Alpha's Regret: Losing His True Mate

ELODIE'S POV~

My heart broke into a million pieces as I stared at the paper right in my hands.

He signed my resignation today, and he didn't blink.

Nine years of standing by him, loving him only to realize I was nothing.

"Do you want me to tell him?" HR director's voice snapped me out of my trance once more. I stiffened.

I bit the inside of my cheek so hard.

The sting in my mouth was nothing compared to the pain crashing through my chest like someone had taken a fistful of daggers and was driving them through me .

My hand curled tighter around the resignation papers. I couldn't look at the laptop screen anymore, not with the tears threatening to fall.

So I turned my head, sucked in a shaky breath, and blinked hard. My vision was already starting to blur.

God.

This hurt more than I thought it would.

"There's no need anymore. He signed it. It's time for me to leave."

I heard the HR director sigh. Her eyes were soft with worry as she leaned closer into the video call.

"Alpha Calhoun didn't realize it was your resignation. He signed it without even reading. You've been his right hand for years. He depends on you more than anyone else. He values you, Elodie. This isn't just another role to fill. You're not replaceable."

My lips twitched. And not in a smile.

Valued?

Me?

I bit down harder on the inside of my lip to keep myself from laughing. Or screaming.

What a joke.

If he did, Wouldn't he have come rushing in by now? Wouldn't there be a single phone call? A message?

I nodded slowly and drew in a breath.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I've thought this through. I've given everything I could. Even though I've been his Gamma all these years. I know Calhoun will find someone else. He always does."

I blinked through the burning in my eyes and continued. "I just. I need to go back to my pack. I got word that my parents aren't doing well. I want to be with them while I still can. I'll stay for the next month to handle all the transition processes. But after that."

I swallowed hard.

"I'll be gone. Thank you so much for everything."

The HR director's face fell.

And that more than anything broke me. Even she didn't even know what to say.

Then the screen went blank. Then I broke into tears.

I buried my face in my palm, sucking in a breath so sharp it scraped my throat raw. Then I stood, wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand, and walked over to the corner of the room where my boxes sat.

The villa was silent.

Four whole years in this private cliffside sanctuary-Calhoun's luxurious little exile for me.

He gave me this place. Told me it was mine.

But it never felt like home.

My hands moved on their own as I started packing.

I didn't have much. Just a few clothes. Some books. A mug he once left on the counter and never asked back for.

I left that one behind.

The things that didn't matter and The things he'd never notice were missing. Maybe when he finally came here again, he'd toss them out.

The moment I sealed the last box, I just. stood there.Breathing.

But my heart. My heart clenched so tight I had to grab the edge of the table to keep from dropping to the floor.

Tears came again.

But this time, I didn't fight them.

I let them fall.

Because no one was watching.

Because for once, I could fall apart in peace.

I didn't even notice how tight I'd been holding a box until it hit the floor and scattered the few items I had left. Memories of nine whole years began.crashing in without warning.

God, I was just a Gamma back then. A nothing. A girl with scars on her confidence and hands that shook every time someone of higher rank looked her way. But somehow.I don't know how-I passed that scholarship exam and got accepted into the elite academy run by the Nightbourne Pack.

I should've been proud.

Instead, I wished I could vanish into the walls the moment I arrived.

The halls were all glass and silver. The students? Dressed like royalty.

And me?

I couldn't even look up without catching the scorn in their eyes.

The way they stared like I'd crawled out of a sewer.

Like I didn't belong.

I remember it clearly. That first day. I was supposed to attend Advanced Political History in Room B2-but I was already turning around. I wasn't going in there. Not with them. I was going to skip it. Hide in the back gardens. Maybe cry.

That's when I bumped into Mila Damaris.

She looked at me like I wasn't dirt. She asked what class I had, and before I could stammer out a full sentence, she was dragging me there herself.

And just like that. I became part of her world.

I didn't know then.

God, if I had. maybe I'd have run.

Because if I'd known what loving someone from that world would do to me.If I'd known it would end like this.Maybe I would've said no.

But I didn't.

