Rylan spent the morning convincing himself that maybe today would be different. Maybe Kia would finally notice him. Maybe he could finally tell him how he felt.
He adjusted his old suit nervously. It was worn at the edges, but it fit him well, and with his face—sharp, handsome, impossible to ignore—he felt ready.
He walked into the graduation party and took a seat, scanning the room. Kia wasn't there.
Maybe he's just running late… Rylan told himself.
Then a commotion stirred across the hall. Heads turned, whispers spread.
Rylan followed the gaze of everyone around him. And froze.
There he was. Kia. Tall, confident, perfectly handsome as ever. But beside him… linked hand in hand… Rylan's own brother, Seth.
Time seemed to stop.
Rylan's chest tightened. His heart shattered.
Tears blurred his vision. His wolf growled low inside him, furious and restless, but he couldn't move.
Seth's friends noticed immediately. Loudly, probably for him to hear, they asked, "So… Kia and you now a thing?"
Seth's smile widened. "Yes. Kia is my fiancé now. We're together."
The words hit Rylan like a hammer. Everything went numb.
For a brief moment, Kia's eyes met his. There was pain there. A flicker of regret. He looked pained. Conflicted. Almost… guilty.
But then he looked away.
Rylan's chest ached. He wanted to speak. To shout. To beg Kia to fight for them. But no words came.
Kia approached him, eyes soft but firm. "Rylan…" His voice was low, strained. "…I can't be with you."
Rylan's throat tightened. "…Why? After everything—"
Kia shook his head. "I'm sorry. I… I care about you. I care more than you know. But I can't fight this. Not with my family. Not now."
Rylan felt the world collapse. His knees weakened, his hands clenched into fists. His wolf whimpered low, grief-stricken.
Kia gave him a long, pained look, then stepped back. Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Rylan frozen in the middle of the hall.
The laughter and chatter around him blurred into white noise. Rylan sank into a chair, chest tight, heart broken, wolf growling mournfully in grief.
He was alone.
And the person he loved most had just walked away.