Alex left Dean in the hospital room, and while Dean was finishing his burgers, he was already on his way to fill out the discharge paperwork. While Alex was dealing with the bureaucratic mess, he overheard two nurses discussing a nighttime incident. Listening closely, Alex caught that a mysterious woman in a black dress had appeared in the room where Dean was staying — and vanished into black mist the moment she was noticed.

Hearing this, Alex only smiled. The only woman capable of such a thing was Amara. So she did decide to visit Dean while he was unconscious. And now Alex understood: Dean’s sudden awakening was her doing. Without Amara’s interference, he would have remained unconscious for another day or two.

After finishing the documents, Alex returned to the room. Dean had already finished the burgers and changed… or at least tried to: his clothes were still stained with dried blood. Only now did Alex realize he’d forgotten to bring fresh clothing for him.

“Let’s go to the hotel first so you can change. I think you’ll scare everyone with how you look right now,” Alex said with a small sigh.

“Thanks, Captain Obvious, I would’ve never guessed,” Dean snorted. “But first… aren’t you forgetting something?”

Alex rolled his eyes and pulled out the Blade of Cain from behind his back — he had kept it with him — along with the Impala’s keys. His own katana wouldn’t raise questions, but the Blade of Cain, made from a donkey’s jawbone, would definitely spark at least a dozen unnecessary conversations. That’s why Alex hid it while Dean was unconscious.

Getting his things back, Dean tucked the blade behind his belt with a familiar motion and slipped the keys into his pocket. They left the hospital and headed toward the hotel so Dean could change into something not soaked in blood. Their appearance drew whispers from passersby: Alex with a bandage over his eye and his arm in a cast, Dean covered in bandages with torn, bloodstained clothes hanging off him like rags.

When they reached the hotel, the first thing Dean saw was his parked Impala. He immediately rushed to the car, tenderly placing a hand on the hood.

“Oh, baby… you must’ve missed Daddy. That evil man didn’t hurt you, did he?” he said, hugging the car.

“All I did was drive Wednesday and Enid back to Nevermore. Don’t be dramatic. I even filled your tank and cleaned out all the trash from the interior. You could say ‘thank you,'” Alex replied, rolling his eye.

“Only because you took care of my baby — that’s the only reason I’m forgiving you,” Dean said, giving Alex a pointed look.

Alex exhaled tiredly and showed Dean the middle finger before heading into the hotel to change. After making sure the Impala was fine, Dean followed him.

Inside the room, Alex and Dean began changing clothes. Dean was about to remove his bandages, but Alex stopped him and explained his plan — why it was important to keep pretending to be injured a bit longer. Dean understood immediately: if they looked completely fine, the real culprit might retreat even deeper into hiding.

Dean changed into his usual outfit: a T-shirt, a flannel shirt, a jacket, and jeans with boots. Alex put on a thin black coat and a black T-shirt — appropriate since his arm was still “broken” and in a cast.

Once they were done, both were ready to head to Nevermore: Alex — to meet Enid’s and Wednesday’s parents, and Dean — for the free buffet and the long-awaited chance to eat his fill.

And neither had the slightest idea how their visit to Nevermore would actually end.

At the same time, more and more cars were arriving at Nevermore, bringing the parents of students. Wednesday and Enid were in different places — each waiting for her own family. Between the two girls, there was an unspoken agreement: not to interfere in the other’s attempt to introduce Alex to her parents.

Enid already knew perfectly well what Alex liked, and that their relationship had progressed far beyond mere affection. She also understood that Alex had feelings for Wednesday, and Enid herself had no objections to that. But she had no intention of telling her relatives about it.

Wednesday, on the other hand, didn’t fully understand what she felt for Alex — her emotional logic worked differently. But she couldn’t deny the strong attraction she felt toward him. Even the plan that had formed in her mind — to introduce Alex to her parents in order to uncover the truth in the murder case involving her father — didn’t seem wrong to her. Rather, it seemed exciting.

And of course, Wednesday had no intention of letting Enid win here. She believed that she and Alex were a much better match.

