Silvano’s POV
I leaned back in my chair at Shadow Pack headquarters, the evening’s twilight casting long shadows across my office. The scent of pine and forest that always accompanied our territory couldn’t penetrate the glass walls surrounding me. My wolf paced restlessly within me, agitated by the prolonged separation from our mate.
"Bring me some coffee," I told Chad without looking up from the documents spread across my desk. Quarterly reports from our northern territories showed promising growth, but I couldn’t focus. Every few minutes, my thoughts drifted to Freya and our daughter Isabella. My chest ached with a familiar hollowness that had been my constant companion since Freya left. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
"Right away, Alpha," Chad responded, his voice carrying that careful tone my team had adopted lately.
Minutes later, Chad returned with the steaming cup. I set aside the financial projections and picked up the coffee, giving it a gentle stir as I’d done thousands of times before. The moment I brought it to my lips, however, something felt wrong. The scent was... off.
Despite my instinct to reject it immediately, I took a small sip. My wolf growled in disapproval.
"Have her make it again," I said, setting the cup down firmly.
Chad hesitated but nodded. "Of course."
When the second cup arrived, I didn’t even need to taste it. One whiff was enough to know it wasn’t right. It wasn’t *her*.
"What’s going on?" I demanded.
Chad shifted uncomfortably. "Rebecca is probably nervous about making coffee for you the first time, Alpha. She may have misjudged the brewing time..."
I frowned, the wolf inside me suddenly alert. "Rebecca? Who is Rebecca? Where’s Freya?"
Chad’s expression told me everything before he even spoke. "Freya resigned from the company last week, sir. You... didn’t know?"
The silence between us stretched for several heartbeats. My mind raced through possibilities, scenarios, explanations. No, I hadn’t known. Despite our mate bond, despite my position as Alpha, despite everything between us, I hadn’t known.
I remembered Chad’s complaints about Freya’s work attitude. I’d been aware he wanted to terminate her employment, but I never imagined she’d actually leave. Not my Freya. Not my stubborn, determined mate who never backed down from anything.
"When did she leave?" My voice remained steady, betraying none of the turmoil beneath.
"Last Thursday."
"I see."
She had left. But I convinced myself this was temporary. Freya would return—she always did. This was just another of our disagreements. She needed space, perhaps. Time to cool down before coming back home. To me. To our daughter. To our pack.
"What about the coffee?" Chad asked cautiously.
"Take it away. Bring me water instead."
"Yes, Alpha."
As Chad left, I glanced at my phone, tempted to call her. To hear her voice. To demand explanations. To beg her to return if necessary. My fingers hovered over her contact information.
But I couldn’t. Not yet.



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