“Hey, Cassie,” he said, his tone suddenly playful, the kind of voice he reserved for people he enjoyed being around. My heart sank as I realized just who he was talking to.
I couldn’t stand it. I turned my back to him, trying to block out the sound of his laughter as he chatted with her, his carefree tone grating against my raw nerves. The betrayal felt like a dagger twisting in my chest.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in a bit,” he said, glancing back at me. “Just gotta wrap things up here. See you soon.”
I felt sick. He was leaving me for her, and I could do nothing but stand there, paralyzed by pain and fury. Derek hung up and walked back toward me, his expression indifferent.
“Sorry, babe. Duty calls. I’ll be home later,” he said, as if that made everything okay.
“Home? Is that what you call this place now?” I snapped, feeling my throat tighten. “You’re just going to walk out on me again? After everything?”
He shrugged, not even bothering to mask his annoyance. “I can’t just sit around here moping, Lila. The pack needs me. You’ll be fine on your own for a while.”
“Fine on my own?” I repeated incredulously. “You think I’m fine? You think I’m just going to sit here and pretend everything’s okay while you run off with her?”
Derek’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not like that. I’m not running off with anyone. Cassie is just... a distraction, like I said. It doesn’t mean anything.”
The hurt was suffocating, and I took a step back, feeling my resolve start to crumble. “You know what? I don’t even want to hear your excuses anymore. You’ve made your choice clear. You don’t care about me, about what I’m going through.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but I cut him off. “You need to go. Just leave. I don’t want to see you right now.”
Derek looked taken aback, a mix of surprise and frustration on his face. “You’re being unreasonable. I’m still your mate, Lila.”
“Not anymore,” I said, the weight of my words hitting me hard. I was tired of fighting for a relationship that felt one-sided. “If you can’t be here for me, then what’s the point?”
Derek just shrugged his shoulders, as if my pain was a joke. “You’re overreacting, Lila. I’ll be back later. I’m still your mate, remember?” He didn’t take me seriously at all.
“Not anymore!” I shot back, but he didn’t seem to care.