ALYSSA
The door opened suddenly, and in walked Beta Arnold with his daughter, Elvie, right behind him. They both froze the moment they saw me standing there, Jake’s arm resting comfortably around my shoulders. Elvie’s eyes narrowed, her expression instantly darkening. Even Beta Arnold seemed surprised, his gaze bouncing from me to Jake.
Jake caught sight of them and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment as Beta Arnold greeted him stiffly. But there was something cold in the air now, a tension that wasn’t there before.
“Professor Thomson,” Beta Arnold said in a formal tone, but his eyes flickered to me, a flash of disapproval clear in his gaze.
Jake’s arm tightened slightly around me as he turned toward them. His voice was steady, but I could feel the power behind it. “This is Alyssa,
