2. Heartbreak

Chloe

“Why?” I whispered, feeling as if I’d just been punched in the stomach.

Dr. Friendman glared at me. “I refuse to help such a heartless woman.”

I stared at her, shocked. “Dr. Friendman, you know my mother. How can you believe that?”

She raised an eyebrow at me. “I am a woman of science, Chloe. Bruises and wounds don’t lie. Leah has been abused, and there is no reason to doubt that it was your mother. Conson wouldn’t have touched her, and besides, he’s been dead.”

“But-,”

The doctor ignored me and turned and opened the door. “It’s time for you to leave, Chloe.”

“Sell me the medicine then! I’ll pay for it! I’ll do whatever. Please, Dr. Friendman, just let me help my mother!”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that.” She was already halfway out the door.

“Dr. Friendman!” I was practically in tears as I followed her out into the hall, running right into a large chest.

“What’s going on?” a deep voice said.

I closed my eyes in desperation. Please, please don’t let it be who I think it is. I opened my eyes and glanced up into Caden’s face. My stomach turned over and I tried not to remember our last fight.

Caden was my mate, but we hadn’t seen each other in weeks since I’d been taking care of Mom. We’d had an explosive blow up, but I’d pushed it to the back of my mind.

“Oh.” I could hear the disappointment lacing his voice when his eyes finally landed on me. He took a step back, so I was no longer touching him. “Is something the matter, Dr. Friendman?”

Before the doctor could tell him anything, I turned to Caden. “Please help me, Caden. Please. My mother needs medication and Dr. Friendman won’t even sell it to me. Please, you’re the Alpha’s son, tell her to sell me something.” I didn’t care that I was begging. I would get on my knees and kiss his feet if I had to.

Caden glanced between me and the doctor. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Chloe. What the doctor says, goes. You know that.” His tone was brush, as if he was talking about the weather instead of my mother’s life.

“Please,” I tried again. “Please, you’re my mate, Caden.”

He towered over me, but I felt the intention through our bond before he even opened his mouth to speak to them. “I am not your mate anymore, Chloe. I could never be mates with someone who turned their back on their sister and allowed her to be mistreated. I’m dissolving our mate bond.”

When we’d fought the last time, we’d skirted around this, but neither of us had been brave enough to break our bond. Now that he’d broken the bond, searing pain instantaneously cleaved my chest in two.

Caden continued on as if he didn’t feel the physical pain. “You and your mother were rogues before Uncle Conson took you guys in, and you two betrayed him by abusing his daughter. You disgust me; there is nothing that anyone in this pack will do for either of you.”

“Caden,” I gasped out around the pain that was consuming me. I’d known he was my mate since I’d shifted for the first time at 18. We’d formed a strong relationship over the last two years. At least, I’d thought we had. Clearly it hadn’t meant anything to him.

“It’s time for you to go,” Caden told me gesturing towards the door. “Go, Chloe, before you make this any worse for yourself.”

I stared up at my mate – ex-mate – and nodded, in a daze. I didn’t want to be with someone who didn’t want to be with me, but this turn of events still shocked me. I thought our mate bond was strong enough to get us through even this. I’d taken his silence as a truce, when really it had been the destruction of my life.

I wanted to rage at him. I wanted to scream and kick and fight, but I didn’t have it left in me to do so. I turned without a backward glance towards either of them or started on the long walk home. When I stepped outside, I realized it was already night and I’d been away from my mother for almost the entire day. I hoped she hadn’t noticed.

If I’d been more aware of my surroundings my superior wolf senses would have picked up on the pack members who’d caught up to me. I was so lost in my own mind, trying to sort through the pain that Caden had caused along with the worry for my mother, that I didn’t even realize I wasn’t alone on this long stretch of road until the first fist hit me. I went sprawling and before I knew it there were several pack members pummeling me until their fists were all I could see or feel. They didn’t need to tell me that they were here for Leah’s sake. Leah. Lying, conniving Leah.

I had no fight left inside me. I curled up into a ball, trying to make myself as small as possible. Something broke inside me as I laid there, and it took me far longer than I’d like to admit to realize I was alone again. I slowly rolled over and pushed myself up. All of me hurt. My body was bruised and beaten, but the internal pain I felt far exceeded that.

It was after midnight by the time I’d dragged myself home.

“Mom,” I called out, my voice hoarse. “Mom, I’m home.”

She didn’t respond, but that was normal. She hadn’t been talking much. I turned into the living room where she was still laying on the couch.

“Mom?”

She didn’t so much as flinch and an icy dread washed over me, pushing away all the pain I felt from my broken bond. “Mom?” I reached out with shaking fingers and brushed her cheek. It was cold.

I fell to my knees beside her, sobs wracking my body. I was alone. Truly alone, as no wolf deserved to be. My pack had shunned me by extension, my mate had rejected me, and my mother was dead from a broken heart.

When I finally stopped crying the first rays of light were making their way into the room. Completely numb, I called the funeral home. They weren’t willing to do much, but they’d bring a casket by for her. I’d be responsible for getting her to the cemetery and burying her myself, which is how I ended up here at the edge of the grave, completely alone.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I let out a yelp of surprise, whirring to look at the intruder to my grief.