he had just revealed something shocking.Â
“Cole has a mate?”Â
Alexander leaned back slightly.Â
“That was my exact reaction too.”Â
The entire room broke into laughter.Â
Cole looked around at all of us like he had been deeply wronged.Â
“I feel attacked,”Â
“You started it,” I reminded him.Â
+25 PointsÂ
“I came here to say hello,” he said defensively, “and now my personal life is being publicly discussed.”Â
“I cannot believe you never told me,” Irene said.Â
“I definitely mentioned it.”Â
“You absolutely did not.”Â
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< Chapter 334Â
“I did.”Â
“You didn’t.”Â
Cole looked toward Alexander for support.Â
“Did I tell her?”Â
Alexander lifted his drink slightly.Â
“I have no memory of that.”Â
Cole stared at him.Â
“Unbelievable.”Â
The laughter slowly settled, though Irene was still shaking her head in disbelief.Â
Then she suddenly remembered something and turned toward Jeffrey.Â
“Oh right,” she said.Â
She gestured toward him.Â
“Cole, this is Jeffrey–my mate.”Â
Jeffrey inclined his head politely.Â
“Nice to meet you.”Â
Cole’s expression shifted into something more genuine as he extended his hand.Â
“Nice to meet you too.”Â
Then Irene added casually, “Cole’s our Beta.”Â
Cole nodded once.Â
+25 PointsÂ
“And he’s basically family,” she continued. “When we were younger, I used to think I had two brothers.”Â
Jeffrey smiled at that.Â
Cole finally dropped into an empty seat.Â
Alexander added another light comment that kept the conversation flowing naturally again. I knew he was making the effort to keep everything relaxed for Irene’s sake.Â
I reached over and lightly touched his arm.Â
He glanced at me.Â
Just checking.Â
He gave the smallest nod.Â
Then-Â
< Chapter 334Â
The front door opened.Â
The sound carried easily through the house, and a moment later footsteps followed.Â
Everyone looked up.Â
Helen walked into the living room like she had simply returned home–which, technically, she had.Â
+25 Points)Â
She didn’t announce herself or pause dramatically. She just stepped into the room with the same calm,Â
comfortable presence she always carried.Â
“Mom,” Irene said immediately, smiling.Â
Alexander straightened slightly.Â
“Mother.”Â
“Good to see you, Helen,” Cole added.Â
She looked around at all of us, her expression warm but composed.Â
“It sounds lively in here.”Â
“You just missed Cole’s heartbreak,” I said.Â
Cole sighed.Â
“Please stop telling people that.”Â
Helen raised one eyebrow slightly, though there was clear amusement in her eyes.Â
“I’m sure I’ll hear about it eventually.”Â
Alexander smiled lightly in response, keeping the moment easy.Â
Then Irene turned toward Jeffrey.Â
“Mom,” she said, gesturing toward him. “This is Jeffrey.”Â
Jeffrey immediately stood up from his seat.Â
He straightened and greeted her properly.Â
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