Chapter 9

Joss

I watched Clare disappear into the crowd.

My mind was a mess.

I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.

How was I supposed to tell Arielle that the woman who had just walked away was my second fated mate?

There was no good way to say it.

No words that wouldn’t hurt her.

No explanation that would make any sense.

I had spent four years building a life with Arielle.

Four years loving her.

Four years believing that the future ahead of us was already decided.

And now, in a matter of minutes, everything had changed.

“Joss?”

My heart jumped.

I turned.

Arielle was standing behind me.

She was smiling, but there was uncertainty in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

I forced a smile.

“Nothing.”

She immediately frowned.

“Don’t lie to me.”

I knew that look.

Arielle knew me better than anyone.

She could read my expressions.

She could hear the slightest change in my voice.

She could feel when something was wrong even when I tried to hide it.

“I just…”

I stopped.

What could I possibly say?

Arielle stepped closer.

“You’re pale.”

“I’m fine.”

“Joss.”

She placed her hand against my chest.

The moment she touched me, my guilt became almost unbearable.

My wolf stirred.

Arielle.

My first mate.

My love.

The woman who had been mine for four years.

I covered her hand with mine.

“I’m sorry.”

Her eyebrows pulled together.

“For what?”

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

Before I could answer, a voice came from behind us.

“Alpha Joss?”

I turned.

Clare was standing there.

My stomach dropped.

She was holding two glasses of champagne.

One she held toward me.

“I thought you might want one.”

I stared at the glass.

Then at her.

I could feel Arielle beside me.

Clare looked at her.

For the briefest moment, something flashed across Clare’s face.

Jealousy.

It disappeared so quickly that I almost wondered if I’d imagined it.

Almost.

“Thank you,” I said awkwardly, but I didn’t take the glass.

Clare lowered her hand.

“You don’t drink champagne?”

“I do.”

She smiled.

“Then take it.”

Arielle looked between us.

I could see the question forming in her eyes.

“Joss, who is this?”

My stomach twisted.

Before I could answer, Clare spoke.

“I’m Clare.”

She smiled politely at Arielle.

“We met earlier.”

Arielle smiled back.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

There was something strange in Clare’s tone.

Something I couldn’t quite place.

Arielle looked at me again.

“And how do you two know each other?”

I felt trapped.

“Clare is from Golden Fern.”

“Oh.”

Arielle nodded.

“Are you friends with Carlos?”

“Something like that.”

Clare replied dismissively to Arielle's question, before her eyes returned to me.

“We’ve actually just discovered we have something very important in common.”

My blood ran cold.

I stared at her.

Clare smiled.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

“Clare,” I warned quietly.

Arielle looked at me.

“What does that mean?”

Clare’s smile faltered.

“I…”

I stepped between them.

“She’s referring to the fact that we have pack business to discuss.”

It was a terrible lie.

Arielle knew it.

I knew it.

And judging by Clare’s expression, she knew it too.

Arielle’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Pack business?”

“Yes.”

Clare looked at me.

Then at Arielle.

“I’ll let you two talk.”

She turned to leave.

But before she did, she leaned slightly closer to me.

“We need to talk again.”

Her voice was barely audible.

I nodded reluctantly.

She walked away.

Arielle watched her.

Then she looked at me.

“What was that about?”

I closed my eyes for a moment.

“I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Try.”

I looked into her eyes.

The woman I loved was standing right in front of me.

And for the first time in four years, I was terrified that I might lose her.

“Arielle…”

I took her hands.

“There is something you need to know.”

Her expression changed.

The smile disappeared.

“What?”

I swallowed.

Before I could say the words, music began playing again.

A slow song.

Couples began moving toward the dance floor.

Arielle looked at me.

“What’s wrong, Joss?”

I stared at her.

And before I could answer, someone touched my arm.

Clare.

She had returned.

“Joss?”

I turned.

She smiled.

“Would you dance with me?”

Arielle’s expression froze.

My heart sank.

“Clare…”

“Just one dance.”

She looked at me with those eyes.

The bond pulled at me.

My wolf reacted instantly.

I hated it.

I hated the fact that I could feel that pull while Arielle was standing beside me.

“I don’t think—”

“It’s our first night knowing about the bond we share.”

Her voice softened.

“I thought you might want one moment with your second mate. A little time to get to know each other better.”

Arielle went very still.

I looked at her.

Her eyes were filled with confusion.

Pain.

Fear.

She didn’t understand.

But she was beginning to.

And I knew I couldn’t hide the truth any longer.

I reached for her hand.

“Arielle, I need to tell you—”

Clare stepped closer.

“Joss, please.”

I looked at her.

There was something in her expression I hadn’t seen before.

Possessiveness.

She wanted me.

And she wasn’t going to quietly accept being second.

Clare

I watched Arielle’s fingers intertwined with Joss’s.

Something inside me twisted.

I hated it.

I hated the way he looked at her.

The way his entire expression softened whenever she touched him.

The way he instinctively moved closer to her.

The way his body seemed to know where she was even when he wasn’t looking.

She had him.

She had everything.

His love.

His loyalty.

His attention.

His history.

I already knew from Carlos that Joss and Arielle had been together for four years. That was four years of memories she had with him that I could never compete with.

And I was supposed to accept being second?

I couldn’t do that.

The Moon Goddess had made Joss my mate too.

I deserved a place beside him.

I deserved his attention.

I deserved more than being the woman he felt sorry for.

I looked at Arielle.

She was beautiful.

Kind.

A true Luna.

Despite all that, I knew, right then, that I couldn’t let her continue having all of him to herself.

I didn’t want to hurt her.

Well... not yet anyway.

But I wasn’t going to sit quietly in the background while Joss continued living as though Arielle was his only mate.

I would find a way into his life.

A little at a time.

I’d give him reasons to spend time with me.

Reasons to think about me.

Reasons to choose me over her.

Even if he didn’t realize what I was doing.

I smiled politely.

“Joss?”

He looked at me.

“I need to speak with you.”

His eyes moved between Clare and Arielle.

“I’ll come and find you later.”

Clare smiled.

“I’ll be waiting.”

She walked away.

But this time, I didn’t miss the look she gave Arielle.