Moving on from My Mate

I met his gaze calmly, masking my emotions. “No. Why?”

He hesitated, his shoulders relaxing when he didn’t see any sign of confrontation. “No reason,” he said with a chuckle, brushing it off like it didn’t matter. He grabbed the phone, glanced at the screen briefly, then pocketed it.

Watching him leave again, I felt a bitter laugh rise in my throat. He’s afraid I’ll find out? What does he think I’ll do? Leave him? He’s already lost me.

After breakfast, I tried to distract myself with work. I sat at my desk and opened my laptop, focusing on my sketches. Being a comic artist required my attention, and with the mating ceremony fast approaching, I needed to finish as much as I could before returning to the pack.

Hours passed in silence. By the time I looked up, the sun was high in the sky. I sent my progress to my editor, had a quick lunch, and decided to clear out some old belongings.

I grabbed an empty box and began filling it with items—couple mugs, keychains, scarves, jackets. They were all reminders of the past six years I had spent with Ezra. Each item carried a memory, but now, they felt hollow.

I picked up a worn leather bracelet I had made for him years ago, the wolf charm still glinting faintly in the light. I remembered how I had proudly handed it to him, only for him to laugh.

“This? You really want me to wear this?” he’d said, shaking his head. “Cressida, I’d be the laughingstock of the pack.”

The memory stung, and I tossed the bracelet into the box with the rest of the “junk.”

Once the box was full, I dragged it downstairs and tossed it into the trash. The items tumbled out, and for a moment, I hesitated. But then I heard his voice in my head again—mocking, dismissive—and I pushed the box further into the bin.

Just as I turned to leave, I bumped into someone. My heart skipped a beat as I looked up into Ezra’s golden eyes.

“What are you throwing away?” he asked, his tone casual, though his gaze was curious. He brushed a stray strand of hair from my face, his touch lingering for a moment too long.