Too Late to Choose Us

Chapter 3

The morning after Oliver's birthday party, Kevin was unusually up early.

Carrying the gift box of desserts he'd brought home the night before, he walked over to Oliver and deliberately softened his voice.

"Oliver, I had to leave in such a rush yesterday. This is to make it up to you."

Oliver glanced at the box without much interest. He didn't even reach for it.

I was standing right there. I knew what it was the second I saw it.

A box of caramel cakes. The too-sweet kind. Matt's favorite.

But Oliver had never liked sweet things. Even as a baby he'd gone for the plainer stuff, the kind that wasn't loaded with sugar.

Six years a father, and Kevin had another kid's favorite snack down cold. His own son's, he'd forgotten.

The room went quiet in a way that hurt.

It landed on Kevin too. His hand went still around the box, and something like panic crossed his face.

"I—I got them mixed up." He pulled the box back fast. "I'll bring you something better next time. The school's Family Day is coming up. I promise I'll clear my whole schedule and spend the day with you. Okay?"

Oliver merely nodded without enthusiasm.

Kevin's promises had become worthless. He'd made them countless times. He'd broken them just as many.

I stopped believing them long ago. So had Oliver.

Keeping my expression calm, I pulled out two documents and handed them over.

"The school needs a parent's signature for Family Day. Since you're going, just sign these."

The first page was the Family Day consent form. The second page, hidden beneath it, was the mate bond dissolution agreement I'd prepared in advance.

My heart pounded. I was terrified he'd actually read every page, discover what it really was, and refuse to sign, cutting off my only way out.

Just as he lowered his eyes to read the documents, his phone exploded with vibrations. Stacey's name flashed across the screen.

The moment he answered, Stacey's hysterical sobs filled the room.

"Kevin! Matt's getting worse! He's having trouble breathing! I can't handle this by myself! Please come!"

Kevin's face turned white. Without another glance at the papers, he scribbled his signature across them, tossed them onto the table, and rushed toward the door.

As he left, he threw out one sentence. "Matt needs me. I have to go."

I picked up the signed agreement. My fingertips traced over Kevin's signature.

My chest felt unbearably heavy. But instead of the agonizing heartbreak I'd expected, there was only numbness.

Without hesitating, I headed straight for the Elders' Hall.

The High Elder carefully examined the agreement before nodding solemnly.

"The agreement includes a ten-day waiting period. Once that ends, the dissolution becomes official automatically. If you change your mind, you may withdraw it anytime before then."

"I won't." My answer came without hesitation.

He frowned slightly. "Under our laws, once the mate bond is dissolved, you're legally entitled to half of Kevin's territory and half of his assets. The council will enforce that."

"I know."

Looking at my calm expression, he couldn't help trying one last time.

"You're being awfully ruthless. You've spent decades together. Are you really ending everything without giving him one more chance?"

I smiled bitterly. "I already gave him countless chances. He never cherished a single one. I'm done waiting. And I refuse to let my son spend the rest of his childhood waiting for someone who never chooses him. In Kevin's heart, someone else's child will always come before us. A husband like that, a father like that... Neither Oliver nor I need him."

Oliver was fate's own child, a once-in-a-century miracle. He should have been the most treasured thing in that house.

Instead, all Kevin ever gave him was one letdown after another, until the boy stopped letting himself hope for anything at all.

I turned and walked out of the Elders' Hall. I'd already made up my mind.

I wasn't waiting out the ten days. Tomorrow I was taking Oliver and leaving this place for good.