Chapter 4

Clara’s POV

When the door closed behind him, the house finally breathed again. For a second, I could almost breathe too.

I’d already decided to leave—betrayal had made the choice for me—but it didn’t make it easier to stand there, watching them touch each other like I didn’t exist. Every touch and every whisper  reminded me of the sounds I used to make—the same ones she was making now. How ridiculous.

My room even smelled like them.

I looked around. Pale wallpaper. Wooden floors. Curtains printed with tiny leaves. Everything here was mine once. Five years ago, it was bright and warm, but now it looked faded and tired, like me.

The bed was a mess. Of course it was. My mate’s mistress had been lying right there ten minutes ago.

I cannot help but wonder how many times they had done it here, in this bed, on top of the vows we made?

My photos on the nightstand were gone too. In their place stood a single frame of Frost and Caleb. They were wearing pack academy uniforms, standing close, and smiling like they belonged to each other.  Her golden hair and tanned skin caught the sun. But there’s something about the photo that felt so wrong, but I cannot figure it out.

And then I pushed the thoughts aside because I saw our wedding portrait. It sat in the corner, half-covered with a dirty rag, hiding my face. Like how I was erased from my home.

I stared at the young woman in that frame—bright, certain, in love with the idea of forever. And beside her, his smile looked so stiff. So forced. Maybe I was too busy dreaming about the future to see what was already broken.

Putting the frame down, I moved to the closet and opened the door. His clothes filled almost everything now. My side was shoved into the far corner, barely a third of the space. My dresses were crushed together, wrinkled and forgotten. Most were white. Caleb’s favorite color.

He used to tell me I looked “pure” in white, and red was too much. Not a Luna type.

I understand better now—it was never about what suited me. It was about what didn’t threaten him.

I brushed my fingers over the fabrics—silk, lace, cotton. Each one whispered obedience. I grabbed one and threw it to the floor. I have to admit that the soft thud felt strangely good.

In the back of the closet, I found my old phone. I plugged it in, waited for the weak light to flicker on, and scrolled through my contacts.

Lora. My best friend since childhood. We haven’t seen each other for five years.

I hit “call.” It rang once. To be honest I was nervous. I don’t know exactly how much I have lost in the five years. My mate, my puppies, maybe my friend too.

“Clara?” Her voice trembled. Warm and familiar.

“It’s me,” I said, barely above a whisper. My throat hurt.

“Goddess! Clara, you’re awake!” she cried. I could hear things clattering in the background, like she was pacing, grabbing her keys, already ready to run to me. “When did you wake up? Are you okay? Did Caleb—”

“I’m fine, I’m fine Lora,” I cut her off. My tone sounded calm, but it was a lie. “I can’t see you yet.”

Her voice softened instantly. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Caleb’s with her,” I said quietly. “Frost. She’s living here in my room. With my mate, and my children. And…” I stammered, “I lost my wolf.”

There was a beat of silence. Then, “Clara… you can’t stay there. The cheater won’t protect you well. And rogues have been sighted near the borders again. If they find out you’ve lost your wolf—”

“I know.” I swallowed hard. “That’s why I need your help, Lora.”

“What do you need?”

“Find a pack that will take me and my pups. Somewhere small and quiet.”

“I’ll find it,” she said without hesitation.

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “And Lora?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t tell anyone I already found his cheating. Not yet. And… buy me a dress.”

“A red one?” she asked immediately, a smile in her voice.

I froze. “How did you know?”

“Because you actually liked red, Clara. You just forgot it when you became Luna.” She sighed. “I can’t believe the King knew it for sure.”

My heart stuttered. “What?”

“The Alpha King Xavier. He told me long ago that you prefer red to white.”

My chest twisted with a strange, unfamiliar feeling.

Our last meeting had been in his office. I’d just graduated from the Werewolf Academy and submitted my application to join the royal warriors. The day I received the acceptance letter, I had a huge fight with Caleb.

He wanted me to stay and help him, and said that he couldn’t accept a Luna who spent every day crawling on the training ground. To save our relationship, I chose to give up.

The next day, Alpha King’s beta brought me to his office. He’d leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, those dark green eyes cutting through me.

“Clara,” he called my name in a way making me flinch, “I’ll ask you one last time. You really want to throw this away? You’d rather be that obedient little Luna? Hiding behind Caleb’s pride, dimming your light to protect his ego—is that what you really want?”

His voice had been calm, but I could somehow feel the anger underneath. I didn’t understand it then. I only knew I had to stay loyal to my mate.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. My mate needs me.”

He said nothing. And his Beta opened the door. “You can leave now, Miss Clara.”

I was halfway out when I heard his voice again. “You won’t regret it?”

Back then, I didn’t answer. I believed I never would. But now…

“I did,” I whispered into the phone, my fingers tightening around it. “But I’ll take back what’s mine.”

I reached for the wedding frame on the nightstand, tracing its sharp glass edges. How many times had I stared at this photo, telling myself that my choice was right? How many lies had I built just to keep the illusion alive?

Too many.

I let it fall. The crash echoed across the room. Glass shattered. And the door burst open immediately as if she had been standing outside, watching me the whole time.

The maid stood there. “Luna! Are you all right?”

I turned to her calmly. “Sorry I didn’t see it. Please clean it up.”

“Yes, Luna.” She hesitated, glancing at the broken pieces before asking, “Should I have it repaired?”

I watched her bend to pick up the shards. “No,” I said. “Just throw it away.”

She froze. “Are you sure? It’s your wedding—”

“I said throw it away.”