Chapter 16

Arielle

I couldn’t stop crying.

Hours had passed since the party ended, but it felt like only minutes since Joss had looked at me and told me the words that had shattered everything.

She’s my second fated mate.

I sat curled up on the edge of the bed in the guest room, my knees pulled against my chest and my face buried in my hands.

This was my home.

My bedroom was only a few doors away.

Our bedroom.

The room where Joss and I had spent four years together.

The room where we had laughed, kissed, argued, made up, and whispered our dreams to each other late into the night.

But I couldn’t go back there.

Not tonight.

I couldn’t lie beside him knowing there was another woman somewhere in our pack who was also his mate.

A soft knock came at the door.

I didn’t answer.

The door opened anyway.

Joss stepped inside.

His shirt was slightly wrinkled, his hair messy, and the exhaustion on his face matched what I felt inside.

He closed the door behind him.

“Arielle.”

I looked away.

He crossed the room and sat beside me.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then he reached for my hand.

I pulled it away.

His face fell.

“Please,” he whispered.

I shook my head.

“I can’t.”

“Arielle, I know this is difficult.”

“Difficult?”

My voice cracked.

“You call this difficult?”

He looked down.

“No.”

I wiped my cheeks angrily.

“You have another mate, Joss.”

“I know.”

“And you’re asking me to go back to our bedroom as if nothing has happened.”

“I’m not asking you to pretend nothing happened.”

“Then what are you asking?”

He looked at me, and the pain in his eyes nearly broke me all over again.

“I’m asking you to come home.”

A bitter laugh escaped me.

“I am home.”

“You know what I mean.”

I did.

He wanted me back in our bedroom.

He wanted us to continue as though our life hadn’t suddenly been turned upside down.

“I can’t sleep beside you tonight,” I whispered.

“Why?”

“Because I’m scared.”

His expression softened.

“Of me?”

“Of losing you.”

The words came out before I could stop them.

Joss moved closer.

“You aren’t going to lose me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

“No, you don’t.”

I looked at him through my tears.

“Six months from now, you might feel differently. A year from now, you might love her. You might wake up one morning and realise that the bond you have with her is stronger than the one you have with me.”

“Arielle—”

“And then what happens to me?”

He opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

That silence hurt more than any answer could have.

I lowered my head.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to share my mate.”

Joss reached for me again.

This time, I didn’t pull away.

His arms wrapped around me, and I buried my face against his chest.

For a moment, I let myself pretend.

Pretend nothing had changed.

Pretend this was the same man I’d fallen in love with four years ago.

Then—

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Joss stiffened.

I lifted my head.

Another knock sounded.

Harder this time.

Joss stood.

“I’ll deal with it.”

My stomach tightened.

“Who is it?”

He didn’t answer.

He walked downstairs.

I heard the front door open.

Then Clare’s voice echoed through the house.

“Joss.”

My heart sank.

I climbed off the bed.

I didn’t want to listen.

But I couldn’t stop myself.

“What are you doing here?” Joss asked.

There was something strained in his voice.

“I came to see you.”

“It’s late.”

“I know.”

A pause.

Then Clare’s voice sharpened.

“Why haven’t you answered my calls?”

“I needed to be with Arielle.”

Silence.

Then—

“Of course you did.”

I closed my eyes.

The hurt in Clare’s voice was obvious.

But then it turned into anger.

“You can’t keep shutting me out, Joss.”

“I wasn’t shutting you out.”

“Yes, you were.”

I heard footsteps.

“I am your mate too.”

The words seemed to echo through the entire house.

My chest tightened.

Clare continued.

“You don’t get to decide that I don’t exist just because Arielle is upset.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“Then what are you doing?”

Joss sighed.

“I told you tonight isn’t the time.”

“When is the time?”

Her voice rose.

“When everyone is comfortable with me? When Arielle gives you permission? When you decide I’m finally worth acknowledging?”

“Clare.”

“No.”

Her voice trembled with anger.

“I’m tired of being treated like an inconvenience.”

I covered my mouth.

Tears filled my eyes again.

Joss lowered his voice.

