SOPHIA’S POV
I made it exactly three steps before I swayed. I grabbed for the doorframe but missed.
"Sophia!" Damien was there instantly. His hands caught me by the shoulders to steady me.
"I’m fine," I said, even though I clearly wasn’t. The fever was making everything feel blurry.
"You’re not fine." He supported more of my weight. "Just let me help you-”
I tried to push him away, but my coordination was off. My hand landed on his chest for balance, and at the exact same moment, his hand slipped from my shoulder.
His palm brushed against my breast.
We both froze.
It was barely a touch. It was over in less than a second. But the electricity that shot through me at the contact was undeniable. My wolf howled with sudden need, recognizing our mate’s touch.
I jerked back like I’d been burned. "Don’t touch me!"
Damien’s face had gone bright red. "I didn’t - it was an accident-"
"You’re shameless!" I shrieked "Absolutely shameless! Your mistress’s perfume is still on your clothes and you’re- you’re-"
I couldn’t even finish the sentence. My face was burning, and not just from fever.
"I wasn’t trying to-"
"Get out!" I pointed at the door. "Just get out!"
Damien practically fled from the room.
I stood there breathing hard. My whole body trembled. My wolf was whining in confusion, wanting our mate to come back, wanting more of his touch. But my human side was angry and so, so tired of feeling anything at all for a man who’d chosen someone else.
I heard Damien’s footsteps heading down the hall, then his voice, "Ashley? Are you awake, sweetheart? How are you feeling?"
That gentle tone - the one he never used with me anymore - made my chest ache.
Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed in clean clothes I’d found in the guest room closet and heading downstairs. I could hear Damien’s voice coming from the kitchen.
"Yes, I’ve already called ahead to set it up. The masseuse will be there at two, and the nutritionist at four."
I stopped in the hallway. My wolf’s hearing picked up every word clearly.
"I know you’re stressed. Just try to relax and let them take care of you. You deserve to be pampered after everything you’ve been through."
The gentleness in his voice made something twist painfully in my chest.
"I miss you too," he continued. "I’ll try to come visit again this weekend. Maybe we can have that dinner you wanted."
Tiffany. He was talking to Tiffany.
I walked into the kitchen and saw him leaning against the counter.
He saw me and his expression immediately shifted. "I have to go. Yes, I’ll call you later. Take care of yourself."
He hung up.
"Planning another visit?" I asked.
"Tiffany needed help arranging some wellness treatments. She’s been stressed."
"Of course. Can’t have her stressed." I rolled my eyes as I moved to the coffee maker, rolling my eyes. "Ashley gets stressed to the point of physical illness and that’s just Tuesday but Tiffany needs a massage and nutritionist immediately."
"Sophia-”
I poured coffee then turned to face him. "Speaking of Ashley, when you bring her home from the hospital, she needs to follow a strict diet for the next few days. The doctor gave me a list."
"Fine. I’ll tell Franca-"
"And she needs to be in bed by eight p.m." I pulled out my phone and brought up my notes. "Her sleep schedule has been terrible lately, and lack of rest makes the stomach issues worse."
"Tiffany has been helping keep Ashley occupied in the evenings-"
"By letting her stay up until eleven on school nights? By feeding her candy and chips when she knows Ashley has digestive problems?. That’s not helping."
Ashley’s room door was open. I could hear her crying before I even reached it.
"Baby!" I rushed to her bedside. "What hurts? Where?"
"My tummy," Ashley sobbed, clutching her stomach.
I reached for her, but she pushed my hands away violently.
"No! Don’t touch me!" Her face was twisted with pain and something else - anger? Resentment? "I want Tiffany!"
The words froze me in place. What?
"Ashley, sweetheart-" Damien moved to her other side.
"Where’s Tiffany?" Ashley cried harder. Her body curled into a ball. "Why isn’t she here? I want Tiffany!”
My wolf howled in agony. Our pup was rejecting us, pushing us away, calling for someone else.
"Ashley, please-" I tried again to touch her but she moved away from me.
"Go away! I want Tiffany!" Ashley’s sobs were getting worse. Her pain was clearly intensifying. "Mommy just makes everything worse! She yells and makes Daddy upset and I hate it!”
I stepped back like I’d been physically hit "Ashley-"
The room went silent except for Ashley’s sobs.
I stood there, frozen, unable to breathe. My daughter had just told me she wanted someone else.
And looking at her face - at the genuine pain and anger there - I realized she meant it.
This wasn’t just a tantrum. This wasn’t just the stress talking. This was how my daughter really felt about me.
My wolf curled up inside me. she was wounded beyond anything I’d ever felt. The mate bond pulled weakly at my chest, but I couldn’t even feel it through the agony of my child’s rejection.
This....this was the final straw.

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