So the night before, the girls had a short but tense conversation. The only witness was Thing — and Thing would never betray them. He had been promised tortures beyond his imagination. But what surprised Thing the most was that even usually gentle Enid had shown her claws, warning him to keep his fingers to himself, or else he would lose a couple of them.

Wednesday only smiled at these words. She realized that her influence over her neighbor was growing stronger.

Now, Enid stood in the central courtyard of Nevermore, waiting to meet her family. She quietly repeated a phrase Alex had often told her: that she was not a house dog, not obligated to follow her mother’s commands, but a werewolf — a proud wolf who decides for herself when to respond. Tonight at the full moon? Next month? Or not at all for a year?

But more than anything, she was looking forward to seeing her father, uncle, and aunt — they had always been on her side.

Enid’s brothers ran nearby, behaving more like wild animals accidentally placed in civilization. Enid felt a slight embarrassment for them and could only hope that Alex wouldn’t see them like this.

“Enid, ah… let me take a look at you,” a familiar female voice called from behind.

Enid spun around sharply, like a rusty robot that hadn’t been oiled. Her mother stood before her, and next to her were her father, Uncle Garth, and Aunt Bess.

Enid’s mother, Esther, looked like a middle-aged woman from the countryside. She wore a sleeveless knitted sweater over a plaid shirt. Her hair was slightly gray, a few noticeable wrinkles — the same unchanging Esther.

Her father, Murray, a man in his forties with thinning graying hair and a thick red beard, also smiled warmly at his daughter.

Enid glanced at her mother and mentally started counting: how many seconds would pass before she started nagging.

“Are you waxing your hair?” Esther asked, scrutinizing her daughter closely.

“Only three seconds, Mom. Almost a record this time,” Enid said, forcing a smile.

“You’re not sick? You look anemic. Are you eating enough red meat?” Esther sniffed at her daughter, frowning.

“I’m glad to see you too, Mom. And you, Dad. And you, Uncle Garth, Aunt Bess. I didn’t expect you to come,” Enid said, addressing those who truly warmed her heart.

If Dean were here right now, he would have immediately recognized Enid’s uncle and aunt. The people she called that had long been friends of the Winchester family. Garth — Garth Fitzgerald IV — an old acquaintance of Dean’s, who had accidentally become a werewolf. Now he looked like any ordinary family man, devoting almost all of his time to caring for his wife and children. A perpetual kind smile was fixed on his face — one that instantly put anyone at ease. And though Garth was lean, he had once been an excellent hunter and even temporarily took Bobby Singer’s place, guiding other hunters and advising them on dealing with monsters. Beneath his gentle exterior, there still hid a man who could easily hold his own.

Next to Garth stood his wife, Bess Fitzgerald, the very woman who had turned him. She looked like the perfect housewife: soft smile, warm eyes, calm confidence. When she looked at Enid, her eyes lit up with genuine care.

“Oh, how I’ve missed you, my little pink fluffball! Come here, let me give you a proper hug,” Garth exclaimed joyfully, spreading his arms wide.

Enid immediately laughed and ran to him, letting herself be lifted. In his usual manner, Garth picked her up off the ground, making her laugh even louder. Esther, Enid’s mother, watched all of this with a scowling expression. Every attempt she made to “make Enid normal” was thwarted time and again by Garth and Bess, who invariably sided with the girl.

Murray, Enid’s father, observed silently but with a warm smile. He rarely said much, but he always supported his daughter. Simply seeing her smile made him happy.

“All right, darling, let her down. She is an adult after all,” Bess said gently, placing a hand on her husband’s shoulder.

“Sorry, dear,” Garth said, carefully setting Enid back on the ground. “I just missed her so much! And I feel… she’s eating well, not skipping anything. Smart girl. As I always say…”

“‘Eat on time and don’t limit yourself with empty talks about your figure,'” Enid finished for him, smiling contentedly.

“That’s right, my little pink fluffball,” Garth laughed. “Now tell me, what’s going on here? And what’s this story that everyone’s so tense?”

Enid paused for a moment and answered as calmly as possible:

“Nothing serious. One classmate got lost in the woods, and Alex and Dean found him.”