I followed her everywhere she wanted me to. Slowly, Mila became my best friend. She introduced me to everyone like I was someone. Even her family.

And that was the night I met Calhoun. Her older brother. The heir to the Nightbourne Pack.

God, I remember the first time I saw him.

He barely looked at me.

But I swear, something in me shifted. My wolf went wild, purring, pulling me toward him.

I thought maybe-just maybe.he was my mate.

But what was I supposed to do with that? I was a Gamma.

He was an Alpha born.

So I buried it. Deep. So deep it burned.

Then we graduated. Mila left, said she was off to Italy to expand her family's business and take on further studies. She asked me to come.

I refused and stayed. Not because I had anything left here.

But because of Calhoun, was still here.

And I was stupid enough to want to be near him.

So I applied. Took the job as his Gamma. His assistant.

And he accepted, although he kept me a little close. That should've been enough.

But then came that night. The Pack's annual gala.

Everyone was there. And I noticed Calhoun standing by the archway, eyes glassy, his fingers rubbing at his temple.

Something was wrong.

I could smell it. Something in his scent-off.

Then he staggered. Just a little. But I saw it.

And because I'm a fool, I followed him past the hall. Into the dim corridor.

I should've turned back.

I was reaching for my phone when I heard his pained growl. And then. he turned.

His eyes were glowing amber.

His wolf was trying to break through.

"Calhoun-wait-just hold on-I'm calling someone-"

But I never made the call. He was suddenly in front of me, breathing hard, his hand slamming beside my head against the wall. And then.He kissed me.

No. he didn't kiss me.

He devoured me.

And I. I let him.

I should've pushed him away. But instead, I closed my eyes and let my stupid heart believe, for just one second, that he wanted me.

Then the Morning After.

I should never have woken up.

Not in that bed. Not in that room.

For a second, the world was quiet, and for the first time in forever. Until my eyes opened.

Calhoun was there, sitting in the chair by the window. One leg crossed, arms resting lazily, as though he'd been watching me sleep all night. His dead eyes were fixed on mine, so empty they sucked the air out of my lungs. There wasn't even a flicker of emotion on his face.

My stomach clenched.

And then I realized. I was naked.

God. this was my first. I gave him my first! Pain knotted in every part of my body, not just the physical ache, but something else. Something that screamed I had made a mistake so massive I might never recover.

I tried to sit up. Even breathing felt like punishment.

Calhoun didn't move. He just leaned back, eyes still locked on me like he was watching something insignificant.

Then he spoke coldly. "I know you like me. I knew the moment Mila brought you to the family villa."

I froze. My lips parted, but nothing came out.

"No need to pretend. I know," he leaned forward. "But don't get your hopes high. I'd never like someone like you. What happened last night was a mistake. and it should stay that way."

The words hit me like a slap, but his face didn't flinch. Not even a flicker of guilt.

I was a mistake?

I should have said something. Screamed. Slapped him. But my voice was gone. My heart. sank.

Then he stood. Casually.

He walked over to the drawer, pulled something out. A black card. Tossed it on the bed like it was trash.

"Mila told me about you," he muttered, still not looking at me. "Struggling family. Gamma blood. Trying to make something out of your life."

He turned to leave, then added without flinching,

"There's enough money in there to set you up. You can thank me later."

That was the moment my tears began to sting, my throat clenching with humiliation I didn't know how to swallow.

But he didn't stop. He looked me straight in the eyes, and said,

"Don't give me that look. I'm in love. I have a mate. Let's both forget this ever happened."

He was cruel. He wasn't even trying to hide it. And I hated that I had let myself dream. Even for one night.

Because suddenly, I remembered Mila's voice in my head again.

"He's obsessed with Carmela Reyes. You know, the girl from the neighboring Pack who keeps cheating on him? He'll never stop running after her."

And she was right.

He'd never stop chasing someone who kept hurting him, and I. I was just the fool who thought maybe I could be something different.

My tears came before I could stop them.. But he didn't even spare me a glance as he began to walk toward the door.

