Desired By Three Alphas Fated To One (Hailee) novel Chapter 257

Chapter 257: Leave

Hailee’s POV

"Who do you want to choose, Hailee?"

I didn’t answer.

I couldn’t.

The word pregnant kept echoing in my head until my whole body felt numb. The wind felt cold on my face, the ground shaky beneath my feet, and my heart... my heart felt like someone had reached inside and crushed it.

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to breathe. Trying to think.

But nothing made sense.

Nothing felt right.

Nathan’s face wouldn’t leave my mind—the way it broke, the way his eyes dimmed, the way he leaned on the wall like everything inside him had shattered in one second.

I pressed my hand over my mouth and choked on a sob.

Leo continued. "Hailee... running from the truth won’t make it easier."

"I’m not running," I whispered shakily. "I just... I don’t even know how to breathe right now."

He sighed. "Nathan is hurting. Badly. And you can’t keep hurting him."

I didn’t answer.

Because the moment I closed my eyes, all I could see was Nathan collapsing.

His blood.

His pain.

His voice when he said don’t touch me.

A fresh tear slid down my cheek.

Before I could speak again, a guard approached the garden entrance, out of breath.

"Beta Leo... Alpha Nathan is awake."

My heart stopped.

Leo stood immediately. "Is he asking for anyone?"

The guard swallowed. "He said he wants to speak to Hailee."

My chest tightened so hard I almost doubled over.

"Hailee," Leo said softly, "you should go."

I nodded weakly... even though every step toward that room felt like walking toward a cliff.

Reaching Nathan’s room, I stepped inside.

Nathan was sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless, stitches fresh, his hair messy and damp like he’d been sweating.

His eyes were open.

But they weren’t soft.

They weren’t warm.

They were empty.

Cold.

Red at the edges as if he had been crying all day.

He didn’t look at me, rather he stared at the floor, refusing to keep eye contact with me.

"...Nathan?" I whispered.

He didn’t answer.

I tried again, softer. "Nathan, I—"

He lifted a hand.

A silent command to stop talking.

It hurt me deeper than shouting ever would have.

He finally looked up.

And the look in his eyes nearly took my legs out from under me.

Pain.

So much pain that I almost stopped breathing.

"Hailee," he said quietly, "thank you for coming."

My stomach twisted.

He never spoke to me like that. Never used that tone. It was polite. Formal. Forced.

"Please don’t do that," I whispered. "Don’t talk to me like I’m a stranger."

His jaw clenched.

"You said you didn’t mean to hurt me," he murmured. "But you did."

I felt tears burn the back of my throat. "Nathan... I didn’t know. I didn’t plan—"

He shook his head. "I don’t need explanations."

"Yes, you do," I said desperately. "You have to know how I feel—"

He cut in sharply:

"No. I don’t."

I froze.

His voice didn’t break.

Mine did.

He stood slowly, steadying himself on the table.

His eyes locked onto mine with an emotion I couldn’t read at first... until it clicked.

He had made a decision.

A terrible one.

A final one.

"Hailee," he said, voice so calm it shredded me, "I release you."

My breath stopped.

Release.

A goodbye.

My heart twisted painfully. "Nathan... please, no. Don’t do this."

"You are carrying another man’s child," he said quietly. "You need him more than you need me."

"That’s not true!" I cried. "Nathan, please—"

He raised his hand again, cutting me off with a firm gesture.

"Your life is in danger and so is the life of this innocent pup in your stomach."

I wanted to speak, but he beat me to it. "I have already contacted Callum, and he should be on his way here so you two can talk and know the way forward."

My eyes widened. "Nathan, what did you do?"

Nathan looked at me straight in the eyes, his eyes full of raw pain. "I did what was right, Hailee... Hailee I know you... You might decide to keep this pregnancy away from Callum, and I won’t let that happen... Callum deserves to know he will be a father again... He deserves to know you are carrying his pup and your life is at risk, and that is what I did... I have already told Callum everything, and soon he will be here."

My breath seized as the realization of what Nathan had just done sank in, but before I could speak, he continued.

"I’m releasing you to be with the father of your unborn child," he said. "Go to Callum."

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