Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

T he evening air was cool against Caleb’s skin as he made his way back to his cabin. The fading light of the day cast long shadows across the path as he made his way slowly through the woods. The rhythmic crunch of gravel beneath his boots was the only sound cutting through the quiet. His muscles ached from the day’s work, a long stretch of duties for the pack that had kept his mind occupied, at least for a little while. But now, as he approached home, the weight of his thoughts returned, heavy and relentless.

All day, the women in the town had been unusually attentive. The human women, not the shifter females in the pack. It wasn’t that he hadn’t noticed their interest before. He’d always been aware of the way they flirted, the way their eyes lingered on him a little too long. But today had been different. More forward. More aggressive. As if they could sense something had shifted. As if they knew he wasn’t tied down anymore.

And maybe they were right.

Rochelle had always been at the center of his world. Even if she didn’t realize it. Even if she refused to accept the bond. But after their fight, after the ultimatum he had thrown at her— it’s either the job or me —he'd been off-kilter.

Caleb sighed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck as he approached the cabin. He barely had time to put his hand on the doorknob when he heard someone call out his name.

He turned, his senses immediately sharpening as he saw the barista from the coffee shop jogging up the path toward him, her brown hair bouncing lightly around her shoulders.

“Hey,” Holly said, breathless, as she reached him. “I’ve been trying to catch up with you for a quarter mile.”

If she had been a wolf, she would've caught him in a few yards. But she was human.

Caleb offered a small, polite smile, already feeling the discomfort settling in his chest. “What’s up?”

She shifted on her feet, glancing down before meeting his eyes. “I just… thought you might like some company.”

Caleb wasn't a fool. Though there had only ever been one woman in his life, he knew the games men and women played with one another. No one had ever bothered playing with him because he gave off unavailable vibes.

Today had been the first day he'd had a full-blown conversation with the barista. A conversation that had to do with more than his order. Caleb wouldn't say he'd flirted. He didn't know how to flirt. He'd complimented, sure. His compliments had always been genuine with what he noticed about other people. He'd just always had his attention fully on Rochelle. His attention would always be fully on Rochelle. Even if she left for the other job.

She was definitely leaving for the job. Her career meant so much to her. More, apparently, than he did.

“…and I’ve heard things." Holly was talking, though Caleb hadn't heard half of what she'd said. "People talk, you know? They say she’s never accepted the bond. That she’s rejected you. Is that true?”

His wolf stirred uneasily beneath his skin. He didn’t like talking about this—about the way Rochelle had kept her distance for years, about how he had waited, hoped, despite her constant refusal to acknowledge what they were to each other. But he couldn’t deny the truth.

Holly's expression softened with sympathy, and she took a step closer, her hand brushing lightly against his arm. “Caleb, that’s not fair to you. You deserve more than that. If she can reject the bond so easily, maybe she’s not your mate.”

The words struck him like a blow to the chest. He kept his face neutral, though inside, something sharp twisted. Not his mate? The very idea of it made his wolf snarl, a low growl of protest rumbling in his mind.

Holly winced at the sound, but she held her ground. “She’s not worth waiting for if she doesn’t see what she has with you. You need someone who wants you. Someone who’s ready to give you love in return, not keep you hanging on.”

Caleb looked away, his gaze fixed on the horizon as he processed her words. He had given Rochelle everything—his patience, his heart, his loyalty. And yet, she had always kept him at arm’s length, refusing to take the leap that he knew could be their future. Maybe it was time to move on.

“You don’t need her to be happy, Caleb. There are women here who would love you for who you are, without all the waiting and uncertainty. Women who see you, who want you.”

Holly reached up, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of his arm. Caleb’s skin prickled at the touch, but not in the way he was used to with Rochelle. This wasn’t the same. The bond wasn’t there. The pull wasn’t there.

The barista smiled, her eyes hopeful. “I wouldn’t mind if you took some time to get over her. If it ended with us.”

Caleb didn’t want to hurt Holly. She was kind, sweet, and probably right in a lot of ways. But this—whatever this was—wasn’t what he needed.

“I appreciate what you’re saying,” Caleb said softly, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside him. “But I’m not ready for… anything else right now.”

Holly’s smile faltered, but she didn’t back down. “I understand. But just know, Caleb, you deserve someone who chooses you. Who wants to be with you. Don’t let her keep you stuck.”

With that, she turned and walked away, her footsteps fading into the evening quiet.

Caleb stood there for a long time, staring after her, the barista’s words echoing in his mind. She was right about one thing—he couldn’t wait forever. And if Rochelle didn’t want the bond, maybe he would have to let her go.

But as Caleb finally turned and headed into his cabin, closing the door behind him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe he was holding on to something that wasn’t meant to be. And that realization—that maybe Rochelle would never come back to him—was the hardest truth of all.