Claimed in the dark

Chapter 6: The Broken Heart's Escape

Chapter 6: The Broken Heart's Escape

I slowly stood up from the table, the wooden legs of my chair scraping against the marble floor. I couldn't take it anymore. The air in the dining hall felt thin, suffocating, and poisoned by the sudden, brutal reality of Sienna’s presence.

As I turned to head toward the stairs, my mother’s voice cut through the silence. She had noticed the sharp discomfort and raw sadness swimming in my eyes.

"Clara? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with maternal worry.

Her question dragged everyone's attention directly to me. I could feel Marcus’s curious gaze, Julian’s worried stare, and Kaelen’s heavy, piercing eyes burning into my skin, waiting for my response.

"Oh... yes, I'm fine," I lied, forcing a tight, fragile smile. "Just a little stomach upset. I'm going to go lie down."

The moment I reached the safety of my bedroom and shut the door, the tears threatened to spill. My chest ached with a hollow, confusing pain. I couldn't even explain what I was feeling. My mind spun with questions I had absolutely no answers to.

Do I actually like him? Why am I so heartbroken? I should be happy that he has a future Luna...

But I wasn't happy. I was utterly devastated. At that moment, the walls of the mansion felt like they were closing in on me. I desperately needed to get away, to find someone I could actually trust and talk to.

I changed into a simple outfit, grabbed my bag, and hurried out of my room. But as I reached the grand staircase, Julian was already standing there, blocking my path.

"Are you going out, Clara?" Julian asked, his amber eyes scanning my face with soft concern.

"Yes. I'm going to see a friend," I replied, keeping my voice level.

Suddenly, a heavy, familiar shadow fell over the upper landing. I didn't even have to look up to know who it was. Kaelen was descending the stairs slowly, his dark eyes fixed on us, listening to every word. My wolf tensed, both craving and fearing his presence.

"I'll drive you," Julian offered immediately, taking a step closer.

I was just about to reject his offer, desperate to be entirely alone, when Kaelen’s deep, commanding voice rumbled from behind me.

"Let me take yo—"

"Yes, Julian, thanks," I interrupted quickly, cutting Kaelen off before he could even finish his sentence. I didn't look at Kaelen. I didn't want to see the dark, mocking smirk on his lips or the swirling silver rings in his eyes.

I brushed past Kaelen and walked quickly toward the front door, Julian following close behind. But Kaelen wasn't a man who took no for an answer. I heard his heavy, predatory footsteps closing the distance behind us. I could feel his heat, his hand reaching out, about to brutally drag my wrist back to force me to go with him.

"Kaelen!"

Sienna’s sweet, melodic voice echoed from the parlor.

Kaelen froze. In an instant, his possessive focus shattered. He dropped his hand, turning away from me without another word to walk back toward his childhood friend, asking her what she needed.

A fresh wave of bitterness washed over me. He dismissed me so easily, acting as if I didn't matter to him at all.

I walked out to the driveway, staying close to Julian. He stepped ahead, opening the passenger door of his car for me and placing his hand protectively over my head so I wouldn't hit the frame as I climbed in.

The silence inside the car was deafening as we drove out of the estate.

"Clara," Julian said softly, breaking the quiet. "Do I know this friend you're going to meet?"

"Oh, no. I don't think so," I murmured, staring out the window at the passing trees. The silence stretched between us once more, thick and heavy, until Julian finally pulled up in front of Bella's house.

When I knocked on the door, Bella’s face lit up with pure shock and joy. Ever since my mother had married Alpha Marcus, I had been so swept up in the chaos of my new life that I hadn't visited her once.

She pulled me inside, and the moment we were alone in her room, the floodgates opened. I explained everything to her—the betrayal, the secret night in the ruins, Kaelen's dark claim, and the devastating arrival of Sienna.

Bella listened in stunned silence. When I finally finished, she looked at me with deep, knowing eyes.

"Clara," she said softly. "What exactly are you to him? And do you actually like Kaelen?"

I looked away, my throat tightening as I tried to avoid the question. I couldn't bring myself to admit the terrifying truth to her or to myself.

Bella noticed my avoidance, but she didn't push me. She simply reached out, squeezing my hand gently. "Just follow your heart, Clara. It's the only thing that will ever tell you the truth."

For the first time in days, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. In the quiet safety of Bella's house, far away from the suffocating pull of the two Alpha brothers, I was finally able to close my eyes and sleep peacefully.

By the time I woke up, the sky outside was pitch black. It was already incredibly late.

Panic seized me as I bid Bella a hurried goodbye and rushed back to the estate. When I reached the iron gates of the mansion, all my anxiety came rushing back in a suffocating wave.

I opened the heavy front doors as gently as possible, stepping into the dark foyer. I climbed the grand staircase with agonizing care, silencing my footsteps so I wouldn't attract any attention.

When I finally reached my hallway and approached my bedroom, I froze. My door was standing slightly ajar, a sliver of warm light spilling onto the carpet.

Heart hammering against my ribs, I pushed the door open to see who was inside. But before I could even take a step, a massive, solid hand locked around my waist from the shadows, dragging my back flush against a hard, burning chest.

The familiar scent of rain, pine, and dark Lycan power invaded my senses. Kaelen.

"What are you doing in my room?" I gasped, my voice trembling as I tried to wriggle out of his iron grip.

"Little bird," Kaelen growled softly, his voice a deep, gravelly vibration against my skin.

He spun me around in his arms, pinning me against the closed door. He leaned down, his lips brushing against mine with a slow, agonizing warmth. My wolf howled in response, begging me to surrender to him. I wanted to push him away. I wanted to scream at him for how he had treated me at breakfast. But as his mouth pressed harder against mine, my body betrayed me. I wanted him. I craved the suffocating heat of his touch.

No. He has a Luna.

The realization struck me like a bucket of ice water. Gathering every ounce of my strength, I violently shoved his chest, breaking the contact and forcing him a step back.

"Leave," I whispered, my voice shaking with a mixture of anger and tears. "Just leave me alone, Kaelen."

Kaelen didn't move. He stood in the dim light of my room, his silver Lycan rings swirling in the dark as he stared down at me. When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly calm, yet laced with a dangerous, quiet intensity.

"Why are you avoiding me?"