Ch.3~Jodie

Jodie

I sit in the small clinic room, staring blankly at the dull white wall while Evelyn flips through her clipboard, muttering something about test results. My eyes are probably red and puffy from all that outburst earlier, and I know Evelyn is trying not to ask me anything about it. Thank goodness she understands.

“Jodie,” she finally says, lifting her head, her voice soft but serious. “You’re not in good shape. The anemia’s getting worse, and we still haven’t identified the cause of your blood vomiting. If you keep pushing yourself like this, it’s going to affect the baby.”

I give a faint smile. Knowing someone cares is enough to lift the weight a little. Evelyn has always cared. Her worry itself brings me comfort.

Evelyn puts down her clipboard and folds her arms.“You need to stop donating blood. I’ll talk to Alpha Calden if I have to.”

I quickly shake my head, looking up at her, “No, don’t. There's no need, Evelyn.”

Her brows knit together. “Why not? You’ve been doing this for years, Jodie. You’re not a damn blood bank, and Enid doesn’t need another drop from you.”

I force a small smile, though my chest feels heavy. “I won't be donating to Enid anymore. Calden and I are getting a divorce.” I finally drop the bomb, but Evelyn’s eyes pop out, her mouth makes a silent ah.

She sets her clipboard down like it suddenly weighs a ton. “Wait—what? Divorce? Are you out of your mind?”

I shrug, pretending to be calm. “Maybe. But it’s done. We finalized it minutes ago.”

Evelyn stares at me, speechless, then frowns deeply. “And he doesn’t know you’re pregnant?”

I avert my gaze. “No.”

“Jodie!” she snaps, slamming her hand on the counter. “You can’t just leave without telling him. Do you even realize how hard being a single mother will be?” Her voice cracks halfway, “And your condition is really bad…”

I laugh softly. “I’ve thought about it. But Calden… he’s never loved me, Evelyn. Whatever we had—it was just me forcing myself on him. A deal, not a marriage.”

She glares. “That’s bullshit. He’s your mate, Jodie. I’ve seen how he looks at you.”

I shake my head, my voice dropping to a whisper. “No, there isn’t. He was just doing his duty as Alpha. He did all that to keep face in front of everyone.”

I can’t tell her I just saw Calden and Enid kissing—he’s her Alpha. Evelyn will definitely lash out at Calden over it, and that will put her in trouble, I don't want that.

Evelyn opens her mouth to argue, but I cut her off, my voice trembling slightly. “I just want my own peace now, Evelyn. Please.”

Her expression softens. “Oh, Jodie…”

I force a laugh that sounds more like a sigh. “It’s fine. It’s actually a relief. Now I don’t have to keep pretending I’m enough for him. I already got everything ready, got a plane ticket. I'll be leaving the pack tomorrow.”

Evelyn blinks at me, her brows knitting together. “Wait… where exactly are you going?”

I look down at my hands, fidgeting with the strap of my bag. “I… I’ll travel first, see a few places I’ve never been before. Then… I’ll find a pack where I can settle, somewhere I can belong without anyone expecting anything from me. Somewhere quiet, far away from all this chaos.”

She exhales slowly, studying me with those steady, warm eyes. “You really thought this through, huh?”

“As much as I can. " I lean back, staring at the ceiling for a moment. “I just want peace, Eve. Just a tiny piece of it. Somewhere quiet, where I wake up and I’m not immediately bracing myself for someone else’s disappointment. Somewhere I’m not constantly trying to prove I’m not a burden. A place where my baby…”

My throat tightens, but I push through it. “Where my baby can grow without feeling unwanted.”

Evelyn exhales shakily. “Jodie…”

She sighs and pulls me into a hug. It’s strange how this woman—who scolds like a mother and nags like a sister—is the only one who’s ever truly cared whether I lived or died.

Evelyn grips my shoulders. “You can’t keep running away every time he hurts you. At least tell him. He deserves to know about the baby.”

When she lets go, I manage a small smile. “I’ve already decided. Enid’s surgery worked. She doesn’t need me anymore. Calden can finally have his happy ending with his true love, and I can have mine and be free of them.”

Evelyn gives me a skeptical look. “And what exactly is your happy ending, huh? Sitting alone in some strange city with a little money and a baby on the way?”

I chuckle softly, brushing a tear before it falls. “Maybe. But at least it’ll be my life this time. I’ll do things for myself, not anyone else.”

