Chapter 8
+5 Points
Chapter 8
“I’m probably going to catch a cold,” he muttered, his voice laced with mock irritation.
I stilled for a moment, his words dragging me back to memories I’d tried to bury. Back then, when Alpha Waldo was tirelessly establishing the SnowMoon Pack, I’d doted on him endlessly. I’d fussed over every detail–hot water bottles, spare blankets, making sure his thermos was always filled.
But now? Now, it was as if he’d forgotten that I’d been just as tireless in my support. Forgotten that I, too, had worked hard. Forgotten… me.
‘, I sighed, forcing myself to sound apologetic.“Oh,
okay. Sorry.”
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He paused, studying me like he was trying to figure something out. “Are you still upset about Alanna?”
I laughed a sharp, humorless sound. “You’ve made it abundantly clear there’s nothing between you two. Why would I be upset?”
His brow furrowed as if he didn’t quite believe
- me.
As I turned to head to the kitchen, his voice stopped me. “Then why aren’t you taking care of me anymore?”
Once, I would’ve been up all night worrying about him. If I couldn’t find him, I’d call his Beta relentlessly, only to be chided for being a
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nuisance.
But now, with that constant care and concern gone, it seemed my absence was far more noticeable than my presence had ever been.
“I’m just really tired from work,” I replied flatly.
He stared at me for a long moment before turning and heading to the bedroom to change.
As I cracked an egg into the pan, focusing on the mundane task of making breakfast, Alpha Waldo stormed into the kitchen, his frustration palpable.
“Why are there so many clothes missing from the closet?” he demanded.
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I turned, startled by his tone.
“And the blind box display case–what happened to that? Wasn’t that your favorite?”
I felt a pang in my chest. Selling the blind boxes had been one of the hardest things I’d done. I’d collected them for years, finding small bursts of joy in the ritual. But they couldn’t come with me, and letting them go had been another necessary step in severing the ties that bound me to this place.
I shrugged, masking the sting. “I didn’t need them anymore.”
His eyes widened slightly, a flicker of shock breaking through his usual composed exterior. We stood there in a thick silence, the weight of
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the unsaid pressing down on us both.
“I’ll buy you new ones,” he said suddenly, his tone almost desperate. “I’ll get you whatever you want–the stars from the sky if I have to.”
I didn’t respond. Instead, I focused on the floor, my silence speaking volumes.
His gaze drifted to the countdown calendar on the wall, the large red digits glaring back at him. Confusion crept into his features. “Two days left. What’s happening in two days?”
I followed his gaze to the calendar, a bitter smile. tugging at my lips. His ignorance was almost laughable–if it didn’t hurt so much.
I thought about answering him, but the memory
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of the ring box slipping from his pocket the day before stopped me. Alanna’s post linking to that particular ring brand had been the final nail in
the coffin.
I stayed quiet.
Instead, I reached for the simple ring I’d worn for years–the one he’d given me with the meager savings from his first year after graduation. It hadn’t been expensive, but it had been meaningful. A symbol of devotion.
I’d worn it for years, never once considering taking it off.
But now, I slowly removed it and placed it gently into his hand.
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His expression shifted instantly. The warmth in his eyes disappeared.
“Valerie, what do you mean by this?”
I looked at him with a calm I didn’t feel. “It’s
worn out. It’s been too long.”
He seemed to grasp something in that moment. His features softened a little, but there was still
a distance between us.
“You’re right,” he said slowly, his tone almost conciliatory. “It’s time for a new one. I’ll have it polished. I’ll surprise you with something special.”
“What kind of surprise?”
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A faint, cryptic smile tugged at his lips. “You’ll see in two days.”
Then, as if it were an afterthought, he added, “Valerie, trust me. I really do love you.”
I didn’t answer. Words no longer felt enough- not after everything.
Two days from now, I would be gone. And part of me wondered if I even had the strength to
wait that long.
As he turned to leave, he glanced over his shoulder. “How about we visit our alma mater
tomorrow?”
I nodded, my mind already miles away.
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Chapter 9
+5 Points
Chapter 9
