15
1019 Words
ISLA
I was done.
Done with the silence, with the waiting. Done with pretending I was strong enough to handle everything on my own.
I didn't bother to go for walks like I always did. The forest path which always felt magical to me now felt mocking, like they belonged to a world I could never enter. So I chose to stay indoors, wrapped in quiet and shadows, watching as hours dragged by. Most times I forgot what day it was. Most times I didn't care.
Food lost its meaning and taste. I ate only when my body protested loudly. Even then, it was just enough to survive, not enough to feel alive.
What I wanted wasn't food. I wanted my life back.
I wanted to be around people who laughed easily, who spoke without fear, who didn't look at me like I was fragile glass. I wanted to belong to a place without feeling small, without feeling like I was constantly in the way.
More than anything, I wanted to be loved.
To be loved loudly. To be loved openly. Loved in a way that made me feel seen.
And Kade....Kade wasn't that man.
He wasn't even trying.
When I chose to stay indoors, a part of me had expected him to show up at my doorstep within hours. Maybe he would knock, or maybe demand to see me. Maybe he would ask if I was okay.
But he didn't.
Days passed. Long, quiet days. Yet, no Kade.
Each day that went by broke something inside me. I told myself not to care, but disappointment had a way of settling deep, right where hope once lived.
He wasn't caring like I thought he would be.
Yes, he was charming. Anyone with eyes could see that. He was devastatingly handsome in a way that felt so unfair, like the universe had spent extra time shaping him. Piercing eyes, a strong jaw, and an alluring presence that filled every room he walked into.
But romantic?
No.
He lacked in that aspect. He didn't know how to treat a woman right. He didn't know how to reassure, how to comfort a woman, how to show affection without turning it into control or distance.
Maybe it was a wolf thing, I thought to myself bitterly.
Maybe werewolves lacked emotions. Or maybe they felt emotions differently, buried deep behind duty and power.
Either way, I felt doomed.
I had always dreamed of a romantic relationship. The kind where someone notices when you're quiet, where love shows in the little things, like checking in, staying, listening.
Not this.
Not being bound to a creature whose expressions I couldn't figure out, whose feelings I couldn't touch.
Sometimes I stared at the ceiling and wondered if this was my punishment for dreaming too much.
After a full week passed without Kade attempting to show up, I stopped expecting him.
I told myself the truth, even though it hurt.
He wasn't coming.
Maybe he didn't care as much as I thought. Maybe I was just another responsibility to him, something he needed to protect, not someone to love.
But everything changed two days later.
I had just finished taking a warm bath, the kind of bath that leaves your skin soft and thoughts hazy. Steam still clung to the air as I stepped out, wrapping a towel tightly around my body. My hair dripped down my back as I walked into the bedroom.
I froze.
Kade was sitting at the edge of my bed.
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
"What are you doing here?" I blinked, tightening my grip on the towel.
He looked up slowly, calm as ever, like he hadn't just shattered my fragile peace. His gaze fell on mine briefly before he looked away, respectfully.
"I brought breakfast," he said calmly.
I followed his gaze and noticed the small table near him. On it was a neatly arranged meal. Eggs, toast, fruits, and even something that looked like freshly brewed coffee.
Not the regular pack food.
Human food.
"I can see that," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. "But I'm not hungry. You can leave with it."
He didn't argue. He didn't frown, he simply nodded.
"I heard you haven't eaten in days," he said. "I thought this would be better. It resonates with the kind of meal you humans enjoy."
Humans.
The word stung even though he didn't mean any harm.
I was surprised too.
I saw concern flicker in his eyes even though he tried to mask it. It was subtle but it was there. And it made my chest ache.
"I'll leave you with it," he continued. "I'll come back to check on you later."
Then he stood and walked toward the door.
He left. Just like that.
No smile. No pause. No attempt to stay.
How cold, I muttered.
The door closed behind him and I stared at it in disbelief
How could he not read between the lines?
I never meant for him to leave. I just didn't want him to see me like that, wrapped in a towel, exposed and vulnerable. I wanted time to get dressed, to feel like myself again.
But he didn't understand.
Or maybe he did and just didn't care enough to stay.
I sighed and walked to my closet, dressing slowly. When I was done, I returned to the room and stared at the food.
It looked just perfect.
Warm. Comforting and familiar.
My stomach betrayed me with a quiet growl.
I sat down and picked up the fork.
The first bite melted on my tongue and before I realised it, I was eating properly for the first time in days. Each bite reminded me of home. Of mornings when life was simple and love that didn't feel complicated.
When I was done, I leaned back and closed my eyes.
For the first time in a long time, my chest felt a bit lighter.
Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't completely hopeless.
But I wasn't ready to forgive him yet.
Not until he learned how to treat me right.
- Writer
