Chapter 12
Caspian stood before me in the Alpha’s office, the same office that had once belonged to my father. “Claire,” he began, his voice softer than usual, almost hesitant. “I missed the days when you called me by my nickname, Ian. The one you gave me when we were just kids.”
Ifroze. Memories flooded back, unbidden, of a time when we were young and full of dreams when I had first realized my feelings for him. I had called him lan back then, a name only I used, one that held. a world of unspoken affection.
“Ian,” I had once said, my voice trembling with the weight of my confession. “I have something to tell.
you…
But before I could finish, his response had cut through me like a knife.
“Don’t call me that,” he had sneered, his tone dripping with disdain. “It makes me sick.”
The love letter I had clutched in my hand remained undelivered, crumpled, and forgotten as my heart shattered at that moment. From that day forward, I never called him lan again.
Now, standing in the same office, I met his gaze with a cold, unwavering stare. “Don’t call me Claire,” I said, my voice as icy as the night air outside. “It makes me sick. Call me Alpha.”
Caspian’s eyes widened in shock, the memory of his past cruelty flashing across his face. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say a word, the door to the office swung open.
Ophelia stood in the doorway, her figure as poised as ever. She looked between us, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in the scene.
“Alpha,” she began, her voice smooth and practiced, “weren’t we supposed to attend the Alpha
gathering together? What are you doing here…” Her words trailed off as her gaze landed on me, sitting at the Alpha’s desk, Caspian standing before me.
The tension in the room was palpable, and for a moment, none of us moved. Caspian’s eyes flickered with uncertainty as he looked at me as if searching for a hint of jealousy or anger. But I remained indifferent, focusing on the meal in front of me, refusing to be drawn into their unspoken drama. “What are you doing here?” Caspian’s voice was laced with annoyance as he turned to Ophelia, his brow furrowing in frustration.
My sister forced a smile. “Well, it’s not like you’ve been returning my calls and mind links lately.” She had been calling him incessantly these past few days, and each time, Caspian had blatantly hung up on her right in front of me.
“I’ve been busy,” Caspian said, rubbing his temples as if to ward off a headache. “I’ve been transferring everything to Claire lately. Why don’t you head home for now? We can catch up later.”
Upon hearing that, my sister’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
Caspian closed his eyes tightly and sighed. “I surrendered the Alpha title to Claire.”
The moment Ophelia heard the truth, she was so shocked to the point that for a second, her facade faded. She eyed me with so much jealousy and hatred, one that I knew she always felt towards me Then again, after a minute, she composed herself and acted like everything was fine. But I knew her better; I knew that she hated the fact that I now had a title and a power.
She was not so easily dismissed. She walked over to the table where I was seated, her eyes glinting with something dark. She picked up the silverware Caspian had left behind and smiled sweetly, though the malice in her gaze was clear. “Well, I happen to be famished. Mind if I join you two for dinner, Claire–oops, Alpha?”
Her tone was innocent, but the challenge in her eyes was unmistakable. She was testing me, pushing my limits, trying to provoke a reaction.
But I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.
“I’m afraid I do mind,” I replied coolly, not bothering to look up from my meal. “Your
rather nauseating.”
presence is
Her smile faltered, and for a moment, I saw the uncertainty flicker across her face. She glanced nervously at Caspian, clearly expecting him to come to her defense. But to her shock, he nodded in agreement.
“Beta Clayton will take you home,” Caspian said, his tone dismissive.
Ophelia’s eyes widened in disbelief, her cheeks flushing with anger and humiliation. But she knew better than to argue. With one last glare in my direction, she turned on her heel and left the place, the door slamming shut behind her.
The room was silent for a moment. Caspian hesitated, clearly trying to find the right words. Finally, he spoke, “Claire, nothing is going on between me and her,” he began, his eyes pleading. “If it weren’t for her pleading with your parents to save me when I was a kid, I might not be here today.”
I looked up at him, genuinely surprised. I could not believe it; all this time, he was fooled into believing those lies! This idiot didn’t even hesitate to believe Ophelia! He didn’t even question her! Of course, of course, she would do everything to ruin my happiness. She even lied about things like
that.
“As long as you‘ re willing,” Caspian continued, his voice soft, “I‘ ll announce our marriage at the Alpha gathering banquet in a few days.”
His eyes were filled with a depth of emotion as he gazed at me. “Claire, please give me another chance. Let me marry you, I’ll give you the grand wedding you deserve. You” I become my wife and the Alpha of our pack.”
His words hung in the air, a promise of the life we could have had, the life I had once dreamed of. But the pain of the past, the loss of Kylo, was too much to bear. There was no going back.
