However, I chose not to undergo surgery in the same clinic. I didn't want my work to get tangled with my personal life.
My Alpha accompanied me to my checkup, and as usual, he made an excuse and left in a hurry afterward. Unlike before, I didn't plead for his company. Watching him walk away, a strange detachment washed over me. His presence or absence no longer dictated my emotions.
As if the weaker Cassia became inside me, the more I could not connect to my emotions anymore.
When he mind linked me while I was deeply thinking, I was a bit startled. "Celeste, go home on your own. I'm quite busy today."
I simply replied, "Alright." In the past, I would have desperately needed him to pick me up. But things had changed. Not just me, but my affection towards him.
On my way home, I noticed my mate's car back at the clinic—contradicting his earlier claim that he could not pick me up. Upon returning to the pack house, I saw another post on Twitter, echoing the same words she had shared in another post. There, in the corner of the image, was Dane's shirt—a gift from me on his birthday. This user was none other than Felicity Valentin, my mate's childhood sweetheart who had returned from another pack after mating with someone there. For years, Felicity stayed in a mysterious town.
In Alpha Dane's eyes, I was merely a substitute for his first love, Felicity. Yet, foolishly in love, I had mated with him. I had even wanted to have his pups, but my miscarriage now seemed like a fateful warning against it.
God, the Moon Goddess must have hated me this much, huh?
After taking the medicinal herbs that were given to me, I drifted off to sleep.
During the night, I was stirred awake by the creak of the door. "What did the healer say today?" Dane asked softly, stroking my head. Caught in the air was a trace of another scent, one that I knew was not his, which I silently acknowledged by avoiding his touch.
"Nothing important," I forced a smile, "Everything's fine."
Dane nodded hurriedly, "There's a lot of meetings lately." Instead of challenging his lie, I rolled over and closed my eyes. "Maybe you should take a shower before bed."
He hesitated for a moment before silently heading to the bathroom, where I heard the water start to flow.
And there, I settled on the bed again, my back against the empty side.