“I’ll find my way back to you one day,” he whispers as he strokes my cheek tenderly and brushes away my tears. “I promise you I will. But I need to go before I lose you for good.”
Another sob bursts from my lungs. “Don’t do this.”
“Don’t come looking for me,” he says before kissing my cheek. “Don’t risk anything for me, okay?”
“How can you ask me to do that? Don’t you hear me? I said I love you, and you want me to do nothing! Please, Caleb. Don’t do this.”
Caleb’s eyes tilt to mine with deep-rooted agony that tells me this is destroying him the same way. “I love you. That’s why I have to do this. Because I’d never forgive myself if something happens to you. You need to understand that. I’m sorry.”
“No,” I rasp. “No.”
“One day, I’ll come back,” he mumbles beneath his thick tears. “I’ll come back, no matter what it takes. I just need him to get off our backs first.”
I close my eyes so tightly that it’s painful.
“And I’m sorry for what I’m about to do. I have no choice. He’ll check, I know he will.”
“Wh-what do you mean?” I blurt as I open my eyes.
Caleb hesitates for a moment, green eyes dull and regretful.
“I, Caleb Vella?—”
Realisation washes over me as I cry harder.
“No, please don’t do this.”
“Reject you,” he carries on.
“Caleb,please. Don’t. Don’t do this.”
“Evan Wolfe, as my mate.”
The world stops.
Everything inside me falls apart. And once again, I’m filled with misery and numbness. My heart squeezes so intensely it could splatter against my ribcage. I scream out with suffering as the bond between us explodes into fragments. There isn’t any room for breath. I’m choking as he drops his hands from my face and stands up on unstable legs.
“I’m sorry,” his voice cracks. “I never wanted to do this, but I have to. You’re gonna be okay, Evan. I promise. Don’t look for me. Just live, okay? Live for me, and I’ll be thinking about you every single day.”
Nothing comes out of my mouth as my throat burns dry.
“You’ve brought me so much happiness,” he cries as he grips the fabric of his T-shirt that rests over his heart. “And oneday, we’ll have a lifetime more. Look after yourself, take your medication, and talk to Gemma or Nathan. Just fucking live. Don’t let it go to waste.”
I’m shaking my head over and over as he removes his necklace and slides it over my head slowly. “A part of me will always be with you,” he whispers as he rests his hand over the necklace and my beating heart. “And I’m coming back.”
He places a quivering kiss on the top of my head, but it doesn’t last long enough. Without another word, he turns to leave, shoulders heavy as tears drip off the edge of his jaw.
“No,” I yell out to him. “Caleb, please.Please.”
I rip the IV from my hand with the last ounce of strength I have as he reaches the door, but doesn’t look back at me. Blood drips down to my fingers as I throw off the covers with a groan.
The second the door swings shut, I fall onto the infirmary floor, trying to crawl my way back to him with my body broken and my heart obliterated.
I scream out his name, over and over, until my voice is hoarse.
But he’s gone.
53
