Unable to sleep, I lay in bed, my mind muddled and heavy. The faint scent of my mate bond with Julien still lingered, but it felt distant, like a fading memory. I rose to take some cold medicine, but soon after, a sharp pain shot through my stomach. Shaking, I dialed Julien’s number. He picked up at the last moment, his voice dripping with irritation:
"Layla, didn’t I say I’d be home late tonight? What’s going on?"
"Camryn finally fell asleep after her fever meds. You woke her!"
Suppressing the ache in my stomach, I spoke with a hint of desperation, “Julien, I’m not feeling well. Could you...?”
Before I could continue, a woman's voice cut through from his side:
"Julien, it's late. Who’s calling?"
The sound of the phone hitting the ground echoed in the background, and his voice grew distant as he soothed Camryn:
“Camryn, you just got over a fever. Stay in bed. Rest up.”
“Julien, why do you always treat me like a pup?” Camryn giggled, "Who's calling at this hour?"
Julien dismissed her with ease, “Just a telemarketer. Ignore it.”
Overwhelmed by his repeated dismissals, I couldn’t bear it any longer. My hands shook as I ended the call. With my stomach tied in painful knots, I was about to contact emergency services when Julien’s call came through again.
Answering grudgingly, I was met with his voice, sharpened by irritation:
"Layla, you're being ridiculous!"
Trying to suppress my frustration, he added, “Why call so late? What’s urgent? Tell me.”
I curled my lips into a bitter smile, holding back tears as I retorted:
“Julien, you’re truly heartless.”
Cutting the call before he could respond, I found the constant callbacks barring me from reaching out for help. He finally resorted to messaging:
[Layla Ramos, I've spoiled you. You don't even learn from your mistakes!]
At that moment, any leftover affection for Julien vanished completely. The mate bond that once felt so strong now felt like a frayed thread, ready to snap.
The phone finally quieted, but the pain surged, leaving me on the brink of losing consciousness. Fighting through the agony, I managed to call for emergency assistance.
By the time the Healers arrived, I had succumbed to unconsciousness. The last thing I remembered was the faint howl of my wolf, a sound of both pain and defiance, as the world faded to black.
