Clara sat in place for more than an hour until the wolf's pheromones completely disappeared, leaving her immersed in the darkness of the forest and realizing that it was getting later and later, she had to return to the pack, but in her current state it would be a serious problem. First because her body hadn't completely calmed down and second, her body smelled like fluids everywhere. So she at least had to clean herself first.

Helping herself from the tree, she sat up shakily, where her legs refused to support her weight and she almost fell again. She needed to use all her strength to move towards the pool where she had almost taken her life before and to be able to submerge up to the middle of her torso. The icy water helped a little to pass the burning heat inside her. Still, her skin tingled so badly that she was uncomfortable and she hugged herself. Her breasts stung at the touch and she moaned slightly. Her insides still throbbed and despite the fear she had felt before her, she wished that at least her mate was there, that he hadn't left her alone. That made her feel worse.

Perhaps he had rejected her because he hadn't been able to take her the way he wanted. She didn't know, she didn't want to think. He just lowered his hands to the inside of her thighs and touched the throbbing area of ​​her. At the moment... that was the only thing she could do, again, completely alone.

When she returned to her house and sneaked into her room quietly using everything she had learned as a tracker, she fell into bed completely exhausted. And with the trace of the wolf's scent still on her, even though she was faint, she fell asleep.

***

Clara heard her father's footsteps arriving at her door and it was flung open.

-Clara- the wolf made an appearance. The wolf sat on the bed being so tired that her head was moving from side to side. She hadn't really been able to sleep. She didn't remember the dream, but it must have been quite moved because she ached in every part of her body and something resonated inside of her.

-What's going on? - the sun filtering through the window told her that it had already dawned a long time ago. Her voice was barely above a whisper. And she was so stunned that she barely heard her father's footsteps approaching her.

By the time she realized it was already too late. She felt terrible pain as she was grabbed by her hair and thrown to the ground with force. Her body crashed with a thud and her knee began to throb. Clara curled up on the floor protecting her stomach from her in case he kicked her. It wouldn't be the first time and she hurt a lot afterwards.

–Just get up and get dressed, useless wolf– he yelled at her since she had been late and also asked as if she were oblivious to everything, something that made his blood boil. He had no patience with Clara in any way. Rather, he often wondered why he had had a defective female offspring instead of a male who could fight for the title of alpha of the pack.

Clara bit her lower lip and did what was best for the moment. She got up slowly trying to be careful and keep her distance from him. Although something inside her commanded her to take her teeth out of her and fit them into her neck, but she didn't have the courage to do that.

She walked over to her small, almost empty window to grab one of her clothes and started changing as fast as she could. Her father was upset, even his smell gave him away. She was nervous and looking at him, she could see in the usual haze that he had changed his usual brown clothes for a more elegant black shirt and pants than the usual clothes he used to wear. She even she could make out some details of him and that made her freeze.

Her sight was her most affected sense, so she was used to not depending on it and downplaying details and appearance, but being able to see, even a little better, made her impressed. But she couldn't quite analyze this change given Alester's growl. He seemed in a bad temper.

- Is there an important event? - She spoke in a very low voice and with her head bowed. Looking into his eyes could be an offense for him and a punishment for her. The most important thing in the pack was the union meeting of couples and as a second the alpha's birthday, which had not been celebrated for a long time since she was so sick that it was known that she would soon die.

Her father clucked his tongue at her ignorance.

-Didn't you hear it yesterday- she denied, of course she couldn't have heard it since she was almost fucking her destined partner who had vanished like water, only she wouldn't say that to the wolf or he would surely lock her up- Today she returns the son of the alpha will most likely assume leadership of the pack. We should all receive it and show our respect towards it. Maybe we can gain his trust and level up here.

Hearing that, she felt an uncomfortable throb in her chest and didn't know why. She lowered her head even more and closed her eyes.

-Clara- the wolf almost yelled at her- Just move, we don't have all day. If we're late because of you, I'll lock you up and make you wish you hadn't been born, for being so useless.

And at that she shuddered. She knew very well what consequences she was referring to. She didn't take long to prepare, though she didn't pay much attention to her image. Just a tight dress that covered her entire neck to hide the bite marks from the night before, long sleeves and up to mid-thigh. Her hair combed through it slower than she imagined, falling heavy down her back. And she was thankful that she couldn't see her face quite right, because it sure was drawn, although she felt her swollen eyelids. She didn't check her image, in her room there was no mirror, it wasn't like she had used it before. Now there was an emptiness inside her that even when she had been alone and locked away she hadn't tormented herself like this.

If she had known to find her mate and that he would leave her to feel that way, their paths had better not have crossed. With that thought she went outside following her parents. It was better not to think too much about it, in the end she…perhaps she hadn't gotten used to being rejected. So… what was the concern. At least if he hadn't interrupted her injury to take her own life, she wouldn't have to be doing that now.

***

Clara followed her parents a few steps behind and with her head lowered. She didn't like being surrounded by the pack and even less so after yesterday. Surely the comment had already been spread that she had not found her mate again and that she was in the club of spinster wolves, over 20 years old, where only she was. If only they knew that she had found her destined mate of hers, only that he had gone on the run.

Ah… that made her feel even more miserable.

-Clara, don't stay behind- she heard the voice of Isa, the she-wolf who had given birth to her, who murmured without looking at her and with her ear she only needed that. She walked faster so as not to be left behind. Embarrassing them might cause her not to sleep in her room.

The three advanced to where the pack was gathering to await the son of the alpha. Clara had heard rumors about him, but they were so few that she had forgotten them and it wasn't like she cared. She would surely be inside the alpha pack's huge house from there. As she had the previous alpha that she had changed from the death of his partner to becoming seriously ill as he was now.

Clara lowered her face until her eyes settled on her feet and the white gravel beneath her sandals. She was able to define his shape a little more and wondered what had changed so that her eyesight was improving all of a sudden, when she hadn't in 22 years, rather, it had gotten worse. Wow, something was happening and it was scaring her.

«Don't be scared by a stupidity like this» she heard inside her head and Clara staggered on her heels. The world around her suddenly turned black and she saw something colored, elegant in shape and with red eyes walking towards her.

Clara stepped back shakily.

–What are you?– he asked, pressing his lips together.

–What are you talking about?– her father's voice brought her back to reality and she realized that he was looking at her now. She seemed to be frowning.

–Nothing– she shook her head quickly.

The wolf ignored her again and lay still feeling that she had forgotten something recently, but she couldn't remember what. Her head throbbed. Something that happened frequently recently.

-Oh, Clara- a familiar voice raised every hair on her body and she knew instantly who it was. One of the wolves from the day before, one of the ones that had seen her in her most vulnerable state—you don't smell foul anymore.

Her parents looked at her and then focused on the wolf that had calmly approached her. Clara could smell how her father tensed up and began to get annoyed, he would surely scold her after her.

-What are you talking about?

The other wolf smiled and Clara knew it would give her away.