Callum’s POV
“She canceled the wedding, Alpha Callum.”
Canceled? I stared at him, struggling to wrap my head around it. “What do you mean, Damon? What are you saying?”
“Seraphina called it off. She’s not marrying you anymore.”
What the fuck? We were supposed to be mates. Five years—five years together, and now she was backing out?
I gritted my teeth, the words hammering into my brain. She canceled it. The wedding was supposed to be mine, ours. How could she do this to me?
I clenched my fists, feeling the heat of my fury threatening to break loose. My mate—my bond—was slipping away.
Then it hit me. Of course, Seraphina would need me.
Her pack, Ravenwood, was the weakest after that rogue attack. They couldn’t stand up to another. She was desperate, trying to hold everything together. I was the one she really needed.
“She’ll come crawling back to me, Damon,” I said, my voice dripping with certainty. “She has no choice. Ravenwood’s falling apart, and they need me. I’ve always been her only option.”
“You think she’ll come back?”
I leaned back in my chair, smug. “Of course, she will. I am the one who can protect her, protect her pack. She knows that.” I crossed my arms, letting the weight of my words settle between us.
“Seraphina needs a strong Alpha,” I continued, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. “No one’s better than me.”
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and the soft sound of footsteps echoed through the room.
Tyla.
I looked up just as she stepped inside, her doe-like eyes wide, that familiar sympathetic look she always wore. Her gaze flicked to Damon, then back to me, and she bit her lip as if unsure whether to interrupt.
“Alpha,” she said softly, walking closer. “I... I hurt my hand. Could you—could you help me with it?”
“Your hand?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow, my voice filled with a flicker of concern. Tyla was the last person I expected to be hurt.
Tyla winced, clutching her wrist with her other hand, looking up at me with those wide, innocent eyes. “Please,” she added, her voice small, almost fragile.
“Alright, let me see it,” I said softly, gesturing for her to come closer.
“Damon, leave us for a moment.”
As I took her hand in mine, feeling the delicate skin of her wrist, something stirred inside me. Tyla had always needed me.
“You really should be more careful,” I murmured, gently applying pressure to her wrist as I examined it. The intimacy of the moment wasn’t lost on me. The way she looked at me—eyes filled with trust and need—made my chest tighten. I couldn’t help but feel possessive over her, wanting to protect her at all costs.
Her skin was soft beneath my fingers, and as I finished treating the injury, I lingered, brushing my thumb over her skin. I looked up at her, locking eyes.
“Better?” I asked quietly, my voice softer than I intended.
She nodded, her lips curving into a small, grateful smile. “Much better, Alpha,” she whispered. Then, she closed the distance between us, her fingers brushing against my arm, her eyes never leaving mine.
“You’re always so good to me,” she murmured, her voice low and full of longing. “I heard the news. I’m sorry if the wedding was canceled. I feel like it’s my fault…”
I pulled away slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her eyes were wide, full of that familiar need.
“No, it’s okay. Don’t blame yourself. I’ll always be here for you, Tyla,” I said softly, meaning it. She needed me, and I was never going to turn away from her. She was mine, in a way, and nothing would change that.
