Ignoring them both, I dragged my suitcase out, each step heavier than the last. But Caspian wasn’t done with me. He rushed forward and grabbed my hand, his frustration palpable. "It’s the middle of the night, Claire. You really think this is necessary? Missing a trip to the ocean—Kylo can wait. Why are you crying over something so trivial?"
His words were like knives twisting in my heart. He didn’t understand. He couldn’t. He saw my swollen eyes and finally, a flicker of pity crossed his gaze. "Let me clear my schedule next month, and I’ll take Kylo then, okay?"
Next month? How ridiculous. What next month did Kylo have? If only he cared enough about our son, he wouldn’t be saying such foolish things.
I pulled my hand away, my voice trembling with barely restrained fury. "No need!"
At that moment, Caspian stared at his empty palm, stunned. He had never expected the woman who once clung to him, who had once loved him so desperately, would now avoid him as if he were a plague. He snapped back to reality and tried to follow, but Ophelia, always the center of his universe, grabbed his arm.
"Alpha, it’s all my fault," she said, her voice dripping with false remorse. "Even though I knew Kylo was faking his illness, I shouldn’t have competed with a child for your attention. Now it’s made Claire angry at me."
Faking... faking his illness?
My mind went blank, the world tilting on its axis. By the time I regained my senses, I had already slapped Ophelia across the face.
My sister stumbled back, her hand flying to her cheek, eyes wide with shock. But I didn’t care. My hand still tingled from the impact, but it wasn’t enough—not nearly enough to ease the raging storm inside me.
Caspian's face, initially tinged with guilt, shifted instantly. His expression hardened as he positioned Ophelia protectively behind him, his eyes narrowing at me. "Claire, what are you doing? She is your sister!"
I glared at Ophelia, my fury barely contained. "You'd better watch your mouth."
Ophelia, her eyes wide and brimming with mock hurt, leaned closer to my mate, making my wolf uncomfortable. "Alpha, don’t let me come between you two. If my sister won't admit that Kylo is faking his illness, I'll just drop it."
My brow furrowed in disbelief. I turned to Caspian, my voice trembling. "You think Kylo is faking it too?"
His silence was all the confirmation I needed. He didn't believe me. He never did.