I nodded, feeling the weight of years of abandonment lift off my chest. "Yes. Ayla needs you more than I ever will. After all, you’ve already been acting like you’re not part of this life. Once I'm gone, you won't have to hide it anymore. You can be with her openly."
Luke stared at me in disbelief. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of regret in his eyes. But he quickly shook it off, his jaw clenched. Without another word, he slammed the door, revved the engine, and disappeared into the night, leaving me standing alone under the watchful moon.
Luke and Ayla had been inseparable once, back in their days as young wolves. They grew up in the same pack, shared the same dreams of running wild beneath the full moon together. After graduation, they were supposed to start a new life as mates. Everyone thought they were destined for each other.
But fate had other plans.
One night, Ayla disappeared without a trace, and Luke was left broken, confused. He searched for her for years. He was a shell of himself when we met—he found comfort in me, or maybe he just saw a ghost of her in my eyes. Either way, we mated, but it was clear I was only ever a replacement for her.