She looks unconvinced. “Jodie, please, just—talk to him once. See how he reacts. If he doesn’t care, fine. Walk away. But don’t make this decision for both of you.”

I want to argue, but the words die in my throat—Calden is strolling past the window with Enid, their matching strides and easy laughter making them look like the mates everyone already thinks they are.

If I tell him about the pup, will he scold me for wrecking his picture-perfect future, or will he swallow his pride and stitch our broken family back together? Nah—he’ll skin me alive for this. I’ve dared to hope a thousand times, and every single fucking time the pieces cut my hands.

“I’ll think about it,” I answer, pulling my gaze back from the corridor where Calden and Enid just vanished.

Evelyn doesn’t look convinced. Still, she lets it go.

Clutching my pregnancy report, I step out of the ward. I realize how real this is now—how close I am to walking away from everything I’ve ever known.

The next morning, I wake before sunrise. My suitcase sits by the door, neatly packed. I didn’t sleep much. My heart feels oddly calm, like it accepted the reality in front of me… not even the scent of Calden. He didn’t bother to at least come home, see me for the last time. I honestly hoped I could see him before leaving.

By the time I reach the airport, the sky is pale gray. The cold air bites at my cheeks as I drag my luggage behind me. Evelyn meets me near the gate, holding two coffees and looking more worried than ever.

“You still haven’t told him, have you?” she asks.

I shake my head. “There’s no point.” My eyes burn as more tears threaten to gather. I blink them back. There's no need to push further with the pregnancy

“Jodie,” she sighs, handing me the coffee. “At least send him a message. One last chance—for him, and for your baby.”

I grip the paper cup tightly and sigh. “You think he’d even care?”

“You won’t know unless you try.” Evelyn’s hand brushed against my belly. “Even if you don’t think about yourself, think about your pup. Give it the chance to have a father.”

My hand instinctively moved to my belly, feeling a certain warmth wrap around me. My child—Evelyn’s right... I should give this baby the chance to have a father. I sighed and looked at Evelyn.

"Please, just give it a try!"

Fine...try once more—just for the baby’s sake. I took out my phone. “I’ll send the message… but if he doesn’t answer before my flight takes off, that will be my final call.” Evelyn nodded in agreement.

I stare at my phone for a long time, my thumb hovering over his name. My chest feels tight. Against all logic, I type a message.

*I’m Pregnant, Calden.* My thumb hovers over the send icon for a moment before I hit it.

*I’m at the airport. If you say one word, I won’t leave.*

I show Evelyn the text. She nods, though her eyes glisten. “Good. Now wait. If he doesn’t reply before boarding, you go. Simple.”

I nod, but my pulse races as I hit send.

Minutes stretch into an hour. The airport hums around us—babies crying, luggage rolling, announcements echoing—but all I hear is the silence of my phone. I pretend this doesn’t hurt, hoping that I’d be wrong this last time.

Evelyn tries to distract me with small talk, but I barely listen. I can see how she throws glances at my phone whenever a notification pops up.

Soon, boarding is announced, my stomach sinks. I turn off my phone and stuff it into my bag. “Guess that’s my answer.”

Evelyn’s face falls. “Jodie...”

“It’s fine,” I say, forcing a smile that doesn’t reach my eyes. “I knew he wouldn’t come.”

“Caldon doesn’t care about me, and he doesn’t care about you either, pup. I’m sorry, my darling child—I can’t give you a father.” My hand rubs my stomach gently, even though it doesn't look like there's actually a pup in there.

Evelyn pulls me into a tight hug. “You deserve so much better, you know that?”

I nod against her shoulder. “Yeah. Maybe someday I’ll believe it.”

We hold each other for a moment before I pull away. “Take care of yourself, okay? And don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

Evelyn wipes her eyes, trying to smile. “If you ever need anything, call me. And—be sure to let me know once you’ve settled on a place! Promise?”

“Promise.” I forced a smile, my heart aching.

Finally, I’m leaving this painful place behind.

I take a step toward the security gate, but before I can hand over my ticket, I hear someone calling my name. Evelyn’s eyes widen. “Jodie—look!”

I turn around to see Calden’s Beta, Dante, striding toward us. My heart jumps painfully. Maybe—

But the look on his face…

Dante stops in front of me, catching his breath. “Luna,” he says quickly, “your mother’s been injured. The Alpha’s waiting for you at the hospital.”

For a moment, the noise of the airport fades into silence. My fingers tighten around the handle of my suitcase, my pulse roaring in my ears.