Chapter 90
Chapter 90
Caleb’s POV
I knew this would happen, the moment the words left her lips, my heart clenched. Did she suddenly miss him? Why would she say that to me? This, this right here, is the reason I never allowed myself to fall for anyone before. And now look at me, a complete mess because of one sentence.
Why did I walk out on her like that? Sht, despite how hurt I feel, I can’t hurt her, I have to go back. As I look around, I realize I walked farther from the hotel than I thought, lost in my own storm.
I could have just pulled her into my arms instead of walking away like a coward. I would have asked why she chose to go back. With regret burning in my chest, I turn and run back as fast as I can.
“Did she go out?” I ask the guard at the gate, breathless.
“No, she didn’t, Beta,” he replies, bowing.
Relief washes over me. I’m sure we can figure this out. I don’t want to let her go. Not now, not ever. But when I enter the villa… I’m greeted by complete emptiness, the air feels hollow, and the room is cold, too cold even.
“Raven!” I call out, but I get no answer. I check every corner, every room, every place she could have hidden herself, but I don’t find her, she left, she fcking left.
No… Raven, you can’t do this to me, I feel a tinge of hope when I see her things, but what if she left those as she did me? Raven no! just come back please.
Time passes, and she still doesn’t show, my heart becomes a wreck, but I force myself to go on because the pack needs me. Responsibilities don’t pause for heartbreak.
Slowly but painfully, life begins to fall back into something that resembles normal. But not a single minute passes without me thinking of her. I didn't go looking for her because that was her choice, I just thought she would actually come back to me eventually but she never did. And I had to accept that this time it was for good.
A year passes, and then another and no word from her. The new recruits graduate and take their posts. She could have been among them, she should have been among them, but she vanished from the face of the earth. I miss her every moment, every day, every breath. But I guess… I have to move on. I don’t think she’ll ever come back to me. I’m sure she’s with Raphael. I’m sure their connection was stronger. Maybe she couldn’t resist, she chose him over me.
But even then, I’ll never be with another woman besides her. I know that with absolute certainty. All I want is her. Only her, always her.
Raven’s POV
The reason I came back to this fool is simple, I need to master my powers. I can’t let Caleb go. I don't remember our moments but I’m going to do everything I can to get my memories back.
The moments I’ve spent with Caleb, were pure bliss. I want to reciprocate those feelings. I don’t want to only feel attraction, I want to feel the love I once felt for him. I want to feel whole again.
And Raphael… he’s going to help me do that. I won’t run away this time. I’ll face everything head-on. I need to do this for Caleb I know he has done so much for me and I've to sacrifice this time as well. But first, I need to be strong.
I get out of bed, stop feeling sorry for myself, and change into my two-piece outfit. I make sure I look presentable, and confident. I straighten my hair and apply just enough makeup before heading out.
“You look amazing, Trice. I’m really glad you came back,” Raphael says, taking my hand. Revulsion curls in my stomach, but I let him hold it. Everything needs to look believable.
“Thank you,” I say with a small smile.
“Will you have breakfast? I made some.”
“Not really,” I reply. “I need you to show me around. I need to settle in properly… and then I need you to announce me as your mate to the pack.”
“What? You’re serious?" He asks and I nod calmly.
“Yes, Rapha. I want everyone to know you are mine.”
His entire face lights up. If I didn’t know who he truly was, I would have believed that smile belonged to a gentle man.
He leans forward as if to kiss me, but I push him away slightly.
“I need some time, Rapha, okay?” Instead, I wrap my arms around him in a soft embrace. I feel his tense muscles loosen. “I just want us to build our relationship slowly.”
“Okay, Trice,” he whispers, smiling. “I’ll wait for you. I’ve waited for a very long time… and now that you’re here with me, I’ll wait as long as you need.” He smiles, it looks genuine.
He spends hours showing me around the Nadine-West Pack territory. Afterward, I tell him I want to see my parents. This time, he uses the physical path, we don’t teleport. I think if I stay patient enough, everything will fall into place the way I need it to.
At their house, I behave normally, I want to see that im eager to know them. I even pretend to be comfortable with Raphael.
But every day, every moment, I miss Caleb. Even though my memories are foggy, the emotion remains sharp. The only thing I clearly remember is running through the woods, terrified, with no idea where I was going.
My mother has been helping me control and channel my powers. Slowly, they’re letting me into their plan. To keep myself busy, I enroll in an adult school, and because of my powers, I learn fast and after a year, I graduate with a certificate, I can now read and write with ease . After that, I join a beauty class and study fashion. I keep myself moving so the emptiness doesn’t swallow me.
During my lessons, I sometimes remember small glimpses of Caleb, like the moment he handed me a phone. Little memories come back in flashes, stabbing at me with longing. I miss him like crazy, but as I said… I want to go back to him when I am whole. I don’t want him living in constant fear of losing me. I can’t put him through that again. And if he moves on, then I’ll just have to let him go. I hope he stays patient with me though.