Lila woke up to an unfamiliar heaviness weighing her down. Her body felt achy, her head throbbed faintly, and her skin was clammy to the touch. She blinked up at the ceiling, her thoughts muddled as she tried to make sense of why she felt so off. It wasn't like her to feel this drained. She had always been the type to power through anything, but today, even getting out of bed felt like an impossible task.
Dragging herself to the bathroom, she splashed cold water on her face, hoping it would help shake the weariness from her system. As the water trickled down her cheeks, she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her skin looked pale, her lips slightly chapped, and there were faint circles beneath her eyes. She sighed and rubbed her temples, wondering if it was just the stress of her new job catching up to her.She went back to her bed as she was really weak.
Mia knocked gently before peeking her head into the room. "Lila? You're going to be late if you don't get up now—oh, God, you look awful."
Lila sat up slowly, blinking at her roommate. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," she mumbled, her voice hoarse."I will be out shortly "
When she finally stumbled out of her room and into the kitchen, Mia was already there, sipping coffee and scrolling through her phone. As soon as Mia looked up and saw Lila, her face immediately shifted into concern.
"Lila, you look terrible," Mia said bluntly, setting her mug down and walking over to her. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Lila forced a weak smile. "Good morning to you too," she joked, though her voice lacked its usual energy. "I don't know. I just feel… off. Tired and achy, like I'm coming down with something."
Mia's brow furrowed as she placed a hand on Lila's forehead. "You don't feel feverish, but you definitely don't look well. Maybe we should go to the hospital and get you checked out?"
Lila hesitated, glancing down at her hands. Her mind raced with possibilities, none of which seemed to fit. She wasn't the type to get sick easily, and this felt different. Then, like a bolt of lightning, the memory hit her—the day Caleb had marked her during the mating bond. The rush of emotions, the searing pain, the connection she had felt deep in her soul… it all came flooding back.
Her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes widened as she looked at Mia. "I don't think it's that kind of sickness," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What do you mean?" Mia asked, her expression shifting from concern to confusion.
Lila hesitated, unsure how to explain. "It's… it's complicated. Let's just say it's something that happened before we left town. It's not physical—it's… emotional, I think."
Mia was watching her closely, concern etched across her face. "What is it? You're scaring me."
Lila hesitated, not wanting to explain everything. Instead, she gave a faint shake of her head. "Nothing. I just… I think I need a day to rest."
Mia didn't look convinced but nodded anyway. "Okay, but promise me you'll go to the doctor if you don't feel better by tomorrow.
"I will," Lila lied.
Mia studied her for a moment, then sighed. "This is about Caleb, isn't it?" she asked knowingly.
Lila didn't reply, but the way she averted her gaze was answer enough.
Mia crossed her arms. "Lila, I know you've been trying to move on, and I respect that, but you can't keep carrying this weight around. If he's still affecting you this much, maybe you need to deal with it head-on."
"No," Lila said firmly, shaking her head. "I can't. He betrayed me, Mia. He lied to me for years. And even if part of me…" She trailed off, swallowing hard as the emotions bubbled to the surface. "Even if part of me misses him, I can't go back. I won't. I need to focus on my job, my life. Men just complicate everything."
Mia sighed but didn't press further. "Alright, but if this doesn't get better, promise me you'll at least see a doctor, okay? I don't like seeing you like this."
Lila nodded reluctantly, knowing Mia wouldn't drop it otherwise. "I promise" she said softly. But deep down, she knew no doctor could fix what was wrong with her. This was a wound that ran far deeper than the physical.
Meanwhile, across town, Caleb was a man on a mission. Ever since Lila had left, he had been unable to go back to his old life. Nothing felt right without her. His days were consumed with trying to find her, his nights haunted by dreams of her. She was his mate, his other half, and the bond between them, though faint, still tugged at his soul like a relentless whisper.
He had tried every avenue he could think of to locate her, but she had covered her tracks well. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. His packmates had tried to console him, urging him to move on, but Caleb couldn't. He wouldn't. Not when she was still out there, hurting because of him.
One evening, as Caleb sat in his pack's communal lounge, one of his packmates approached him with a glimmer of hope. "Hey, Caleb," the man said, sitting down beside him. "I think I might have something for you."
Caleb's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing in focus. "What is it?"
"There's a girl in my sister's circle who used to know Mia. She said she might be able to get Mia's phone number. It's a long shot, but…"
"I'll take it," Caleb said quickly, his heart pounding. "Tell her to get the number. I'll pay whatever she wants."
The packmate nodded, and within an hour, Caleb had the number in his hands. His fingers hovered over his phone, hesitating for just a moment before he dialed. The line rang twice before Mia's familiar voice answered.
"Hello?" she said cautiously.
"Mia, it's Caleb," he said, his voice low and strained. "I need to talk to Lila."
There was a pause on the other end, and Caleb could practically feel Mia's disapproval through the phone. "What makes you think she wants to talk to you?" Mia said coldly. "After everything you've done, Caleb, the last thing Lila needs is you showing up and reopening old wounds."
"Mia, please," Caleb pleaded. "I just need to see her. To explain. I know I messed up, but she's my mate. I can't—"
"No," Mia interrupted firmly. "If you care about her at all, you'll leave her alone. She's trying to move on, Caleb. She's starting to heal, to rebuild her life. If you love her, let her go."
Caleb's throat tightened, and he closed his eyes, the weight of her words sinking in. "I… I can't," he whispered. "She's everything to me."
"And that's the problem," Mia shot back. "You think your feelings are all that matter. But Lila deserves to be happy, and right now, that happiness doesn't include you. So do her a favor and stay away."
The line went dead, and Caleb was left staring at his phone, his chest aching like someone had driven a knife through it. He had never felt so helpless, so lost. He wanted to fight for Lila, to prove he could be the man she needed, but Mia's words echoed in his mind.
If you love her, let her go.
Caleb leaned back in his chair, his head in his hands. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do. All he knew was that he couldn't give up—not yet. Not when his heart still beat for her, and his soul still longed for her touch.
Adrian leaned back in his sleek leather office chair, scrolling through his phone as boredom gnawed at him. He had thrown himself into work recently, but there was still an itch he couldn't seem to scratch.
He picked up his phone and dialed his personal assistant, Brenda.
"Good morning, Mr. Ravencroft," Brenda answered crisply.
"Brenda, I need you to send me a detailed report on all new hires and their roles at the firm, as well as an overview of anything significant that happened before my return," he said, his voice smooth but laced with impatience.
"Of course, sir. I'll have it on your desk within the hour."
Adrian ended the call and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. He didn't want to admit it, even to himself, but he had a sinking feeling that Lila might have somehow ended up in his Firm.He needed to know for sure.
When the report arrived, he flipped through it casually, his sharp eyes scanning each page. His heart gave a jolt when he saw her name: Lila Collins—Intern, Marketing Department.
For a moment, he sat frozen, staring at the words. So it was true. She was here, in his territory, working under his roof.
Adrian's lips pressed into a thin line. He couldn't afford to get entangled in whatever mess she had brought with her. He had resolved to put her out of his mind, and he intended to stick to that.
He closed the folder with a snap and set it aside, leaning forward to press the intercom.
"Brenda," he said, his voice cool, "schedule a meeting with all the departments for tomorrow. But make sure it's just the Departmental team leads,No Interns.Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Brenda replied promptly.
Adrian ended the call and leaned back again, staring out the window at the bustling city below. Whatever Lila was doing here, he decided he wanted no part of it.