Ryan
I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach as soon as I walked into my room. Despite knowing that staying away from my bedroom would not help, I have tried not to go anywhere near it because it has been a long day for me.
I needed to talk to Clarissa and set the record straight before things got worse, so I decided it was time to face the inevitable conversation we would have. The fact that I had met Rayna in secret had strained our relationship to the point where we both avoided speaking to each other all day, but I needed to clear the air because I could no longer take the silent treatment.
I was in the room and noticed Clarissa sitting by the bed with her back turned to me as she meticulously packed her belongings into a suitcase. Her movements were tense, and the atmosphere in the room was heavy with unspoken tension. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the confrontation.
"Hi," I began cautiously, my voice breaking the silence.
Clarissa didn't look up, and her focus was unwavering on her task. She continued folding clothes into the suitcase, her lips pursed in a tight line that showed that she was furious.
I closed the distance between us, the tension in the room growing with every step. "Clarissa, where are you going, and why are you packing your things?" I asked.
Still no response. Clarissa's silence spoke volumes, and my anxiety intensified.
Reaching out, I placed a hand gently on her shoulder, attempting to turn her to face me. But Clarissa's reaction was unexpected. She pushed my hand away; her movements were quick and forceful.
"Don't you dare touch me," she said, her voice laced with anger.
My brows furrowed, taken aback by her reaction. "Clarissa, what's going on with you? Why are you packing? Where do you want to go by this time of the night?" I asked, visibly frustrated.
Clarissa finally looked up, her eyes meeting mine with a mixture of frustration and hurt. "You should know why I'm packing my things, Ryan. Don't ask me such a foolish question by trying to act clueless."
I sighed, already knowing the meaning behind her words. "Clarissa, I—"
"Again, Ryan, don't even try to play innocent," Clarissa snapped, her voice sharp. "What I saw earlier while you were with her is enough to understand what exactly is going on, Ryan."
My heart skipped a beat, and I knew exactly who she was referring to. Rayna.
"Clarissa, it's not what you think. Don't you think we need to talk first before you jump to conclusions?" I stammered, my mind racing to come up with an explanation.
Clarissa's eyes blazed with fury. "Oh? We should talk first. Okay, Ryan. How about you enlighten me and explain to me what was so important that you had to sneak around with her? And don't forget to explain how you also had the audacity to send me to my room and walk away with her, hand in hand. Go ahead and explain, sweetie," she responded almost sarcastically.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "Clarissa, it's complicated. But I promise you, there's nothing between me and Rayna. Whatever relationship or affair you think we're having is not it, and I need you to believe me on that," I replied, trying to get her to understand that there was nothing between Rayna and me.
Clarissa responded with a laugh, which slightly creeped me out. Her laughter was bitter and devoid of humor. "Of course you do. I'm expected to believe nothing is going on because meeting her in secret and avoiding me after meeting her instead of speaking to me is completely innocent, right?"
I took a step closer, my voice pleading. "Clarissa, you have to believe me. Rayna and I have known each other for a long time, and we have a complicated situation, but we have never had a close relationship. I understand meeting her today might have seemed odd, but that's not what you're thinking. I promise."
Clarissa's expression remained skeptical, and her anger didn't waver. "Complicated situation? That's a convenient way to put it, Ryan."
Frustration bubbled within me, and my own anger began to surface. "Clarissa, you have to trust me. Rayna came to see me for something important. It had nothing to do with romantic involvement. Stop insisting on something that doesn't exist!" I said, getting a little sick and tired of repeating myself.
Clarissa's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, how foolish of me to assume that my boyfriend spending time with another woman could be seen as anything other than innocent. I'm the fool for not believing there's nothing between you guys."
My patience was wearing thin, and I took a deep breath to steady myself. "Clarissa, you're not giving me a chance to explain. There's a reason behind everything, and the reason I finally made up my mind to come here and speak to you is because I want to share that reason with you."
Clarissa's lips curled into a bitter smile. "I can't wait to hear this. Go ahead, Ryan. Spin your web of excuses, and try as best as you can to feed me one of your lies."
My frustration reached its peak, and I couldn't hold back my own anger any longer. "Clarissa, enough with the drama. If you want an explanation, I'll give it to you. But you need to stop jumping to conclusions and listen."
Clarissa's expression darkened, and her anger flared. "Drama? Oh, how dare you call me dramatic after everything you've done? After you chose to walk away with that woman, even when I tried to stop you, don't you dare try to make me into a crazy woman when you're the one who disrespected me!"
I felt the weight of her words and the guilt and frustration mingling in me. "Clarissa, you don't understand. Rayna is the daughter of Alpha Kavan, the leader of our ally pack. I couldn't let her be disrespected like that continuously just because you were refusing to stay calm," I reminded her.
Clarissa's furious glare bore into me. "So, you're saying her feelings are more important than mine? Is that it?" she asked.
"That's not what I'm saying," I retorted, my voice strained. "I'm saying that I couldn't let her be disrespected because of our problems, Clarissa. It was a matter of maintaining the mutual respect both packs have for each other because of our alliance."
Clarissa's laughter was harsh, devoid of any amusement. "Alliance? How noble of you! But it still doesn't explain why you've been avoiding me and why you're defending her so vehemently."
I sighed, my frustration giving way to resignation. "Clarissa, I need you to listen to me. Rayna and I... We discovered something recently. Something unexpected, which was basically the reason we had to meet away from listening ears," I stated, getting ready to explain the truth to her.
Clarissa's gaze bore into mine, her anger still evident but tinged with curiosity. "What are you talking about?"
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding, as I prepared to reveal the truth. "Clarissa, Rayna is my mate," I confessed, expecting the worst kind of reaction from Clarissa.