“Those are your classmates?” Garth squinted, a sly look appearing in his eyes. “You know… my uncle instincts tell me that something is definitely going on between you and this Alex. And please, don’t try to deny it. I can see it in your eyes. Don’t forget what your uncle was like in the past.”

“Garth, don’t ask Enid silly questions,” Bess lightly tapped her husband on the back.

“It’s fine, Aunt Bess. I was just about to introduce you to Alex,” Enid replied, a bright smile blooming on her face.

“And what’s he like?” Bess asked softly, stroking Enid’s hair.

“Well… he’s tall, very handsome, and incredibly cool! He can do so many things…” Enid began, enthusiastically describing him.

As soon as she started talking about Alex, her usual hyperactivity took over — she chattered nonstop, listing everything she knew about him. The family exchanged glances, amazed at how inspired Enid was as she spoke. Only Esther, as usual, remained displeased — instead of thinking about some boy, in her opinion, Enid should have been focusing on finally turning into a wolf at the full moon.

But Enid paid no attention whatsoever to her mother’s remark. Even her family was surprised. Usually, after Esther’s words, she would have withdrawn, felt embarrassed, or at least been nervous — but now Enid stood proudly, with a wide smile, completely unaffected by the usual criticisms.

She simply smiled, as if to say, “I don’t care what you think,” and continued talking about Alex, who now clearly captured the interest of her entire family.

Not long before Enid met her parents, Wednesday stood by the main entrance of Nevermore, waiting for her family. Her face, as usual, showed no emotion — only a cold expression and a calm, evaluating gaze.

After a few minutes, a long black car belonging to the Addams family appeared on the horizon. Seeing the familiar vehicle, Wednesday exhaled softly — she already knew how it would begin.

The car pulled smoothly into the parking lot and stopped. The first to step out was a tall man with a gentle smile — Gomez Addams. He wore a black suit with white stripes, his hair perfectly slicked back, and thin mustaches that gave him an aristocratic air.

Gomez extended a hand toward the car, and a pale hand with long black nails appeared in the doorway. Then a slender woman with straight black hair in an elegant, form-fitting dress stepped out — Morticia Addams, the embodiment of dark grace.

Finally, a short teenager of about fifteen or sixteen — the exact youthful copy of Gomez — emerged in a black-and-white striped sweater: Pugsley Addams, the eternal victim of his sister’s creative tortures.

Wednesday walked toward them with calm, measured steps. Warm smiles immediately appeared on Gomez’s and Morticia’s faces — a rare feeling they experienced when looking at their daughter.

“There she is… How I’ve missed that stern look of yours, oh…” Gomez said, pulling Wednesday into his arms. She did not resist.

“How are you, my little storm cloud?” Morticia asked softly.

“And what, doesn’t Thing report everything to you? I quickly uncovered your pathetic trick,” Wednesday replied calmly.

She asked the question not just out of curiosity — she wanted to know exactly what Thing had been reporting to her parents and to make sure he remained loyal. Wednesday hated betrayal. When she learned her parents had sent Thing to watch her, she immediately recruited him, forcing him to feed her parents carefully filtered disinformation.

Gomez and Morticia exchanged glances, and slightly tense smiles appeared on their faces. Of course, they were not surprised — they had always known their daughter was too smart not to notice surveillance.

“And how is he doing? All his fingers still intact?” Gomez asked awkwardly.

“You don’t need to worry for now. I haven’t broken a single finger. For now,” Wednesday said coldly.

Gomez visibly exhaled, pressing a hand to his chest — he genuinely worried for Thing.

“Wednesday, dear, it’s better if you tell us everything that happened to you,” Morticia tried to change the subject.

“In this place, I am haunted by ghosts, monsters, killers… and a potential suitor,” Wednesday said in the same calm tone.

“Ah, Nevermore… What?! A suitor?!” Gomez began enthusiastically but then sharply looked at his daughter, not believing his ears.

Surprise flashed not only in his eyes — Morticia also stared at Wednesday thoughtfully. Pugsley, who was peacefully eating a candy and not involved in the conversation, dropped his sweet in shock.

