His face is long, like the weight of the world has returned, and only he can carry it.
“Caleb. Talk to me. What’s the matter?” I cup his cheek, but he intercepts my affection and rejects it.
And not only does he reject it, hephysicallycreates more distance by stepping back from me.
My wolf whimpers.
“I need you to stay with Jemma while I sort some things out.”
My chest hurts at his words. “Okay. Did I do something wrong?”
“No, no, you... You didn’t do anything wrong. I just need some time.”
“Time? Time for what?”
“Things are just happening so fast, and I can’t think when you’re around. After you’re done training for the day, you’ll go to Jemma’s. I’ll make sure to have your things moved and ready for you.”
Anxiety creeps up and panic seeps in.
I’m losing him.
“I–I don’t understand. I thought we were fine.”
He’s silent. No response is even worse than the words he has been speaking. It’s the unknown that scares me.
“Are we okay?” I ask softly.
“Yes,” he says, but I’m not convinced.
“Then can’t we just spend the rest of my birthday together, and I can go to Jemma’s tomorrow?” I hate how needy I sound, but I can’t help it.
“No,” he says too quickly.
Okay, now I know something’s up.
“Why?”
Hypervigilant, I scan his face and body for proof my core belief is true—that he doesn’t love me and never has. Now that he’s figured that out, he’s going to leave me. Because I am unlovable.
He stays silent.
“Can you say something? Please?”
He looks around like he wants to disappear. But if he was expecting me to play cool about his sudden switch-up and just accept it, he’s wrong. I am a ball of anxiety, and it’s because I am truthfully scared of losing him.
Is that it? Is he just scared? It would explain the sudden change in demeanor and nothing about this was making any sense. Something must have spooked him. I just need to find out what, and we can work it out.
Sternly, I ask, “What. Happened?”
His mouth twitches, and his face morphs into irritation. He snaps at me. “You. You happened.”
I blink in shock. Softly, I ask, “What?”
“You killed my father, Jay.”
“This again?” I don’t want to minimize the significance of that reality, but I thought we were past it.
Maybe something triggered him,my wolf suggests.
