He Has Never Been Here

"Joey? I'm talking to you."

The car turned onto a smooth stretch of road, and he reached over to pinch my cheek.

I looked down, running my fingers over my bare ring finger. My voice was calm.

"Sorry, what did you say? I wasn't listening."

Noticing my hand, Theo kept one hand on the steering wheel and wrapped the other around mine.

"Come on, Joey, be reason..."

I pulled my hand free under the pretense of tucking my hair back.

His hand hung in the air where mine had been, and his body stiffened for a moment.

"It's just a ring. Is that really worth getting upset over?"

He let out a soft laugh and coaxed me in that low, smooth voice of his.

"Sophia's still young. Everything's new and shiny to her. Letting her wear it for a bit isn't a big deal."

"You've had that sour look on your face all day. You scared her."

A sour look?

Was I supposed to smile when she was wearing my ring?

"Theo."

"I waited seven years for that ring. For that proposal."

The arrogant smile froze on his face.

He quickly averted his eyes, turning back to the road.

"Back then my pack hadn't risen yet. I couldn't give you a stable life. Are you upset about that too?"

His tone was dismissive. "The pack is growing stronger every day. You're going to be my one and only mate. What the hell is one ring?"

"Be reasonable. Once we're married, you'll have so much more."

He always used that phrase to shut me down before I could even start an argument.

His promises sounded sweet, but he never followed through on a single one.

Seven years ago, he was nothing more than the leader of a small, remote pack, constantly under attack from rival packs.

And I was the daughter of the Alpha of the Celestial Pack, the most powerful pack there was.

When he confessed his feelings to me, he cried.

"Joey, trust me. One day I'll make the Starlight Pack stronger than any other, and I'll give you everything you've ever wanted."

"You're my chosen mate. The only one I'll ever want."

I held onto those words for seven years.

The car pulled into the villa's garage, and Theo kissed my hand out of habit.

"My schedule's wide open now. To make it up to you, how about I take you shopping tomorrow? I'll buy you as many diamond rings as you want."

In the past, I would have thrown my arms around him, told him I didn't need anything as long as he was by my side.

But now I felt nothing. Not even hope. Just a faint sense of disgust.

"No thanks. I just want to rest."

Theo ruffled my hair, a smile plastered on his face. "You're still mad?"

Then he glanced at his phone and told me, "Sophia says a proposal ring isn't perfect without a fiancé, so she wants me to play her fiancé for a day tomorrow."

"It's just to make her happy. It doesn't mean anything."

"Joey, be reasonable, okay? Don't be petty about this."

"Fine."

I nodded without missing a beat.

Theo smiled with satisfaction and mussed up my hair. "Good girl."

Inside, Theo went to make coffee.

I sat down at my computer and opened the unread email.

This was a position I'd applied for a long time ago. My mentor had been recommending me for it, and now, finally, there was an answer.

I typed my reply. "Thank you, Professor. My flight leaves in two days."

She must have been waiting for me, because the reply came almost instantly.

"Wonderful. Men are nothing but a pastime. Having a career of your own is what really matters."

Reading those words, I nodded.

That's right. Since Sophia loved borrowing other people's things and keeping them, she could have this man too.