“You need to go home.”

There was a stunned silence.

Then Clare laughed bitterly.

“Go home?”

“Yes.”

“Where exactly is home supposed to be?”

Joss didn’t answer.

Clare’s voice became firmer.

“Because according to the Moon Goddess, my mate is standing right here.”

My heart pounded.

She continued.

“I shouldn’t have to leave because Arielle doesn’t want to see me.”

“She’s hurting.”

“So am I!”

The words exploded from her.

“I’m hurting too, Joss!”

I heard something hit the wall downstairs.

Perhaps her hand.

Perhaps his.

I couldn’t tell.

“You have no idea what it feels like to discover your mate already belongs to someone else.”

Joss said nothing.

“I’ve been made the second mate,” Clare continued. “Do you think that’s easy for me?”

Her voice cracked.

“I didn’t ask for this any more than you did.”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Then Clare said the words that made my entire body go cold.

“I should be living here.”

Silence.

“What?”

“I said I should be living here.”

“No.”

Joss’s answer was immediate.

“You cannot expect to move into my home tonight.”

“Our home,” Clare snapped.

Joss went silent.

Clare took a breath.

“You and Arielle live here because you’re mates. I’m your mate too.”

“This is Arielle’s home.”

“It’s yours too.”

“And?”

“And I’m your mate.”

Her voice became almost desperate.

“Why am I expected to live somewhere else while you live here with her?”

I felt my knees weaken.

I grabbed the bedpost to steady myself.

She wanted to live here.

In my home.

With my mate.

With us.

“No,” Joss said again.

“Why?”

“Because this isn’t the right time.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It is tonight.”

“No.”

Clare sounded more determined now.

“You don’t get to keep me outside forever.”

“Clare, please.”

“No.”

Her voice hardened.

“I have a right to be part of your life.”

“You are.”

“Then prove it.”

Joss didn’t respond.

Clare continued.

“I won’t accept being hidden away in another house while you play happy family with Arielle.”

My heart shattered.

Happy family.

Was that what she thought we were?

A family she wanted to become part of?

Joss finally spoke.

“I love Arielle.”

“I know.”

There was something bitter in Clare’s voice.

“That’s the problem.”

I covered my mouth as another sob escaped.

Joss must have heard it.

His voice changed immediately.

“Arielle?”

Footsteps rushed toward the stairs.

I backed away from the doorway.

Joss appeared at the top of the stairs, his face filled with panic.

Clare stood behind him.

The moment she saw me, her expression changed.

For a heartbeat, neither of us spoke.

Then Clare looked at Joss.

“You see?”

Her voice was quiet now.

“This is exactly what I mean.”

Joss stared at her.

“Meaning what?”

“You’ll always choose her.”

I looked at him.

He looked completely lost.

His eyes moved between us.

The woman he loved.

The woman the Moon Goddess had given him.

Two mates.

Two lives.

Two women asking him for something he didn’t know how to give.

“I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.

The admission broke something inside me.

Joss had always known what to do.

He was my Alpha.

My protector.

My strength.

But tonight he looked lost.

Clare stepped closer.

“I do.”

Joss looked at her.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Her eyes met mine.

“I won’t force you to choose tonight.”

She paused.

“But I’m going to have my place in your life, Joss.”

My heart pounded.

“And I’m going to have my place in this house eventually.”

Joss shook his head.

“Clare—”

“No.”

She turned toward the door.

“You can keep pretending this will disappear.”

Her gaze moved back to me.

“But it won’t.”

Then she looked at Joss one last time.

“I’m your mate too.”

She opened the door.

“And sooner or later, you’re going to have to stop treating me like I’m not.”

The door slammed behind her.

Silence filled the house.

I looked at Joss.

He looked at me.

Neither of us spoke.

I could see the conflict written across his face.

He loved me.

I knew he did.

But for the first time, I understood something terrifying.

Love wasn’t going to make this problem disappear.

Because Clare wasn’t going anywhere.

And she had just made it clear that she wasn’t asking for permission anymore.

She was determined to claim her place.

No matter what it cost any of us.