The sound of claws ripping through flesh echoed in the night air, the forest trembling beneath the feral cries of rogues. Ryan's golden eyes glowed under the moonlight, his chest rising and falling with every breath. He shifted, his massive wolf form tearing through another rogue that had dared cross the pack's border. His men fought beside him, blades flashing, claws striking, the ground stained with blood.
"Alpha! More at the eastern side!" one of his warriors shouted through the mind-link.
Ryan snarled, leaping forward to finish the rogue before him. The moment his teeth sank into its neck, the bitter taste of betrayal and blood filled his mouth. He tossed the lifeless body aside, his ears catching every frantic sound around him.
But beneath the chaos, another sound—another pull—haunted him. A whisper in his heart. Mia.
For the last two days, he had thought of nothing but her, his wolf restless, demanding to go back. He had planned to visit her after the fights, to see her smile, to finally hear her voice after days of silence.
Then, in the middle of battle, his Beta's urgent voice cut through the mind-link.
"Alpha! The rogues are spreading—they've hit near the port. If we don't intercept them now, they'll reach the village!"
Ryan froze mid-step, his claws still dripping with blood. He wanted to run—run to Mia, run to where his heart was calling him. But his duty was here. His people, his pack, depended on him.
"Hold the line," Ryan growled, forcing his wolf back under control. His chest burned as he turned from the thought of Mia. I'll come to you, just wait. Please, wait for me.
Meanwhile, across the city, Mia's world had collapsed in a single, shattering moment.
The morning had been so bright, so beautiful. She had been walking with a light heart, her mind full of Ryan—his smile, his voice, his promises. She had even whispered to herself that she couldn't wait for him to come home.
And then—screeching tires, the blinding glare of headlights, the deafening crash. Pain surged through her body before the world went dark.
For two endless days, she lay unconscious in the hospital bed, machines beeping steadily at her side.
When she finally opened her eyes, the white ceiling blurred above her. Her head throbbed, her limbs heavy, but the first thing her lips whispered was, "Ryan?"
Rachel, sitting beside her, immediately grabbed her hand. Relief flooded her best friend's face. "Mia! You're awake! Thank goodness."
Mia blinked, her vision clearing, and she squeezed Rachel's hand weakly. "Has… has Ryan come?"
Rachel's smile faltered. Her husband, standing quietly at the foot of the bed, glanced away. Rachel swallowed hard, choosing her words carefully. "No, Mia. He hasn't been here."
The silence that followed cut deeper than the pain in Mia's body. Her chest tightened, her heart sinking like a stone. "He… didn't come?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Rachel quickly leaned forward, brushing Mia's hair back from her face. "Mia, listen. He must be busy. You know his work—"
"No," Mia said softly, her eyes filling with tears. She looked away, staring at the sterile hospital wall. "I thought… I thought he would be here."
Rachel hugged her gently, trying to soothe her, but Mia's heart ached too deeply. For all his sweet words, for all his promises, when she had needed him the most, Ryan hadn't come.
Later that afternoon, Rachel insisted on taking Mia home. She refused to let her best friend be alone in her fragile state. Reluctantly, Mia agreed. At Rachel's house, surrounded by warmth and care, she tried to smile, but her mind wouldn't let go of the ache in her chest.
When Rachel's husband brought her tea, Mia managed a polite "thank you," but as soon as she was alone in the guest room, she clutched the blanket tightly. Her tears fell freely then. She remembered Ryan's laugh, the way he teased her gently, the way he had looked at her as though she was his whole world.
"Why, Ryan?" she whispered to the empty room. "Why couldn't you be here?"
Back in the pack's territory, Ryan stood in his study, his shirt torn from battle, blood still staining his hands. His father's harsh words echoed in his ears—criticisms about his absence, about his human mate, about his split loyalties. But all Ryan could think about was Mia.
His Beta entered, bowing slightly. "The borders are secured for now, Alpha. But we lost more men."
Ryan nodded stiffly, dismissing him. The moment the door closed, he sank into his chair, pressing a hand to his face. His wolf clawed at him from the inside, restless, angry, and aching.
She's hurt. She's suffering. And you weren't there.
The guilt tore through him, sharper than any rogue's bite. He slammed his fist against the desk, the wood cracking under the force.
Finally, unable to endure the silence any longer, he grabbed his phone. His hand shook slightly as he dialed her number.
The line rang once, twice, and then clicked.
"Mia?" His voice was softer than he intended, a mix of hope and desperation.
There was silence on the other end, and then her voice, cool and trembling. "You're not my visitor, Ryan."
The words pierced him. "Mia—"
"I had an accident, Ryan," she continued, her voice breaking. "I was unconscious for two days. And you… you didn't even come. Not once."
Ryan closed his eyes, his chest tightening as if claws were digging into his heart. "Mia, I—"
"No," she cut him off, her tone sharp with pain. "Don't say anything. You could've been here. You could've called. But you didn't. And now you want to ask how I am? Do you even care?"
Her words, heavy with betrayal, struck deeper than any wound he had ever carried.
"Mia," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I care more than anything. You don't know how much I wanted to be there. But I—"
She let out a bitter laugh, though tears filled her eyes. "There's always a 'but' with you, isn't there, Ryan? Always something more important than me."
Before he could respond, the line went dead.
Ryan sat frozen, the phone still pressed to his ear. The silence that followed was unbearable. His wolf howled within him, mourning, furious, aching for the mate they were losing.
He buried his face in his hands, the weight of his choices crushing him. I failed her. I failed my mate.
But even in the depths of his despair, a flicker of resolve burned in his chest. He could not let it end like this. Not with Mia.
"I'll make it right," he whispered into the empty room. "Even if it kills me, Mia… I'll make you believe in me again."