If I were stronger, I would have stayed. I would have fought for my mate, using the bond between us to draw Leonardo closer. I would have tried anything to show him that I mattered more than a girlfriend, no matter how selfish that sounded. It took time for me to accept just how misguided and self-centered Leonardo truly was. He had chosen Francesca over his mate-his girlfriend of only two years over his destined partner. Somewhere out there, Francesca’s true mate was waiting for her, but would she shatter his heart the way mine had been broken?
His words had torn my world apart. Something deep within me shattered, erupting like a tidal wave I couldn’t contain. My wolf howled in anguish, the sound echoing painfully in my mind, making my head throb.
Clutching the torn remains of my book against my chest, I spun on my heel and fled. I didn’t see the other students in the hall, those who had stood witness to the entire scene. Their gazes, filled with shock and pity, followed me-the rejected she-wolf-until I disappeared around the corner.
I sped past my locker, not stopping until I glimpsed the front doors of the school. My lungs burned and my legs trembled under the weight of what Leonardo had done. No one moved to stop me as I pushed through the door. Maybe no one even noticed. Being invisible had its benefits, letting me slip out without a second glance.
I paused just outside, grappling with what I should do next. The thought of returning to school and seeing Leonardo again sent a jagged pain through my chest. I had never brushed against death before, but this felt like dying-like losing the future you had always envisioned in a single, cruel moment. Everything unraveled at once, leaving me dizzy and broken.
Left would take me home, right would take me to my mother’s job at the hospital. Home was farther, but the hospital was only a short run away. My wolf, Blue, seized control, urging me to sprint to the right.
Blue was a lot like me but with sharper instincts. She saw the good in people but was never blindsided when they fell short. She kept me from countless bad choices, helping me see who my true friends were. She had always liked Andrea for his blunt honesty. He never asked more than I was willing to share, accepting our friendship without expectations. I could feel Blue’s agony blending with my own, twisting into one painful knot. She lent me strength where I needed it, and I tried to return the favor.
Bursting through the hospital’s side door, I scanned the plastic card my mom had given me months ago, granting me access if I ever needed her. The hospital was small, one of only three in our pack’s territory, but it was close to the Alpha’s home, making it the busiest. I darted through the halls, inhaling the sharp scent of disinfectant and sanitizer. It was an odd thing to find comforting, but I did. I liked the sterile smell of cleanliness-it was familiar.
“Where’s my mom?” I gasped as I skidded to a stop at a service desk.
Maria, a friend of my mom’s, blinked at me, startled. Her plump frame and curly blonde hair made her presence warm and reassuring, even now. She’d been there for my mom when my dad passed away, coaxing her out of that dark place with patience and kindness.
“She’s in her office-sweetheart, are you okay?” she asked, concern clouding her gaze.
But I was already gone, sprinting down the hallway. When I finally burst into my mother’s office, I saw her immediately, typing away at her computer, her reading glasses perched low on her nose. For a fleeting second, I considered turning back and leaving, disappearing into my room to sleep off the day. But Blue’s voice was insistent.
“That’s temporary,” Blue whimpered. “We’d have to face him tomorrow.”
“I can’t do that,” I whispered in my mind, my voice frail and trembling.
“Neither can I,” Blue murmured. “We could leave, Isabella. No one would miss us.”
But leaving would mean abandoning my mom, and I couldn’t do that. She would never let me go alone.
My mom’s head jerked up, her eyes widening as she took in my disheveled appearance. “Isabella, what happened?”
In an instant, she was out of her seat, gripping my arms as if she could steady me through sheer force of will. I hadn’t even realized I was crying until a sob escaped, followed by the warm trail of tears.
“He rejected me, Mom,” I choked out. “I wasn’t enough.”
Her face paled, her eyes blazing as she cupped my cheeks. I saw the flash of pain in her gaze, the same look she had when she thought of my dad.
“Who rejected you?” she demanded, her voice hard and unfamiliar. “I’ll speak to their parents. They can’t reject their mate-especially when it’s “my” daughter.”
“Leonardo…” I flinched, his name cutting like a blade. I tried to say more, but the words died on my lips.
My mom’s shoulders sagged as she registered who I meant. No one could intervene-not against the Alpha’s son. He had every right to make his choice.
“Did you accept his rejection, Isabella?” Her voice was low, almost pleading.
“I tried, but I couldn’t.” Another sob broke free. “I was too weak.”
“Shh, it’s okay.” She wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight. She smelled of antiseptic, a hint of vanila, and the light perfume she always wore. It was familiar, comforting, but it couldn’t ease the ache in my chest.
The sound of my sobs filled her tiny office, but she never let go. She stayed until the tears slowed and my throat felt raw. No matter how much I cried, the pain didn’t ease. My soul felt fractured, incomplete without him.
“I can’t stay here,” I murmured, my voice breaking. “I can’t see him every day.”
“Sweetheart-” My mom’s voice wavered. “He might change his mind.”
“He won’t.” I shook my head. “He picked her, Mom. He chose Francesca.”
Mom stared at me, her eyes heavy with a sorrow she couldn’t hide. Whether she liked it or not, I had made my decision. I wouldn’t stay here and endure the sight of him and Francesca. I would leave, even if it meant losing everything.
“Okay.” She nodded slowly. “I’ll speak to the Alpha and Luna. They’ll grant us permission to leave.”
“Don’t tell them why,” I whispered.
“I won’t.” She brushed a strand of hair from my forehead. “Can you wait until my shift is over?”
“When does it end?”
“Two hours,” she said softly. “I’ll speak to them right after.”
“I’ll wait,” I said, my voice a hollow echo. “It’ll give me time to pack.”
“Alright, sweetheart.” She hugged me again, tighter this time.
I buried my face in her shoulder, breathing in her scent. It did little to soothe me. Instead, I thought of Leonardo and what it would take to stop feeling this way.
“Everything will be alright, Isabella,” she murmured.
But we both knew that wasn’t true.