Chapter 58

Claire’s POV

Charles turned to look at me and pinned me with a stare so malicious that I nearly rocked back on my heels.

“None of this would have happened if you didn't show up here.”

Now, that was the most stupid thought that I had ever heard.

It amazed me how the Pack was thriving if the Beta’s thought pattern happened to be that way.

“I see,” I murmured. “But instead of blaming me, why don't you ask your Alpha to simply reject me? He’s certainly going through this suffering because he is sleeping with someone else who isn't his mate while he has a mate.”

“Enough Claire,” Kelvin snapped. “I have already told you that rejecting you is not going to happen.”

The Beta looked at him like he had gone mad. “So you want to keep on suffering? Have you lost your marbles? Perhaps, I should tell your father about this and he might be able to talk some sense into you.”

Both the Alpha and I stiffened at the mention of his father.

“You will do no such thing,” Kelvin said with deadly calm. The anger radiated from him in strong waves and I wondered why he would feel that way.

Charles suddenly looked guilty. “I’m sorry. I shouldn't have brought him up.”

After a small pause, he continued. “But you really need to think about this. It's not okay that you have to endure so much pain.”

“The Beta is right,” I said and Charles gave me a grateful look.

“I'm just a slave. You would be doing the right thing by rejecting me and focusing on strengthing the relationship you have with your Luna.”

My wolf made sure I felt her disapproval but I ignored it.

Alpha Kelvin chuckled. “Just a few minutes ago, you were accusing Sophie of conniving with Gavin and now, you are advocating for the strength and longevity of our relationship?”

I mentally berated myself for mentioning something like that. I should have kept my mouth shut.

“You did the right thing by bringing it to his notice,” Zoe, my wolf, began. “Even if he doesn't believe you now, you’ve already planted the seed of doubt.”

The Beta regarded me with fresh interest and I was surprised that there was no animosity in his gaze because I had dared to accuse the Luna.

“Is it true?” he queried.

“What I'm sure about is that she was on a call with Gavin and there was some talk about getting the Alpha to lower his guard,” I replied.

Charles’s eyes glittered with anger and he turned his attention to his best friend.

“I'm certain you don't believe her.”

Alpha Kelvin rolled his eyes. “Of course not. Sophie would never do anything to hurt me. Perhaps, Claire misheard the words from her mouth.”

The Beta shook his head. “One of your biggest flaws is your blind trust in people whom you’ve known for a while. Anyone can betray you even the one you call friend.”

A scoff slipped from the Alpha’s lips. “I can't believe you are taking the slave’s word for it. Wasn't it just a few seconds ago that you were talking about how Sophie is the one for me? It sounded like she had your full support.”

“Truthfully, I said those words because of you. Because I know just how much you’ve always wanted to be with Sophie. You nearly lost your mind when she told you she had found her mate about two years ago. Whatever happened between them though?”

“Who cares about what happened? All I know is that she made a choice. She chose me,” Kelvin replied with a frown.

A shadow of pain crossed the Beta’s features so fast that I was almost certain that I had imagined it.

“Well, whatever. But you know I have always had my doubts about her. What Claire just told me only confirmed the suspicion I have had for a while now.”

I mentally rolled my eyes at how fast the Beta was quick to turn against Sophie. Truly, he had never really liked her.

The Alpha’s eyes narrowed. “What suspicion?”

“The other day at the voting event when a part of the Pack was attacked, do you remember what happened?” Charles replied.

“Yes. You came to tell me that you received news about some rogues attacking the Pack,” Kelvin said with a frown. “What has that got to do with Sophie?”

“Why were you two gone from the hall for that long and why were you not answering your calls?” the Beta queried.

There was a flash of embarrassment in the Alpha's eyes.

“Is this some sort of question-and-answer segment?”

“Whatever you choose to call it,” Charles replied. “What I am trying to bring out here is that I am certain that Sophie was the reason why you were distracted. What was she even doing there in the first place?”

For the first time, there was an uncertain look in Kelvin’s eyes.

“You two are crazy,” he said. “Just because Sophie can be mean sometimes doesn't mean that she is a traitor. Stop trying to make her one.”

“Then tell me why she was having a conversation with Gavin?” he snapped. “It's not like they are close friends or business partners.”

“And how would you know that?” the Alpha replied hotly. “It's still rather shocking that you would believe Claire’s words against a Luna.”

The Beta’s lips curled into a wry smile. “Well, if you want us to go with that logic, Claire is an Alpha. I should take an Alpha’s word over a Luna’s, right?”

My eyes widened as I focused them on Kelvin. “You told him?”

It was Charles who replied. “Of course he did. I am his Beta and he is supposed to discuss something of that nature with me. I still find it hard to believe though.”

He then returned his attention to the Alpha and said. “You know what I think?”

“I don't think I want to hear it,” Alpha Kelvin replied in a bored tone.

The Beta continued anyway. “I think that you should just put Sophie aside and make Claire your Luna.”

“No,” the Alpha and I said in unison.

Charles’s eyes sparkled with something close to delight. “You two are even in sync. You are perfect for each other. You both have Alpha blood running through your veins.”

“You seem to have lost your mind,” Kelvin said. “Do you want me to call the Pack Nurse?”

“I think you are the one who needs the Pack Nurse. You are obviously not thinking straight at all. You are choosing not to see what’s right in front of you. Do you even know where your Luna is this minute? What if she is with Gavin, telling him all your secrets and planning another attack?”

“Shut up, Charles,” the Alpha thundered and then shifted his gaze to me. “This is all your fault.”

Why did everyone keep on blaming me?

“You know what?”, I began, reaching for the dirty dishes on the bed, “I am out of here. You can call me when you need me.”

He grabbed my hand. “You do not move an inch until I say so, do you understand?”

The door suddenly burst open and I knew I was in trouble.