Caleb’s P.O.V
I held Caroline close as her shoulders shook, her quiet sobs muffled against my chest. I didn’t say a word; just let my arms circle her tightly, drawing her in as if I could shield her from whatever had broken her down like this.
She gripped my shirt, clutching it as though it was her only anchor, and I felt her trembling ease, bit by bit, as the moments passed. My hand moved up and down her back slowly, and I rested my chin on her head, letting her release it all without questions, without interruptions.
Her breathing, sharp and ragged at first, gradually softened, and I felt the tension leave her as she finally stilled. It broke my heart to see my best friend like this, but I gave her time to get herself together before I asked any questions.
It took time, but eventually, she pulled away, swiping at her tear-streaked cheeks, looking anywhere but at me. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her expression shattered, yet in that fleeting moment of silence between us, I could see she was trying to pull herself together from whatever it was that had broken her in the first place.
“Caleb, I’m so sorry to drag you into this mess,” she whispered, and I caught the brokenness in her voice, a stark contrast to the strong, fierce Caroline I’d always known.
I waited for a beat, then asked her the question that had me confused. “Caroline… why did you let him go?”
She stiffened slightly, her eyes darting away, but I kept my tone gentle as I repeated the question. “Why did you let Damien go when he’s your mate?”
She looked up at me, pain swirling in her gaze. “I didn’t… I didn’t want to,” she said, voice cracking, and I could feel the struggle in every word she forced out. “I…I’m just not ready for such a big commitment, Caleb, I can’t…I just can’t.”
I shook my head, the disbelief clear. Something was wrong if Caroline was rejecting the notion of the mating bond, and I needed to figure it out.
“Caroline, you once asked me if I’d let you go if you ever mated into another pack,” I reminded her, my tone unwavering, even as I felt the ache of seeing her hurt so deeply. “And I already gave you my answer, remember?”
She nodded, biting her lip as she looked away. I continued, “The mating bond… It's a gift from the Moon Goddess. I can’t interfere in that. I wouldn’t even try. I would never come between destiny and if that’s what holding you back...”
Was this because of the rivalry between me and Damien? The fact that we didn’t get along? Or was there something deeper that I wasn’t seeing?
“You know... my rivalry with Damien, it’s—it’s a different matter altogether, right?” I pressed, determined to find the truth. “It has nothing to do with... a mating bond, you know that, right? I would never try and stand in the way of such a thing.”
She finally turned, her expression softer than I’d expected, but there was something deeper there, a sadness I couldn’t quite place. She didn’t respond right away, just looked at me like she was weighing every word I’d said. Finally, she sighed, shaking her head.
“Caleb, it’s not about that,” she murmured, her gaze dropping to the ground. “I mean... yes, maybe it did matter at first, but that’s not why I... why I’m not ready to accept him. It’s not because of your issues with him.”
I frowned, genuinely confused. “Then why? Why would you let something like this hold you back from a bond that... that could mean everything?” My voice sounded harsher than I’d meant, and I tried to soften it.
“Caroline, Damien... he’s not perfect, but he’s your mate. That’s... that’s not something you just walk away from.”
She glanced back at the direction Damien had just walked away in, wrapping her arms around herself as if the words hurt to say out loud.
“Caleb, it’s because... I don’t want to leave. I’m not ready to walk away from this pack, from you, from everything I know.” Her voice broke a little, and she took a shaky breath. “I grew up here, with you, with everyone. The thought of leaving... It hurts more than you can imagine. And I know my parents—well, they’ve always wanted me to be with you, to be the Luna of the pack. It’s what they’ve always dreamed for me, what they believe is... my path.”
“Caroline-” I began, but stopped when I saw the expression on her face.
She shook her head, her expression pained. “It’s not just about them, Caleb. I don’t know how to explain it, but... leaving the pack feels like leaving a part of myself behind. And I’m not sure I can just... give that up. Not yet.” Her eyes held mine, pleading for understanding. “Do you get that, Caleb? Do you get why this is so hard for me?”
