It’s been three long days since I’ve been home, and my mate, Ryker, hadn't even tried to find me. Last time we had a spat over Elara, I crashed at my best friend's place for a few days. He probably assumed I was mad again and didn’t want to deal with it.
Then Elara called him, her voice shaking. "Ryker, there's supposed to be a thunderstorm tonight, and I'm so scared. Can you come stay with me?"
I watched as Ryker's grip on his phone tightened and loosened. He said, "I'm mated, Elara. It's not really convenient for me to come to your hotel." Just when I thought he might be showing some common sense, he added, "But you can come to my pack house. She's not home."
Even Elara was surprised. "Are you sure? What if she suddenly comes back? We wouldn't be able to explain ourselves."
I snorted. She knew exactly what she was doing, and here she was, playing the innocent.
Ryker asked, "What do we need to explain to her? This is my pack, and you're not just a packmate, but also a friend. Don’t worry about what she thinks."
He sounded so confident. "Besides, she's not coming back."
Elara went quiet for a moment, then asked, "How do you know?" Realizing her tone might've been off, she quickly added, "I mean, did your mate get mad at you again?"
Ryker nodded. "Yeah, on the anniversary of our bonding, I told her I was going to see you. It's so frustrating. She’s always suspicious about everything! I’m mated to her, but that's never enough for her! Unlike you, Elara. You've put up with so much over the years and never complained. I should be apologizing to you."
I almost laughed when I heard him. No sane person celebrated their bonding anniversary with their ex-lover after committing to their mate. And the day they celebrated was the day I died. Ryker, are you planning to celebrate your anniversary next year or mark my death?
***
Elara rushed over to the packhouse—my home—and as soon as she saw Ryker, she practically leaped into his arms. "Ryker, it's so dark and creepy outside, I'm freaking out!"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I watched her. It's dark every night, and I had never seen her this scared before.
Ryker gave her a reassuring hug, patting her back gently. "Don't worry, I've got you." He showed her the candles he bought, a bunch of emergency ones, clearly meant to calm her down. "With these, even if the power goes out during a storm, we'll still have light," he explained.
Elara sighed, leaning against his shoulder. "Ryker, you're my hero."
As I stood there, watching them, a sharp pang of jealousy pierced through me. Ryker’s warmth enveloped her, and I could almost feel the intimacy of that moment—the way he held her… It was as if my heart was being squeezed by an unseen hand, twisting and turning with each reassuring word he spoke to her.
Watching them now, I suddenly wished I could claw my way back to him. But instead, I was left as a mere observer, trapped in a world where I could no longer reach him.
It was getting late, and Elara needed to freshen up and hit the bed. She headed into my bathroom, shutting the door behind her and started raiding my skincare stash without a second thought. After she was done, she left everything in a mess, not bothering to put the caps back on properly.
She chuckled to herself. "Shirley won't mind, she's not coming back anyway."
In the mirror, I watched Elara silently, being all transparent. Outside, thunder rumbled, and when lightning struck, a figure materialized on the floor. Elara screamed and called out for Ryker. He burst through the door, shielding her in his arms.
She trembled against him, muttering, "Isn't this kinda risky? What if your mate shows up..."
Ryker shrugged. "I don't know." He glanced up, the lightning casting a cold glare on his face. "Even if she did, she's got no right to say anything. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have left, and we wouldn't have missed out on all these years together." I could hear the resentment in his voice. "You don’t need to stress about her. If she bites the dust out there, it doesn’t bother me one bit."
I felt a chill run down my spine at those words . Fine, mate! Your wish is my command. I hope you're truly as indifferent as you claim to be.
