Chapter 2 2

The forest swallowed her whole, the shadows of the towering trees stretching out like arms, pulling her deeper into its embrace. Aria didn't stop walking, even as her legs threatened to give out. She refused to fall, refused to crumble-not yet.

The snapping of twigs and crunch of leaves beneath her boots was the only sound in the silence. Her mind was a whirlwind of Caleb's words, each one replaying with cruel precision.

"I didn't ask for you."

"A mate will only get in the way."

Her heart clenched again, the pain so sharp it felt like a knife twisting in her chest. She stumbled, catching herself against a tree, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

"Damn him," she muttered, her voice trembling with fury and despair. "Damn him to hell."

The bond was gone, severed like a thread cut with ruthless precision. She'd heard stories of rejection, how painful it could be, but nothing had prepared her for this. The hollow ache in her chest, the suffocating sense of loss. It was as if part of her soul had been ripped away.

And yet, beneath the pain, a spark of anger burned. It was small, but it was there, and it kept her moving.

Hours later, she found herself in a small clearing deep within the forest. The air here was quieter, the chaos of her thoughts muffled by the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. She sank to her knees, finally allowing the weight of everything to crush her.

She screamed.

It was raw, primal, a sound torn from the depths of her soul. The forest seemed to shudder around her, the birds taking flight at the sudden noise.

When her throat gave out, leaving her voice hoarse and ragged, she collapsed onto the ground, her cheek pressed against the cool earth.

"Aria?"

The voice startled her. She shot up, her body tense, her eyes darting toward the source. A man stepped out from the shadows, his golden eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"Who's there?" she demanded, her voice sharper than she'd intended.

"It's me." The man stepped closer, his features becoming clearer. "Kade."

Aria's tension eased, though only slightly. Kade was one of the Frostfang Pack's warriors, someone she'd grown up with. But what was he doing out here?

"Kade," she said warily, brushing dirt off her hands as she stood. "What are you doing here?"

He hesitated, his gaze flicking over her face, taking in her tear-streaked cheeks and red-rimmed eyes. "I... I came after you."

Her heart twisted at the sympathy in his expression. She didn't want his pity. She didn't want anyone's pity.

"You shouldn't have," she said, turning away. "Go back to the pack."

"Not until I know you're okay," he said firmly. "Aria, what happened back there-"

"Don't," she interrupted, her voice sharp. She spun back to face him, her eyes blazing. "Don't talk about it. Don't act like you understand. You have no idea what it feels like to be rejected by your mate in front of everyone."

Kade flinched, but he didn't back down. "You're right. I don't understand. But I do know you don't deserve what Caleb did to you."

The mention of Caleb's name sent a fresh wave of pain crashing over her. She clenched her fists, struggling to keep her emotions in check.

"Kade, please," she said, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "I just want to be alone."

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But if you need anything... anything at all, you know where to find me."

She gave him a small, almost imperceptible nod, and he turned to leave.

As he disappeared into the shadows, Aria sank back to the ground, wrapping her arms around herself. She closed her eyes, willing herself to forget, to let the forest's stillness soothe her.

But no matter how hard she tried, Caleb's words echoed in her mind, a relentless reminder of everything she'd lost.

Days turned into weeks.

Aria had left the Frostfang Pack entirely, traveling far beyond its borders. She found refuge in a small, forgotten village nestled on the edge of the Moonlit Vale. It was a quiet place, inhabited mostly by rogues and outcasts, those who had no place in the rigid structure of pack life.

Here, she started to rebuild herself.

She worked as a healer, using the knowledge she'd gained from her mother to create herbal remedies and salves. It wasn't glamorous, and the pay was meager, but it gave her purpose. It kept her mind occupied, gave her hands something to do other than tremble with anger or despair.

And for a while, it worked.

But the nights were the hardest.

The bond, though severed, still left a phantom ache in her chest. She would wake from dreams of Caleb, his voice soft, his touch warm, only to be plunged back into the cold reality of his rejection.

She hated him.

She hated how he'd made her feel, how he'd reduced her to a shell of herself. But more than that, she hated how a part of her still longed for him.

It was maddening.

One rainy evening, as she sat in her small cottage, grinding herbs into a fine powder, a knock sounded at the door.

Frowning, she wiped her hands on her apron and went to answer it.

When she opened the door, her breath caught in her throat.

There he was.

Caleb Frostheart.

Soaked to the bone, his dark hair plastered to his forehead, his blue eyes burning with an intensity that made her heart stutter.

"Aria," he said, his voice low and rough.

She stared at him, her body frozen in place.

"What are you doing here?" she finally managed to say, her voice cold.

"I need your help," he said, stepping closer. "The pack... it's falling apart."

Her lips curled into a bitter smile. "And you think I care?"

"You should," he said, his voice firm. "Because whether you like it or not, you're still part of this."

Her heart ached at the truth in his words, but she refused to let him see it.

"I'm not part of anything anymore," she said. "You made sure of that."

"Aria..." His voice softened, a note of desperation creeping in. "Please. I made a mistake. I was wrong to reject you."

She laughed, the sound harsh and humorless. "A mistake? You call ripping my heart out in front of everyone a mistake?"

"I was scared," he admitted, his gaze dropping to the ground. "I thought I was protecting the pack... protecting you."

"Don't you dare," she said, her voice trembling with anger. "Don't you dare try to justify what you did. You didn't protect me, Caleb. You destroyed me."

He flinched, the weight of her words hitting him like a blow.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the rain falling between them like a barrier.

"Please," he said again, his voice barely above a whisper. "Give me a chance to fix this."

She stared at him, her emotions warring within her. Part of her wanted to slam the door in his face, to make him feel a fraction of the pain he'd caused her.

But another part-the part still tethered to him by the remnants of their bond-wanted to believe him.

Wanted to forgive him.

And that terrified her.