I nodded slowly, even though a part of me didn’t fully understand. But I knew the bond of the pack, the strength of our ties, and the fear of leaving the familiar and stepping into the unknown. “Yeah, Caroline, I get it,” I murmured, reaching out to take her hand, hoping the gesture could give her some semblance of comfort. “I fought so hard to fight the bond between me and Aurora, feeling like the Moon Goddess had made a mistake. But I overcame that fear, Caroline.”
I forced her to meet my eyes, hoping she could see the sincerity in them. “I’m happy now, happier than I ever expected to be. And at some point, you’re going to have to decide what you’re willing to give up... and what you’re not. No one else can make that choice for you—not me, not your parents, and not even Damien. So if you want me to talk to your parents-”
But as soon as Caroline heard the words, she began to panic immediately.
“Caleb, they can’t know yet,” she shook her head, her tone filled with urgency. “If they find out I’m connected to another Alpha… it’ll be chaos. They’ll try to force me to accept him, to get engaged even. It all feels so rushed, like I can’t even breathe in my own life, like I’m already shackled by their expectations before I’ve even had a chance to know who I am. I’m not even eighteen!”
She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “I mean, can’t I just... exist without everything being planned out for me?”
I felt my chest tighten as she spoke, her words settling heavy in the air between us. “Caroline,” I said, forcing myself to meet her gaze. I leaned closer, reaching out to touch her arm, wanting her to know I was listening. “Caroline, you don’t have to keep carrying this on your own. Let me help.” Her gaze lifted to meet mine, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and hesitation.
“I’ll talk to Damien,” I assured her, knowing I had to make this right before he got the wrong idea. “I’ll explain everything—make it clear that it’s not like you’re rejecting him because of me. He needs to understand that this is about your right to make your own choices, to live your own life.”
She looked at me, relief softening her expression for a moment. “You think he’ll listen to you?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry.
“I don’t know for sure, but I’ll make him listen,” I promised, squeezing her hand gently. “If he’s anything like I think he is, he’ll understand. He knows what it’s like to be under pressure—he’s lived it his whole life. But he deserves the truth from me, from both of us. He deserves to know that you’re just… not ready for any of this yet, not because of any feelings for me, but because it’s your choice, your life. And Caroline… I’ll stand by you, no matter what. Even if it means going against the expectations of everyone else.”
She exhaled, and a faint smile crossed her face. “Thank you, Caleb. I didn’t think anyone could really understand that.”
I patted her hair, pulling her in for an affectionate hug before letting her go, as we both slowly began to walk back towards the stadium.
“You know, Caleb,” she began, eyes glinting with something between amusement and exasperation. “If I were to have feelings for you, it’d be like…like having feelings for a sibling. Do you get what I’m saying?”
I couldn’t help it—I laughed, hard and sudden. “Oh, come on, Caroline! That’s how it is, huh? I was sure you were head over heels for my good looks and my charm!”
“Oh, please,” she rolled her eyes, the tension between us evaporating slowly. “The only thing I’m in love with is your car. You’re just my personal chauffer.”
“Lucky for both of us, then.” I laughed as our pace quickened. “Let’s just get back to the match and bring that trophy home, yeah? No need to worry about anything weird like that.”
She chuckled, giving me a playful shove. “Good. Now let’s go before someone else steals that cup and takes it home,” she said, heading toward the exit. But just as I was about to follow her, something stopped me—a familiar, tantalizing scent drifting through the air.
It was subtle, yet unmistakable. I froze, every nerve in my body alert. Aurora.
Caroline looked back at me, noticing my hesitation. “Caleb? What is it?”
I didn’t respond right away, sniffing the air like I was afraid I’d imagined it. But there it was again, lingering, unmistakable.
“Aurora…she was here. I don’t know when, but she was here, close by.”
Caroline’s expression shifted. “Wait, are you serious? Why would she just…show up and leave without saying anything?”
I shook my head, barely able to believe it myself. “I don’t know. But something doesn’t feel right.”