99 Times for Alpha’s Bestie novel Chapter 58

ALPHA LUCIEN POV

I continued to cradle Claire’s unconscious figure in the dimly lit car. I knew I shouldn’t care, but then my gaze drifting over the bruises on her wrist.

My eyes instantly narrowed.

Something dawned on me in that moment, and I needed to check for myself if the rumours were true or not.

I flipped on the overhead light, and I began scrutinizing her exposed skin from head to toe.

My wolf stirred at the sight before us. He was never okay with how we treated her, but he needed to understand how things were. We cannot afford to care for Claire as we once did. She may not have caused our pain, but her family has, and in our world, blood suffers for blood.

Yet, I still couldn’t simmer down either of us at the sight of her wrists, collarbone, neck, calves, and even her ankles, which bore various injuries.

It was unfathomable that an Alpha mate would allow these injuries to his true mate.

An Alpha can live without his Luna, but only if they never meet. After they do, and bond, the wolf begins to weaken long before the human counterpart will realize. Looking at Claire and how she now carried herself, you had to question if she had been mated for three years or gone through hell.

Domestic abuse happened, sure, but it’s rare between true mates.

My jaw tightened, feeling a surge of violent anger.

It was Liam’s fault!

Was this how Liam had treated her for the past three years? He rode into her life on his valiant steed, professing love and protection, and all he gave her was misery and abuse.

I may be a villain in many people’s stories, but at least I am honest about it. I don’t hide my darkness from others like so many do.

Instinctively, I clenched my fists and slammed them against the car window.

Bang!

The dull sound startled John more than Ethan, but both of them were wide–eyed with shock. They froze, not daring to utter a word.

He Made Claire Unconscious, Sexually?

Claire, injured, shouldn’t stir emotion unwelcome within me, but at times she did.

Rage burned through me, igniting every nerve.

Seconds later, the darker side of me reminded me of what we had to do, and I released my grip, letting Claire slide onto the seat beside me, a cruel smile creeping onto my lips.

What was I getting so worked up about?

Her life, good or bad, was none of my concern.

The worse she fared, the more she suffered, the happier I should feel. She was poison to my life; meeting her was the undoing of my entire happy childhood. I couldn’t allow her to stir these feelings.

My anger for her dissipated, replaced by a chilling indifference.

I focused my attention on the scenery outside the speeding car, and I refused to look over at her again. That was until Claire, on the seat next to me, frowned with her plump lips pouting in pain as she let out a muffled groan.

I hesitated for only a second before I couldn’t resist any longer. I found myself reaching out, pulling her back into my protective arms.

This was the last time, I promised myself.

I dipped my head down, my nose breathed in the scent of her rose–fragranted shampoo. I needed to break this hold.

I couldn’t allow myself to care any further than this.

**

LIAM POV

I finally emerged from the treatment room, my body wrapped in bandages, looking like I was on the brink of becoming a disabled man. I looked like a cheap movie production of The Mummy. My face was pulsating with pain, almost dripping with the frustration of not being relieved.

My Gamma, Soren, dared not breathe too loudly, one hand holding an IV bag, the other hovering protectively beside me, following closely behind.

Lately, I had been on edge. Soren felt he had to tread lightly, afraid even to breathe too loudly for fear of igniting the walking volcano. As he should, my Beta Cole had been handling the media slander and shuffling from various packs to smooth over threats of breaking alliances.

At times, I felt like my father preferred Cole over me as the future Alpha. It was beyond frustrating.

He Made Claire Unconscious, Sexually?

“What happened?” I didn’t remember a thing after Claire threw her drink at me, and then the lights went out.

Soren cleared his throat awkwardly. “After the lights went out, Alpha, you were attacked by a few unknown assailants. There is an ongoing investigation as to who it was, but nothing has been found yet.”

I nodded absentmindedly. “Did anyone checked on me yet?”

I detected a rise in Soren’s heart rate, and he quickly offered his phone.

“Luna Sterling and Ms. Telder learned of the news and were frantic, almost booking a flight to come! But they’re still under bail and can’t fly.”

I snatched the phone, urgency creeping into my demeanour as I scrolled through call logs and messages.

The screen is filled with missed calls and unread messages.

Apologies from the committee, condolences from colleagues, and worry from family members. Names flashed by one after another. The most consistent was Breanne, however. She was blowing up my phone with a mixture of concern and senseless whining.

But the one name I instinctively searched for was missing.

No call or message from Claire. Surely she had to know I was injured.

“Just these people? No one else?“My voice strained and my knuckles turned white from gripping the phone too tightly.

Soren, confused, could only nod awkwardly. “Y–Yes, Alpha, these are all.”

Silence fell heavily in the cold corridor, suffocating.

I felt a deep dip of despair settle over me until I spotted a familiar tall shadow rushing into the hospital entrance, cradling a woman in his arms.

I froze in place!

“Lucien?”

I muttered with a furrow. I was about to pay it no mind, but my gaze was caught by the woman’s exposed, bruised back.

I was shocked.

I knew those faint scars on her back, and I knew that female.

He Made Claire Unconscious, Sexually?

I blinked in disbelief and took off after them, blocking Lucien’s path and brushing aside the hair that covered the woman’s face.

“Claire?”

“Lucien! What the hell did you do to her?” My eyes blazed with fury.

Lucien halted, lazily glancing at me. “What do you think?”

“Y–You two were together all night?” I trembled, a terrible premonition settling in my gut.

“Yeah.” Lucien raised an eyebrow, tightening his hold on Claire’s unconscious body.

“Lucien, what happened to her back? What did you do to her?” I felt as if my heart had been crushed, nearly blacking out.

Lucien’s gaze turned frigid, losing patience for further discussion.

“Do you mean the bruising around the scars that you and your family have marred her body with?” Lucien arched a brow in his sarcastic challenge, and I curled my fists.

Yes, my family and pack had been out of line, but Claire had lessons to learn. It was a necessary part of forming the best in a future Luna. Why couldn’t anyone else see that? Breanne has endured punishments, but you don’t see her running around complaining.

“I won’t ask again.” I growled through clenched teeth, taking a step forward.

“What can I say? I made her unconscious, and now she needs medical attention. I don’t have time to waste on you. Move!”

Lucien brushed past me, heading toward the VIP area of the corridor with Claire in his arms.

He made Claire unconscious? What does that even mean? Did he mean–sexually?

My face went pale at the thought, and I was consumed by madness, instinctively wanting to chase after them.

But Lucien’s Beta and assistant formed a barrier, blocking me from the VIP area and reminding me of the shaky truce our two packs had at the moment.

I knew I couldn’t afford to challenge Lucien or the Crown of Thrones pack at the time being, so I watched helplessly as Lucien disappeared around the corner with Claire.

I felt frantic, images of them intimate and together continued to flash through my thoughts, like still frames of memories.

I had planned to return to the hotel for some rest, but now I was wide awake.

I desperately needed to know what had happened to Claire and what was going on between her and Lucien.