“I want to go home.”
Her whispered words made him pause mid-stride. They tore at his heart like claws and his wolf whimpered at the idea of her not being here. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, silently commanding the beast to stand down. When it did, he turned enough to look at her over his shoulder.
She stood in the same spot, arms wrapped tightly around her stomach. Tears slid down her cheeks, echoing the pleading look in her eyes.
It nearly broke him to see her like this, to know that he was part of the reason she was here, and he was the only reason she couldn’t go home.
“Please.” Her voice cracked. She wiped at her face and sniffled. “I just want to go home.”
Hardening his heart against any softness or gentleness he felt for her, he turned away and strode for the door. He yanked it open and stepped into the hallway. He turned to face her and pulled the door shut as he uttered his denial. “You can’t. This is your home now.”
He slammed the door closed and walked away, ignoring the gut wrenching sobs from his office, ignoring his wolf’s distress at causing their mate pain. She might hate him now but everything he did was for her. He could only hope she would understand that in the end.
