You should Let Go, My Mate

I didn't sleep a wink all night. My mind was a whirlwind, replaying everything-every moment I'd clung to, every hope I'd buried. When the first light of dawn crept through the curtains, I dragged myself out of bed. For once, I only made breakfast for myself, leaving Derek's usual plate empty.

He strolled out of the bedroom, all easy confidence, and slipped his arms around my waist like it was routine. He leaned in to kiss my forehead, but I tilted my head away, dodging his touch.

"Something wrong? Bad mood?" Derek asked, his sharp wolf senses picking up on my shift.

I looked down, my nose stinging as tears threatened to spill. Biting my lip, I forced my voice to stay steady. "Just hungry."

He didn't push it. That morning kiss was always my thing anyway-something he could take or leave. He sat down, grabbed a slice of bread, and took a bite. "By the way, that deal you closed yesterday-who was it with? I didn't even ask."

My heart thudded, but I kept my cool. "The Whitaker pack. Want to see the contract?"

Derek went quiet for a moment, and my palms started to sweat. Then he grinned, reaching over to ruffle my hair like I was some pup. "Nah, I trust you."

That stung. A tiny part of me had hoped he'd care enough to dig into my work, maybe point out risks or ask questions. But nope-my fantasies were just that. Fantasies.

We finished eating and got in the car. Then his phone rang. Alyssa. Of course.

Her voice came through, shaky and tear-soaked. "Derek, my mate's pack is at the hotel. They're begging me not to break the bond, threatening me. I don't know what to do."

Derek's face darkened, and he floored the gas, the car lurching forward. "Don't worry," he soothed, his voice soft as moonlight. "I'm on my way. Stay in your room, okay? I'll be there."

I gripped the seatbelt, my face pale. "Derek, slow down! You're gonna get us killed!"

He seemed to remember I was even there, slamming on the brakes. "Take a cab to the office," he said, his tone clipped. "I gotta go."

Before I could say a word, he hit the gas again, speeding off, blowing through a red light like his life didn't matter. Like *I* didn't matter.

I stood alone on the side of the road, feeling like a discarded toy, my chest hollow. Taking a deep breath, I hailed a cab.

At the office, I threw myself into work, barely coming up for air. I started handing off tasks, bit by bit. This bond was dead, and I couldn't keep leaning on Derek-or this life we'd built on lies.

Near the end of the day, Derek finally showed up, a faint smile on his face, like the morning's storm had never happened. When I walked into his office to go over reports, I caught a whiff of Alyssa's perfume clinging to him.

He flipped through some papers, then glanced at my hand. "Where's your ring?"

I kept my voice even. "You didn't want me wearing it, right? To keep things quiet. So I took it off."

"Yeah?" He nodded, satisfied, not questioning it further.

If he'd stopped to think, he'd have realized how out of character it was for me-me, who'd always wanted the whole pack to know we were bound. But he didn't. His eyes had that far-off look, like he was still lost in whatever moment he'd shared with Alyssa.

I gave a bitter smile and left his office. Pulling out my phone, I checked Alyssa's social media. Sure enough, she'd posted a vlog. One clip flashed by-Derek in a kitchen, apron on, spatula in hand, cooking for her with this focused look.

He never cooked for me. I'd spent years learning recipes, tweaking dishes to make him happy. But for Alyssa? He was a natural.

I wandered to the lake behind the office, staring at the water's shimmering surface, my heart cold as ice. Slipping my hand into my pocket, I pulled out the ring. It still felt warm, like it held the ghost of what we'd been.

"Goodbye," I whispered.

I flung it hard. The ring arced through the air and sank into the lake, gone forever.

With a deep breath, I squared my shoulders, my heels clicking on the pavement as I walked away.