3. Is this it?

|| Claire ||

I was disheveled. Alan has been lying to me all this time. The hurt in my chest ripped wider and my stomach and chest smeared in pain.

I wrapped my arm around myself to provide me with some warmth and comfort.

“Get her out of our pack before I have the blood of the bloody whore on my hands!” I growled, threatening.

“I can't! “ he hissed.

“You can't kill her, Claire.” he roared as his eyes darkened.

His wolf was present. His wolf was on their side. He was possessive of Olivia. When did that happen?

I seriously didn't see that coming!

“If you still want me sane, then you need to send that bitch away.” I stood on my grounds. I won't let him treat me like I was nothing.

“Don't call her that, Claire. And I can't ask her to leave. She is carrying my pup.” I gasped. “ Claire, Olivia is pregnant!!”

Claire, Olivia is pregnant..... The words started taunting me. My ears began ringing. Everything around me became silent. Muddy.

I felt like the air has been sucked out of my lungs and my brain, deprived of oxygen.

“What did you just say, Alan?” my voice was quiet.

“Olivia is pregnant.” he repeated and continued.” I'm sorry, Claire. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I fell in love with her when I saw her in her father’s pack” I glared at him as if he had grown two heads.

I was too shocked to be startled again by his comment.

“Don't get me wrong, Claire. I love you too. But what I feel for her is a little different from the way I feel about you. I don't know exactly what is going on with me. Nonetheless, I think I am madly in love with her and I want her to be my second mate and wife. You would however be my Luna and I would hold your Luna ceremony as soon as possible... I just need you to agree and accept Olivia as part of our little family.” he demanded.

He broke me. His words hurt inside. He didn't care about my pain.

All he cared about was making Olivia his mistress. He doesn't care about the humiliation I will be subject to when people find out.

I will be criticized for being unable to satisfy my mate. All the blame would be pushed on me because I was a woman.

Am I that pathetic?

“We can do this, Claire. I won't mark her and you will finally get the Luna position. It is what you've always wanted and worked so hard for.” he muttered, grabbing my hands into his. “ I can make you both happy.”

Who the fucking hell is the man standing in front of me?

Was I that blind to see the kind of man he was?

He was truly disgusting. Nauseating! I snatched my hand from him, enrage.

“You are completely wrong, Alan. I thought you know me but I guess I was wrong about that too. I don't want the Luna position. I yearned for you. I have always desired to be your lifetime companion. I would have loved you even if I don't get to be your Luna.” Harshly, I wiped my tears away.

“Why do you think I stayed and supported you when your mother refused to hand over the Luna title to me? Why do you think I stayed even when your mother was unbearable and insulted me!!! “ I whispered with the intensity in my voice.

I was dampened. I felt no pain. Yet I was in distress.

“I guess I went through all that misery for nothing. There is no holding back now. I am pregnant, Alan. I am also carrying your pup!” I dropped the bomb on him.

“Whatt??” he huffed in disbelief. Shaking his head. “ Don't lie to me, Claire... We both know you are not pregnant. You don't have to lie to gain favor from me. It's okay that you are barren.” Alan uttered.

And I was exploding with rage.

“I am not barren and definitely not a liar, Alan!” I exclaimed.

Walked to the bedside and pulled the result of my pregnancy out of the drawer.

I handed it over to him to read it over. The emotions and shock on his face were priceless. I wished I had a camera around to capture this moment.

“ I am three weeks pregnant. I found out about my pregnancy yesterday. I was just waiting for the right moment to surprise you.” I sniffed and breathed laboriously. “ You don't need Olivia, Alan. Tell her to leave. I can give you everything you want. I can give you a family of your own. I am pregnant too... Please Alan.” my voice got slightly desperate.

I begged my mate with tears rolling one after the other.

“I don't want to, Claire, I want Olivia here. I want her by my side so she stays.”

“No, you don't. I will not accept a second woman in your life. Never!!” I growled in a challenging tone.

All the sweetness in my voice had disappeared. Now. I was a raging woman battling for her love, her home. Fighting the future of her pup and the family she dreams of.

Besides, which woman in her right mind will accept another female into her home? That is suicide!

“ Don’t make me choose between the two of you, Claire. Because it will definitely not be you. “ I wheezed at his remarks. Here I thought he was in love with me... Hahaha... The joke was really on me once again.

He carried on...” You think you have my heart because I kept you by my side. You are a mere she-wolf. Nothing more, nothing less.” he spat angrily.

I gasped. This is not happening!

My throat dried. I was taken aback. Alan had never insulted me like this. My brown eyes widened as I stared into his hazel one. I mewled.

Five years... Five fucking years!!!

Was this how it all ends? No! No! No!

I have suffered enough to stay and see him with another woman. It was not a healthy environment. Not for me. Not for my pup.

It was high time he made a choice.

“Choose, Alan!” my voice cloaked.

The humming of my heart could be heard miles away. Regardless, I was not backing down.

I stood on my grounds. I won't permit a man to push me around even if that man is my mate or my alpha.

Breaking... Yes... Reneging... No

I wished to hear his answer. I liked to know how he honestly felt about me.

Because I knew I was worth all the love a man could give to his mate.

I have had enough of him and his family making decisions for me in the past five years and that was over.

I have a pup to protect and I was ready to fight with everything in me. Yet, a tiny shiny thing called hope gleamed inside my heart. I wished he would pick me.

“Choose Alan... “ I repeated my statement again.

But then, he splintered into laughter. “You think you could survive as a rogue.” he cracked up in amusement and that only expanded the pain in my heart.

“I am giving you an opportunity of a lifetime. To become the luna of one of the largest packs in the city. You only need to compromise and accept that Livi is part of me and she is going nowhere.”

That sent me into fury.

“ Choose the one you want and let's get over with it! What are you waiting for? “ I screeched in annoyance.

Yet, my mind did not prepare me for his next utterances.” I did not take you for a selfish bitch, Claire. “ he hissed. “ Fine! You asked for this. Don't say I didn't warn you. “ he exhaled. “ I, Alpha Alan Crawley of Desert Storm Pack reject you Claire Claver, and your pup ad my mate, Luna and heir. From today I band you from entering my pack land.”

My heart clenched. Pain rippled through me as I felt the mating bond break partially. I had to accept his rejection before it breaks completely.

I couldn't breathe. My lungs were too damaged to accept oxygen.

Is this it?

Was that all there was to the mating bond?

Did love not exist within the bond?

In all those years didn't he develop a little amount of feelings for me?

Or was it difficult to love me?

I wondered but I knew it was over for me. My love story with Alan had come to an end.

And I was at the losing end. I Lost everything and gained nothing apart from the miracle living inside of me.

I did my best. My only regret was not seeing this sooner. I closed my eyes and allowed my tears to flow because from today I will cry no more.

“Accept it, Claire, This is what you longed for. So accept the fucking rejection.” he gritted his teeth.

His eyes washed with pain but it was nowhere near the agony brewing and spreading in my organs.

“Go on, Claire. Severe the bond. Do it!” Hazel howled inside my head. Her voice was pained.

“I, Claire Claver daughter of a pack warrior accept your rejection, Alpha Alan Crawley of Desert Storm Pack. I promise to leave and never return.”

Those words were the last I spoke before my wolf left me.

She scrambled into her abyss.

As pain shot through my chest spreading like an unquenched fire inside my body. My breath hitched. My eyes became glassy with tears and dizzy spells clouded my sight.