Chapter 2

Aria

I collapse to my knees, the weight of Callum's betrayal too much to bear. The damp earth beneath me offers no comfort, no solace from the storm of emotions raging inside me. This was my mate, my love, my entire life, and he just shattered my heart into pieces. Tears stream down my cheeks, my vision blurred with the intensity of my pain.

Callum stands there, watching me, his own eyes filled with sorrow. I can sense the regret radiating off him, but it does nothing to soothe the aching wound in my heart.

"Aria," he whispers, his voice thick with remorse. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you but it’s just how things are."

His words are like a dagger, twisting deeper into my already broken heart. I look up at him, my amber eyes searching for some semblance of the love I had thought we shared. But all I see is the truth I can no longer deny; he loves Tamara.

"I love her, Aria," he confesses, his voice barely audible. "I never meant for this to happen, but I can't deny what I feel for her any longer."

“So everything we shared meant nothing for you? You just toss it down the drain like this?”

I choke back a sob, my heart constricting painfully in my chest. The man I had given everything to, the man who was supposed to be my other half, had chosen someone else. The cold, hard truth hits me like a tidal wave, leaving me breathless and drowning in my grief.

The tears continue to fall, my body wracked with sobs as I try to comprehend the enormity of what has just happened. My world, once filled with love and certainty, has crumbled around me, leaving me lost and adrift in a sea of pain and betrayal.

Callum reaches out as if to comfort me, but I flinch away from his touch. The bond that we once shared, that unbreakable connection between fated mates, has been severed by his actions. And though my heart longs for the love and support of my alpha, I know that I can no longer trust him.

As I struggle to regain my composure, I know that I must find a way to move forward. My heart may be broken, but my spirit, my fierce determination, remains unshaken. This pain, this betrayal, will not define me. And though the path ahead is uncertain, I will find my way through the darkness and into the light.

I rise to my feet, my tears wiped away and my resolve hardened. I know that my life will never be the same. But I also know that I will survive, that I will find the strength to heal and, ultimately, to love again. This I swear on the Moon Goddess.

As I stand before Callum, my heart aches with the knowledge that what we once shared can never be the same. The bond between fated mates is meant to be unbreakable, a connection forged in the depths of our very souls. And yet, his betrayal has torn that bond apart, leaving an empty void where love and certainty once lived.

With a deep breath, I gather my courage and confront him. "Callum, our bond was supposed to be unbreakable, but you've shattered it with your betrayal. I cannot continue as your fated mate, knowing that you love Tamara. You’ve fucking destroyed everything!"

His eyes widen with shock at my words, but I can't afford to let that affect me. The wound he's inflicted on my heart runs deep, and I must protect myself from further harm.

"I Aria Santiago, reject you, Callum Blackthorne," I say, my voice steady despite the torrent of emotions roiling inside me. "I sever the bond between us. You are no longer my fated mate, and I am no longer yours."

The moment the words leave my lips, a surge of energy pulses through me as if the very fabric of our connection is being ripped apart. It's a painful, almost unbearable sensation, but I know it's necessary for my healing and growth.

Callum staggers back, his face a mask of shock.

"Aria, you’re hurt," he says, his voice breaking with emotion. "I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to hurt you."

But his words, however sincere, cannot undo the damage he's caused. The trust that once formed the foundation of our bond has been irrevocably shattered, and there's no going back.

"I despise you, Callum, and I never want to see you again for as long as I live," I say, my voice thick with hatred. "What you just did is destroy my life forever."

“Aria,” he calls as he reaches to touch me.

“Don’t you dare touch me ever again,” I spit the words.

With a heavy heart, I turn away from him, leaving the remnants of our shattered bond behind me. As I walk away, I feel a strange mixture of grief and relief. The bond that once tethered us together is gone, leaving me adrift and untethered. But I know that this is the first step towards healing, finding my path, and discovering who I am without him.

As I make my way through the forest, the moonlight guiding my steps, I feel a sense of determination beginning to stir within me. I may have lost my fated mate, but I refuse to let that define me. I will find my own way, forge my own destiny, and prove to myself and the world that I am more than just a broken heart.

As I continue to walk through the forest, the adrenaline that had been fueling me begins to wane, and the true toll of severing the bond makes itself known. My entire body feels like a wreck, pain radiating through every nerve and fiber. My legs tremble beneath me, and I can barely put one foot in front of the other.

Each step is a battle, a struggle to keep moving forward despite the overwhelming exhaustion that threatens to consume me. My breath comes in ragged gasps, my chest tightening with every inhale. The world around me seems to blur, the edges of my vision growing hazy as I struggle to maintain my focus. My vision darkens.