99 Times for Alpha’s Bestie novel Chapter 92

Claire’s POV

The matter with Queenie and posting the clarifying video afterwards was exhausting.

I finally finished my errands and even managed to shake off Liam, who had been following me the entire time. Exhausted, I was finally able to return home.

As I stepped out of my car and began walking along the sidewalk leading to my unit, a sudden chill swept in from the safety of the gated community.

It was strange. This sidewalk had never been this poorly lit before.

I looked up and found one of the streetlights near my unit out-the glass remnants lying on the sidewalk below the post.

Someone had chucked something up and shattered the light? Why would someone do that?

A sense of unease crept into my heart.

Just as I focused on the uncomfortable darkness, a figure emerged from the shadows behind the shrub next to mine and Liam’s shared walkway.

The woman was holding a square, red plastic container. I realized that it looked a lot like a gasoline jerrycan.

Instinctively, I began to back away, but the woman moved faster, closing the distance between us.

The overwhelming smell of gasoline hit my nostrils, confirming my earlier suspicions of the container.

“Claire! You hypocritical b***h! You’ve ruined everything in my life! I am going to send you straight to hell!”

It was Breanne Telder!

Breanne raise that heavy gasoline container, tilting it dangerously close to me.

Panic surged in my heart. Was she really going to douse me in gasoline and set me on fire? If it didn’t kill me, it’d surely scar me forever?

The thought made my blood run cold. All of this over a guy? Really?

“Calm down, Breanne! You’re committing a crime! This is guaranteed prison time, you know that, right?”

I shouted desperately, using all my strength to push against the tipping container, while still hoping that someone passing by heard my pleas.

“A crime?” Breanne let out a twisted laugh. “As long as it destroys you, then any cost is worth it!”

“I can’t wait to see your face ruined, and you turned into a disgusting monster! Then Liam won’t even look at you again! Ha-ha! I will always win, Claire. Do you know why?” “Breanne, please-“I tried to plead while struggling over the container.

“Because I am willing to do whatever it takes to win. That is the difference between you and me. I was always meant to be the leading lady; true Luna material, while you were always meant for failure and to be left in the shadows. You know, like a mistress.”

Despite my fierce resistance, the gasoline splashed uncontrollably, soaking my hair, face, arms, clothes, and legs.

The suffocating smell of gasoline nearly knocked me out.

“If you do this, you’ll rot in prison for the rest of your life! Breanne, ask yourself. Is this really worth it? Liam won’t come running to you if you do this; he’ll move on to someone else. Don’t you get that?”

As Breanne pulled out a lighter, I fought to suppress my rising fear, trying to awaken some reason in her.

“Of course it’s worth it because Liam will see how dedicated to him I am. How dedicated I’ve always been to him!”

The sharp sound of metal scraping echoed like a death knell on the silent sidewalk.

A tiny flame flickered to life, illuminating Breanne’s twisted face.

Her expression was one of near-maniacal excitement.

She grinned, inching the lighter closer to me.

Just then, a roar erupted from the opposite end of the dark sidewalk.

“Breanne! Stop! Are you insane?”

It was Liam.

I had never been happier or more relieved to see him standing there. This was the first time I needed him, and he was there, not for anyone else, but for me.

Breanne froze at the sudden shout, her grip loosening, and the flame extinguished instantly.

In that split second of distraction, I lunged forward without hesitation, using all my strength to snatch the lighter from Breanne’s hand.

Realizing I had taken the lighter, Breanne sprang forward to reclaim it.

But just then, a powerful force yanked her back, pulling her away from me, and over to the side of the building with a hard thud on impact.

As Breanne was thrown aside, the heavy gasoline container crashed to the ground. The impact shattered the container, and the pungent yellow gasoline gushed out like a flood, quickly spreading across the smooth cement sidewalk, creating a slick, reflective pool of deadly oil.

“Claire, are you alright?”

As Breanne was dazed, Liam rushed toward me with a sense of urgency and protectiveness.

“Breanne, you were really going to do this? Why are you harassing Claire again? Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough? Do you understand the repercussions that this could have had on our pack and my family?”

Liam turned and scolded her mercilessly.

Breanne, leaning against the wall, slid down to the floor, finally realizing what was happening as she watched Liam protect me.

“Liam!” she cried out in despair. “You pushed me? You pushed me for Claire? I’m your best friend, we’ve been inseparable since we were young pups, and you treat me like this?”

She struggled to get up, her gaze fixed on me, who was still shaken. Her eyes burned with hatred. “It’s all your fault! Claire, it’s all because of you!”

Once again, she lunged at me like a rabid dog, but this time, Liam pushed her away without hesitation.

The gasoline-soaked floor was predictably slick, and Breanne stumbled and fell hard to the cement ground.

Liam, however, didn’t even glance at her. He swiftly turned to hold me in his arms tightly.

“This is dangerous. I’ll help you inside. Leave the rest to me.”

Liam urged me to open the door.

This time, I was genuinely terrified by Breanne’s madness. I trembled uncontrollably, my limbs cold.

I quickly fumbled to open the door.

As the door swung open, Liam pushed me inside with all his might, then quickly shut the door, completely isolating me in a safe space.

I was still shaken, peered through the peephole and saw Breanne creating chaos outside. At the same time, Liam calmly called the gated community’s security, who then forcibly dragged Breanne away from the units and towards their security office location, to wait for police to come and arrest her, presumably.

Soon, the entrance fell silent.

I pressed my hand to my heart, frowning at my clothes, which reeked of gasoline, and hurried to the bathroom.

I scrubbed for nearly two hours, using almost all the shampoo and shower gel in the house before finally feeling free of that suffocating smell.

After showering and changing into my pyjamas, I lay back on the sofa, still reeling from everything that had happened.

That was when it hit-Liam’s words to Breanne when he was confronting her and saving me. I didn’t catch it in the moment; I was too shaken up.

He was concerned about the image that this would play on the Sterling Moon pack’s reputation and the Sterling Alpha family’s name. This moment of rescue wasn’t about me. I thought for the first time that Liam had come to rescue me, but it turns out I was yet again made a fool of.

With a heavy sigh, a loud, urgent knock echoed at the door.