I forced myself to my feet, needing something to steady me. I saw Cale’s shirt in the laundry basket, the faint smell of lavender clinging to it. Lavender. Not my scent, not even close. Cali’s scent. I had believed, so naively, that our bond was unbreakable, that wolves were loyal to their mates. But this proved that loyalty was a fragile thing, and ours had shattered into pieces.
A cold ache spread in my chest, but I didn’t have time to drown in my heartbreak. Cale was home sooner than I expected, his presence filling the doorway as he looked me over, a crease forming between his brows.
“What’s wrong?” he asked softly and kneeled in front of me and held my hands.
I forced a soft smile, though my voice was barely holding together. “I… I just wanted some dumplings,” I whispered, hoping for some hint of the old Cale. “The kind from that place an hour away.” I stared at him, desperately hoping he’d take my hand and say yes, that he’d make the effort, that he’d see my longing and reach back to me. Maybe… just maybe, I could look past everything else if he could show me a shred of love.