Three pairs of eyes were fixed intently on Wednesday, but she remained completely unflappable.

Originally, she had planned to introduce Alex merely as a “possible boyfriend,” but she quickly realized: calling him a “potential suitor” was far more reliable for throwing her parents off balance and lowering their guard. Alex, of course, knew nothing about this.

“Wednesday, dear, you’re not joking, are you? This isn’t some attempt to play a trick on us for sending Thing to watch you?” Morticia asked cautiously, with a soft smile.

“I never joke,” Wednesday replied, looking at her mother with a blank stare.

“Then who is this boy who’s caught your interest?” Gomez asked, as if stepping toward a minefield.

“I’ve already spoken about him,” Wednesday responded, glancing at the road out of the corner of her eye.

“Could it be… the one you mentioned… the one who understands you, but you don’t understand him?” Morticia clarified, noticing the change in her daughter’s eyes.

“Yes. I’ve been able to learn a little about him. But that’s not enough,” Wednesday said.

“Ah… my little spider has finally found someone she likes. And what is he like?” Gomez literally beamed.

“You’ll see soon. He’s just arrived,” Wednesday said, pointing behind her parents.

Morticia, Gomez, and Pugsley all turned their heads at once and saw a black Impala pulling up to the gates of Nevermore. Sitting inside, Alex had no idea that somehow he had already become Wednesday’s suitor — and the future son-in-law of the Addams family.

Morticia and Gomez’s interest only intensified: they were eager to see the one who had captured their daughter’s attention.

When Alex stepped out of the car, both of Wednesday’s parents were genuinely impressed. He wore a light black cloak draped loosely over his shoulders, a black t-shirt underneath, and matching jeans. His dark hair was casually swept back, and even the eye patch and cast on his arm didn’t spoil his appearance — if anything, they added a brooding charm.

Stepping forward, Alex immediately spotted Wednesday and her family. He was pleasantly surprised: Wednesday’s parents were clearly different from the images he had remembered. Morticia looked young, refined, and frighteningly elegant, while Gomez was a tall, slender, aristocratic man with a watchful gaze.

Smiling, Alex raised his hand in greeting. Wednesday, knowing he was still unaware of her plan, immediately walked toward him — to the astonished looks of Gomez and Morticia. Without waiting for Alex to get closer, she was already beside him, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him toward herself, leveling their gazes. Dean, witnessing the scene, just exhaled heavily.

Gomez, Morticia, and Pugsley were literally frozen: their daughter had taken the initiative herself.

“All right,” Dean muttered, waving his hand. “You guys… express yourselves. I’m going inside.”

He walked off without even looking back. Alex simply nodded to him and first looked at Wednesday, standing dangerously close, then at the stunned faces of the Addams family.

He understood perfectly that their shock was justified: Wednesday never let anyone get this close, and she certainly didn’t grab people by the collar without a good reason. Unless… it was part of a plan. Or something similar.

“So, my dear Wednesday,” Alex said quietly, raising an eyebrow. “What exactly are you up to?”

“As long as my parents are here, you are my suitor. Understood?” she replied coldly, without blinking.

“Hm… And what do I get for playing your brooding future husband?” Alex asked, with a light, almost playful smile.

“A regular deal,” she said just as calmly, continuing to hold him by the collar.

“No, no, no,” Alex shook his head gently. “One isn’t enough. Let’s make it ten.”

“Three,” Wednesday said, looking him straight in the eyes.

“Let’s settle on six. For both of us,” Alex smirked.

“Deal,” Wednesday narrowed her eyes.

Alex smiled broadly. He liked deals like this, and he could tell Wednesday wasn’t opposed to this kind of exchange either.

Meanwhile, Morticia and Gomez watched them with genuine interest. For both, the situation was astonishing: their daughter had voluntarily allowed someone this close. But the longer they looked at Alex, the more they became convinced — he fit with Wednesday remarkably naturally. His gaze was fixed solely on her, and his smile softened whenever he spoke to her. Even Wednesday’s grim expression didn’t repel him — if anything, it seemed to attract him.

