99 Times for Alpha’s Bestie novel Chapter 25

I had been so caught up with Breanne and her sudden clinginess that I, yet again, was forced to push Claire to the back burner.

I didn’t understand why Claire had become an entirely different person. There’s absolutely no reason for her to be jealous of my and Breanne’s relationship. I made things clear from thebeginning, but now I was starting to wonder if I would have to choose between my mate and the person who knows me best in the end.

This was not something I ever wished to do.

I tried to reach out to Claire throughout the evening, but all my calls went straight to voicemail, and my wolf was panicked, yet again.

The first thing I did was head straight to the packhouse. If my mother and father had Claire locked within a dungeon cell again, there would be hell to pay.

When I got to the packhouse, I commanded the omegas to tell me the truth, but none of them had seen Claire in days. Not since I took her away.

Something wasn’t sitting right about a lot of things, and I still needed to look into that whole creepy doll matter. Claire isn’t the type to be violent.

After I inspected the dungeons and packhouse, certain that Claire wasn’t there, I received a text from Soren. He had to tell me something.

I met him at my office in the city, and his confession dumbfounded me.

Soren revealed to me that Breanne had contacted him, telling him she had my approval to order him to have Claire meet me in the Presidential Suite at the Hilton last night. Soren was to say to her that I was too drunk after a business meeting and needed her to come and take care of me.

My face paled the more Soren spoke. A weight sank in my chest.

There was a woman within one of the suites who had been drugged, and eight rogues had been brought into the room to assault her. He found out because there is an investigation, as someone had broken through the locked doors with a team of Elite warriors, shifting and mauling anyone who was not the drugged female.

The room was plastered in rogue blood. Only one of the eight rogues survived, and he was currently on life support, fighting for his life. No one knew who invited the rogues, nor who they passed security, but the room was the Presidential Suite.

It was most likely that Claire was the drugged and attacked female.

The incident was covered up, but Soren found out from a shareholder that the suite was registered to my pack.

It was then that I dropped Soren. He crumbled to the ground hard, but I didn’t care.

He worked for me, not Breanne! Since when does he take orders from anyone but me and my mate?

The call rang twice before it was picked up. But it wasn’t Claire who answered it.

“Liam! You’ve got some nerve calling Claire after what you and your little mistress set up for her. Eight rogues? Really? Just when I didn’t think you could get lower, you strive to prove us all wrong.”

Hearing Liyah’s words confirmed that it was indeed Claire who was drugged and nearly assaulted last night.

“How is Claire now? Is she alright?” My voice came out hoarse.

“Alright?” Liyah spat. “She is wolfless, Liam. She couldn’t fight off the men or the drug injected into her. She is far from alright! Let me tell you something–you’d better make that b***h bestie of yours pay for what she did to Claire. Or I’ll make sure the Council knows what you and your b***h in heat tried to do.”

The call cut after her words.

I couldn’t allow that to happen. Not until I did an investigation myself. I was sure Breanne didn’t mean to go this far. She wouldn’t do that.

I stormed out of the office, not caring to check on Soren, still on the floor.

When I arrived outside of Claire’s assigned hospital room, I straightened my clothes and posture.

I needed to smooth this over quickly.

The moment I pushed the door open, Claire’s guard dog, Liyah, stood there with her arms crossed, looking unimpressed.

“Come to plead your bestie’s case, have you? Cause this visit certainly isn’t because you care. You haven’t in the past.”

That hit. This female was always poking into our mateship, and it annoyed the hell out of me, but Claire and I were shaky right now; I couldn’t challenge Liyah. Not yet, anyway.

“There must be some misunderstanding. Breanne isn’t cruel like that. She wouldn’t enjoy-“I sighed.

Behind Liyah, lying in bed, I saw Claire’s fists clench at my words, and a cold smile touched her lips. Liyah, close the door. I don’t want carolers singing Breanna’s praises while I’m healing from her latest attack.”

Liyah moved to shut it, but I wasn’t having that. I shoved past her and stepped into the room. I put down the flowers and rushed to Claire’s side.

Sweetheart! Are you hurt? Does anything hurt? I swear, I’ll-” Claire cut me off, her voice icy. “You swear you’ll what?”

I clenched my jaw in frustration. “I’ll get to the bottom of this! But Breanne didn’t orchestrate it. She’s barely recovered at home! How could she possibly-”

Enough!” Claire hissed in full rage, “You don’t even care. You came here to clear her name? Who is our mate, Liam? Me or her? You are standing by my bed, defending her.”

I’d never seen her this angry before. I was taken aback, and so was my wolf.

That’s not what I meant!” I insisted. “Let me take you home. We’ll talk properly there.”

Liyah couldn’t take it. “Oh, spare us, Liam! Go back to being Breanne’s little lapdog; it’s what you do best, anyway. Claire needs to recover, and she can’t relax with you around her. Just leave her the hell alone! It’s what you do best anyway. You are honestly the worst mate I’ve ever seen.”

I was barely containing my anger.

I had dropped everything to rush over here, and Claire was letting her rich friend speak to me like me? I was now seeing why Claire had suddenly changed and become so cold.

Liyah was so enraged that she grabbed a nearby chair, ready to swing it.

I wanted her to, it would give me a reason to lock her away and ensure she faced a world of pain in the pack dungeon.

“Liyah! No!” Claire steeled her voice from the bed.

Liyah’s eyes were red with fury. “After everything he’s done, all he does is hurt you, Claire.”

I watched Claire nod to her friend with a frown, and then she turned to me, “Touch the Cruz family, and I will make sure your bestie understands true pain. Understood!”

I didn’t appreciate her threatening Breanne. I knew she made mistakes, but she wasn’t the problem here. Liyah was.

“Fine. Get your things. I’ll be in the car“I paused and locked eyes with Liyah once more. “Be careful how far you push; you are liable to get bitten.”

The threat was clear, and I intended to follow through if necessary.

“Don’t take too long,” I called out over my shoulder. I knew I should help her, but I needed fresh air to calm myself. I needed to figure out my next move to gain Claire’s trust and bring her back into the bond.