Page 59 of The Wolf's Plus-Size Bride

My heart feels like it’s shattering into a million pieces. Every step we take back toward my place is a reminder that this might be one of the last times we do this. My feet are moving, but my mind is a tangled web of thoughts I can’t escape. How did I let myself get here? How did I let myself fall for someone who can’t or won’t catch me?

I feel like an idiot for believing that this time could be different. That maybe, just maybe, Reiner saw me as more than just a temporary distraction. All those nights spent wrapped up in his arms, feeling like the world outside didn’t matter, are starting to feel like illusions. Like something I conjured up in my head to protect myself from the truth.

The truth is, I’m a fool for thinking I could mean something more to him. He made me feel special, sure, but I should have known better than to think it would last. Reiner’s good at keeping things light, at making you feel like you’re the only person in the world when you’re with him, but that doesn’tmean he’s in it for the long haul. I should have seen the signs. The way he avoids talking about the future, how he never lets the conversation drift too close to anything serious. How he’s so damn good at making me laugh, making me feel alive, but not good at letting me know where I stand with him.

I guess it’s my fault, too. I knew the risks. I knew that getting involved with someone like Reiner would be complicated, that he was a wild card. But I still let myself believe in the possibility of something more. And now, that hope is turning into a bitter taste in my mouth. A lump in my throat that I can’t swallow down.

The walk back feels like it’s taking forever, each step dragging me closer to the moment when I’ll have to say goodbye. Not just to Reiner but to everything we could have been. I can feel him beside me, and his presence is a comforting weight, but it’s also a reminder of what I’m about to lose.

By the time we reach the door to the trailer, my chest is aching with the effort of holding it all in. I want to scream, to demand that he tell me what he really feels, but I know it won’t do any good. If he wanted me to stay, he would have said something by now. He would have given me a reason, something to hold onto, something to make this decision easier. But he hasn’t, and that silence is all the answer I need.

Reiner opens the door and steps aside to let me in, and I feel like I’m walking into a tomb. The air inside is filled with the ghost of everything we shared. I can’t help but think about all the nights we spent here, all the mornings we woke up tangled in each other, the way he’d kiss my forehead and pull me close, making me feel like I was home. But now, it’s just a place. A place where I’ll sleep for a couple more nights before I leave. Before I go back to a life that feels a little more hollow than it did before.

I can feel the tears burning behind my eyes, but I won’t let them fall. Not yet, not here. I need to keep it together, to hold onto whatever dignity I have left. I can cry later, when I’m alone in bed, when the darkness hides the pain and I can let it all out. But for now, I need to be strong. I need to pretend like this isn’t tearing me apart.

Reiner doesn’t say much as he heads to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water. I watch him, feeling like I’m seeing him for the last time. The way his muscles move under his shirt, the way his hair falls into his eyes, the way his lips curl up in that half-smile that’s always made my heart skip a beat. God, I’m going to miss him. I’m going to miss everything about him, even the things that drove me crazy.

I can’t stay here much longer. I need to get out, to breathe, to find a way to keep myself from falling apart in front of him. I tell myself that I’ll be okay, that I’ll survive this, but it feels like a lie. Like something I’m saying just to keep myself from breaking down.

I mumble some excuse about needing to get to bed. Reiner nods, but his expression is unreadable. He doesn’t stop me, doesn’t ask if I’m okay, doesn’t pull me into his arms like I desperately want him to. He just watches me go, and that’s what hurts the most. Because at that moment, it feels like he’s letting me go. Like he’s already moved on. Like I’m just another chapter in his life that’s coming to an end.

As I walk to the bedroom, I can feel the tears threatening to spill over, but I won’t let them. Not until I’m alone, not until the door is closed, and I can finally let myself feel the full weight of what I’m losing.

I climb into bed, pull the covers over me, and curl up into a ball, trying to hold myself together. But it’s no use. The tearscome, hot and fast, and I can’t stop them. I bury my face in the pillow, trying to muffle the sobs that are tearing their way out of me. It hurts. God, it hurts so much, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I feel like I’m drowning, like the pain is swallowing me whole, and I don’t know how to escape it.

I cry until I’m exhausted, until there are no more tears left, and all I can do is lie there, staring at the ceiling, feeling numb and empty. I thought I could handle this, but I was wrong. I’m not strong enough to let him go, but I don’t have a choice. Reiner made that decision for me, and now I have to live with it.

Chapter 21 - Reiner

The two months are almost up, and it’s like a heavy cloud hanging over me, a constant reminder that Jane and the other Stardust Hollow shifters are about to leave. We’ve played our part so well that everyone around us believes we’ll make this long-distance thing work. But the truth? The truth is a tangled mess of guilt and confusion, and I can’t shake it.

I’m not just fooling my pack; I’m fooling myself. Letting things get this far, letting myself get so wrapped up in her was a mistake. Or was it? I don’t even know anymore. My head tells me it was, that I should have kept my distance, but my heart—my heart doesn’t want to let go. Not now, not when I’ve gotten so used to having her by my side. To falling asleep with her scent filling my senses.

I should be relieved, I guess. Relieved that the charade is coming to an end, that I won’t have to keep pretending. But the thought of Jane leaving, of not seeing her again, of her not being there when I wake up or not hearing her laugh—it’s like a punch to the gut. It doesn’t make sense, this attachment I’ve developed. It shouldn’t hurt like this, but it does.

I know I need to do something to mark the end of these two months, give her a proper send-off. But not just any date—something special, something that she’ll remember. So, I decide to take her around town to show her the spots I haven’t shared with anyone else, not even my pack.

The sun is dipping low in the sky when I pull up to Jane’s place, and my heart is pounding a little harder than usual. She’s waiting for me, as always, and the sight of her brings a mix of warmth and a sharp pang of something I can’t quite name.

“Ready for tonight?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light, even though there’s a weight in my chest that doesn’t belong there.

She smiles, but it’s a sad smile, and it tugs at something deep inside me. “Always.”

I nod, returning the smile, though mine feels more forced. “I’ve got something special planned.”

“Oh? What kind of special?”

“You’ll see,” I tease, keeping it vague. If I let myself think about what tonight really means, I might just lose my nerve.

We start off with a drive through the outskirts of town, taking the back roads where the trees line the path. The sky is a deep orange, fading into purples and blues as the sun continues its descent. It’s quiet, with the only sounds being the hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of leaves as the wind picks up.

I take her to the first spot—an old, forgotten trail that winds through the woods. It’s a place I’ve come to many times when I needed to clear my head, to be alone with my thoughts. The trees are tall and thick, their branches arching overhead, creating a canopy that filters the fading sunlight. It’s peaceful here, untouched by the world outside.

“Come on,” I say as I park the truck and hop out. Jane follows, looking around with that curious expression.

“I didn’t even know this place existed,” she whispers as if she doesn’t want to disturb the tranquility.

“That’s because I’ve kept it a secret,” I reply, taking her hand and leading her down the path. “Just for us locals. I wanted to show it to you before you left.”

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