Chapter 1: Break up

•CALEB•

“Let’s break up.” The words came out of my mouth, but they didn’t feel like mine. They felt forced. Dragged out of a place inside me that was already bleeding.

Luke froze like I had just hit him.

Worse.

His fingers tightened around mine almost instantly, like letting go would make it real.

“You’re joking… right?” he asked, his voice shaky in a way I had never heard before. “Right, Cal?”

I looked at him.

Eight years.

Eight whole years and I still didn’t deserve the way he looked at me right now.

Hopeful.

Scared.

Completely open.

“It’s not you…” I started, my voice already betraying me.

“Don’t,” he cut in quickly, shaking his head. “Don’t pull that classic line on me, Caleb.”nHis grip on my hand tightened.

“We’ve been together for eight years,” he continued, his voice rising, breaking, trying to stay strong and failing. “We’re getting married next month. Everything is already planned. So tell me why the hell you want to break up with me.”nTears were already in his eyes. And that… that broke something in me completely.

Because I couldn’t even comfort him. I couldn’t even lie properly. What was I supposed to say?

Tell him I’m not human?

Tell him I’m something his world would never accept? My own world even rejected me.

Tell him my entire life has been built on hiding something that could get me killed?

Or maybe tell him the truth that would destroy him even more.

That my mother didn’t die from some random accident a week back but rather she was murdered. Because of me. Because I exist.

My throat tightened, but no words came out.

“Don’t just stand there,” Luke snapped, his voice cracking. “Say something.”

I stayed silent. Because anything I said would be a lie. Or worse.

The truth.

“Is this because of your mom?” he asked suddenly, his tone softer now, desperate. “I know it’s been hard. I know you’re not okay but I’m here, Cal. I’m right here. I’ll help you through it. We’ll get through it together. Please… don’t do this to us.”

Us.

That word almost made me fold.

Almost.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. And I meant it. Just not in the way he needed.

His face twisted slightly, like he was trying to understand something that didn’t make sense.

“You’re being mean right now,” he said, his voice low, hurt, confused. “You’re being really wicked.”

I looked away, looking into his eyes was killing me slowly, I couldn’t take it.

“You know what?” he continued, wiping his face quickly like he didn’t want me to see how much this was affecting him. “Just tell me what I did wrong. I’ll fix it. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it.”

My chest tightened painfully.

“Is it the sex?” he added quickly, almost tripping over his own words. “You said your drive has been higher lately, right? I’ll try harder. I’ll keep up. Just… don’t do this. Don’t leave.”

God.

Every word he said made it worse. Because he was trying.nAnd I was the one destroying everything.

“I fell out of love.” The lie came out heavier than anything I had ever said. And the moment it landed…

I saw it.

The exact second it broke him. More tears fell, this time without him trying to stop them. He nodded slowly, like he was forcing himself to accept something he didn’t believe.

“Okay,” he said quietly.

Just that. No shouting or begging this time, he just accepted and that felt worse than anything else.

He turned around quickly. And I knew why. He didn’t want me to see him fall apart. But I still saw it. The way his shoulders dropped. The way his steps weren’t steady anymore. The way he was holding himself together by nothing.

I almost called his name, ran after him and take everything back.

But I didn’t, loving him is exactly why I had to leave.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the space he had just left behind, my chest tight, my breathing uneven.

Then I moved fast, before I changed my mind and I run back to him and ruined everything.

I grabbed my box from the corner of the apartment.

Our apartment. The one that still smelled like him. The one filled with memories I didn’t get to keep.

And walked out. I didn’t stop moving until I reached the park. The same park we used to come to when everything felt simple.

Back when life didn’t feel like a ticking clock.

I sat down on a bench, placing my bag beside me, my fingers trembling slightly as I reached into my pocket.

The bus ticket stared back at me.

One way.

No return.

I let out a slow breath, leaning back slightly as the weight of everything finally settled on me.

This is it.

No more pretending.

No more running in circles.

Just running forward. Straight into a world I was never meant to exist in.

My mother’s voice came back again.

“Go back, baby… living among them is the only way you will be safe. Never in their wildest dreams would they think the omega they are searching for is living among them.”

I closed my eyes tightly. I didn’t want to go.nI didn’t want this life.nBut I didn’t have a choice.

Because staying?

Staying meant death.

And I had already lost enough. I opened my eyes slowly, staring ahead at nothing in particular.

“Guess I’m really doing this,” I muttered quietly.