005

Claire~

I didn’t wait. I turned around and ran down the hallway. Tyler yelled my name behind me, but I didn’t stop or look back.

Tears ran down my face as I pushed open the front doors and stepped outside into the cool night air. I had never felt so humiliated. My chest hurt from everything that just happened. It wasn’t only betrayal. They had taken away every safe place I thought I had.

My phone started ringing. I looked at the screen. It was Connor. I answered without thinking, but I couldn’t say anything. If I talked, he would hear me crying.

“Hey, cupcake,” he said in his usual warm voice. “Sorry I left earlier. Work came up at the last minute. You still at the house?”

I stayed quiet and held the phone tight to my ear.

“Claire? You there? Can you hear me? Is everything okay?”

His concern almost made me lose it. I pulled the phone away and ended the call.

I sat down on the curb and covered my face with my hands. The tears kept coming. I had just sent almost all my savings—five hundred thousand dollars—to Marcus to cut the final tie. My account now had barely a thousand dollars left.

I wiped my face and took out my phone to book a ride. Headlights lit up the street as a sleek black car stopped right in front of me. I knew it right away. It was Connor’s matte-black Audi.

I turned away fast, trying to hide how bad I looked.

The driver’s door opened. Connor got out. He looked good even now, wearing a fitted black button-down with the sleeves rolled up. The top buttons were undone, showing part of his chest and the edge of his tattoo. The shirt fit tight across his shoulders and chest.

He walked over quickly and turned me to face him. His frown was deep and serious—the one he gets when someone hurts me.

“Who did it?” he asked, his voice low. No small talk.

I shook my head. “Not right now, Con. I just need a place to stay. Please.”

His jaw tightened, but he nodded. He picked me up like I weighed nothing and carried me to the car. My face felt hot with embarrassment, but his arms felt safe.

Connor has always been protective with me. He acts possessive sometimes, and it blurs the lines between friendship and something more. But I know the truth. He’s a playboy who doesn’t usually stick around with women. I’m the only one he treats differently—the best friend he never crossed that line with.

He put me in the passenger seat and leaned over to buckle my seatbelt. His face was close to mine. I could smell his cologne.

“Someone made you cry,” he said. “Give me the name. He’s done.”

Connor always means what he says. But this situation was different.

I gave a small laugh. “This one is out of your reach, hottie.”

His eyes met mine when I called him that. He swallowed and looked away.

“Don’t do that, Claire,” he said as he got in the driver’s seat. The engine started.

I rested my head against the window as we drove away from the house. “Don’t do what? Call you hottie? You’ve heard it before.”

He glanced at me. One hand was on the wheel, the other on the gear shift. “Don’t downplay it. I know that look. This isn’t normal crying. Someone really hurt you.”

I took a shaky breath. “Tyler and Marcus. Together. In bed. I walked in on them having sex and talking bad about me.”

The car jerked a little as his grip got tighter on the wheel. It was quiet for a moment.

“Fuck,” he said. “Both of them?”

“Yeah.” I tried to laugh, but it didn’t sound real. “My fiancé and my father. Nice family moment, right?”

Connor’s face changed. He looked protective. He reached over and squeezed my knee. “You walked out? Told them off?”

“I did,” I said, lifting my chin. “I wired Marcus back every dollar he spent on me. Half a million. Then I took off the Luna ring and told Tyler he could be with his new soulmate.”

Connor’s eyebrows went up. A small grin appeared. “Damn, Claire. That’s my girl. Cold.”

“Your girl?” I raised an eyebrow. The familiar talk felt good.

“You know what I mean.” His grin faded. “Doesn’t change the fact that I want to hurt Tyler. Alpha or not. Pack or not. No one makes you cry like that.”

I watched his face. His jaw kept flexing. He was really angry.

“You can’t touch him, Con. You know that. He has the whole pack.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t try. I’ve always wanted to punch that guy,” he said quietly. “You deserve better than both of them. You always have.”

His words felt good. I looked back out the window and blinked away the last tears.

“I know. I just wanted to belong somewhere. To someone. Turns out none of it was real.”

Connor stayed quiet for a bit. Then he changed lanes. “You belong with people who actually see you, Claire. Not people who use you. You’re not damaged. You’re not too much. You’re strong, and they were too selfish to see it.”

I turned to look at him. “Since when are you so good with words?”

“Since I’ve watched you settle for less for years,” he answered. “And before you say anything—I’m not trying to get in your pants right now. Though the offer is always there.”

I snorted. Only Connor would say that now. “You’re impossible.”

“And you love it.” He winked and took my hand, lacing our fingers together. The touch felt warm. “My place or a hotel? You’re not going back there tonight.”

“Your place,” I said quickly. His apartment felt safe and familiar. “But I’m sleeping on the couch. No funny business.”

He laughed softly. “Wouldn’t dream of it, cupcake. Unless you ask nicely.”