"Wait!" I gasped, dragging the sheets with me, stumbling out of bed. I was shaking. I didn't care if I looked pathetic.

"I don't want your money," My voice cracked. "I just want a chance to prove I could be meant for you."

He stopped.

Then he turned. Rolled his eyes, and walked out.

And That was the beginning of my hell.

From that day forward, we were nothing but strangers in the day, and at night.I became his assistant. His sex toy. Nothing more.

I tried so hard. I bought gifts, small things I thought would make him smile. He never opened them. I found them in the trash. All of them.

But nothing prepared me for his birthday. That night, I sat on the floor of my room, clutching a stupid little box of cufflinks I never got to give him-while he posted a picture on his social feed. Him and

Carmela Reyes, as he kissed her.

And it hit me : I would never be enough. I would never heal from this.

I bit the inside of my cheek so hard, I tasted blood. I was done crying. I swear.

I snapped out of the past, grabbed my box of things and headed toward the door. But the moment I opened it, I gasped.

Calhoun was standing there, leaning lazily against the doorframe.

His voice was casual. Like I wasn't dying inside.

"Where are you going?"

My chest tightened. "I found a new apartment. I'm moving out."

He hummed. "I'll drive you."

I said quickly, hugging the box tighter to my chest. "It's not that far."

His jaw clenched. "I wasn't asking."

I didn't argue again.

We walked to his Porsche in silence. But the moment I stepped in, I knew something was wrong.

It reeked of floral perfume. Pink dolls.were placed carefully in the dashboard and on the seat.

He saw the way I looked at them. He rolled his eyes.

"Carmela wanted a change. I had to give it to her."

My heart cracked.

This was the car Whispered things I stupidly believed. Fucked me. And now. it was hers. Everything was hers.

The box slipped from my arms, crashing onto the floor. Glass shattered.

I scrambled to gather the pieces, but a shard sliced deep into my palm. Blood welled instantly.

"Shit," Calhoun growled, reaching toward me.

But before his fingers could touch me, his phone buzzed.

He paused. Then picked it up.

"Cal, baby, I cut my hand," Carmela whined from the other end. "It's bleeding. Come home, please."

I froze.

Calhoun sighed. Then looked down at me. "I'll call my Beta to come get you. Just stay still."

And then he was gone.

I was left there. Bleeding. On the ground. Glass stuck in my skin.

My chest squeezed tightly.

"You'll get what you want, Calhoun. I'll never love you again."

ELODIE'S POV

It was just another Monday. But it felt like my funeral.

And today, like every day, I was dragging the bones of what was left into the damn building just to look at him. To look at the man who ripped me apart piece by piece and still had no clue how deeply I bled for him.

God, I hated Mondays.

But more than anything. I hated myself.

For still hoping. For still waking up every morning thinking, maybe today he'll see me. maybe today he'll love me back.

Stupid, stupid girl.

I pulled on my coat, slapped on some lip balm so I didn't look half-dead, and walked into the office like a ghost in her own skin. No one could tell though. I was always on time. Always put-together. Always carrying out my duties like a perfect little Gamma. Even my wolf was tired of me as she whined each day.

Meetings. Pack rosters. Investment briefings. Boardroom memos. Scheduling. I handled everything. I made sure the empire Calhoun was trying to build didn't crumble from the inside. I was the hands behind the throne.

But he didn't see that. He never did.

I kept myself busy all morning, burying my pain beneath back-to-back meetings and hollow smiles. I briefed the warriors. I double-checked the contracts coming in from the trading sectors. I filed the latest correspondence from the Nightbourne Pack, ironically addressed to his attention. Everything had to be perfect. Everything had to be in place.

It wasn't until I glanced at the clock that my heart skipped.

Shit. His meeting.

He was due in five minutes. Of course, I had to go remind him. Of course, I had to walk into his office again and pretend like I hadn't spent the entire weekend crying into a pillow while he probably spent it tangled up with Carmela Reyes.

I took a deep breath. One. Then another. Picked up a few files just to give my hands something to do, anything to stop them from shaking, and slowly started the walk down the hall.

My chest tightened the closer I got, like my heart already knew what I didn't.

