Ashley’s POV
I woke up to the throbbing pain of a hangover, my head pounding as if my brain were trying to escape my skull.
My mouth was dry, my body heavy, and I could barely open my eyes. Slowly, I blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling above me, trying to piece together how I had ended up here.
The last thing I remembered was walking into the bar, determined to drown the ache in my chest that never seemed to leave. That gnawing, relentless pain that came with Caleb’s rejection.
Everyone told me to move on like it was that simple. But how could I, when every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face, heard his voice, felt the weight of all the things unsaid between us?
I ordered drink after drink, desperate to forget. But the more I drank, the more I thought about him, Caleb. His anger, his disappointment, the way his eyes would burn with something more than just frustration when he looked at me.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to push the memories away. But flashes of the night came back in bits and pieces, blurred images, disjointed moments. Two men.
They had tried to get me to leave with them, and when I refused, they became aggressive. Then… then came the scent.
Caleb.
I could still smell him faintly now, like cedarwood and rain. I had been drowning in that scent last night, overwhelmed by the feeling of his presence.
Everything else was a blur. I sat up slowly, wincing at the pain slicing through my head, and that’s when I noticed where I was.
Caleb’s room. The dark wood furniture, the soft light filtering through the curtains, it was all so familiar. A lump formed in my throat. How did I get here?
Before I could think any further, the door creaked open, and there he was. Caleb stood in the doorway, holding a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water, his eyes watching me with a mixture of concern and something else, something softer.
“Morning,” he greeted me, his voice low. He came closer, setting the glass on the nightstand beside me. “Take these. You’ll feel better.”
I reached for the aspirin with trembling hands, avoiding his gaze as I swallowed the pills. The cold water was a relief, but my heart pounded with anxiety. I didn’t know what to say, what to ask.
How much did he know? Did I embarrass myself? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?
“How did I get here?” I finally whispered, my voice raw from sleep and dehydration.
Caleb sat down on the edge of the bed, his weight shifting the mattress. I couldn’t look at him, not yet. I didn’t want to see whatever judgment or anger might be lingering in his eyes.
“You don’t remember?” he asked gently, and when I shook my head, he sighed. “You were at the bar. Some guys were bothering you. I… I stopped them and brought you here.”
His words hung in the air, and I slowly met his gaze. There was no anger, no resentment. Just worry. And something that looked almost like regret.
“You… you didn’t have to do that,” I muttered, feeling ashamed. “I shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”
“I know why you were there, Ashley.” His voice was calm but firm. “You’re hurting. I get that. But putting yourself in danger isn’t the answer.” he sighed, his face expressionless but his eyes carried the weight of everything he felt.
The weight of his words hit me, and I bit my lip, fighting back the flood of emotions. He was right, of course. He always was, but it didn’t make the pain any easier to bear.
“I just… I don’t know what else to do,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. “I don’t know how to move on. I’ve tried, Caleb. I really have. I have slapped and told myself everything that should have made me feel better.”
He was quiet for a moment, and I could feel the tension between us, thick and suffocating. Then he spoke, and his words caught me off guard.
“You don’t have to move on, Ash.”
My heart stilled, and I blinked up at him, not sure if I had heard him right.
“What?”
He ran a hand through his hair, looking almost as if he were struggling with what to say next. But then he took a deep breath and met my eyes, his gaze unwavering.
“I don’t want you to move on,” he said quietly. “I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay with me. You are my mate.”
The air left my lungs in a rush, and I stared at him, completely stunned. Was this real? Did he really just say that?
“Move in with me,” he continued, his voice steady. “Let me take care of you. I know things have been complicated between us, but I don’t want you to go through this alone. And… I don’t want to lose you again.”
Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of emotions. This was everything I had wanted, everything I had been aching for, but I was terrified. What if I wasn’t enough? What if I screwed it up again?
“Caleb, I… I don’t know if I can,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “What if I mess it all up again?”
He reached out, taking my hand in his, his touch warm and grounding. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat threatening to choke me. And then, with a shaky breath, I nodded.
“I swear by the Moon Goddess, Caleb,” I whispered, squeezing his hand. “I’ll never leave you again,” I promised as he drew closer to me and kissed my forehead.
Everything became blurred as I was blinded by the tears that couldn’t wait to come out and for the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe, just maybe, I was home.