Mia sat quietly in the guest room Rachel had prepared for her, the faint smell of lavender drifting through the air. The sheets were soft, the pillows neatly fluffed, but comfort was the last thing she felt. Her body still ached from the accident, and though the bruises were healing, the heaviness in her chest remained.
Rachel came in with a tray, her husband following behind carrying a steaming bowl of soup. "Here, sweetheart," Rachel said gently, setting the tray on the bedside table. "You need to eat. You're too weak."
Mia forced a smile and sat up slowly, wincing a little. "Thank you, Rachel. And you too, Peter. I don't know what I would've done without you two."
Rachel waved her hand. "Nonsense. You're family to us. You're not alone, Mia."
Peter gave her an encouraging nod. "You just focus on getting your strength back. Everything else can wait."
But Mia's mind wouldn't let it go. She stirred the soup with her spoon, her voice low. "I thought he would come. Even if just for a minute… I thought Ryan would be there when I opened my eyes."
Rachel's heart clenched. She sat down beside Mia, rubbing her back. "I know, darling. I know. But you've been through a lot. Don't let this eat at you. He must have his reasons."
Mia shook her head, tears threatening to fall again. "Reasons? Rachel, I nearly died. And he didn't even show up. What could possibly be more important than that?"
Silence filled the room for a moment.dave shifted uncomfortably, exchanging a glance with his wife. Rachel sighed softly, trying to keep her voice calm. "Mia, listen. I understand your anger. You have every right to feel hurt. But right now, you're still too weak. You're already thinking about going back to the company when you can barely walk properly. Don't push yourself. Give it a few more days. Heal first, then work."
Mia nodded reluctantly, wiping her eyes. "I just… I need a distraction, Rachel. Anything to stop thinking about him."
Rachel hugged her tightly. "Then let this be your distraction. Rest. Laugh a little with us. Let me fuss over you. Just… give yourself time."
Mia closed her eyes against her friend's shoulder, her anger toward Ryan simmering underneath her exhaustion. She wanted to believe Rachel, but her heart felt heavy with betrayal.
---
Far away, under the pale glow of the moon, Ryan stood in the heart of his pack's territory. His father sat at the long wooden table, flanked by elders, their stern faces watching him carefully.
Ryan's jaw was set, his fists clenched at his sides. His wolf prowled restlessly within him, demanding to run back to Mia, demanding to feel her presence again. He could still hear her broken voice on the phone, telling him he wasn't her visitor. The memory tore at him.
"Father," Ryan began, his voice steady but laced with frustration, "I can't stay here much longer. I need to go back."
His father's sharp gaze landed on him. "Back? To that human girl? Ryan, we've talked about this. Your duty is here, with your people. Not chasing after a fragile bond that will break under the weight of our world."
Ryan's wolf snarled inside him, but he forced himself to stay calm. "It's not just chasing, Father. She's mine. My mate. Whether you accept it or not, that bond is real. And every second I'm here while she suffers, I feel it tearing at me."
The elders exchanged uneasy murmurs, but his father slammed his hand on the table, silencing them. "You speak like a boy blinded by infatuation. Do you not see the chaos around us? Rogues at the borders, whispers of betrayal, enemies waiting to strike? And you want to leave it all for her?"
Ryan's chest heaved, his voice rising with conviction. "Yes. Because without her, I'm not whole. And if I can't stand beside her when she needs me most, then what kind of Alpha will I ever be? If I go back now, I'm not abandoning this pack—I'm protecting my future. My strength lies with her."
His father's eyes hardened. "And what if she cannot handle our world? What if your enemies use her to break you? Will you bring ruin to us all for the sake of one human girl?"
Ryan stepped forward, his golden eyes burning with determination. "If it comes to that, I will bear it. But I'd rather fight for her than live knowing I failed her. If fate allows it, I will return—with her at my side. And if not… then at least I will not have abandoned the one my soul was bound to."
The room fell into tense silence, the air thick with the clash of wills. His father stared at him, his jaw tight, but Ryan did not waver. For the first time, he had chosen—not just as a son or as Alpha, but as a man in love.
And nothing, not even his father's disapproval, would change that.