I slipped the phone back into my bag and gave a self-deprecating laugh. I was done relying on him. Done letting habit control me.
With shaky hands, I signed the paperwork and followed the healer to the IV room alone.
After finishing the IV, I felt more dizzy than before. The cool, sterile air of the pack’s medical center wasn’t doing much to help, and I swayed slightly as I took a step forward, my head spinning.
Asher still hadn’t come back. No calls, no messages. He’d said he’d check on me after the healer, but nothing.
I pulled out my phone, feeling the weight of the situation press on me. I had to call him, even though I didn’t want to.
When he picked up, I could hear the faint sounds of laughter and the soft hum of an Italian ballad in the background.
"Lois, I’m sorry," he said, his voice distracted. "I was going to come back, but Celeste... she had some trouble shifting back into her wolf form. I had to help her out."
I froze at the mention of her. “Asher, I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.”
A waitress’s voice cut through the call. “Your pizza is ready, sir. Please enjoy your meal.”
I clenched my jaw. It was clear he was with her, not me! He quickly covered the phone, but I heard it all.
“It’s okay. I’ll manage on my own,” I said, trying to sound convincing, though I knew he could hear the crack in my voice.
Just as I was about to hang up, Asher called out. “Lois, head home. I’ll explain everything later.”
Explain? What was there to explain? Another round of lies?
Wow.
Without a word, I ended the call and arranged for a ride back to the pack house. That night, Asher didn’t come home.
I lay awake, the faint sound of wind rustling through the trees outside rattling my thoughts. I picked up my tablet, trying to distract myself by sketching designs for a client.
But then I accidentally brushed against the chat app, and a new post popped up from Celeste.
A picture of a candlelit dinner table adorned with roses, captioned with:
“After half a lifetime away, I return to you. And here, the world feels warm again, just as it should.”
My heart sank. Only when I tried to log out did I realize the chat app was still open on Asher’s account.
I should’ve been angry. I should’ve felt something. But instead, I just felt numb. I quickly logged out of the app, not wanting to dive into their little world of flirtations and secrets.