Perfect timing. He scented his mate walking near.
Getting up from his seat, he moved to the double doors and flung them open. Charlotte jumped, letting out a small yelp before she got herself back under control.
Micah frowned. She carried two suitcases and a backpack.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Home.” She made to walk right past him, but his hand shot out and caught her before she could leave.
“What is this? I thought you’d join us for breakfast.”
“No thanks,” she said, and pulled her arm from his grip.
“I don’t understand.” Micah cupped her cheek, tilting her head back to look at him. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying the night before.
He ran a thumb down her pale cheeks. Charlotte tore from his grasp and moved to the door.
“There’s nothing to understand. I’m going home.”
“I can take you to get more stuff,” he informed her, reaching for his coat.
“No!” she shouted.
He paused.
“Don’t you get it? I’m done. We’re finished. Over. I’ve had enough. I don’t want this mate thing anymore. It’s over, Micah.”
“I don’t accept that.”
Micah had grabbed her in the hope his touch would stop her. “I’m a human. You’re a werewolf. Get your hands off me.” Charlotte stared at him with fire in her eyes.
“You’re my mate.”
“I’m nothing more than an inconvenience, and it’s time for me to leave.” She brushed past him.
“Is that all this was? A little bit of fun for you?” he called after her. The wolves sat silent at the table. He didn’t care what they heard. The only thing he cared about was walking away from him.
“How dare you?” She placed her cases on the floor and came charging back at him. Her little finger rose in the air. “I was engaged. I had a man who wanted to marry me. My life was fucking perfect until you came along and ruined it.”
She pressed the tip of her finger against his chest. The tears streamed from her eyes.
“Don’t go,” he said, the tears punching him in the gut.
“I don’t understand why this hurts so much. I know you’ve been with other women. You’re older than me. I don’t know if I can deal with you sleeping with Misty and god knows how many other women you’ve slept with in this pack. I just can’t do it.” She shrugged, and she wiped at the tears falling from her eyes.#p#分页标题#e#
“They mean nothing.”
“Now they mean nothing. Now. What happens when you crave another wolf? A female wolf? I can’t do this, Micah. If you cared, you’d let me go.” Her tears turned to sobs. Micah stared back and saw Cade shatter the glass he was holding.
“Let me take you. I want to make sure you’re safe.” She would refuse. Micah knew it in his gut. “Please.”
Eventually she nodded, and he grabbed his jacket and car keys.
The drive to her house didn’t take long. Micah tried to talk to her, but she wouldn’t say anything. She spent most of the journey looking out of the window. Her parents were standing waiting on the porch when he drove up.
Charlotte got out and took her cases with her.
Micah got out and watched as she went to her mother. His heart was breaking as he witnessed her breaking down in her mother’s arms, sobbing.
Frank stared at him, murder in his eyes. Charlotte was pulled into the house until he could no longer see her. Micah stared at Frank for several more minutes.
He didn’t care about the way her father looked at him. His only concern was to make sure Charlotte was safe. Some neighbors came out to see what was going on. None said a word. He waited. The sun rose in the sky to the highest peak and still he waited. A curtain twitched, and he stared into her eyes. Charlotte stood at the window looking down at him. She made no move, and in that moment, he knew he’d lost her.
Turning away, he got into his car and drove away.
He felt nothing.
* * * *
Charlotte watched Micah stand outside her door for all of three hours before he turned and left. Once the car was in the distance, she went up to her room. She stared at her suitcases. Her clothes were in there, but if she began to unpack, it would be accepting her time with Micah was over. She sat on the bed and waited until the call from her mother to announce dinner was ready. She was crying again, and when she went down to dinner, her parents refused to talk to her.
The meal with her parents was a long and tiring process. She missed the hustle and bustle of the pack. Micah always sat at her side feeding her little morsels he thought she’d like. Even though she cooked the food and they ate casually, he always treated a meal like they were eating in a five-star restaurant.