Chapter 2

Clara’s POV

Mother stared at the empty glass in her hand while Jacob’s eyebrows pulled together. “You’re allergic?” he questioned. “And you didn’t think to say anything before drinking all of it?”

My eyes fell to the ground. “I did say no.”

“You said you weren’t thirsty.” His voice rose as he shook his head. “You waited until Mother watched you finish it before telling her. What was the point of that?”

My skin was already starting to itch. Small red marks spread across the back of my hand, climbing towards my wrist. The allergy pills were kept in the medicine cabinet upstairs. At least, they used to be.

I need to get upstairs before my throat started closing. “I-I…” I stuttered over my words as I started to struggle to get air in. “Need to go upstairs.”

Jacob stepped in front of me. “Answer me first.” He demanded, his jaw tight.

My arms felt like they were alive as the itching crawled over my skin, my throat burning. The room began to spin. All I could see was Jacob staring down at me. I scratched at my wrist, but it only made the burning worse.

“I think you’re making it up,” he went on, crossing his arms over his body. “Trying to make us feel guilty.”

“Oh, Jacob, I’m…”Mother stepped towards me, but Jacob held out his hand, stopping her.

“No, mother. She knew what she was doing. I can tell.” He looked back at me. “You couldn’t just tell her. You had to drink the whole glass and then make sure everyone knew she got it wrong.”

“I need medicine,” I choked out. His words were jumbling together.

I had to get upstairs before it was too late. I hadn’t held on this long to get out of Hellwolf Prison only to die because they had confused me with Rose.

I moved around him, heading towards the stairs.

Jacob grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I stumbled over my feet, falling into his chest. His other arm wrapped around me, stopping me from falling.

He let out a shocked breath.

“Clara…” His voice was softer than it had been seconds ago. “How did you get this thin?”

His hand moved over my ribs like he was trying to make sure he wasn’t imagining it.

“What did they do to you?”

I froze, looking up at him, my eyes beginning to burn as tears threatened to spill.

For a second, I forgot about my throat and the burning spreading all over my body.

He had asked.

I looked up at him, his eyes filled with worry.

The cell flashed through my mind. A tray being pulled away before I could reach it. Garrick’s hand closing around my hair. My wolf clawing inside me, screaming for me to fight until her voice suddenly disappeared.

Tears filled my eyes, and my heart began to ache.

My hand gripped his coat as I looked away. My mouth opened. “I—”

A cough came from behind us.

Jacob let go of me, shoving me away from him. I caught myself against the wall.

“Rose, what are you doing?”

I looked up.

Rose stood in the doorway with one hand resting on her chest, and Jacob already at her side, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him.

“I heard voices,” she said in a weakly. “I wanted to see Clara.”

Mother stood on the other side of her, her hand resting on Rose's arm. “You should be resting.”

“You didn’t need to come down for something so minor,” Jacob said.

Minor.

A second ago, he had seemed like the brother I had loved, but I should have known better.

Rose coughed again, leaning into him. “I’m fine. I just wanted to welcome her home.”

“You’re not fine.” Mother touched her forehead. “Your health comes first, Rose.”

From the day Rose returned, she had always been weak.

Mother said the years she spent moving from one orphan home to another had damaged her body. A cough brought the healer running. If she missed a meal, the whole house worried. Father cancelled meetings. Jacob stayed beside her bed.

I had believed it too once. Back when I still believed everything this family told me.

“Clara,” she said softly as she let go of Jacob and came towards me. “I’m glad you’re home.”

I looked past her to the stairs. The medicine cabinet was only a few steps away, but my legs had started to feel too weak.

“For goddess sake, Clara.” Jacob snapped. “She came down when she should be resting just to welcome you. The least you can do is answer.”

“I need my medicine.” My voice was husky.

Rose’s smile trembled. “It’s all right. She probably still hates me.”

“I don’t.”

She reached for my hand before I could move. Her fingers closed around mine. Rose's smile widened, and she dug her nails into my hand. Pain tore through me. I ripped my hand away from her, and as I did, Rose stumbled back and fell to the ground.

“Rose!” Mother rushed towards her, but Jacob reached her first, catching her shoulders before she hit the floor completely.

His eyes snapped to me. “What is wrong with you?”

I stood there stunned, gripping onto my hand.

“I didn’t push her.”

His eyes filled with disgust as he looked at me. “We all saw you, Clara.”

Rose looked down at her hands, tears filling her eyes. “I only wanted to hold your hand. Clara.”

The marks from her nails were already disappearing beneath the red hives spreading across my skin.

No one looked close enough to see them.

“Apologise,” Jacob ordered.

“I didn’t push her.”

His face hardened. “You have been home for minutes, Clara.” Jacob pulled Rose closer to him. “Why can’t you stop blaming her? She has spent years feeling guilty over what happened. And not to mention what her life was like that you stole from her.”

Rose looked at me through her tears.

“Do you still hate me?”

“No,” I said coldly, still struggling to breathe.

“Then why won’t you apologise?” Jacob said.

“I won’t apologise for something I didn’t do.”

Jacob stared at me like he didn’t recognise me. His wolf flashed with rage through his eyes.

Rose touched his arm.

“It’s okay. I forgive her.” Her voice weakened as she leaned her against him. “She’s been through a lot. She deserves some rest.”

One of the guards rushed into the room. “The Lycan King has arrived.”

Everyone in the room changed, except me. Jacob stood taller as Mother took Rose's arm, helping her stand as she smoothed out her dress.

Just like she had done for me. Before Rose.

I looked back to the stairs.

“Send him in”, Jacob ordered before he turned to me. “Stay out of the way and don’t embarrass us.” He pushed me towards the corner.

My shoulder hit the wall. I stayed where Jacob had put me, folding my hands in front of my body without thinking.

Stay out of sight.

I knew how to do that.

The room kept spinning, but I lowered my eyes and waited. The burning in my throat had become heavy, each breath taking more effort than the last.

The Lycan King entered. Power rolled through the room with him. Everyone bowed.

“Your Majesty,” Jacob greeted.

“Where is the prince?” my mother asked.

“He’ll arrive tomorrow.”

Jacob guided Rose forward. “This is my sister, Rose. She’s gentle, caring and devoted to River Moon. She would make an excellent Luna.”

Rose bowed, smiling as though she hadn’t been crying on the floor seconds ago.

I watched the edge of her dress settle around her feet while I tried to pull air into my lungs.

“Why is she hiding back there?”

I could see him looking at me out of the corner of my eye, but I kept my head down, not wanting to upset anyone more than I already had.

“She’s our other sister. You may have heard of the murderer from River Moon.” Jacob's side pushed Rose towards him again. “You don’t need to concern yourself with her, Your Majesty.”

I kept watching him, waiting for him to look away.  His eyes moved over my face as they knew me. He walked towards me.

My body straightened on its own, but I kept my head low.

He stopped in front of me.

“Look at me.”

I obeyed.

His eyes searched my face. I couldn’t understand why he was looking at me. He had been told what I was. A murderer and a disgrace.

“Have you ever heard of the Moonstar Pack?” he asked.

“No, Your Majesty.” The words scraped against my burning throat. “Why?”

He continued studying me. “You remind me of an old friend. From that pack. She was an extraordinary woman.”

Extraordinary.

No one had ever used a word like that while looking at me.

Behind him, I could see Jacob watching us, but the Lycan King didn’t turn around.

His eyes stayed on mine.

“Perhaps we can speak about the Moonstar Pack later.”