And then I heard it.

Laughter.

High-pitched. Feminine. Loud.

My body stopped moving.

That voice. I'd know it anywhere.

Carmela Reyes.

I swallowed. My shoulders slumped. My whole soul felt like it wanted to shrink, disappear into the floor tiles. But I had to go in. I had to do my job.

So I opened the door.

And I swear, blood drained from my face the second I stepped inside.

She was there. Sitting on his goddamn desk like she owned him.

Her Ginger hair tumbling over her bare shoulder as she fed him apple slices...apple, the one fruit Calhoun always said he hated while his hand worked effortlessly on his laptop. and the other hand was wrapped lazily around her waist like it belonged there.

I couldn't breathe.

Calhoun. the Calhoun I knew. The one who hated body contact. The one who once refused to drink from the same cup I used when I had a fever. The one who never let me sit too close, who acted like my very presence disturbed the air around him-he had her sitting on his desk. Feeding him like a child. Touching him like it was nothing.

Who was this man?

He finally looked up at me again. His voice was annoyed.

"What?" he said, like I had barged in on something trivial. "What do you want? Why are you standing there like you've seen a ghost?"

I wanted to throw the files at his face. I wanted to scream and cry. But all I could do was stand there.

Frozen. Humiliated. Heartbroken. Again.

I forced my voice out, barely a whisper. "You have a meeting. In five minutes, Alpha."

Carmela suddenly began to cough violently. My body stiffened. I didn't know what came over me-maybe instinct, maybe worry.but I took half a step forward before I stopped myself. Before I remembered who I was to them. No one.

But Calhoun.

His reaction nearly shattered me.

His eyes widened in alarm. Panic.real panic.washed over his face like I'd never seen before. He immediately reached for the other mug on his table, a ceramic one he never let anyone touch. The one I'd tried to hand him tea in once and he'd refused. He picked it up.his own mug.and gently brought it to her lips.

"Here, baby. Drink slowly," he said, voice calm but hurried. He rubbed her back as she took a sip, whispering something I couldn't hear. His hand never left her body-gentle strokes on her back, soft circles behind her neck. His brows were drawn, his mouth in a tight line of concern.

And it hurt. God, it hurt so badly.

That was the softest version of him I had ever seen.

And that wasn't the worst of it.

Carmela turned her face, tilted her chin up to him like she owned him-and maybe she did-and pressed a possessive kiss to his lips. Her hand came up and wrapped around the back of his neck, curling into his hair like she was comforting him now.

And then she smiled. A soft, smug smile.

"You're such a darling, Cal," she purred. "You'd do anything to make sure I'm okay, wouldn't you?"

I held my breath. My nails dug into the folders I held. It took everything in me not to break down right there on the spot.

Calhoun's lips twitched into a small smile.

It was the first time I had ever seen warmth on his face like that. And it was like it had been carved for her. Only for her.

His eyes flicked to hers, and with a small, quiet chuckle, he said,

"Of course. Anything for you."

Anything for you.

Not me.

Never me.

My hands trembled.

My phone buzzed in my coat pocket. The vibration dragged me back to reality-just barely. I glanced down at the screen. It was a calendar reminder. Pack Alpha council, twenty minutes in.

I cleared my throat softly and lowered my gaze to hide the burn rising behind my eyes.

"Alpha Calhoun," I said, "some of the Pack Alphas are still waiting for your response. Most of them. they aren't in a good mood."

I could barely lift my eyes, but I did. Just a little. Enough to see Carmela roll hers dramatically and let out a disgusted grunt.

"Ugh. Cal," she scoffed, pointing directly at me. "I swear, I hate this Gamma of yours. Doesn't she know when to shut up?"

I stiffened.

And then his glare found me.

A harsh flick of those dark eyes that had once softened in my dreams.

"Tell them I'll join them soon," Calhoun snapped, not even sparing me a full glance. "My future Luna nearly choked. She needs to be attended to. Now."

My lips parted to say something-to offer to push the meeting, or maybe to suggest someone else deliver the message-but the second I took a breath to speak, he cut me off.

