The dining table was unusually quiet, except for the clinking of utensils against ceramic plates. Caleb's family had always enjoyed lively meals filled with laughter and conversation, but tonight, the silence was heavy. His father, Richard Wolfe, eyed Caleb from across the table, noting the way his son picked at his food, barely taking a bite. Caleb's mother, Eleanor, exchanged a worried glance with her husband before gently clearing her throat.
"Caleb, sweetheart, you've barely touched your dinner," Eleanor said, her voice soft with concern. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I'm fine," Caleb replied curtly, not looking up from his plate. His tone left no room for further questioning, but Eleanor wasn't one to let things go so easily.
"You've been 'fine' for weeks now, and yet you look like you haven't slept or eaten properly in days," Richard chimed in, his deep voice carrying a fatherly sternness. "Something's bothering you, son. You know you can talk to us."
Caleb pushed his chair back abruptly, the legs scraping against the wooden floor. "I said I'm fine," he repeated, his voice tight. He stood, avoiding everyone's gaze. "I'm just not hungry." Without waiting for a response, he walked out of the dining room, leaving his family in an awkward silence.
As the door swung shut behind him, Caleb's younger sister, Leila, sighed and set down her fork. "He's lying," she said, glancing at her parents.
Eleanor frowned. "What do you mean, darling?"
Leila hesitated, as if debating whether to speak, but the tension in the room pushed her to continue. "It's because of a girl," she said finally. "Her name's Lila. I've heard people in town talking about how Caleb's been going everywhere looking for her."
"A girl?" Richard's eyebrows furrowed. "And she's the reason he's been like this?"
Leila nodded. "Apparently, she left town. Caleb's been trying to find her, but no one knows where she went."
Richard leaned back in his chair, his expression a mix of concern and irritation. "What kind of girl leaves my son in this state? And why can't he just move on? He's a good-looking young man; there are plenty of other women out there."
Eleanor placed a hand on his arm, her voice more sympathetic. "If she meant this much to Caleb, maybe she's special. We shouldn't dismiss his feelings so quickly."
Leila shrugged. "All I know is that she's the only thing he's been focused on for weeks. He's miserable."
At that, Caleb's younger brother, Lucas, pushed his chair back with a determined expression. "I'll talk to him," he announced, rising to his feet.
Lucas found Caleb outside on the porch, leaning against the railing and staring out at the dark woods surrounding their family home. The cool night air carried the scent of pine and damp earth, but Caleb seemed lost in his own world.
"Hey," Lucas said, stepping up beside him.
Caleb didn't respond, his jaw tightening as he kept his gaze fixed on the treeline.
"So," Lucas began, trying to sound casual, "this girl—Lila. She's the reason you've been acting like this, isn't she?"
Caleb finally turned his head, his eyes flashing with warning. "Don't start, Lucas."
Lucas held up his hands defensively. "I'm just saying, man. From what I've heard, she's not even that pretty. You can do better. There are plenty of other girls—"
The low growl that escaped Caleb's throat made Lucas step back instinctively. Caleb's normally calm demeanor cracked, and his voice was a dangerous rumble. "Don't you dare talk about her like that," he snapped, his golden eyes blazing with fury. "She isn't just any girl. She's my mate. Do you even understand what that means?"
Lucas raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by his brother's outburst. "Alright, alright. I didn't mean anything by it. I just don't see why you're wrecking yourself over someone who left you."
The door behind them opened, and Eleanor and Richard stepped out, drawn by the raised voices.
"What's going on here?" Richard demanded, his sharp gaze shifting between his sons.
"Nothing," Caleb muttered, turning away.
"Doesn't sound like nothing," Richard countered. He crossed his arms, his tone firm. "Why did she leave you, Caleb? If she's so important, why isn't she here?"
Caleb's shoulders tensed, but he didn't answer.
Eleanor stepped closer, her voice gentle but insistent. "Caleb, darling, we just want to understand. Is this… mate bond really worth all this pain? Maybe it's time to let go. You can't force her to come back, and you'll ruin yourself if you keep holding on."
Caleb spun around, his frustration spilling over. "I can't just sever the bond! You think I haven't tried? You think I haven't thought about walking away? But I can't! She's a part of me, and no matter what I do, I can't turn my back on this."
Richard's expression softened slightly, but his voice remained steady. "Son, no one's saying it's easy. But if this bond is causing you more harm than good, maybe it's time to move on. You're strong, Caleb. You can survive this."
Caleb shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's not about surviving. It's about living. And without her… I don't think I can."
The raw emotion in his words left the family silent. Eleanor stepped forward and placed a hand on Caleb's arm, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "We just want what's best for you, Caleb. But if you're going to keep fighting for her, you need to be honest with yourself about why she left and what you're willing to do to make things right."
Caleb pulled away gently, his gaze dropping to the ground. "I appreciate the concern," he said quietly, "but this is something I have to figure out on my own."
Without another word, he walked back into the house, leaving his family behind on the porch.
Eleanor sighed, leaning into Richard for support. "I just wish we could help him."
Richard wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his expression grim. "He's stubborn. Just like his father. He'll figure it out… or he won't. But either way, we'll be here for him."
Leila crossed her arms, her face a mixture of concern and irritation. "I still don't get it. What's so special about this Lila girl, anyway?"
Lucas shrugged. "Beats me. But whatever it is, it's tearing him apart."
The family fell into a heavy silence, each of them lost in their thoughts as the cool night air wrapped around them.
As the evening deepened, Caleb retreated to the sanctuary of his room, shutting out the noise of his concerned family. The weight of their questions hung heavy in the air, but he couldn't bring himself to face them again. Not now. Not when everything inside him screamed for Lila.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he rubbed his temples, his frustration mounting. He had tried everything—tracking her scent, visiting familiar places, questioning anyone who might have seen her. Yet, she had vanished as if the earth itself had swallowed her whole.
Closing his eyes, he focused on the faint thread of their bond. It had always been there, a subtle hum in the background of his mind, connecting him to her. But now, it was… distorted. Muted. Her aura felt different, like a faint echo instead of the vibrant presence he once knew.
He concentrated harder, pushing past the fog that clouded his senses. His wolf stirred within him, eager and restless, but even that primal instinct couldn't locate her. Something was wrong. It wasn't just distance—there was something interfering with the bond.Something Different about her aura and the fact that she didn't want him to find her made it worse.
"What's happening to us, Lila?" he muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with desperation.
Unable to sit idle, Caleb decided to take a different approach. If he couldn't find her through the bond, he would find her by other means. And there was one name that kept surfacing in his thoughts: Adrian.
Who was that Adrian guy and he hated to admit it but Adrian was a big competition. He clearly wanted Lila for himself and Caleb's biggest fear was that Lila was also attracted to him.Caleb's jaw clenched as he recalled the way Adrian had looked at Lila, the way she had seemed drawn to him despite herself. Was she with him now? Had she chosen him? The thought made his blood boil, but he pushed the anger aside. He needed answers, not blind rage.
He seem rich and influential but Caleb was sure Lila was not the kind of girl to be impressed by money so that wasn't it.His deepest fear was that Adrian and Lila had met up several times while he was away working and not paying attention to Lila and maybe this Adrian guy had then used the opportunity to woo Lila.They seemed to have something between them and Caleb had to find out.
Caleb pulled out his phone and began searching for information about Adrian.