Estelle’s POV

“Even if you want to brush that aside,” I continued without missing a beat, “a simple internet search would show you what the Beta of the Blackmoon Pack actually looks like.”

I pulled out my phone and quickly searched for recent photos of Caleb. It didn’t take long to find several clear pictures from official pack events and ceremonies.

I held up my phone, showing the screen to the crowd.

“This is Caleb Jackson, the current Beta of the Blackmoon Pack.”

The people who had seen Hannah’s phone screen during the brief video call immediately began whispering excitedly.

“That’s completely different!”

“The hair color isn’t even close!”

“They look nothing alike!”

Hannah’s face went from red to deathly pale as she stared at the photo on my screen.

I looked directly at her, my expression a mixture of concern and disbelief.

“Hannah, did you seriously not even do a simple search and just believe whatever that man told you?”

Hannah took a small step back. “I—”

I continued, my expression darkening. I did not give her a chance to come up with an excuse. “Or did you know that he isn’t the Beta, and simply lied about it to everyone to boost your own image?”

The silence stretched between us. Hannah’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

“I...” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

The crowd pressed closer, eager to hear her response. Some held up their phones, comparing the image on my screen to their memory of the man they’d just seen on Hannah’s video call.

“The guy on her phone had brown hair,” someone pointed out.

“And brown eyes too. Completely different,” another added.

Hannah’s hands shook as she fumbled with her phone. “You don’t understand. Maybe the lighting was bad, or—”

“Hannah,” I interrupted gently, though my voice carried an edge of steel. “Red hair and blue eyes don’t magically turn brown under poor lighting.”

She tried calling the number again, her fingers trembling as she pressed the screen. The phone rang once, twice, three times before going straight to voicemail.

“He’s... he’s probably busy,” she said weakly.

“Convenient,” Janice muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Hannah’s face crumpled slightly, but then her expression hardened. Desperation flickered in her gray eyes as she looked around at the skeptical faces surrounding her.

“This proves nothing!” she suddenly shouted, making several people jump. “So what if he looks different? People can dye their hair! Contacts exist!”

A few people in the crowd exchanged glances. The excuse sounded weak even to Hannah herself, judging by how her voice wavered.

“They have an entirely different face,” someone in the crowd commented, and everyone burst into laughter once more.

“Maybe he isn’t even her fated mate!”

“Yeah! Maybe she met someone who claimed themselves to be Beta Caleb Jackson, and she just went along with it for the status!”

Everyone started to throw theories around. Hannah’s face got visibly redder and redder until she eventually couldn’t stand it anymore. Her breathing became rapid and shallow. She looked like a cornered animal.

“He is! He is my fated mate!” she yelled. The crowd went silent, surprised by her outburst. In a softer voice, she continued, “Just...”

“Just not the Beta of the Blackmoon Pack!”

Their laughter ensued.

Hannah’s face cycled between embarrassment and anger. Finally, she pointed a shaky finger at me.

“Even if my mate isn’t the Beta, you still can’t prove you know the real one!” she yelled.

“Hannah—” Janice started to intervene.

“No!” Hannah cut her off. “She’s been acting all high and mighty, but she hasn’t proven anything either!”

The crowd began to murmur among themselves. Hannah was right. I had not proved that I knew the real Caleb Jackson either.

“Estelle didn’t lie,” Janice said. “I saw them together earlier today.”

“Anyone can claim that,” Hannah shot back, regaining some of her earlier confidence. “Where’s her proof?”

The challenge hung in the air. All eyes turned to me, waiting to see how I would respond.

I remained perfectly calm, reaching for my phone again. “That’s easily settled.”

“What are you doing?” Hannah demanded, though uncertainty crept back into her voice.

“Calling Caleb,” I said simply, scrolling through my contacts. “If you want proof, I’ll give you proof.”

The crowd pressed closer, excitement building. Some were already recording with their phones.

Hannah’s face went pale again, but she lifted her chin defiantly. “Go ahead. But when some random person answers pretending to be him, don’t expect anyone to believe you.”

I found Caleb’s number and pressed call, putting it on speaker so everyone could hear.

The phone began to ring.

And ring.

And ring.

I frowned. Caleb usually answered within the first few rings, especially when he saw my name on his caller ID.

The ringing continued. The crowd began to shift restlessly.

“Taking a while,” someone muttered.

“Maybe he really is busy,” another voice suggested, though it sounded doubtful.

Hannah’s expression brightened with each unanswered ring. A smug smile began to spread across her face.

“Having trouble reaching your ‘friend’?” she asked sweetly.

I kept my expression neutral, though internally I was puzzled. Where was Caleb? This wasn’t like him at all.

The phone continued ringing for what felt like an eternity. The crowd grew more restless with each passing second.

Finally, after what must have been at least a dozen rings, the call automatically disconnected.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Hannah’s smile widened into a triumphant grin. “Well, well, well. Looks like your ‘Beta friend’ doesn’t want to talk to you after all.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some people looked disappointed, while others seemed satisfied that both Hannah and I had failed to provide concrete proof.

I quickly typed out a text message to Caleb.

[Call me back as soon as you see this. It’s important.]

While I was typing, Hannah’s laughter rang out across the room.

“This is perfect!” she crowed. “First, Estelle claims she could call any random person to pretend to be Caleb. But apparently, even her fake Caleb doesn’t want to pick up the phone!”