"Carmela comes first before any Pack meetings," he said, sharply. Like it was a reminder. Like I'd somehow forgotten my place.

My heart clenched so painfully I had to clench my fists to keep my voice from shaking.

"Yes, Alpha," I whispered, and quickly typed the message to the Alphas' platform to reschedule the session. I was just about to turn when Carmela let out another little groan, dragging her fingers through her hair in mock stress.

"You know," she drawled, "I've heard people say Elodie makes the best broth in the office. I'd like to try one. I'll stay back here and rest. And if I like it. maybe I'll let her serve me again."

My lungs locked.

Please no. Not this.

Then Calhoun spoke, "You heard her. Go make the broth. Stay with her until I get back."

That was it. No second thought. No consideration. No look at me to see the pain his words carved into me.

I forced a smile-God, it hurt to even curve my lips-and nodded.

"Yes, Alpha."

And then I turned. My feet felt heavy. My chest ached. My eyes burned. But I walked out. I made the broth. It only took three minutes.

Three minutes to convince myself to breathe.

Three minutes to pull myself back together.

When I came back in, carefully holding the tray, the first thing I saw made my stomach twist.

Carmela. Standing close. Too close. Straightening Calhoun's tie with both hands, like a perfect little wife. His head bent slightly as he let her. He didn't even acknowledge my return.

I lowered myself as I stepped in, walking past them quietly. As I turned toward her with the bowl, Calhoun brushed past me and walked out-just like that.

I brought the broth to her, placed it gently on the side table.

She barely looked at me. Just picked up the spoon, took a sip And then, her face twisted in Disgust.

"What the hell is this?!" she snapped, just before she shrieked. I barely had time to step back when she hurled the hot broth straight at me.

It splashed across my chest and shirt, scalding heat burning into my skin as I let out a sharp cry.

"Ahh!" I gasped, stumbling back, trying not to drop the tray.

But she wasn't done.

The next thing I saw was Calhoun's mug-his sacred mug-the one he only let her touch. She hurled it with such rage I couldn't dodge it fast enough. It shattered right against my cheek and pain exploded through my face, my ears ringing from the force.

Glass cut into my skin. Blood trickled down. I staggered and caught myself on the wall. My heart raced. My vision blurred.

She stood. Her eyes glowing a dangerous amber. Her voice dripped venom.

"The broth is cold, Gamma. What were you trying to do? Poison me?"

I couldn't speak.

I opened my mouth, tried to explain, but nothing came out. Just stuttering breaths and shame burning hotter than the broth that clung to my clothes.

The door burst open.

Calhoun rushed in, followed by a few staff members who gasped at the sight.

But Carmela.Carmela was faster.

She turned to him with tears already streaming down her face-like she'd rehearsed this moment. She rushed into his arms like the victim, burying her face into his chest as she cried.

"She tried to poison me," she wailed. "I swear, Cal. just because I told her off earlier for interrupting us. She did something to the broth, I know it. I don't feel good."

I blinked, trembling, bleeding, heart pounding, waiting-just waiting-for him to ask me what happened.

But he didn't.

He kissed her head. Whispered something in her ear I couldn't hear.

Then he turned to someone behind me. Not even to me.

"Clear her desk," he said, coldly. "Her salaries will be slashed by seventy percent. And make sure she learns to make better broth. She'll issue a public apology to Carmela by tomorrow."

Then he wrapped an arm around Carmela's waist, gently tugged her closer, and walked her out.

That was it.

No questions.

No defense.

No glance my way.

Just like that, I was nothing.

And I stood there-shaking, burned, bleeding, humiliated as the door clicked shut behind them.

And my heart.shattered into pieces no one would ever care to pick up.

Elodie's POV ~

My body felt like it was tearing apart. The sound that gutted me wasn't from the wound. it was from the soft echo of Calhoun's footsteps fading, his tall frame disappearing from sight without even a glance back as he carried Carmela away.

Just like that. He was gone.

