(Ryan’s POV)
I barely remembered the walk home. My body moved on autopilot while my brain stayed behind, stuck in that goddamn hallway with her door closed in my face.
She hadn’t rejected me... not officially. But she may as f*****g well have.
I stepped into the house, my heart still thudding in my chest, my mind still spiraling, and practically collided with my mom in the hallway.
“Oh, hey! How was the meeting?” she asked with far more enthusiasm than I could handle. “Did Alpha Blaine have anything interesting to say about—”
“It was fine,” I cut her off. My tone was sharp, clipped, and I didn’t even wait for her to respond before brushing past her and heading for the stairs.
I didn’t have the emotional capacity to pretend to care about anything Alpha Blaine had said. I didn't have t
