Days passed, and the distance only grew. Caleb kept disappearing for ‘pack duties, and business meetings,’ spending more and more time with Hannah and her son, while I stayed behind, breaking a little more each day.
The video of Caleb and Hannah kissing still haunted me. I had told myself it was nothing—a moment of comfort, nothing more—but deep down, I couldn’t ignore it. I couldn’t pretend it didn’t hurt. And today, I’d had enough.
“Caleb,” I said as he walked into the kitchen that evening, “what’s going on with you and Hannah?”
He froze for a moment, his expression hardening. “What do you mean? She’s a pack member, Sarah. She’s going through a lot.”
“And what about me?” I whispered, the words tasting like acid in my mouth. “Have you forgotten what I’ve been through? What we’ve lost?”
His face softened briefly, but his eyes shifted away, avoiding mine. “I... I have responsibilities, Sarah. You know that.”
I scoffed, the anger bubbling up in me. “Responsibilities to her? To her child?”
He didn’t answer, and that silence told me everything. I wasn’t a priority. I was a duty, something to manage, but never truly cherished. I was his wife, but never his choice.
I woke up the next morning feeling like a shadow of my former self. Empty. As I stared at the ceiling, I knew Caleb would be leaving soon, and honestly, I didn’t feel like making him breakfast. He was too busy with Hannah and her kid, so what was the point? I threw on some clothes and decided to head to work without bothering to prepare anything for him.
As I walked toward the kitchen, I could hear Caleb stirring in our bedroom. I didn’t even care. I poured myself a cup of coffee and grabbed my bag, ready to get out of the house.
“Sarah!” Caleb’s voice cut through the stillness, irritation dripping from his tone. “Where’s my breakfast?”
I took a deep breath before answering, forcing the words out. “I didn’t make any. Figured you wouldn’t mind since you’ve been busy with pack duties.”
He stepped into the kitchen, looking more confused than anything. “You didn’t prepare anything? I don’t have time to grab food on the way.”
“Maybe you could’ve thought about that before prioritizing your time with Hannah and her son,” I shot back, the frustration I had been holding back spilling over.
His expression hardened, and I saw the anger beginning to stir beneath the surface. “This isn’t about her! I’m the Alpha. I have responsibilities to the pack.”
“And what about me?” I snapped, my voice rising with the hurt that had been building. “I used to be your priority. Now, I feel like a ghost in our own home.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but then he just shook his head, defeated. Without another word, he turned and walked away. The silence that followed felt heavier than ever, like a weight pressing down on my chest.
I stepped outside, feeling a strange mix of anger and relief. I wasn’t going to keep sacrificing my happiness for someone who didn’t appreciate me. Work was a distraction—a way to focus on something other than my crumbling marriage.
At the clinic, I found comfort in the familiar routine. My coworkers noticed I was off, though. They asked if everything was okay, and I shrugged it off, putting on a brave face. But inside, I was still hurting.
After my shift, I bumped into Jake at the nearby coffee shop. He was from an allied pack, and we’d known each other for years. Being around him felt like a breath of fresh air, a reminder that I wasn’t completely alone.
“Hey, Sarah! You look a little down. Everything okay?” he asked, genuine concern on his face.
I sighed and leaned against the counter. “Just dealing with some stuff at home. You know how it is.”
“Want to talk about it?”
