He hung up and turned to me, his eyes filled with awkwardness and an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher. “It's... It's Felicity. Her child has a fever. I need to…”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to speak. “It’s fine,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “You should go. The child is more important.”
He stood up, hesitating for a moment before grabbing his coat. “Wait for me, okay? I'll pick you up. I’ll be back soon,” he promised, then hurriedly left.
I was left alone, staring at the half-eaten cake. The rain outside lashed against the windowpanes, mirroring the tears I refused to shed. Sighing deeply, I finished the cake and got up to leave.
Outside, I hailed a cab and told the driver to drop me at Silver Moon Pack. The drizzle had turned into a steady downpour, and by the time I reached the entrance of our apartment building, I was soaked and shivering. The cold rain on my face felt almost purifying, washing away the remnants of the evening’s farce.
Once home, I took a long, hot shower, trying to scrub away the lingering sense of betrayal.
Wrapped in a towel, I scrolled through my phone and saw Felicity’s latest tweet. It showed Dane sitting by her child’s bed, a warm yellow light casting a cozy glow over the scene. The image was the complete opposite of the cold, lonely rain outside.
The next morning, the Alpha stumbled through the door, looking disheveled and exhausted. His eyes were heavy with the weight of a sleepless night.
“Diana had a high fever all night. It wouldn’t go down,” he said, his voice strained. Diana was Felicity’s child, and hearing her name felt like a reminder that he would put everyone else before me.
“Is everything okay now? Why didn’t you stay longer? It must be hard for Felicity to handle a sick child alone,” I replied, my words laced with a bitterness I didn’t bother to hide.
Upon hearing that, Dane paused, halfway through shrugging off his coat. A flicker of annoyance crossed his features. “Are you being sarcastic again?” he sighed, the sound heavy with weariness. Whether it was real or just another act, I couldn’t tell. “Look, I didn’t sleep all night. I’m very tired.”
“Then you should get some rest. I’m going to the clinic,” I said, reaching for my bag, already turning away.
“Celeste…” he began, reaching out to stop me.
“What is it?” I asked, my tone flat and devoid of interest.