Fated To Not Just One, But Three Chapter 498: Let Her Go

Calvin’s POV

"What the hell are you doing, Calvin!" Olivia yelled through the mind link, and I only rolled my eyes.

"Stop shouting, sis. You’re carrying my nephews or niece in there," I teased, hearing her sharp scoff echo through the link.

"Calvin, I’m not joking. Release Lolita and Nora to ," she demanded.

"Lolita can co over, but Nora is a no," I said firmly. This ti, I wasn’t joking.

"Seriously?" Olivia spat. "And why is Nora a no? You clearly don’t want to accept your bond, so free her."

"Never," I said firmly, cutting the link before she could say another word.

I exhaled, pacing across my office, fingers raking through my hair. My wolf growled deep in my chest.

"You know why you don’t want her gone."

"Shut up," I muttered.

But I couldn’t shake it. The thought of Nora leaving made my stomach twist. The thought of her stepping out of my territory, out of my reach, with anyone else’s protection but mine, made my blood boil. I wasn’t ready to admit it, not to Olivia, not to anyone, least of all to myself.

I dropped heavily into my chair, gripping the armrest. Why the hell did this girl have such a hold on ? I’d convinced myself that keeping her here was about safety, about protecting Olivia’s friend, but deep down, I knew it was more. It was the sa reason I’d driven to that damned party last night, the sa reason her scent made my wolf lose control. I didn’t want her gone because I couldn’t stand the thought of soone else having her.

The mory of the kiss hit again: the warmth of her mouth, the tremble in her breath, the way she’d looked at afterward, equal parts anger and confusion. My chest tightened painfully.

"You’re scared," my wolf said again, his tone calm now, almost knowing. "You’re scared of what you already feel."

I clenched my jaw. "I’m scared... I don’t want my heart broken for the second ti."

My wolf stirred. He knew what I ant. If no one understood what I felt when my heart was broken by my first mate, he did. I was a shadow of myself. I almost committed suicide.

The mories slamd into : that sa hollow feeling, the constant ache in my chest, the scent of betrayal that lingered for years. The nightmares, the sleepless nights, the weight of pretending I was fine when I wasn’t.

My wolf’s voice softened, almost mournful. "She wasn’t your mate, Calvin. She was your mistake. You know this."

"I know," I whispered. "But it doesn’t change what it did to ."

Silence filled the room again. I leaned forward, elbows resting on my knees, staring blankly at the floor.

"I can’t go through that again," I said finally. "I can’t love soone and watch it destroy twice."

"This is different," my wolf argued quietly. "Nora isn’t her. You know it."

"She’s worse," I said bitterly. "Because she’s mine."

My wolf growled faintly in disapproval, but I ignored him. The truth was simple, terrifyingly simple. I wasn’t angry at Nora because I hated her. I was angry because every ti she looked at , she made feel alive again. Because she could hurt in ways no one else could.

I slamd my fist against the table, the sound echoing through the office. My breathing grew uneven, my chest tight. I’d built walls around my heart for years, thick, cold, and unbreakable, and sohow, in a matter of weeks, she was breaking through them without even trying.

"I can’t fall for her," I muttered to myself. "I won’t."

But even as I said it, her face appeared in my mind: those eyes, the stubborn tilt of her chin, the faint curve of her lips when she smiled. The sa lips I’d kissed.

My wolf rumbled softly. "Then why does her na still make your heart race?"

I stood abruptly, pacing again, frustration clawing at my chest.

"Because I’m a fool. Because I can’t stop thinking about her even when I try."

The door creaked slightly, and I turned sharply, but no one was there. Still, the faint scent of jasmine drifted from the hallway.

Nora.

My pulse spiked. I swallowed hard, trying to regain composure, but the ache in my chest only deepened.

"She’ll be the end of ," I whispered.

And deep down, I knew my wolf was right. I wasn’t keeping her here because I was confused. I was keeping her here because I was terrified that if she left, she’d take the last piece of that still felt anything.

Suddenly, the faint scent of jasmine grew stronger, and before I could even steady my heartbeat, the door opened.

Nora stepped in, her chin raised, her eyes sharp and full of annoyance. She looked determined. That alone set every nerve in my body on edge.

"What do you want?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay calm.

She closed the door quietly behind her, then turned to face . "We need to talk."

I didn’t respond. I just leaned back in my chair, pretending to be uninterested, even though my pulse was hamring.

Her next words sliced through the silence.

"We have to reject each other."

My grip on the armrest tightened. "What?"

"You heard ," she said firmly. "This... whatever this is, it’s not working. You don’t want , and I don’t want to keep being treated like a burden."

I stared at her, unmoving. When I didn’t answer, she stepped closer, her frown deepening.

"I ca here to make it official. You can reject now, or I’ll do it myself."

I ignored her, turning my gaze to the window, but she didn’t stop.

"Fine," she snapped. "Then maybe this will make it easier for you."

When I looked back at her, she lifted her hand, and my world froze. A silver ring glinted on her finger.

"What the hell is that?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.

Her lips curved into sothing that wasn’t quite a smile. "An engagent ring."

I shot up from my seat, disbelief flashing through like lightning. "You’re joking."

"No," she said, her tone calm deliberate. "I’m engaged, Calvin. I have a boyfriend back in Full Moon Pack. His na is Daniel. He’s here now, actually. He asked to marry him, and I said yes."

My heart slamd against my ribs. "You’re lying."

"I’m not," she said quietly. "I ca to tell you goodbye. We’re leaving tonight to start preparing for the ceremony."

I laughed bitterly, but there was no humor in it. "You expect to believe that? That you got engaged out of nowhere?"

She t my gaze steadily. "Believe whatever you want. But if you think I’m staying here just because you decided to keep trapped, you’re wrong. I’ve already sent word to the council. If you try to stop , they’ll consider it unlawful holding."

Her words hit like a strike to the chest.

"Unlawful..." I repeated, my jaw clenching. "You reported ?"

She didn’t flinch. "I did what I had to. You can’t keep here forever."

For a mont, I couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. My wolf was growling so loud in my head it felt like thunder.

"She’s lying," he snarled. "She’s trying to make you let go."

But her eyes, damn her eyes, they didn’t look like they were lying. The rage inside tangled with sothing else, pain, raw and deep.

"So that’s it?" I said, my voice low. "You walk in here, show a ring, and expect to believe you’re happy with soone else?"

Nora took a step back, her breath uneven, but she kept her tone steady. "Yes. I’ll be with soone who isn’t bothered about my class."

That did it.

Before she could say another word, I closed the distance between us. My hand gripped her jaw, tilting her face up roughly, and without a thought, I crushed my lips against hers.

It wasn’t soft.

It wasn’t gentle.

It was desperate, angry, every ounce of frustration and longing I’d buried spilling out at once.

Her eyes widened in shock, her hands pushing hard against my chest, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. My wolf roared in approval, his growl vibrating through . The feel of her, the taste of her breath, it was too much. Too real.

Then she shoved back with all her strength and slapped hard across the cheek.