Morticia’s maternal instinct whispered that Wednesday herself didn’t fully understand her feelings and expressed her affection in her… unique way. And the earlier mention of a “potential suitor” now seemed more like an attempt to conceal the truth than an actual joke.

All the while, Wednesday continued holding Alex by the collar, not yielding an inch. Suddenly, a mischievous thought crossed Alex’s mind — and he leaned slightly closer. This time, he kissed Wednesday on the lips.

The girl’s eyes widened for a moment. She had expected many things, but not this. She had kissed Alex herself twice, attributing it to “payment for answers.” But when he took the first step — the sensation was entirely different. Too… intense.

“This will be a small advance,” Alex said quietly, pulling back.

Wednesday looked at him with her empty, cold gaze, as if trying to read a shadow of doubt in his eyes. But the usual playful sparks still danced there. And at that moment, applause erupted behind them.

Still holding Alex by the collar of his shirt, Wednesday slowly turned her head. Morticia and Gomez clapped as if witnessing the best scene of their lives. Gomez even wiped tears of joy, while Morticia’s face glowed with a soft, maternal smile — she was genuinely glad that their dark little daughter had finally found someone who captured her attention.

Only Pugsley stood in shock. Glancing frantically between Alex and Wednesday, he was absolutely certain: the cast on his arm and the eye injury were her doing. He had far too often found himself in the same state.

Seeing this, Wednesday exhaled wearily and released Alex’s shirt collar, then with her usual sharp gesture, pushed his face slightly away from her. After that, she took Alex by the hand and led him to her family. Alex didn’t resist — he calmly followed her, letting himself be led as if it were meant to be.

When Wednesday brought him to her parents, she let go of his hand but remained standing unusually close.

“Mr. Addams, Mrs. Addams. It’s an honor to meet you. My name is Alexander Voldigoad. I’m very pleased to meet Wednesday’s parents,” Alex said politely, giving a slight bow.

“Oh, what wonderful manners! But you can just call me Gomez. And I hope it wasn’t our little spider who… hmm… gave you a hard time? Welcome to the family!” Gomez said with a broad smile, suddenly hugging Alex and kissing both his cheeks twice.

“You can just call me Alex. And no, of course not,” Alex replied with a smile. “It was an unfortunate coincidence — I got a little injured. Wednesday was helping with the bandages.”

“Alex, what do you do for a living, if it’s not a secret? And what are your hobbies? You’re not a student at Nevermore, are you?” Morticia asked gently.

“Mrs. Addams. I’m a Federal Agent in a Bureau that investigates supernatural phenomena. As for hobbies… torture, beatings, making explosives, and much more,” Alex replied calmly, still smiling.

“Now I see why our daughter chose you,” Morticia smiled, gently touching her cheek with her hand. “You’re like fire and ice, and yet remarkably harmonious. My husband and I had the same.”

“Ah, cara mia…” Gomez whispered, taking her hand.

“Mon amour…” Morticia replied.

Alex barely had time to register what was happening before Gomez and Morticia were already passionately kissing. In real life, it looked far stranger than in the movies. He immediately turned away, trying not to watch or listen — even for him, it was too much.

He wasn’t the only one: Wednesday and Pugsley simultaneously turned away, as if they had been doing it for years. Wednesday cast Alex a glance that clearly said: I told you so.

Alex sighed and pulled out a cigarette. Holding it between his teeth, he began searching for a lighter, but Wednesday silently handed him hers — black, with a metallic sheen. Alex raised an eyebrow, then smiled and leaned closer to the flame.

While the love-struck parents continued whispering words of passion to each other, Alex hoped it would end eventually. He just didn’t know it could go on for hours. Wednesday’s eyelid was already twitching.

“Maybe you could stop already?” she said coldly. “You’re not alone here.”

Her tone was so icy and lethal that Gomez and Morticia instantly broke apart and turned to their daughter. On her face was that same grim expression that could stop even wolves.

They shifted their gaze to Alex — who stood with his back to them, calmly smoking, pretending not to see or hear anything. Their reaction only gently amused him: Wednesday clearly didn’t want their “display of affection” to scare off her chosen one.

