Silence followed. When he finally spoke, there was a bitter edge to his words. “Help? After all these years of silence? After choosing Ethan over me?”
The guilt was immediate. “I made mistakes… I know. I thought I knew what I wanted.”
He scoffed. “Mistakes, huh? I offered you everything, Ivy—mateship, love, a future. And you ran toward the first wolf who sweet-talked you into believing he could give you more.”
“I thought he would learn to love me,” I whispered, hating how small my voice sounded. “I thought I made the right choice.”
“And now you see the truth,” he snapped. “What do you want from me?”
“I’m leaving him,” I said quietly. “But I need time. There are things I have to handle before I go.”
Vincent paused, his voice lowering. “You have two weeks. After that, if you’re not free from him, I will come and take what’s mine.”
Then the line went dead.
I let the phone slip from my hand, the dial tone humming in my ears. Vincent’s words clung to me like a second skin. His possessiveness hadn’t changed—but neither had his desire to protect me. I didn’t know whether that comforted me… or frightened me.