The Last Goodbye
824 Words
Chapter 4:
The knock came again.
Aria's hands tightened around the cup she was holding.
Her grandmother glanced at her.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
But Aria already knew avoiding Damon wouldn't make the pain disappear.
Taking a deep breath, she stood.
"I'll speak to him."
The walk to the door felt endless.
Every step reopened the wound in her heart.
Finally, she reached for the handle and pulled the door open.
There he was.
Damon Blackwood.
The man she had loved for most of her life.
The man who had shattered her dreams only hours ago.
For a moment neither spoke.
His blue eyes studied her face.
The sight of her swollen eyes made guilt flash across his features.
"Aria..."
His voice sounded rough.
She remained expressionless.
"What do you want, Alpha?"
The title struck him like a slap.
A faint pain crossed his face.
"You don't have to call me that."
"Why not?" she asked coldly.
"You made it very clear last night that we are no longer anything to each other."
Silence.
Damon looked away briefly.
Then he sighed.
"I came to apologize."
Aria laughed.
A bitter, broken laugh.
"Apologize?"
The word felt ridiculous.
"You humiliated me in front of the entire pack."
"Aria—"
"You chose another woman."
His jaw tightened.
"I had reasons."
The moment those words left his mouth, Aria's anger exploded.
"Reasons?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Do you think reasons make this better?"
Damon remained silent.
For the first time since meeting him, Aria saw uncertainty in the powerful Alpha's eyes.
He looked almost vulnerable.
Almost.
But not enough.
Not after what he had done.
"The alliance with Selene strengthens the pack," Damon finally said.
"Our enemies are growing stronger. Moonfang needs powerful allies."
Aria stared at him in disbelief.
"So that's it?"
"It isn't that simple."
"Then explain it to me."
He couldn't.
Because there was no explanation that could justify what happened.
No explanation that could erase the humiliation.
No explanation that could heal her broken heart.
Damon lowered his gaze.
For the first time, he looked defeated.
"I'm sorry."
Aria felt tears threatening to return.
She hated that part of her still wanted to forgive him.
Still wanted to believe the boy she loved was hiding somewhere beneath the Alpha.
But she couldn't.
Not anymore.
"You should leave."
His head lifted sharply.
"Aria—"
"Leave."
The word came out stronger this time.
Damon's wolf growled softly beneath the surface.
Not in anger.
In pain.
Because for the first time, he realized he was losing her.
Truly losing her.
"I never wanted to hurt you."
Aria swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Yet you did."
The words hung between them.
Simple.
Honest.
Impossible to deny.
For several long seconds neither moved.
Then Damon reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver pendant.
Aria immediately recognized it.
Years ago, he had given it to her as a promise.
A promise that they would always stand together.
Now it felt like a cruel reminder.
"I thought you should have this."
Aria stared at the pendant.
Then she shook her head.
"No."
Damon looked stunned.
"It belongs to you."
"It belonged to the people we used to be."
Slowly, she pushed his hand away.
"Keep it."
The rejection hurt him more than he expected.
He closed his fist around the pendant.
For the first time, fear settled deep inside him.
Fear that he had made a terrible mistake.
A mistake that could never be undone.
Finally, he nodded.
"If that's what you want."
Aria said nothing.
Damon took one last look at her.
His eyes lingered on her face.
As though trying to memorize it.
Then he turned and walked away.
Aria watched him disappear down the path.
The moment he was gone, her strength collapsed.
Tears streamed down her face.
Behind her, Grandmother Elara placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"He came too late."
Aria nodded.
"Yes."
She wiped her tears.
Then something unexpected happened.
A sudden wave of dizziness swept over her.
The world tilted.
Her knees nearly gave out.
"Aria!"
Elara caught her before she fell.
The old woman's expression immediately became serious.
"Come inside."
A few hours later, after examining her carefully and checking several symptoms, Grandmother Elara sat quietly across from her.
There was a strange look in her eyes.
A look Aria couldn't understand.
"What is it?" Aria asked nervously.
Elara smiled softly.
"My child..."
Aria's heart skipped.
"You're pregnant."
The world stopped.
Aria stared at her grandmother.
Unable to breathe.
Unable to think.
Unable to move.
One sentence echoed through her mind.
You're pregnant.
Slowly, her hand drifted to her stomach.
A child.
Damon's child.
A mixture of shock, fear, heartbreak, and wonder flooded her chest.
Tears filled her eyes once again.
But this time, they were different.
Because despite everything she had lost...
A new life had just begun.
- Writer
