Lucian stood frozen, watching as Fawn disappeared into the darkness. Her figure became a mere silhouette, then nothing more than a memory, swallowed by the dense forest. His wolf stirred within him, a low growl of frustration vibrating through his bones, but Lucian could do nothing. His chest felt hollow, as if someone had scooped out his heart and left him with nothing but the ache of loss.

He had thought he could fix this, that if he just apologized, if he laid bare his regret, things would go back to the way they were supposed to be. But now, standing alone under the pale moonlight, he realized the depth of his mistake. Fawn was right-sorry wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

Lucian's legs gave out, and he sank to his knees, his hands clutching the earth beneath him. The ground felt cold, unyielding-just like the emptiness in his chest. For the first time in his life, Lucian felt powerless. He had always been in control: the future alpha, the one with strength and authority. But in this moment, none of that mattered. He had broken something that couldn't be easily repaired, and the weight of that realization crashed down on him.

He had always known Fawn was special-her beauty, her rare wolf, the way she cared for others despite her own struggles. But he hadn't truly understood what she meant to him until she was walking away, leaving him with nothing but regret.

As the minutes passed, the forest grew silent around him, but Lucian's mind was anything but still. His thoughts were a whirlwind of memories: Fawn's smile, her laughter, the warmth she had brought to the pack. And now... now she was gone.

She's really gone.

Lucian's wolf whined softly in his mind, the bond between them strained but still faintly present. Even though the rejection had weakened their connection, it wasn't completely severed. He could still feel the faint pulse of her emotions-grief, pain, exhaustion-but they were muted, distant, as though she were already miles away.

He should have known better. He should have known that rejecting her wouldn't be simple. Mates weren't something you could easily walk away from, not without consequences. And now Fawn was the one paying the price for his decisions. Every time he had been with Beth, every intimate moment, it had torn at Fawn like claws raking over her heart. He had known it on some level, but he had pushed it aside, too caught up in his own fears and confusion to really think about how much it was destroying her.

Now, the image of her face, twisted with pain, was burned into his mind.

Lucian rose to his feet, his hands clenched into fists. He couldn't just stand here and let her slip away. He had to do something. But what? He had tried apologizing. He had tried to make her see that he was sorry, that he wanted to fix things. But it hadn't been enough.

You can't let her go.

His wolf's voice was a growl in the back of his mind, urging him to act, to chase after her and never let her leave his side. But Lucian hesitated. What could he offer her now? His words had failed him, his actions had driven her away, and deep down, he knew that chasing her might only make things worse.

And yet... the thought of her out there, alone, vulnerable, tore at him. Rogue lands were dangerous, even for a wolf as strong as Fawn. She might be a doctor and an omega, but she was resourceful. Still, the wilderness was unforgiving, and rogue wolves had no pack loyalty to keep them in check.

Lucian's chest tightened with a surge of protective instinct. He had rejected Fawn, yes, but that didn't mean he was willing to let her be harmed. Even if she didn't want him, he couldn't stand the idea of something happening to her.

I have to find her.

With that resolve hardening in his chest, Lucian shifted back into his wolf form. His black fur rippled in the cool night air as he sniffed the ground, following the scent of Fawn's path. It was faint, mingling with the fresh smell of the forest, but it was there-leading deeper into the rogue lands.

Lucian took off at a run, his paws pounding against the earth as he followed her trail. His mind raced as fast as his legs carried him. He had to find her, had to make sure she was safe. Even if she hated him, even if she never wanted to see him again, he had to know she would be alright.

Fawn, meanwhile, had pushed herself deeper into the forest, the familiar scent of her old pack fading behind her as she moved. Every step felt heavier than the last, her body weary from the emotional toll of her encounter with Lucian. Her wolf was exhausted, barely able to summon the strength to keep going. But she didn't stop. She couldn't.

Tears blurred her vision, but she blinked them away, determined not to fall apart. Not now. She had made her choice, and there was no turning back. She had to leave. She had to get as far away from Lucian as possible.

He can't hurt me anymore, she told herself, though the pain still radiated through her chest like a wound that refused to heal. Even with the bond weakened, it was still there, a constant reminder of what could have been. But now it was tainted, twisted by rejection and betrayal.

As she trudged through the forest, her thoughts spiraled. Doubts began to creep in, whispers in the back of her mind that told her she wasn't enough-that she had never been enough for Lucian. Why else would he have chosen someone else? She had tried to be strong, to carry on despite the rejection, but in the end, it hadn't been enough.

Maybe I was never meant to be his mate.

The thought twisted like a knife in her chest, and for a moment, Fawn felt herself falter. She leaned against a tree, her body trembling with the effort to keep moving. She had always known she was different, weaker than the others in some ways, but she had never let it define her. Now, though, it felt like all of her insecurities had come rushing to the surface, threatening to swallow her whole.

But she couldn't afford to break down. Not now. Not when she was so close to being free.

Taking a deep breath, Fawn straightened and continued forward, her steps slower but steady. She didn't know where she was going, but anywhere was better than staying in the pack that had brought her so much pain.

Her mind lingered on Lucian for a moment longer before she pushed the thought away. This was her journey now. She had to focus on herself, on finding her own path, even if it meant walking it alone.

And with that, she disappeared deeper into the shadows of the forest, leaving behind the pack-and Lucian-for good. Or so she thought.