“Alex, dear, maybe you could tell us a little more about yourself? We’d love to hear everything. Especially — how you met,” Morticia said with a kind, interested smile.

Alex turned at Morticia’s voice, nodded with a slight smile — and in that instant felt something jab into his ribs. Looking down, he saw Wednesday, without a shred of embarrassment, poking him in the side with a knife. Her cold, expressive gaze clearly said: “Just try saying something extra.”

Of course, Wednesday knew perfectly well she couldn’t hurt Alex with the knife — she had tested that more than once. But that didn’t stop her from threatening him every time he might “slip up” with his overly friendly nature.

Morticia and Gomez noticed the small episode and only smiled, as if they were witnessing something very touching.

Alex began telling the story from the moment he first saw Wednesday at the “Flueger” café — and how he had accidentally gotten involved in her affairs.

Meanwhile, Dean, having left Alex in the company of the Addams family, headed to Nevermore — or rather, to the inner courtyard where the parents of the students had already gathered to visit their children.

He followed his usual route to the courtyard and stopped near a column, watching parents hug their sons and daughters, chat, laugh, and share news.

But right now, Dean’s focus was solely on the buffet Alex had mentioned, and the fact that they had lost almost a week due to injuries. He leaned against the column, trying to concentrate on his sensations to sense who might be controlling the Darkness. But the harder he tried to pick up anything, the clearer it became: he was still too weak; his powers hadn’t fully returned.

“Dean? Is that you?” came a familiar voice from behind.

Turning around, Dean saw Garth and Bess — both looking pleasantly surprised. The moment he turned, they immediately realized they weren’t mistaken: standing before them was indeed Dean Winchester. Of course, a natural question arose — what was he doing here?

Dean was surprised too: the last time he had seen them, several years ago, neither Garth nor Bess had any children.

“It really is you! Dean Winchester himself. Come here, I’ll hug you!” Garth said, his face spreading into a wide smile, and without waiting for consent, he pulled Dean into a firm embrace.

“Wait, Garth…” Dean murmured, trying to push him back.

“Ah, sorry. What happened to you? And what are you doing here? Where’s Sam?” Garth asked, smiling apologetically.

“Trouble at work. I got blown up. And I’m here on business. Sam’s busy with another case. Now you tell me — what are you doing here? As far as I remember, you and Bess still don’t have kids,” Dean replied calmly, raising an eyebrow.

“You hunting? Is this one of the students? Do you need help? A hint?” Garth asked quietly, lowering his voice — in case Dean was undercover.

“No, I’m not hunting. Sam and I are officially federal agents now. Insurance, salary — everything like normal people,” Dean said with a slight smirk — he was already used to surprising old acquaintances with news like this.

“Seriously? Dean and Sam Winchester — federal agents… What on earth has happened to you over the past couple of years?” Garth said in astonishment, as if looking at a living miracle.

“Lots of things. Better tell me what you’re doing here,” Dean replied, knowing himself that it was impossible to explain everything in one go.

“We came to visit our niece. She’s the sweetest, most cheerful werewolf girl. There she is…” Garth said, smiling broadly and pointing with his hand.

For some reason, Dean already guessed who Garth’s niece would be, but he still turned his head — and, of course, saw Enid, her face eternally lit with a radiant smile. He quietly exhaled, looked away from the girl, and glanced at Garth with a slight, almost imperceptible sigh.

“She really is super sweet,” Garth said, speaking with pride and worry at the same time. “Only she’s fallen for some boy. I hope he’s not an idiot and won’t play with her feelings.”

“Well… good luck, Garth,” Dean said, nodding. He knew exactly who Enid was in love with.

“You and Sam haven’t fought again, have you?” Garth asked cautiously. “Since you’re working separately again…”

“No, everything’s as usual,” Dean waved it off. “We have, you could say, some expansion in the family. Now I work with a new partner, and Sam trains new hunters. You could say… we’re growing.”

“A new partner?” Garth blinked. “And he’s… a new member of the family?”

“You better ask your niece,” Dean said, barely holding back a smile. “She’ll tell you everything.”

