Chapter 8

Chapter 8

She knew her shift in demeanor hadn’t gone unnoticed–Caleb‘ s furtive glances and whispered concerns had only grown. But the memories of his quiet betrayal, his constant defense of Ivy, and his obliviousness to her pain had built an insurmountable wall between them. If he couldn’t see her true self, then why show. it at all?

In the hallways of the packhouse, Marissa. moved like a ghost. She no longer paused to listen to Caleb‘ s morning greetings or offered him a knowing smile. Conversations became clipped, polite exchanges that felt foreign in her tongue. She saw him watching her, his brow drawn, yet she remained closed off, her wolf guarded and silent within her.

“Marissa,” Caleb’s voice called from behind as she strode down the hall one

morning. She stopped, not out of kindness but from an ingrained courtesy that was already fading. Turning, she looked at him with an expression that held nothing but mild interest.

“Yes?”

Caleb‘ s face softened as he took a step toward her, eyes searching hers. “You going somewhere?”

A flicker of irritation sparked within her, but she extinguished it before it could rise to her face. She met his gaze coolly, her eyes steady and unyielding. “You don’t have to know. Why don’t you dote on the pregnant Ivy?”

He blinked, hurt flashing briefly across his face. “But I want to know. Tell me.”

“Are you kidding me?” She allowed herself a small, bitter smile. “Do I have to report everything to you?” Her voice remained calm, devoid of the raw emotion it once held. “You know what, just leave me be like what you‘ re doing these days.”

Caleb‘ s face twisted with confusion.

“You‘ re acting like I abandoned you. I just… I thought Ivy needed support because she’s pregnant with my child, and she needs me to take care of her.”

“Support,” she repeated with a scoff. “Yes, I can see how much she needed you… Very well.” She let the silence stretch, watching him struggle to find a response, but none came.

Caleb approached, his usual confidence. faltering as he glanced between them. “I thought you understood?” he asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her.

“Marissa, why are you shutting me out? You can’t get pregnant, the least thing you can do is support Ivy’s pregnancy.”

Marissa let her gaze drift over the both of them, feeling as though they were strangers. How strange it was, she thought, that she had once depended on him, once believed he’d be by her side forever. That bond felt as thin as smoke now, scattered by even the faintest breeze.

“Do you have nothing left to say?” she asked evenly.

Caleb frowned, his lips pressing into a thin line. “You don’t have to be this way, Marissa. Ivy never wanted to come between us. She’s just a breeder who’s carrying my baby.”

A mirthless laugh slipped from her lips. “No, she just wanted you, didn’t she? And it looks like she got what she wanted.”

“Marissa, stop this,” Caleb snapped, his tone sharp. “You‘ re being unfair.” She cut him off with a withering look.

“God, I am the one being unfair now?” She shook her head, finding their words. funny. It was ridiculous, but at the same time, she could see why he was doing all that, even involving Ivy in the process. She was not stupid. All because she could not give him a child.

Later that evening, Marissa wandered out into the woods that bordered the pack‘ s land, craving the quiet solitude that only the forest could provide.

She found herself near a small clearing where she’d once come with Caleb as children, back when they’d been inseparable, when each of them had been the other’s safety and joy. She could still picture the two of them, laughing, sprawled across the forest floor, making silly promises that felt eternal. But now, it was just her, standing alone among the trees, listening to the wind and the faint rustle of leaves.

For the first time, Marissa allowed herself to feel the ache beneath the anger. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, and closed her eyes, letting the emotions flow through her, then away.