Things had been going well between Skyler and me—at least, that’s what I believed. Some people around the city saw us as the destined couple, the perfect pair. That was before Tia returned to the city a few weeks ago. I hadn’t realized how close they had gotten until the rumors started. People in his pack whispered about him frequenting her apartment, taking her on dates—dates he rarely took me on anymore. I was a fool, ignoring the signs, convincing myself nothing was going on between them despite his coldness toward me, which worsened after she came back.
When I got home, I felt like I was suffocating. I took a cold shower, hoping it would wash away the ache in my chest. But it didn’t. The water ran over me, but the pain remained, clinging to me like a second skin. As I stepped out of the bathroom, my phone beeped. I grabbed it, still dripping, only to see a message from Skyler.
{Why did you leave like that, Raya?}
I scoffed, tossing the phone onto the bed without replying. The nerve. He didn’t care how I felt. Before I could walk away, the phone buzzed again. More messages. I reluctantly glanced at the screen.