Hailee's POV
The road to Callum's pack felt endless.
The air inside the car was thick and heavy, pressing down on my chest.
I sat beside Nathan, staring out the window as trees and hills blurred past. His hand was wrapped around mine—warm, steady—but my thoughts were far away.
I was thinking about Oliver.
About my baby.
About everything I had lost.
About what I was supposed to say to Callum after everything that had happened.
My chest hurt with every thought.
When we finally reached the border of Callum's territory, ard guards stepped forward at once, blocking the road.
"State your business," one of them said sharply.
"I'm here to see Callum," I said, forcing my voice to stay calm, even as my fingers tightened around Nathan's hand. "And Oliver."
The guard frowned. "You're not welco here."
Nathan leaned forward, his presence filling the space. "Move."
The guard stiffened when he recognized him. "Alpha Nathan—"
"She lost her child," Nathan said coldly. "She lost her son. And you think you can block her from seeing them?"
The guards exchanged uneasy looks.
After a long, heavy mont, one of them stepped aside.
"She can enter," he said. "But only her… and one guard."
My heart dropped.
"No," I said imdiately. "Nathan cos with ."
The guard hesitated.
I felt Nathan's wolf press forward, his anger thick in the air.
"She is not stepping one foot inside this pack without ," Nathan said quietly. "Choose your next words carefully."
They moved aside.
The gates opened.
We drove in.
Callum's pack felt wrong the mont we crossed into it.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
Like a place that had been broken and never fixed.
We were led into the main sitting room—a large space of dark wood and cold stone. It slled faintly of dicine, and sothing else… sadness.
Nathan and I sat down side by side.
My shoulders were tight with nerves.
I couldn't stop my leg from shaking.
Minutes passed.
No one spoke.
Then…
Footsteps.
The door opened slowly.
And Callum walked in.
But not the Callum I rembered.
He was leaning on crutches.
Weak.
Pale.
Still healing.
My heart sank.
I felt Nathan's hand tighten around mine as panic rushed through .
Callum lowered himself slowly into a chair across from us, his crutches resting against the arm. Every small movent looked painful. He didn't look at at first.
"What do you want?" he asked, his voice tired… but cold.
My throat tightened.
I took a slow breath and forced myself to speak.
"I ca to say I'm sorry."
His eyes lifted slightly, but he said nothing.
"I'm sorry for everything," I continued, my voice shaking. "For leading you on… for giving you hope when I knew my heart wasn't fully yours. For wasting your ti. For hurting you."
My hands trembled in my lap.
"And I'm sorry about the baby," I whispered. "It was never my intention to kill our baby. Never. And it was never my intention to hurt you. What happened… it wasn't . But I still carry the pain of it. I am truly sorry, Callum. For all of it."
The room fell silent.
So silent it felt like the air itself was holding its breath.
Callum stared at the floor for a long ti. Then he looked up at , and his eyes were hard.
"I can never forgive you," he said quietly.
The words hit like a blade.
"It should stay that way," he went on. "You broke , Hailee. You broke my heart. You took everything I believed in and burned it. You made believe I had a future with you, then you chose soone else. And when I tried to hold on… I lost everything."
I swallowed back tears.
"I understand," I whispered.
I didn't try to argue.
I didn't try to defend myself.
I had hurt him, even if I never ant to.
"Where is Oliver?" I asked softly. "Please… let see my son."
Callum hesitated, then nodded.
"Oliver."
A mont later, I heard footsteps on the stairs.
And my baby walked down.
My heart shattered at the sight of him.
He looked smaller. Sadder. Like the light inside him had dimd.
"Oliver," I breathed.
I rushed to him and dropped to my knees, pulling him into my arms.
"I'm so sorry," I cried into his hair. "I never ant to hurt you. I never ant for any of this to happen. I love you so much."
He didn't hug back.
He just stood there, stiff and quiet.
Slowly, he pulled away.
His eyes t mine, but they were distant. Cold.
"Mother," he said softly, "I can't forgive you now."
My chest cracked.
"But… I believe I might in the future."
Tears stread down my face as I nodded.
"I understand," I whispered. "I'll wait. As long as it takes."
He took a step back.
"I will be staying permanently with Father," he said. "This is my ho now."
It hurt so badly I thought I might collapse.
But I forced myself to nod.
"Okay," I said. "If that's what you want."
Oliver turned and walked back to Callum's side, sitting beside him.
Callum placed a hand on his shoulder.
Then he looked at again.
"Hailee," he said flatly, "you are banned from entering this pack."
My heart sank.
"Please don't co here again," he continued. "You can call. You can hear from Oliver on the phone. And whenever he wishes to see you, we will send him to you. But you are no longer welco here."
I wiped my tears with shaking hands.
"I understand," I whispered.
Nathan squeezed my hand.
I stood on shaky legs and took one last look at my son.
"I love you," I said softly.
He didn't answer.
He just looked away.
It felt like I had lost him forever.
I turned to Callum. He wouldn't look at .
"Believe , Callum… my feelings for you were real. I never lied about them."
He said nothing.
"Goodbye. I wish you a speedy recovery."
I turned to Nathan. He nodded gently, and we walked away.
Inside the car, he held my hands and searched my face. "Are you okay?"
I couldn't lie.
I collapsed into his arms and cried as the car pulled away from Callum's mansion. Nathan held and comforted while my heart broke all over again.
After a while, I lifted my head. He wiped my tears with his thumbs.
"You will be fine," he whispered. "I'm here."
I nodded, breathing deeply. With Nathan beside , I felt like I could survive anything.
"Next stop is Dane's place," I said.
Nathan nodded.
And I relaxed back into his arms.
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