Cassian remained silent in the rear seat, his gaze lingering on the hotel through the rain-streaked window until the building gradually disappeared behind them.
He had found his mate.
For now, that was enough.
Tomorrow, he would come for her.
************
The revolving doors turned quietly behind Lena as she stepped into the warmth of the hotel lobby, shutting out the relentless sound of the storm.
Warm air wrapped around her rain-soaked body with a gentleness that almost hurt.
After standing in the cold for so long, the sudden temperature change sent another violent shiver through her.
Water dripped steadily from the ends of her hair and the sleeves of her coat, forming small puddles across the polished marble floor beneath her feet.
The lobby itself was modest but welcoming.
Soft golden lights illuminated the reception area, while a handful of guests sat scattered throughout the lounge, quietly sipping coffee or reading the afternoon news.
A television mounted above the waiting area displayed muted coverage of Pairing Day, showing smiling couples leaving government offices hand in hand.
Lena looked away as she could not bear to watch.
Drawing a slow breath, she adjusted her grip on her handbag and walked toward the reception desk.
The young receptionist looked up with a practiced smile that softened the moment she took in Lena’s appearance.
Her clothes were soaked through, damp strands of hair clung to her face, and her swollen eyes spoke of tears she had long since stopped trying to hide.
She totally looked a mess and it wasn’t the first woman to appear like that in such a day.
“Good afternoon,” the receptionist greeted her politely and she had this warm smile pasted on her face.
“Welcome.
How may I help you?”
“I…” Lena’s voice cracked through her throat unable to utter q single coherent word.
She cleared her throat before trying again.
“I’d like to get a room.
Is there any available?” Her voice was hoarse and scratchy.
“Certainly.” The receptionist’s fingers moved quickly across the keyboard before she glanced up again.
“For how many nights will you be staying with us?”
Lena looked at the receptionist and opened her mouth but no word came out because she actually didn’t know how much she was planning to hide away.
She honestly did not know.
Understanding flickered across the receptionist’s face.
“That’s perfectly all right.
We’ll leave your reservation open.” She completed the registration without asking another personal question before placing a key card gently on the counter.
“Room 814.”
Lena accepted it with trembling fingers.
“Thank you.”
The receptionist hesitated briefly before speaking again.
“You look freezing.
Would you like me to have someone bring a pot of hot tea to your room?”
For the first time that afternoon, Lena looked directly at another person.
The stranger’s simple kindness almost shattered the fragile composure she had managed to rebuild.
A painful lump formed in her throat and she forced herself to swallow before offering the faintest shake of her head.
“No… thank you.”
The receptionist smiled gently.
“I hope tomorrow is kinder to you.”
Lena did not trust herself to answer.
She simply nodded, turned away, and walked toward the elevators.
The polished doors slid open almost immediately and she stepped inside alone.
As the doors closed, her reflection appeared in the mirrored walls surrounding her.
For several long moments she simply stared.
The woman looking back at her barely resembled the one who had left for the pairing office that morning.
Mascara had long since run down her cheeks.
Her hair clung to her face in damp strands.
Her eyes were swollen from hours of crying.
She looked utterly exhausted.
She looked at that image and could only laugh at herself.
She had never imagined one time that she would end up like this.
The elevator rose in complete silence before stopping with a soft chime on the eighth floor.
The electronic lock clicked softly as she opened the door.
Once inside she closed it behind her and remained standing there with one hand resting against the doorknob, listening to the silence surrounding her.
There were no raised voices.
No government announcements.
No footsteps chasing after her, only stillness.
For the first time since leaving Nathan’s apartment, she allowed herself to breathe.
Her shoulders sagged beneath the crushing weight of exhaustion as water continued dripping from her coat onto the marble floor while her fingers, stiff from the cold, struggled to undo the buttons.
She finally managed to shrug the heavy coat from her shoulders and draped it over the chair nearest the door.
The room itself was simple but comfortable.
A neatly made queen-sized bed occupied the center of the room beneath soft amber lighting.
A writing desk stood beside the rain-speckled window overlooking the city below, and a small armchair rested quietly in one corner.
There was nothing luxurious about the room.
Nothing memorable.
That was exactly what she needed.
No memories.
No expectations.
Just a place where no one knew her name.
She wandered toward the window and stared through the rain-speckled glass at the city below.
Somewhere beyond those blurred lights, Nathan was probably with the woman the government had declared to be his perfect match.
The thought tightened painfully around her heart.
Before she could stop herself she reached into her pocket as her mobile phone vibrated.
She did not need to look to see who it was as she already knew who it was.
When she finally lowered her eyes to the screen, Nathan’s name filled the display.
She stared at it without much expression.
Once upon a time, seeing his name had been enough to brighten even her worst day.
Now it only reminded her of everything she had lost.
Without answering, she held down the power button until the screen faded to black.
“I’m done,” she whispered, placing the phone face down on the bedside table.
The words sounded hollow—not because she no longer loved him, but because loving him no longer changed anything.