NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11: Chapter Eleven
Shattered Truths.
The aroma of sizzling eggs and freshly brewed coffee drifted through the air, a deceptively normal scent that slowly pulled Lila from the depths of her restless sleep. Her body ached in unfamiliar ways, each muscle protesting as she stirred beneath the sheets. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm patterns across the bed, but even that familiar comfort felt somehow different today.
For a moment, she lay there in confusion, her mind struggling to piece together where she was and why everything felt so... altered. Then, like a dam breaking, the memories of the previous night came rushing back with such force that she gasped. Caleb was walking in through her door at that very moment.When their eyes met,she saw his eyes wild with concern. The heat between them, electric and undeniable. The way he had held her through it all, his touch both soothing and inflammatory.
Lila shot upright, her heart was hammering against her ribs as the full weight of the memories settled over her. This wasn't just the fuzzy recollection of a dream – every moment was crystal clear, carved into her mind with precision. Her hands trembled as she pushed her tangled hair away from her face, trying to make sense of it all.
What had happened to her?
Caleb was beside her, and the sight of him sent a fresh wave of confusion through her. He looked so normal, so familiar – dark hair slightly mussed, wearing a simple gray t-shirt and worn jeans. But there was something different in the way he carried himself, a careful precision to his movements that she'd never noticed before. Or had she simply never understood what it meant?
He balanced a tray in his hands, loaded with what appeared to be a perfect breakfast: scrambled eggs garnished with fresh herbs, golden-brown toast, and a steaming mug of coffee that filled the room with its rich aroma. The domesticity of the scene felt almost absurd given the chaos in her mind.
"Good morning," he said softly, his voice carrying that same warmth she'd always loved, now tinged with something that sounded like caution. Or was it guilt?
Lila clutched the sheets tighter to her chest, suddenly aware of how vulnerable she felt. "Caleb," she managed, his name coming out rougher than she'd intended. Her throat felt raw, and she wondered distantly if she'd been screaming last night. More memories threatened to surface, but she pushed them back, focusing on the present moment.
He moved closer to her with that same careful grace, setting the tray on the bedside table. "I thought you might be hungry," he said, still not quite meeting her eyes. "After everything... well, you need to keep your strength up. Food will help."
The concern in his voice only fueled the confusion and frustration building inside her. How could he act so casual, so normal, when nothing about this situation was normal? "What happened to me last night?" she demanded, her voice low but intense.
His jaw tightened, and she watched as he seemed to wage some internal battle. Instead of answering, he picked up the tray again, holding it out like some kind of peace offering. "You should eat first," he insisted gently. "I promise I'll explain everything after."
"No." Lila shook her head, anger beginning to simmer beneath her skin. "I don't care about food right now, Caleb. I want to know what's going on."
"Lila, please," he tried again, still holding the tray between them like a shield. "You need to eat something. You'll feel better, and then we can—"
"I don't care about feeling better!" The words burst from her with unexpected force. Before she could think better of it, she shoved the tray away from her. It slipped from his hands, crashing to the floor,shattering ceramic and spilling coffee. The sound seemed to echo in the suddenly silent room, but Lila didn't flinch. Her hands were shaking, but not from fear – from rage.
"Stop trying to distract me!" she continued, her voice rising with each word. "Stop acting like this is just another morning, like nothing happened! You've been avoiding me for weeks, Caleb. Weeks! Then you show up out of nowhere, and suddenly I'm experiencing things I can't explain, and you're standing there trying to feed me breakfast like everything's normal?"
The broken pieces of the plate lay scattered across the floor, eggs and coffee creating a mess that seemed to mirror the chaos of her emotions. Caleb stared at the destruction for a long moment, his shoulders tense, his hands clenched at his sides. When he finally looked up at her, his expression had changed. The careful mask he'd been wearing cracked, revealing a mix of guilt, determination, and something else – something ancient and wild that made her breath catch in her throat.
"You're right," he said quietly, his voice carrying a weight she'd never heard before. "You deserve the truth. All of it."
Lila crossed her arms, trying to still her trembling hands. "Then talk."
"Lila..." he began, then paused, seeming to search for the right words. "There's no easy way to say this, but I'm not like other people. I'm... different."
