Three Lives, One Alpha, No Bride Chapter 05

Three Lives, One Alpha, No Bride Chapter 05

The next morning, Ivy and I left early.

To anyone watching, we were simply headed to the market. In truth, we only needed to look normal.

Halfway there, I told Ivy to go on without me and sat at a tea stall to rest. She had barely disappeared into

the crowd when two males stepped out of the alley.

One covered my mouth. The other dragged me back. I fought until one of them struck me hard enough to

black out.

When I woke, I was in Rowan’s chambers.

He sat on the edge of the bed, rigid with anger. The room still smelled of burnt candles, healer’s oils, and

the unmistakable aftermath of a claiming night. The sheets behind him were in ruins.

His eyes locked on mine.

“Explain.”

I pushed myself up slowly. “Explain what?”

He stood.

“Last night was my claiming night,” he said. “The female in my bed was not you.”

I glanced at the bed, then back at him.

“You filed an unnamed claim,” I said. “You never named the female you wanted. Why does it matter

which one crossed your threshold?”

That brought him across the room in two strides. He boxed me in against the door, one arm braced beside my head.

“Don’t play games with me, Clara.”

I breathed in.

Honey-bloom oil. Warm skin. Sex.

The whole room still carried it.

I looked toward the bed. “You don’t sound very wronged.”

His jaw tightened. “That proves nothing.”

“No?” I said. “This room reeks of honey-bloom oil. I’ve never worn it. You’ve known me half my life,

Rowan. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.”

Silence.

That was answer enough.

He had known.

Maybe not at first, but soon enough. Soon enough to stop. He hadn’t.

For years I had believed that whoever Rowan truly wanted, he must want her fiercely. Instead, all he had

done was take what was given and protect himself afterward.

Not me.

Not the female in his bed.

Only himself.

I shoved past him.

“Fine,” I said. “You got what you wanted. Leave me out of the rest.”

His hand closed around my wrist before I reached the door.

“You’re staying.”

I turned back.

“My parents will be here soon,” he said. “Then the elders. You’ll stand beside me as if you were the one I claimed last night.”

I stared at him.

“You cannot be serious.”

“I am.”

“What about the female in your bed?” I asked. “The one you actually wanted?”

Something flickered in his face, then vanished.

“I wronged her,” he said. “I know that.”

Then he went on, calm as winter.

“But if Silver Ridge Pack learns who I claimed, the whole pack will talk. She cannot sit in the Luna’s place.”

“And you think I should?”

“Yes.”

The answer came without hesitation.

“The Luna’s place has to go to you. As for her, I’ll compensate her later.”

For a second I could only look at him.

So this was the truth. He did not love me enough to choose me. He did not love her enough to stand beside her. In the end, Rowan Vale loved only Rowan Vale.

I opened my mouth to refuse him.

Before I could speak, the outer door opened.

His mother walked in smiling, his father close behind her. The moment she saw me, her face lit up.

“There you are,” she said. “I told him you’d be too tired to come down after last night, so we came to you.”

She crossed the room as if she had every right to touch me.

“We’ve waited so long for this,” she said. “You’re finally where you belong.”

I stepped back before her hand reached me.

Her smile faltered.

I lowered my head just enough to remain polite, then said, “You’re mistaken.”

The room went still.

I raised my eyes and looked at all three of them.

“I’m not the female your son claimed last night.”