Chapter 119

The silence had become unbearable. Four days of unanswered calls, ignored texts, and the growing certainty that every hour of separation was driving Claire further away from me. I'd tried respecting her need for space, tried giving her time to process whatever storm was raging in her mind, but my wolf was going insane with the need to see her, to touch her, to confirm that she was safe and whole. Charlie had advised patience. My mother had counseled moving on. Even my own rational mind suggested that pursuing a woman who clearly didn't want to see me was a losing proposition. But none of them understood the fundamental truth that had been eating away at my sanity—I would rather face her rejection in person than continue existing in this purgatory of uncertainty. The drive to her apartment building felt like traveling through a nightmare landscape where every familiar street corner reminded me of moments we'd shared. The coffee shop where I'd bought her favorite blend during late-night