bChapter /bb126 /b

bCaleb’s /bP.O.V

I held Caroline close as her shoulders shook, her quiet sobs muffled against my chest. I didn’t say a word; just let bmy /barms circle her btightly/bb, /bdrawing her in as bif /bbI /bcould shield her from whatever had broken her down like this.

bShe /bgripped my shirt, clutching it as though it was her only anchor, and I felt her trembling ease, bit by bit, as the moments passed. My hand moved bup /bband /bdown her back slowly, and I rested my chin on her head, letting her release it all without questions, without interruptions.

Her breathing, sharp and ragged at first, gradually softened, and I felt the tension leave her bas /bshe finally stilled. It broke my heart to see bmy /bbest friend like this, but I gave her time to get herself together before I asked any questions.

It took time, but eventually, she pulled away, swiping at her tear–streaked cheeks, looking anywhere but at me. Her eyes were red–rimmedb, /bher expression shattered, yet in that fleeting moment of silence between us, I could see she was trying to pull herself together from whatever it bwas /bthat had broken bher /bbin /bthe first ce.

“Caleb, I’m so sorry to drag you into this mess,” she whispered, and bI /bcaught the brokenness in her voice, a stark contrast to the strong. fierce Caroline bI’d /balways known.

I waited for a beat, then asked her the question that had me confused. b“/bCaroline… why did you let him go?”

She stiffened slightly, her eyes darting away, but I kept my tone gentle bas /bbI /brepeated the question. “Why did you blet /bDamien go when he’s your mateb?/bb” /b

She looked up at me, pain swirling in her gaze. “I didn’t… I didn’t want to,” she said, voice cracking, and 1 could feel the struggle in every word she forced out. “I…I’m just not ready for such a bigmitment, Caleb, I can’t…I just can’t.”

I shook my head, the disbelief clear. Something was wrong if Caroline was rejecting the notion of the mating bond, and I needed to figure it bout/bb. /b

“Caroline, you once asked me if I’d let you go if you ever mated into another pack,” I reminded her, my tone unwavering, even as I felt bthe /bache of bseeing /bher hurt so deeply. “And I already gave you my answer, remember?”

She nodded, biting her lip as she looked away. bI /bcontinued, “The mating bond… It’s a gift from the Moon Goddessb. /bI can’t interfere in that. bI /bbwouldn’t /beven try. I would nevere between destiny and if that’s what holding you bback/b…”

Was this because of the rivalry between me and Damien? The fact that we didn’t get along? Or was there something deeper that I wasn’t seeing?

“You know… my rivalry with Damien, it’s–it’s a different matter altogether, right?” I pressed, determined to find the truth. “It has nothing to do with… a mating bond, you know that, right? I would never try and stand in the way of such a thing.”

She finally turned, her expression softer than I’d expected, but there was something deeper there, a sadness I couldn’t quite ceb. /bShe didn’t respond right away, just looked at me like she was weighing every word I’d said. Finally, she sighed, shaking her head..

“Caleb, it’s not about that,” she murmured, her gaze dropping to the ground. “I meanb… /bbyes/b, maybe it did matter at firstb, /bbut that’s not why I… why I’m not ready to ept him. It’s not because of your issues with him.”

I frowned, genuinely confused. “Then why? Why would you let something like this hold you back from a bond that… that could mean everything?b” /bbMy /bvoice sounded harsher than I’d meant, and I tried to soften it./

“Caroline, Damien… he’s not perfect, but he’s your mate. That’s… that’s not something you just walk away from.”

She and

“Caleb, it’s because… I don’t want to leave. I’m not ready to walk baway /bfrom this pack, from you, from everything I know.” Her voice bbroke /bba /blittle, and she took a shaky breath. “I grew up here, with you, with everyone. The thought of leaving… It hurts more than you can imagine. bAnd /bbI /bbkr /bv parents–bwell/b, they’ve always wanted me to be with you, to be the Luna of the pack. It’s what they’ve always dreamed for me, what they believe is… ollith. /li/ol

“Caroline-” I began, but stopped when I saw/the expression on her faceb. /b

She shook her head, her expression pained. “It’s not just about them, Caleb. I don’t know how to exin it, but… leaving bthe /bbpack /bfeels like leaving ba /bbpart /bbof /bmyself behind. And I’m not sure I can just… give that up. Not yet.” Her eyes held mine, pleading for understanding. “Do you bget /bthatb, /bbCaleb/bb? /bDo you get bwhy /b

bChapter /bb126 /b

this is so hard for bme/b?*

bChapter /bbComments /b

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