Calix’s POV.
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the half-empty bottle in my hand. I had been drinking for hours, pouring glass after glass, hoping the burn of the wine would drown out the ache in my chest. But it only dulled it—never erased it.
The sun had long since set, replaced by a moon that peeked through the narrow window, casting a pale glow over the room. The bottle tilted as I brought it to my lips again, the last remnants of wine sliding down my throat.
“I love you.” Her words echoed in my head.
A bitter laugh rumbled in my chest. Love? Was this what love felt like? A twisting knife in the gut? A slow, suffocating betrayal?
I had spent nights blaming myself, thinking I had failed her as a mate, as her alpha. I had torn myself apart searching for answers, wondering what