I bit down so hard on my lip that I tasted blood, but it still couldn't stop the sob that broke through me. The workers nearby were whispering, their eyes darting at me in pity, but I couldn't bear to look at them. I hated their stares, hated the way they reminded me how low I'd fallen. How stupid I've been all these years. My throat burned, and before I could stop it, tears came in waves.

I wiped at my face with my sleeve, gasping, and staggered to the wall where the broom and mop leaned. My hands shook violently as I grabbed them, the wooden handle digging into my palm. Do something. Move. Just move. If I cleaned, maybe I wouldn't collapse.

I forced myself forward, bent down with the mop in one hand, broom in the other, scrubbing at the mess through blurred eyes. My body was trembling, dizziness clawing at my head until I swore the ground was swaying beneath me. I couldn't feel my legs. I couldn't breathe right.

"Elodie, stop-" a gentle voice broke through.

One coworker put an arm around me, while another picked up the broom.

"Let us help you," one of them said softly, her voice shaking with guilt. She knelt, pushing the mop away and reaching for me.

"This is unfair," one of the women whispered. "I passed by earlier and saw her carrying that broth. The steam was rising off it. If it wasn't boiling hot, it wouldn't have burned her skin like that."

I stiffened, my chest heaving, but I kept moving.

Another voice cut in, angrier. "Carmela is a troublemaker. Even if it wasn't hot, why would she throw it like that? That wasn't an accident. That was. that was almost like a murder attempt! She could've scarred Elodie's face forever or broken her nose."

I flinched. My stomach turned.

Then came another sigh. "What can we say? Alpha Calhoun no longer has a mind of his own. He's a puppet now, dancing to Carmela's tune. She's the real ruler of this place. And we all know it, if any of us so much as step on her feet, we'll pay dearly. Pity poor Elodie. She's the one Carmela always picks on."

Their words sliced through me deeper than the burn ever could.

"Thank you," I whispered.

She gave me a sad smile, eyes soft with sympathy, and nodded. "Come. Let's get you out of here."

She led me past the stares, past the whispers, past the wreckage of my pride.

But as soon as I stepped out of the room, memories hit me.

I remembered the day we'd been at that negotiation table, the neighboring pack trying to tear apart our contract. They accused me, pointed their fingers, tried to humiliate me in front of everyone. My hands had shaken, my words caught in my throat, but before I could crumble, Calhoun had slammed his hand against the table, his eyes blazing.

"Touch her name again, and I'll end this deal," he had growled, his voice like thunder. "You fault her, you fault me. Do you want war? Then keep testing me."

The entire room had gone silent. Even the opposing Alpha had paled. And Calhoun. Calhoun had turned his face toward me, his expression unreadable but his presence wrapping around me like armor.

That day, he stood beside me. Unshaken. Defiant. Protecting me with a ferocity that had made my heart soar.

I had been so stupidly excited, so sure it meant something. That maybe. just maybe. he was beginning to see me. To care.

And now.now I could barely breathe through the ache of knowing how wrong I had been.

How very, very stupid I must have been.

All he did was protect his property, not me. It was never love.

I don't know what hurt more-that Carmela spit out one baseless lie with that venomous tongue of hers, or that Calhoun didn't even blink before believing her. Not a single question. Not even a flicker of doubt. He just looked at me.looked through me and passed judgment as though I was already guilty.

My heart shattered right there.

Didn't I deserve a little trust? Just once? Even half of what he gave Carmela so freely?

Or was right and wrong meaningless in his world, as long as it pleased her?

By the time my kind coworker slipped an arm around me and led me out of the building, I was nothing more than a hollow shell. I didn't even remember walking out the doors, it was like my body moved while my soul stayed behind.

She hailed an Uber for me, her voice soft, her touch careful as if I would crumble if she held me too tightly. When the car arrived, she paid the fare herself and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Take good care of yourself, Elodie," she whispered, her eyes heavy with sympathy I couldn't bear to accept.

I gave her a weak nod, my throat too raw to form words, and slipped into the backseat.

When we pulled up to my apartment, I stumbled out, clutching my bag like it was the only thing tethering me. I left it by the door the second I got inside, too drained to care, and headed straight to the shower.

