Callum’s POV
What I just said to her was nothing but the truth. I can’t imagine myself with anyone else apart from Hailee. I loved this girl—If only she could see it through my eyes.
Inhaling deeply, I leaned back against the couch, forcing myself to stay still when every instinct in scread to close the space between us. To touch her. To show her that I ant every damn word I’d just said.
Her lips parted, and for a second, I thought she was going to tell to stop. But instead, she let out a shaky breath.
"Callum... you don’t understand," she whispered.
I tilted my head, my eyes locked on hers. "Then make understand."
She shook her head quickly. "It’s... complicated."
I gave a humorless little smile. "You think I care about complicated? Hailee, I grew up in a world where everything is complicated. Politics. Pack rivalries. Expectations. Every day of my life is planned out by soone else. You think that scares ?"
Her gaze softened just slightly, but there was still hesitation there.
I shifted forward, resting my forearms on my knees so I was closer to her. "I love you, Hailee... and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
She blinked, and I saw her throat work as she swallowed again.
"Hailee..." I said her na softer this ti, letting my voice drop to a gentler tone. "I’m not your mate. I know that. But I don’t need the Moon Goddess to tell who I should love. I already know."
Her breathing hitched, and for a split second, I thought I saw her walls crack just a little.
I wanted to reach out, to take her hand, to pull her into and promise her that whatever she was afraid of, she wouldn’t have to face it alone. But I stayed still. Because if she was going to let in, I wanted it to be because she chose to... not because I pushed.
"Say sothing," I murmured.
She finally looked up at , and I could see the conflict in her eyes. "You make it sound so simple."
I gave her a small, almost sad smile. "That’s because, for , it is. All you have to do is choose ... accept to be with and leave the rest for ."
She swallowed hard again and tucked her hair behind both ears, but she didn’t respond to my words, and it hurt. I could tell she was still confused about her feelings for , which made wonder—if it was Nathan who said all this to her, would she have responded this way?
Would she have kept quiet, not saying anything?
Her silence was torturing .
She just sat there, her lips pressed together like she was holding back a hundred things she wanted to say but wouldn’t. And that silence... that silence felt like a knife in my chest.
If it were Nathan sitting here instead of —if it were him telling her he wanted her, telling her to choose him—would she still be this quiet?
Would she look at him with this sa hesitation?
A bitter taste filled my mouth at the thought.
The truth? I doubted it.
Because Nathan had sothing I didn’t. Whatever invisible thread tied them together, it was stronger than anything I could na.
And that thought hurt.
My hands curled into fists against my knees, my jaw tightening. I hated myself for even thinking it, but I couldn’t help it. If she had been in Nathan’s presence right now... if he had said these exact words to her... I knew she’d have given him an answer. Maybe not a loud one. Maybe not a big declaration. But she wouldn’t have left him hanging in this suffocating silence the way she was leaving .
"Hailee," I said again, my voice lower now, laced with a frustration I tried—and failed—to hide, "do you have any idea what it’s like for to say this? To put this out there, knowing you could break with one word?"
Her brows knit, and she started to open her mouth, but I cut her off before she could give so vague, safe reply.
"Tell the truth," I said, leaning forward. "If Nathan were the one sitting here, saying he loves you... would you still be sitting there looking at him like you don’t know what to say?"
Her eyes widened slightly, and I saw the flicker of sothing. guilt? Shock? I couldn’t tell.
I hated myself for pushing her like this. But Goddess, the thought of her feelings being stronger for him than for was tearing apart from the inside.
"You don’t have to answer," I muttered finally, leaning back. "I think I already know."
She swallowed hard, lowering her gaze so I wouldn’t see too much in her eyes. "It’s... not fair for you to say that."
My jaw tightened. "Fair or not, I needed to know."
She sighed and forced herself to look up at . "Callum... you’re hurt. This isn’t the ti for this conversation."
I let out a short, humorless laugh. "You say that like there’s ever going to be a ti where I don’t feel like I’m losing to him."
"Callum, please," she whispered, almost desperate now. "Don’t do this. Not right now."
My eyes searched hers for a long, tense mont. Then I leaned back slowly, running a hand over my face as if trying to force down the jealousy that was practically radiating off .
I stared at her and realized I had been lying to myself.
I told myself I would be strong enough to walk away—to let her go if she ever chose soone else. I convinced myself I’d accept it, that I would respect her decision and step aside like the noble fool I pretended to be.
But now... now that the possibility was right in front of , I knew—I knew—there was no way I could let her go.
Even if I had to fight fate itself, I wasn’t giving her up.
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