Chapter 71
Nate
Surprisingly, Rick took it well.
Sure, there was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes—just a flash, so quick I might've missed it if I hadn't been looking. But it wasn't the storm I expected. No anger. No pleading. No trying to convince me to change my mind.
Just… grace.
"Only you know what's best for you, beautiful," he said softly, pressing a kiss to my forehead before disappearing into the sea of wolves.
And just like that, he was gone.
No weighty goodbye. No dramatic exit. Just warmth and acceptance, even when it probably stung.
It should've made me feel relieved. Lighter.
Instead, I'm left standing there with this hollow ache inside me and a desire clawing beneath my skin—hot, relentless, directionless. The kind that demands movement, release, something.
Too much energy. Too much emotion. And nowhere to put it.
