Love
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Ethan’s absence left a void, but I was determined to fill it with my own strength. I wouldn’t let his neglect keep me from healing, from finding my way back to myself.
The doctors told me that, even with surgery, shifting into my wolf form could now bring intense pain to my right leg–pain that might never fade.
This injury would be a scar, an invisible reminder that not all wounds heal.
After everything, after the loss of so much, I decided that I needed to start loving myself more. I had let myself be diminished for so long, barely a flicker of the person I once was. It
was time to change that.
Twenty days passed, and finally, I was ready to be discharged. I was brimming with a cautious hope, ready to return home, maybe to a life I could finally claim as my own. Then, to my surprise, I got a call from Ethan.
My fingers hovered over the phone, reluctant but curious. He’d hardly checked in since I’d been hospitalized, and now, as I was about to leave, he decided to make contact.
Hesitantly, I answered.
“Claire,” he said, his voice somehow both familiar and foreign, “have you thought about
what you did wrong?”
My
throat tightened. What I did wrong?
“Destroying our bond doesn’t make you right,” he added, his words dripping with that self–assured tone he always used when he felt justified.
I gritted my teeth. “Why should I reflect?” I asked, a hint of defiance coloring my tone. “I’ve
been thinking plenty, Ethan, but nothing I come up with would make this my fault.”
His sigh was barely audible, but I sensed his frustration. I could still feel his Alpha energy lingering in the recesses of my mind, stirring my wolf’s instincts despite the severed bond.
12:36
Tomaken Mate: Alpha’s Secunil Cleanre at Love
Chapter 2
“Aren’t mates supposed to trust each other?” He asked, his tone almost condescending “Vanessa and I have always been innocent, but you overreacted. The disaster was hop
and she was terrified. I just wish you’d show some understan
I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. “Understanding?” The word tasted bitter on my tongue. “Do you even hear yourself? You left me there, alone, and now you want me to show you some understanding‘
But he didn’t seem to hear my anger, or if he did, he didn’t care. His voice softened, as though he thought I’d crumble, like always. “I know leaving you that day was wrong. I’ve booked a restaurant for us. How about dinner? Let’s talk this out,”
I almost laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. Even after everything, he couldn’t offer a genuine apology. Yet after all these years together, I knew this was his attempt at making amends, feeble as it was. He would never beg or plead; he’d merely offer an invitation, expecting me to fall back into place.
But I was different now. I had to be. I’d survived these last weeks alone, and I knew I didn’t
need him anymore.
A strange calm washed over me as I replied, “Tine. Come pick me up from the hospital.”
I could almost feel his surprise through the phone, the way he paused as if realizing for the first time that I was actually here, injured, not playing some attention–seeking game as he’d
accused before..
“Yes,” I said, cutting this silence, “I’m still in the hospital. Where I’ve been all along. if you’d bothered to check.”
There was a beat of silence. Then, with a hint of forced gentleness, he agreed, saying he’d
be there soon.
But soon stretched into hours. I watched the hospital clock as the minutes dragged on
ticking by, each second reinforcing what I already knew deep down.
By midnight, the truth was painfully clear: Ethan wasn’t coming.
I called a cab, feeling a strange detachment as I slid into the cold, vinyl seat, the bright lights of Emerald City flashing past the windows.
12-16
Alone… Again.
When I got home, I limped to the fridge and pulled out a box of cold gizze, loway mechanically as I sat at the kitchen table.
And then my phone buzzed. It was a notification from Vanessa’s sonel de
Despite everything, curiosity got the better of me, and I clicked on it, any eyes Sending on photo of her and Ethan.
A candlelit dinner, the table draped in soft light, and her caption read, I know that wi need you, you’re always there.”
a
A low growl escaped my lips, an animal sound that surprised even me. I for my wol stra primal need to be free, to sever this oppressive bond that had held me for so long
I stared at the screen, at their romantic display, feeling a strange mix of anger and pry
I folded clothes with care, putting away memories as I packed the last remnants of our life together. My heart was heavy, but it was no longer chained.
Ethan and I were over. My wolf sensed it too, letting out a quiet, triumphant grow that echoed through me.
I’m about to leave him forever.
(10)
12:37
