Chapter 5

Elena POV

I didn't even want to look at her. I tried to walk past her, but she stepped in my way.

"You know," Clara sighed fake-sadly, "Anna had such a beautiful little face. Those cute little dimples when she laughed... It's such a pity she had to die so young."

My heart, which I thought was numb, shattered all over again at the mention of my daughter.

I glared at her. "You never had the cure, did you? You set me up from the start just to watch me suffer, didn't you?"

"So what if I did?" Clara smirked. "James and I are the ones who belong together. You're just an annoyance the Moon Goddess forced on him. That little brat you gave birth to was a mistake anyway. She deserved to die."

She leaned closer, her eyes glittering with malice. "Oh, by the way... did I mention? The poison inside your daughter... was cultivated using James's own blood. The only antidote was his blood too."

"Clara!!"

A mistake? Deserved to die?

And the poison was made from James's blood?

Every ounce of my sanity snapped. I raised my hand and slapped Clara across the face with all my strength.

The force of the slap sent her stumbling back. "You."

She clutched her red cheek, but instead of fighting back, she immediately burst into tears, a triumphant gleam flashing in her eyes.

"What do you think you're doing!" a furious voice roared from behind.

Before I could react, a heavy hand grabbed my shoulder and violently shoved me away.

I lost my balance and crashed hard against the brick wall. My head hit the solid surface with a sickening thud, making my vision go completely black for a second.

Realizing he might have pushed me too hard, James froze. "Elena, I..."

Suddenly, the heavy, gilded painting hanging on the wall above me shook. The wire snapped, and the massive frame came crashing down.

"Watch out!" James yelled.

His protective instincts kicked in, but instead of saving me, he instinctively lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Clara and shielding her with his body, turning his back to me.

The heavy painting crashed directly onto my head.

I didn't even feel the pain before darkness swallowed me whole.

When I finally opened my eyes, I was back in my bedroom at the packhouse. My head felt like it was about to explode.

"You're awake," James's voice came from the bedside, sounding relieved.

I stared at the ceiling, not moving a muscle.

"Does it hurt anywhere?"

His eyes were glowing silver, meaning his wolf was currently in control.

I shook my head slowly, watching as the silver faded and James's human consciousness took over.

He reached out to touch my forehead, but I flinched, turning my head away.

James's hand froze in mid-air, a flash of anger crossing his face before he suppressed it. He pulled his hand back and said in a cold, lecturing tone:

"No matter how much you hate Clara, you shouldn't have hit her. She is just a fragile human, and you are a werewolf. You could have killed her! How could you be so cruel?"

I wanted to laugh, but I didn't even have the energy.

Of course. To him, Clara was always the victim who needed protection, and I was the violent monster. Even when he literally shielded Clara and let a heavy painting crush me, he didn't care.

"Do you know what she said to me?" I asked, turning my gaze to him.

James scoffed. "What could she possibly say? She wanted to apologize, and she brought up Anna, which made you upset. I know you're grieving, Elena, but Clara is..."

"She said," I interrupted, "that Anna was a mistake who deserved to die."

"How dare she say that?!" his wolf roared in my mind.

But I knew it wasn't James speaking. I was sick of the constant conflict between him and his wolf.

"She also said that she was the one who poisoned Anna."