Deangelo.

I still couldn't shake off the stagnant, unsettling feeling in my chest. The doctor had just left after giving me a clean bill of health. It should have been a relief, but instead, I felt a sense of unease creeping over me. My alpha genes ensured that my body healed rapidly, leaving me with no valid excuse to postpone the wedding any longer. I felt trapped, bound by societal expectations and the promises I had made.

The idea of marrying Sofia, even though she had been a close friend of my late wife Jules, weighed heavily on my conscience. Jules had loved Sofia like a sister and believed she...