The One He Left Behind Chapter 04

The One He Left Behind Chapter 04

I owned barely any belongings. One trunk held everything I had.

I had lied to Elinor.

I would never return to the borderlands again.

My parents were long gone, and my sisters had scattered across distant territories just to get by.

I had no home left.

I joined a merchant caravan traveling south, picking a random direction on the map with no real destination in mind.

On the day I left, I paused at the crossroads for one final glance back, then turned and walked on without a second thought.

The caravan rolled steadily southward. I had no idea where the journey would end.

I made up my mind then. Wherever the wagons stopped, that would be my new home.

Our first stop was the Blackmire Territory.

The sky here was wide and vivid blue, and the wildflowers far more beautiful than I had imagined.

I tried to heal the wounds in my heart, to cut away the rotten pain festering inside my chest.

Yet some people refused to let me move on.

I opened an anonymous video message someone had sent me.

On screen, Killian looked gaunter than the last time I had seen him.

His Beta nudged him, his tone half joking and half earnest.

“That Omega’s gone. Why not send word? Tell her it was all a joke, or at the very least apologize.”

Killian stayed quiet for a long time, then pulled on a cold, empty smile. “It was no joke, and there is nothing to

explain. Why would I apologize? If anything, she owes me one. Leaving without a single word-who does

that?”

“She’s probably just playing games, trying to make you chase after her.”

The Beta laughed along, not wishing to upset him.

“Exactly. A mere servant girl, thinking she’s irreplaceable. She’ll come crawling back within days. Remember how she doted on you while you were blind? She’s the one who couldn’t bear to be apart.”

To my shock, Killian let out a soft laugh.

“Let her fend for herself out there. I have no intention of going after her.”

The video ended with Lydia throwing herself into his arms, giggling like a triumphant she-wolf.

Watching it felt like being doused with freezing water from head to toe.

My body turned cold, and my heart froze completely.

His words hurt the most.

I had loved him for three years, and yet I realized I had never truly known him.

Or perhaps he had never once shown me his real self.

“See? Even after learning the truth, Killian still chose me. You were always just a servant,” Lydia’s taunt

echoed clear.

I deleted the video silently.

I stared out at the calm river water, my mind heavy with thoughts I could not set aside.

I tried to force myself to forget him, but it was useless.

Outwardly I appeared calm, yet inside my heart twisted in agony.

I could not go on like this any longer.

I stood up and began to walk along the riverbank, hoping the movement would clear my head.

Suddenly a strong hand wrapped around my arm and pulled me sharply back from the water’s edge.

Before I could react, gentle yet firm strength pushed me down onto the grass.

“Don’t do it!”

I blinked and looked up at the man leaning over me. Dark hair fell across his pale, broad forehead. His eyes

were the color of forest moss lit by sunlight.

“Are you hurt?”

Those green eyes swept over me quickly, checking for injuries.

I shook my head and pushed myself back to my feet.

“Whatever troubles you, talk about it. Don’t jump into the river.”

I blinked, still dazed. “I wasn’t going to jump.”

His words died in his throat, and his young, boyish face flushed bright red.

“I-I’m so sorry. I just thought you…”

His flustered reaction drew a faint smile from me. I shook my head and brushed grass off my clothes. “It’s

alright.”

I turned to leave.

He hesitated for a moment. “Could I… get your contact?”

I glanced back in surprise.

He stammered at once. “N-no misunderstandings! I just… I’m worried you might try something foolish again

later!”

“I won’t,” I said calmly. “I told you, I had no intention of jumping.”

“Right! Sorry, I just-I mean…” He stumbled over his words, trailing off mid-sentence.

He was kind-hearted and easily flustered. His awkward sweetness lightened the heavy weight that had hung

over me for days.

I raised an eyebrow and teased him. “I get it. Your wolf has taken a liking to me, hasn’t it?”

His face turned bright crimson. “N-no! That’s not true at all!”

Teasing him felt a little cruel, yet watching his flustered state chased away much of the gloom in my heart.

In the end, we exchanged our names and contact details.

His name was Rowan Hale, a student at Blackmore Academy.

He rented a place off-campus and loved going for night runs along the territory trails.

He had spotted me standing by the river just now, feared I meant to end my life, and rushed forward on

instinct-knocking me straight down onto the grass.