“You’re saying…” Garth suddenly went silent, staring at Dean in complete shock.

“Yeah,” Dean confirmed, struggling not to laugh.

Watching Garth’s astonished face, while Bess tried in vain to calm him, was almost unbearable. Dean felt, for the first time, that he completely understood Alex — especially his strange, almost childlike joy in causing chaos and watching the world around him burn. Right now, Dean felt it with his whole being.

At that moment, Alex entered the Nevermore courtyard with the Addams family, chatting lively and cheerfully. He had no idea that Dean had just lit a fuse. The moment Alex stepped onto the courtyard, he immediately noticed Dean standing next to two familiar faces. Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Alex instantly realized who Enid had been talking about during their date.

He had long suspected that Garth might be her uncle — and now, seeing him with his own eyes, he realized his suspicions were completely confirmed. Alex said goodbye to the Addams family and headed toward Dean. Wednesday followed his gaze for a moment, then calmly turned away.

“Wednesday, where’s your fiancé going?” Gomez asked, watching Alex walk away.

“To his partner,” she replied calmly.

Gomez and Morticia nodded approvingly. After a brief conversation with Alex, they had already noticed that he was polite, pleasant in conversation, and could discuss any topic. But most importantly — he knew all of Wednesday’s unusual preferences and accepted them calmly. That was a huge plus in the parents’ eyes.

Alex crossed the courtyard with steady steps and approached Dean. Dean greeted him with a cheerful smile, but Garth looked at Alex as if a sworn enemy were standing before him. Garth and Bess immediately understood: this was the boy Enid had been so excitedly talking about. And yes — Alex was indeed impossible to confuse with anyone else.

Garth, being a protective uncle, examined Alex from head to toe, assessing every detail. Bess looked at him with her usual gentle smile and instantly understood why Enid had chosen him.

“I didn’t expect you to have acquaintances here too, Dean,” Alex said as he approached, his face wearing a calm, friendly smile, as if unaware of who Garth and Bess were.

“Neither did I,” Dean smirked. “Allow me to introduce: Garth and Bess. They’re relatives of your pink girlfriend.”

Alex feigned such genuine surprise that even Dean barely held back a laugh. Then Alex glanced toward Enid — she saw his look and waved happily. Alex responded with a warm smile, causing Garth and Bess to exchange glances, pleasantly impressed.

“You must be the aunt and uncle Enid talked about so much. She said you’ve always supported her. It’s very nice to meet you,” Alex said with a soft, warm smile.

Such sincerity was hard to miss. Seeing his calm and friendly demeanor, Garth could no longer stay truly angry. Bess nodded, noting Alex’s good manners and especially the way he looked at Enid.

A second later, Garth returned to his usual jovial self: he shook Alex’s hand firmly, then unexpectedly pulled him into a hug, as if he hadn’t just moments ago tried to burn a hole in his skull with a glare.

Dean, watching this, just clicked his tongue. He already understood: no chaos today. Alex looked at him and barely smirked — as if to say, “Next time, try harder.”

Meanwhile, the courtyard was growing busier: more parents were arriving, greeting their children, and conversations were getting louder. A few minutes later, Larissa Weems emerged from the building and began a formal speech about the importance of hosting a Parents’ Day at Nevermore, especially following the last unpleasant incident.

She pointed to Eugene, standing between two mothers and leaning on crutches after a leg injury. Then, looking up, she highlighted Alex and Dean in her speech — thanking them for preventing a tragedy, saving a Nevermore student, and reacting promptly, even though both had been injured.

Dean and Alex absorbed the parents’ attention calmly — as if this were completely ordinary for them.

To be continued…

(At first, I thought I’d be able to fit both families into one chapter. But that turned out to be wrong. Hahaha. The reason I chose Gomez’s appearance this way is very simple. I’ve always had the impression of Gomez as a refined man, reminiscent of a dark aristocrat. Overall, I’ll try to balance spending time with both the Enid family and the Wednesday family. And now that the chapter is written, I think I’ve earned the opportunity to have a beer and play a game while I have a couple of hours to spare.)

Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep