“Ariana!” Scott’s voice followed, laced with reprimand. “Can’t you be sympathetic? Winona is grieving.”
I stopped, turning to face him. “Sympathetic?” I repeated, incredulous. “Do you even hear yourself?”
“She needed me,” he said defensively. “You’re strong. You can handle yourself.”
It was like a slap to the face, the final justification every time he had abandoned me. My wolf growled low in my chest, but I held her back.
“I guess you've never care listening to my call through the mind link. I rejected you as my mate. It’s over, Scott,” I said flatly, turning away.
“Don’t be like this!” he called after me, his voice tinged with desperation. “Your mother would’ve wanted us together. We can reschedule the ceremony. There’s always another mating season.”
I froze, his words twisting the knife deeper. Slowly, I turned to him, meeting his gaze with all the pain and fury I’d been holding back. “You don’t get it, do you?” I said, my voice breaking. “There’s no more us. Not now. Not ever.”
His eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought he might fight for me. But instead, he grabbed his phone, muttering about planning a new ceremony. As if this was something he could fix with a grand gesture.