Broken Heart

56 Leave...

AUTHOR'S POV

Kevin didn't know where he went. He just walked, driven by a pain so profound it threatened to consume him. The words echoed in his mind, a relentless, agonizing loop: "...how miserable and helpless I feel in this marriage..."

He didn't hear the rest of the conversation, the context, the nuances. He only heard the raw, unfiltered misery in David's voice, and it shattered his world.

He wandered through the pack lands, the familiar scents and sounds of his home now alien and mocking. The trees whispered secrets he no longer understood, the wind carried a chill that seeped into his bones, and the moon, once a comforting presence, now seemed to mock his loneliness.

David, meanwhile, had no idea that Kevin had overheard him. He had been speaking to Chris, his voice filled with the raw vulnerability he usually kept hidden, trying to articulate the fear and insecurity that still lingered within him, the lingering shadow of Rose. He hadn't said he didn't love Kevin or he feel miserable or anything; quite the opposite. He was terrified of losing Kevin, of not being enough. But he had expressed his pain, his moments of doubt, his feeling of walking a tightrope between love and fear. Now, he was worried because Kevin hadn't returned home.

When Kevin finally returned, as dawn approached, the younger was there. Kevin was drunk, his eyes bloodshot, his movements unsteady. He stumbled into the living room, his clothes disheveled, a shadow of the composed and powerful Alpha he usually was. He saw David, the younger face etched with worry, and a sad, twisted smile touched his lips.

He started to hum, a tuneless, melancholic melody, the words slurred and barely audible. "...love you, Sweetie... always love you..." He swayed on his feet, his gaze unfocused, his pain a raw and gaping wound.

David rushed to him, his concern overriding his confusion. "Kevin, what happened?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Where have you been? Are you alright?"

Kevin looked at him, his eyes filled with a heartbreaking mixture of love and despair. He wanted to tell him, to explain, to pour out his pain and confusion. But the words wouldn't come. The weight of what he had heard, the crushing realization of the younger perceived misery, had rendered him speechless.

He simply shook his head, his smile widening into a grotesque parody of happiness. "Love you, Sweetie" he mumbled, his voice thick with alcohol. Then, he collapsed, his body giving way to exhaustion and despair.

David, with the help of pack members, got him into bed. He watched over him as he slept, his brow furrowed with worry. He didn't understand his state, his words, his behavior. He knew Kevin was hurting, but he didn't know why.

David didn't know that his words, spoken in confidence to his Chris, had driven a big misunderstanding that cause him to the brink.

While David tended to Kevin, Kevin was making a decision. A decision born of pain, of a desperate need to protect the man he loved, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness. He had decided to leave.

He couldn't bear the thought of David being miserable, of feeling trapped and helpless in a marriage with him. He loved him too much to be the source of his pain. He couldn't stay and watch him suffer, to see the light in his eyes dim, to know that he was the reason for the younger unhappiness.

So, he would leave. He would disappear. He would relinquish his status as Alpha, handing the reins of power to his elder brother, Michael.

But that wasn't all. Kevin had a secret, a part of his life that even David didn't know about. Over the years, he had built a company, a global enterprise that operated independently of the pack, a testament to his business acumen and strategic thinking. It was his own creation, a source of pride and a safety net, though he never anticipated needing it.

Now, he would entrust that company to David. He would make him the CEO, ensuring his financial security and independence. And to help him navigate this new world, he would appoint Stella, his sister, as the COO.

He knew Stella possessed the intelligence, the drive, and the loyalty to support David and help the company thrive. It was his final act of love, a way to provide for David and his kids, even in his absence.

He would leave everything in order, ensuring David and their kids would be secure. He would leave detailed instructions, access to all accounts, and a letter, a carefully crafted message that would explain his decision, though he doubted it would ever truly make sense.

The battle the next day would be his last. He would fight with a reckless abandon, a desperate courage, a fierce determination to protect his pack, and then... he would simply vanish. He wouldn't return to the pack. He would let them believe he had died in battle. It would be easier that way. Easier for them to move on, easier for David to build a new life, a life where he could find happiness, a life where he could be free.

It was a sacrifice of unimaginable proportions, a decision driven by a love so profound it bordered on self-destruction. Kevin Walton, the Alpha, the warrior, the businessman, the lover, would cease to exist. He would become a ghost, a whisper in the wind, a memory that would eventually fade.

He would leave, not in anger, but in sorrow. Not in defeat, but in a twisted act of love. He would leave for David, for his pack, and for the faint, flickering hope that one day, somehow, they would all be okay, even without him.