She frowned, confusion momentarily overriding her anger. "Different how?"
He met her eyes then, and something in his gaze made her want to look away. But she held firm, waiting. "I'm a werewolf," he said finally, the words falling between them like stones in still water.
For a moment, Lila was sure she'd misheard him. "What?"
"My family," he continued, his voice steady despite the absurdity of what he was saying. "The Wolfe family – it's not just a name. We've always been this way. It's in our blood, in our very nature. We're tied to the moon, to the pack. It's who we are... who I am."
Lila stared at him, waiting for the punchline, for him to crack a smile and tell her this was all some elaborate joke. But his expression remained serious, his eyes pleading with her to understand. "You're serious," she said slowly, the words feeling strange in her mouth.
He nodded. "I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you. Because I thought if I could just keep my distance, maybe..."
"Maybe what?" she demanded, her voice rising again. "Maybe I wouldn't notice that my boyfriend isn't human?"
The word 'boyfriend' made him flinch, and something in his expression shifted. "It's more complicated than that," he said softly. "Last night was the full moon. It's... it's a powerful time for werewolves, especially when it comes to the bond."
"The bond?" The word sent a shiver down her spine, though she couldn't say why.
"When werewolves find their mate," he explained, each word careful and measured, "there's a connection that forms between them. It's intense, especially during the full moon. What you felt last night – the pain, the heat, the... need – it was because of that bond. Because..." He hesitated, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "Because you're my mate."
The room seemed to spin around her as the implications of his words sank in. "So everything I felt," she said slowly, her voice trembling, "was because of this... this bond? This thing I never asked for?"
"Yes," he admitted, guilt heavy in his voice.
"And you knew?" The question came out sharp, accusatory. "You knew this would happen?"
"I tried to stay away," he said quickly, taking a step toward her. "I thought if I could give you space, it would be easier. I never wanted to force this on you, Lila. You have to believe that."
"Force it on me?" She laughed, but the sound was hollow. "What else would you call this? You knew what was coming, and you didn't warn me. You let me walk into this completely blind, and now my entire life is... is..." She gestured helplessly, unable to find words big enough to encompass how thoroughly everything had changed.
"You're still you," Caleb insisted, his voice thick with emotion. "Nothing about this changes who you are. You're still strong, and smart, and—"
"Don't," she cut him off, her voice sharp as a blade. "Don't try to fix this with pretty words. Just... just go."
"Lila—"
"Leave!" The word erupted from her like a command, and for a moment, something flickered in his eyes – recognition, perhaps, or resignation.
He stood there for another moment, looking lost in a way she'd never seen before. "Okay," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll go. But I'll always be here for you, Lila. No matter what."
She turned away, unable to watch him leave. The sound of the door closing behind him was soft, almost gentle, but it felt like a thunderclap in the silence of the room.
Lila sank onto the bed, her legs no longer able to support her. Her chest ached with an emptiness she couldn't explain, and her thoughts spun in endless, dizzying circles. Ever since graduation, her life had felt like it was slowly unraveling, each day bringing some new challenge or disappointment. But this... this was beyond anything she could have imagined.
The tears came without warning, first as silent drops and then in wracking sobs that shook her entire body. She cried for the normal life she'd thought she had, for the simple love story she'd believed in, for the future that now seemed impossibly complicated. She cried because despite her anger, despite feeling betrayed and manipulated, there was still a part of her that wanted to run after Caleb, to feel his arms around her again.
That frightened her more than anything else – the way her body seemed to remember him, to want him, even as her mind screamed in protest. Was that her choice, or was it this bond he'd spoken of? How much of what she felt was real, and how much was this supernatural connection she'd never asked for?
Through her tears, she caught sight of the mess still spread across the floor – broken ceramic, spilled coffee, scattered eggs. She needed to get that cleaned up before she cut herself but she couldn't lift her self up so she lay back into bed.
For now, all she could do was let herself feel it all – the anger, the confusion, the loss, and yes, even the pull toward Caleb that she couldn't quite deny.The world, it seemed ,didnt care that everything had changed.It just kept turning, leaving her to decide whether to turn with it or stay frozen in this moment forever.