Once Love, Double Betrayal Chapter 06

Once Love, Double Betrayal Chapter 06

The handprint on his cheek stood out, an angry red against his skin, but his eyes were full of

wounded disbelief.

“Where are you going?”

Adrian blocked my path, his eyes bloodshot. “You promised-you swore you’d never leave me in

this lifetime.”

His voice cracked. “This is our home, Claire. Where are you going?”

“Claire! Where are you going!”

Adrian and I had fought before-bickering, sulking, giving each other the cold shoulder-but this

time was different.

Our first real breakup happened just after he finally got the Blackwood Pack on its feet.

A fresh-out-of-college she-wolf had set her sights on him, relentless in her pursuit.

She even bragged that she’d gladly play second fiddle if it meant being near him.

She came straight up to me one day and said, “Love doesn’t care who came first. There’s no such thing as cutting in line-only people who don’t try hard enough to fight for it.”

I remember staring at her bright, untroubled face and asking Adrian to choose.

He chose me without hesitation. But later, I found out he’d quietly arranged for that she-wolf to transfer to the Riverbend Pack, a pack he had connections with.

When I learned the truth, we broke up for the first time.

I cut off all contact for two full months.

Adrian called me again and again, crying, begging, saying he knew he’d made a mistake.

Even when our friends called me heartless, I refused to accept a single crack in what we had. I

couldn’t forgive him.

So, on a snowy night, he knelt outside my house and swore he wouldn’t leave until I came out.

That night, Candy-who’d never been able to stand Adrian-suddenly turned on me.

“Enough, Claire. Don’t take it too far,” she said. “If a man got down on his knees for

be in his arms.”

I thought she just didn’t want me to lose him.

Maybe she’d already fallen for him back then. Maybe I just hadn’t seen it.

me,

I’d already

Adrian cried until his whole body shook, choking on apologies and tears. He grabbed my hand and forced it across his face, striking himself hard.

“Claire,” he sobbed, “hit me, yell at me-do whatever you want. Just don’t leave me Don’t throw

me away, please.”

“Claire, I’m begging you.”

His grip on my hand was iron-tight, as if letting go meant I’d vanish and he’d never find the pieces

again.

I looked at him and almost laughed.

“If you knew this day would come, why make the mistake at all?” My voice came out flat, drained of

all feeling.

I met his eyes coolly.

“You once told me your mother betrayed your father’s mate bond and it shattered you. You said you’d learned from their mess-that you’d never make me relive your father’s pain. You bragged that no one valued love more than you did. And now?”

“Adrian, you lost me all on your own.”

Maybe the moment he showed that young she-wolf an ounce of tenderness, our mate bond

should’ve ended right there.

I never should’ve given him another chance to hurt me.

I sighed. “Adrian, we’re done.”

The moment the words left my mouth, his whole body went rigid.

He stood there like a boy caught doing something wrong, frozen in place. I pulled my hand free, grabbed my bag, and headed for the door-only to crash straight into Candy rushing in.

Between the two of them, Candy cut me deeper.

We’d grown up together, inseparable since childhood.

Every milestone in my life had her in it-kindergarten, grade school, middle school, high school, college. We’d walked every step side by side, sharing more of each other than most people ever do.

I was still lost in those memories when her hand came down, sharp and sudden.

The slap burned across my cheek like fire.