Water hit my skin, but it wasn't soothing. It was sharp, too sharp, stinging the burns and bruises Carmela had left me with.

By the time I stepped out, I was trembling, my bathrobe clinging to my damp skin. I didn't care that my hair was dripping, that my bed would get soaked-I just wanted to collapse, to sink into the sheets and disappear.

But just as I was about to crawl into bed, my phone started ringing.

My heart sank straight into my stomach when I saw the caller ID.

Calhoun.

For a second, my trembling fingers hovered above the screen, ready to swipe and answer, desperate to hear his voice even if it was dismissive. But before I could, the call ended.

A hollow silence followed, and then a vibration. My chest tightened when I saw the message pop up on my screen: "Bring me ibuprofen and warm milk with honey. Be fast."

Disappointment curled in my belly so sharp it made me nauseous. But without thinking, like the trained fool I had become, I slipped into another wear, tied my hair up with trembling hands, and left my apartment. My feet carried me on autopilot, dragging me toward the errand as if my own body refused to rebel against him.

When I finally reached Calhoun's penthouse, I wasn't prepared. A wave of nausea slammed into me the moment I stepped inside before shock could even register.

Everything was different.

The cold, black interior that had once mirrored him, his taste, his darkness-gone. The little bonsai tree I had planted with his grandfather before the old man passed. gone. In its place stood a sunflower, its bright yellow petals mocking me. Carmela. Of course.

I froze like a fool in the doorway, my eyes stinging as I took in the rest. Expensive handbags and shoes scattered at every corner, perfumes lining the glass tables, soft feminine colors layered over what used to be his.

My heart dropped so violently.

The sound of the door unlocking startled me. Calhoun appeared. He didn't even spare me a greeting. Without a word, he plucked the bag from my hand, rummaging through it. Only when he had confirmed everything was there did he finally bother to lift his gaze to my face.

"Shit," he muttered, his brow furrowing. "Your injuries look terrible. Have you had them treated?"

I swallowed hard. Slowly, I shook my head.

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Elodie. Carmela's been having her mood swings, like she always does. It wasn't because she wanted to hurt you, alright? She's just. she's just having a rough day. Make sure you get those wounds taken care of. If you need a few days off, I'll sign the form."

A bitter smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. "That won't be necessary, Alpha Calhoun. By the end of the month-"

"Listen to me," he cut in sharply. "I'm only concerned because you need to be strong. You'll be putting together Carmela's welcome back party, and I want it perfect."

His words lodged in my throat. I almost choked on them. My lips parted, but no sound came out. My knees felt weak. I took a step back, needing air.

He noticed. His eyes narrowed as if he was about to speak again, but then a soft, feigned whimper broke the silence.

"Cal."

Carmela stood leaning against the bedroom door, her piercing gaze locked on me. In that instant, her face twisted-pure venom flashing in her eyes. But the second Calhoun turned toward her, she shifted. Her expression melted into one of fragility, as if she'd break apart at the smallest touch.

"Has she brought the stuff?" she asked. "I'm feeling pain all over my body, Cal. I just. I want cuddles. And massages."

My stomach lurched.

His face softened instantly. He nodded, his voice dropping gentle. "Don't hurt your feet. Go lay on the bed. I'll get the maids to heat the milk, then I'll come join you. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, smiling sweetly.

I stood there, silent. My chest burned. My eyes stung so badly I thought they'd burst. Watching the way his entire being softened for her-while all I ever got was indifference. I remembered the night I almost broke a tooth from clenching down against the stress, the days I tripped in his presence and he hadn't even looked twice. And when I fainted from exhaustion, rushed into the ER-how had he reacted?

He signed my leave form. That was all.

No visit. No call. No concern.

But Carmela? A whimper was all it took to melt him.

When he left with her, I felt my throat swell. A single tear slipped free before I could stop it. I turned and walked out, my legs carrying me like they didn't belong to me anymore. A bitter ache rose in my chest. By the time I stepped outside, I tilted my head back to the sky.

And just one tear fell.