Chapter 15

Third-person's POV

Nathan jumped to his feet, looking back and forth between Claire and Oliver.

The man had just called Nathan’s mate “gorgeous,” and was here to take her out on a date.

Nathan couldn’t believe it.

“What’s the meaning of this, Claire? What kind of game are you playing here?”

“Hey, watch the tone, buddy,” Oliver said, stepping into the room further. It was clear by his body language and the way he looked at Claire that he was prepared to stand between her and Nathan if necessary.

Nathan’s wolf, a sleek and powerful black wolf, snarled inside of him. The other man’s protective stance made his own hackles rise.

Who did he think he was, to try to come between Nathan and his mate?

Nathan snarled at Oliver, fiercely enough to give Oliver pause. Before he could respond, Claire laid a cool hand on his arm and faced Nathan.

“What role are you questioning me as, Alpha? As your ex-nanny, or as the forever-hidden lover who’s supposed to be thankful for the crumbs of affection you spare her?”

Nathan had never heard Claire speak like that, with such anger in her voice. But there were also tears in her eyes.

He remembered the letter she wrote him when she left, how she made her life seem so empty and miserable as his wolfless Omega nanny.

A sharp piercing guilt stabbed through his anger, deflating it. He could do nothing but stare at her as she continued.

“I never had a life of my own. Instead I devoted my life to you, Nathan. To you, and our son. You two were all I had - and you couldn’t be bothered to include me in your own life. I was just the help.”

Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she finally let out everything she’d kept inside herself for so long. “You knew how I was treated by the rest of the pack. That’s why you never made our relationship public, after all. An Alpha, mated to an Omega? You couldn’t put your career at risk like that.”

Standing, she squared her shoulders and met his gaze without blinking. “You were ashamed of me, embarrassed to be seen by me. And so you ignored me, and ignored how much that broke my heart, every single day.”

Nathan continued to feel that guilt creeping in through his confusion and anger, but couldn’t understand it.

“But you know why things had to be that way, you understand the circumstances. I’m an Alpha, Claire. I have a duty to care for my pack, and maintain the dignity of my position. You knew that, and had always accepted it. Why are you saying these things? Why are you acting like it’s suddenly a problem?”

Claire threw up her hands. “It was always a problem! Did you really think I liked living like that? Being totally dependent on you for everything, not having a life of my own?”

She paused, clearly making an attempt to rein in her temper. “Did you really believe it didn’t hurt, knowing my own mate saw the way I was being treated, and did nothing to stop it?”

“I know,” Nathan said, his voice low. “I know how the rest of the pack sees you, how they look at a low-class wolf. I want to change that, but it’s not something that happens overnight. At least for now, I can’t change their view of omegas. I have to endure it. I know you blame me, but this is the responsibility and burden of being an Alpha.”

He stepped closer to her, sparing Oliver a brief glance. The other man was standing silent, a look of surprise on his face. Nathan ignored him.

“You keep saying you wanted a life of your own - what kind of life would that have been, Claire? You have no position, no rank, no ability. That's not an insult, but fact. If you leave me, what kind of job will you have? What kind of house will you live in - At the very least, I want my mate to have a good life.”

He pointed at Oliver. “But is this how you do to me? By abandoning both me and your son, just to start an affair with him?”

Claire drew in a breath, shocked and hurt by how blatantly clear his opinion of her now was.

The disappointment blossoming inside her was new. She’d always admired Nathan as a leader, as an Alpha, and as a man. Now she wondered if she’d ever be able to respect him again.

Oliver bristled under Nathan’s sneer. “Listen, you might be the Alpha outside of this room, but in this room you’re just a man. One continuing to disrespect someone I care about.”

Claire held up a hand when Oliver would have stepped forward, stopping him. She turned to Nathan.

“What right do you have to question my relationship with Oliver?” she said. “You’v obviously never taken our bond seriously. If you had, you wouldn’t have the Princess already living in our home. And, for all I know, she’s also sharing our bed.”

She put her head to the side, studying Nathan. “I’ve heard the rumors, you know. Everyone’s saying you’re going to marry the Princess. Maybe for love, maybe just for political gain. Either way, do you really expect me to go back to all of that, and to be a third wheel?”

Nathan drew a breath, and wrapped his dignity around him like a cloak. Some of Claire’s words had gotten through, piercing him deeply. But he refused to defend himself, especially in front of some man he didn’t know.

He refused to justify his actions. All these years, he’d been doing what he needed to do for the sake of the pack. They would not, at least now, accept an Omega as their Luna, no matter how well Claire clearly would have suited the role.

And he was still doing what he needed to do, allying himself with Sabrina and through her the Royal Alpha, putting up with the Princess’ constant hints that they rekindle their romantic relationship.

“I have never intended to marry Sabrina,” he said stiffly. "No matter you believe it or not."

"I don't." Hurt, and still angry, Claire looked at Nathan, "What you’ve done is too much. I don't think any woman would tolerate that."

Suddenly she remembered the unfinished rejection of their bond, which she’d attempted the night of her accident.

Now that she had a wolf, she could finally reject Nathan, and officially get on with her life.

She drew herself up to her full height, and prepared herself for the pain of severing a bond between fated mates.

“Alpha Nathan, I reject you. I reject our bond.”

Nathan sucked in a breath and took a step back. Claire’s rejection of their bond hit harder than it had before. How was that possible?

Then he bore down on the pain, breathing threw it and hardening his resolve. “No. I refuse to accept your rejection.”

He watched her face, the hard expression, and the way Oliver was once again standing by her side.

“This isn’t over between us, Claire,” he said, then strode out of the room.

Nathan continued out of the clinic, forcing Beta Evan and Andy to hurry to keep up with his long stride.

Andy climbed into the car when Evan opened the door, then turned to his father eagerly.

“Is Nanny coming back now? Is Claire finally coming home?”

Nathan looked at his son, at the bright and hopeful light in his eyes. Then he looked away.

“Not right now, son.”

But how could he explain the strange, tangled situation to his young child?

He sighed. “It’s…complicated.”