Chapter 9

Claire's POV

Shocked, I took a step back from Nathan.

Is that what he thought of me, someone who just abandoned her responsibilities to run off and have fun?

And that I’m an Omega who can’t even take care of myself?

Deeply hurt, and also furious, I felt hot tears filling my eyes.

I’d had enough.

“Is that all you think of me, Nathan? As some…party girl, off running around? As a... useless Omega?”

Unashamed, I let the tears finally fall, let my anger burn through me. “Did you ever even truly love me?”

Nathan, frozen by the sight of my tears, said nothing. The force of my hurt and anger had stabbed him, and he felt guilty for what he’d just said.

Taking his silence as rejection, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

I turned and ran, leaving the house, unable to stand Nathan’s cold silence, his insults. It tore me apart.

As I left what had been my home, I decided it was time to do more than just move out. It was time to leave the pack for good. This isn't my home.

With my awakened wolf and new healing abilities, I could find another pack to take me in. One that wouldn’t treat me like someone less than dirt. One that would not only accept but protect me.

I went to the clinic to start working, taking a moment to wash my face and put myself together. Then I put on my mask and went to work, determined to throw myself into healing patients and saving money to leave.

As painful as it would be to leave my mate and my son, I knew building a new life somewhere else was the only way to actually have a life worth living.

By afternoon, I was feeling stronger than ever, having healed a number of patients with a variety of illnesses and injuries. My wolf was stirring more and more inside of me, and with every moment, it seemed my abilities were expanding.

And word of what I could do spread. I even had a reputation.

An orphaned Omega who was so used to being seen as nothing, found herself the center of praise and admiration. I couldn't think of anything better.

In the afternoon, the Royal Alpha returned to the clinic, asking for me specifically.

“Hello again!” I greeted him as I walked into the exam room. I faltered for a moment when I saw he wasn’t alone.

Sabrina stood next to her father, looking bored and already ready to leave.

“Hello, my dear,” William returned my greeting. “I’m delighted to see you again. This is my daughter, Sabrina.”

I stuttered out a greeting to both of them, praying Sabrina wouldn’t recognize me under my mask.

The old Alpha studied me carefully.

Not only my face and coloring, but the way I held myself, the kindness with which I treated everyone around me.

"The more I observe you, the more you remind me of my wife," he explained. "It seems beyond coincidence."

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about these abilities of yours,” he told me, stepping up onto the exam table, "And in my wife's family, they possess such power too."

"Well, I'm honored to have it too." I smiled down at him as he lay back on the table, doing my best to ignore Sabrina as the other woman took a seat and started scrolling on her phone. “Well, let’s see what I can do for you.”

Third-person's POV

Closing his eyes, William felt her place her hands gently on either side of his head.

He’d suffered so much from his condition these last few years. It had made losing his wife Kara that much harder to deal with.

But the cool, soft touch of her hands, the soothing feel of her magic reaching out to explore his mind, brought an instant sense of comfort and relief. And a strong memory of the times Kara had also treated him.

His wife had been such a wonderful person, and an incredibly talented healer. He missed her every single day.

Unaware of the tears streaming down his face as Claire continued to treat him, Alpha William finally found the relief he hadn’t felt in years. He relaxed even more beneath her careful healing.

What Claire found inside the Royal Alpha moved her—such strength and kindness, and such a deep illness that affected both him and his wolf.

She knew her abilities were helping him, but she also knew she wouldn’t be able to cure him.

At least, not all at once.

Claire finished the healing session, deciding to keep her thoughts on possibly curing the Royal Alpha to herself. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself, or get the kind old man’s hopes up.

“That’s enough for today, I think,” Claire told him, then helped him sit up. “How do you feel, sir?”

“Ready to take on the world, my dear,” he said, smiling at her and patting her shoulder. There was a loose hair there on my shirt, and he secretly snagged it, discretely tucking it into his pocket.

There was some genetic testing he wanted to order.

He’d spoken with his late wife’s family, and they confirmed that in their family, their healing abilities were linked to the wolf.

Kara’s wolf had emerged very late, and only when her healing abilities also manifested. If Claire had a wolf, and healing abilities, it would prove she's connected to his wife’s bloodline.

What a shame... What he knew is that Claire didn't have one.

Still, he hoped for the least possibility, that she’d be one of his family.

“Ugh, finally,” Sabrina said, standing up and opening the door to the exam room.

She was so over her father’s madness and bouts of rambling. And this too-sweet doctor was getting on her nerves.

Sabrina hurried her father out of the room, barely waiting for him to finish saying his goodbyes to me before dragging him to the reception desk to check out.

“See you next week, sir?” said the receptionist.

“Absolutely,” William said. “And with Dr. Green, of course.”

“Of course! She’s wonderful, isn’t she? I’m so glad you’ve connected with her so closely.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes.

Dr. Green was obviously just trying to get in her father’s good graces, so she could climb the social ladder. Or maybe she was scheming to get even closer, and get into a relationship with him.

As if her father would ever think of favoring another woman the way he had Sabrina’s mother, or Sabrina herself.

Sabrina saw me pass them and walk into the waiting room, no doubt to treat some snot-nosed kid.

Keep dreaming, sister, Sabrina thought with a smirk.

On Nathan's side.

Nathan’s Beta Evan arrived at the house just in time to see Claire rush out, tears still streaming down her face.

He went upstairs and found Nathan still standing outside his son’s bedroom, rooted to the spot.

“Alpha, what’s going on? Where did you find Claire?”

Numb, Nathan told him about the day before, mindlinking with Claire and how she rushed to help Andy when he was injured.

All the while thinking to himself, Is she gone this time for good?

Evan was silent for a moment after listening to Nathan, then looked at him seriously.

“Alpha, I’ll be honest. I’ve always struggled to accept the presence of an Omega, especially as your mate. But… she is your mate, and the mother of your child. You both need her.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I think you should go after her.”

Nathan thought about it. He’d clearly just upset Claire deeply somehow, though he wasn’t sure why. Obviously, she’d been off doing whatever, while he’d been stuck here at home trying to hold the house together.

But Evan was right—they needed Claire here at home. Maybe he should go after her, try to talk to her, calm down this latest little tantrum she was having. Then they could—

“Dad?”

Andy’s voice from the room broke through his thoughts. Nathan went inside and crouched by the bed.

“What is it, son?”

“...Where’s Claire?” Andy said.

Nathan took a deep breath. Explaining the whole situation to his son, answering his constant requests for Claire, was becoming more and more difficult.

“She went out for a while. She needed to calm down. But she’ll be back,” he assured him. “Try to get some more sleep. I’ll check in on you later.”

Waking up to find Claire gone yet again was too big of a disappointment for Andy.

“I don’t believe you,” he declared. “I bet she quit. She’s leaving me all alone again!”

Heartbroken, Andy turned away from his father, burying his face into his pillow and bursting into tears.

Nathan sat by his bedside, speaking softly to comfort his son.

But nothing he said could ease the longing Andy felt for Claire.