I continue to follow her scent until it leads me to her room.

I stand, exhaling shakily, staring at the door as if it could give me answers. As if it could help me fix this. Knox presses closer to the surface, restless and desperate as I am, to ease the pain I caused her today.

I close my eyes briefly. I already feel her through the door. Her energy hums through the air, pressing through the bond heavily.

My pulse quickens and my heart fucking shatters when I smell her tears. I thought I knew pain when Lola rejected me. I thought I knew pain when I lost my parents, but none of that compares to this.

Nothing compares to the pain of hearing your mate sob because of the pain you caused her.

I hear her heartbeat and feel her pain and heartbreak. Pain that I'm responsible for. It doesn't matter that Lola caught me off guard. I should have reacted faster. I should have pushed her. I should have done anything possible to make sure Sadie didn't get hurt.

Knox's voice is low and pained. "This is on us."

I swallow hard. “Yeah.”

For a long moment, I just stand there, staring at her door, unsure if I even deserve to knock. If I even deserve to face her... but it doesn't matter because I can't live without her. I need her and I'll do anything to make sure I don't lose her.

Picking up my courage, I knock. Once. Twice. Three times.

No answer.

"Sadie," I call quietly, my voice trembling despite me trying to sound steady. “It's me.”

Nothing.

"Please, open the door."

Still nothing.

Her heartbeat doesn't change. It stays fast and erratic, but I can tell she's listening.

"I know you're in there," I continue softly. "Please don't shut me out... let me explain."

I get nothing but silence.

Knox nudges at me again. “Say something. Anything. Don't let her think we wanted that kiss."

"I don't want her," I say quickly, words tumbling out. "I swear I didn't—”

My voice breaks mid-sentence, and I can't complete the sentence.

A faint shuffle from inside. Hope flares in my chest and for a moment, I think maybe she'll open the door. Maybe she'll let me in.

But then her voice comes through. Soft, shaking and if it wasn't for my werewolf hearing, I would have missed it.

“Please, Alec...... just leave me alone.”

The words hit harder than any physical blow. It feels like I've just taken a hammer to my chest.

"I can't," I whisper. "I can't leave you like this, Sadie."

But I hear the quiet hitch of her breath, and I know pushing harder will only make it worse.

I take a deep, trembling breath.

"Okay," I say finally, my voice

cracking under the weight of it

give you space. But tomorrow, I'm

coming back. I'll explain everything. I

promise."

Silence answers me.

I linger there a few seconds longer, listening to her heartbeat, wishing I could take away her pain, wishing she could see the truth in my eyes. Finally, I turn away.

Each step down the hallway feels

et

heavier than the one before. By the time freach the stairs my heart feels like it's breaking over and over. My chest feels hollow, carved out.

Knox's voice is a low, broken growl. "We can't lose her, Alec. Not now when we've just found her."

"We won't," I whisper, though the words tremble on my tongue. "I won't let that happen."

But as I step out into the night, the echo of her voice follows me like a curse. And for the first time in years, I feel powerless. Not as an Alpha Not as a man. But as a mate.

Because the one person who finally made me feel whole again no longer wants to see my face.