Chapter 4

The night before the mating ceremony, Xavier finally came home, reeking of alcohol.

The second he walked in, he wrapped himself around me from behind and started rubbing his face against mine.

The thought of him kissing another woman made me sick. I shoved him off. He came back, shameless, arms around me again.

Mumbling into my neck. "Claire. I missed you."

"I'm sorry, baby. Pack business has been crazy these past few days. I haven't had a minute. You are not mad at me, are you?"

Yvette's Twitter was lit up with photos of the two of them. Only an idiot would've believed him.

I didn't call him on it. Just made a cold sound in the back of my throat.

He took that as encouragement. His grin widened. He leaned in to kiss me.

My jaw tightened—and before I knew it, my hand came up and cracked across his face.

The slap echoed. He sobered up fast.

He stared at me, stunned, one hand to his cheek. "Claire, what the hell?"

I shook out my stinging palm. "Nothing. It's late. Get some sleep."

I walked past him into the bedroom and locked the door. Left him standing in the living room, alone.

The day of the mating ceremony, the whole pack gathered at the altar. Yvette was there too, of course. She stood at the front of the crowd, glaring up at me with nothing but hatred.

Xavier's father came up to toast my father. My father sat there with a stormy look, staring past him at Xavier. My father waved the cup away.

"No thanks."

The old Alpha blinked, confused. Before he could ask what was wrong, the ceremony began.

Xavier walked up to me in a crisp suit, dropped to one knee, held out the ring, and started his lines.

"Claire. For better or worse, in sickness and in health, I will love you always. I will never leave you."

"Will you be my mate?"

The music swelled. The room melted. A few people were wiping away tears.

Everyone, that is, except Yvette. She looked at me like I'd stolen the life she deserved.

If she wanted the Luna title that badly—fine. I'd give it to her.

I looked down at Xavier. I didn't take the ring.

I made him stay on his knee.

His expression started to crack. He didn't dare snap—the room was full of reporters. One slip and he'd be tomorrow's headline.

I let it drag long enough. Then I reached for the ring.

Before he could relax, I turned and hurled it at Yvette.

The entire room went dead silent. Every eye on me.

I raised my voice so they'd all hear it.

"I don't."