The shadow in the trees shifted, but it wasn't Dante. As I looked up, John stepped into the moonlight, his eyes scanning me for injuries. Seeing that I was physically unharmed, he crouched down to my level, his expression heavy with regret.
"I am sorry I am late," he whispered, draping a thick, blue pullover over my shivering shoulders. "Dante ordered me to stay away from you. I wanted to ensure you made it across the border safely, so I followed your scent."
The kindness in his gesture brought a fresh sting to my eyes. I found myself wishing he was the man I loved instead of Dante. He was the only person who had looked at the "evidence" against me and seen the truth.
"Go, Clarissa. You have to leave now," he urged, helping me to my feet. "Once the sun rises, Dante will have the warriors scouring every inch of this territory."
"Thank you, John," I whispered. I didn't waste another second. I turned and ran into the darkness, fueled by a desperate need to put as much distance as possible between myself and the Blood Moon pack. Even if the woods killed me, it was better than the slow death waiting for me at Dante's pack.
Hours later, the trees thinned and gave way to the cold asphalt of a human city. I didn't stop until my lungs burned and my legs felt like lead. Eventually, I found a 24-hour supermarket and slumped into a seat by the window.
As I watched the distant headlights of passing cars, a dark, hollow thought crossed my mind. I had dreamed of a life of happiness with my mate, not power, just love. Now, that dream was a wreck. I felt utterly alone. My people had betrayed me, and my mate had discarded me like trash. I closed my eyes, wishing for the silence to just take me.
Tears blurred my vision as I walked out into the street, my mind a fog of grief. I didn't hear the roar of the engine or the frantic honking. I just felt a flash of light and saw a stranger's face before the world went black.
I woke up to a rhythmic beeping and a throbbing pressure in my skull. Panic flared. Was I back in the pack hospital? Has Dante caught me?
I sat up abruptly, scanning the room. The equipment was advanced, the walls a clean, neutral white. This wasn't the pack. A wave of relief washed over me so intense I almost choked on it.
The door opened, and two men entered. One was a doctor in a white coat, the other was a tall man in a tailored black suit. He was striking, with a presence that commanded the room. I realized then that was the face I saw right before the darkness.
"Miss, please, stay still," the doctor said, rushing to my bedside. I tried to speak, but my throat felt like it was filled with glass.
The man in the suit reached out, silently handing me a cup of water. He seemed to sense my needs before I could even voice them.
"Thank you," I rasped after a few sips.
"You were nearly killed," the doctor said gravely. "This gentleman managed to stop his car just in time and brought you straight here."
"I am so sorry," I whispered, the weight of my despair turning into shame. I had almost ruined this stranger's life because I had given up on my own.
"Don't cry," the man in the suit said. His voice was deep, like velvet over gravel, and strangely soothing. "It isn't good for the baby."
The world stopped. I stared at him, then turned my wide eyes to the doctor. "Baby?"
"You are pregnant, Miss," the doctor confirmed with a small smile. "About three weeks along. Both you and the child are very lucky."
The news hit me like a physical blow. I was carrying Dante's child. The very life I had almost ended in my moment of weakness was growing inside me.
I placed my trembling hands over my stomach, a sob breaking from my chest, but this time, it wasn't just grief. "I am sorry," I whispered to the tiny life within. "I am so sorry you have such a foolish mother."
But as I wiped my eyes, a new spark of iron-willed resolve took hold. I wasn't just Clarissa the rejected Luna anymore. I was a mother. I had a reason to survive, a reason to hide, and a reason to build a life where Dante could never touch us.
"Thank you for saving my baby," I said, my voice thick with genuine emotion. I looked at the man in the black suit, realizing he had given me more than just medical help. He gave me a future, a reason to live.
"You look like you need a fresh start," he said, his gaze steady. "If you are willing, you can stay at my estate until the baby is born. It's in another country, far from whatever you are running from."
I furrowed my brow. I had never imagined leaving my home behind, but the idea of remaining here, haunted by Dante's shadow, was unbearable. I needed a new environment where I could raise my child in peace. I didn't need a mate to survive. I would thrive for my baby.
"I am willing," I whispered.
He nodded, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. "We leave in two days. For now, rest."
Five Years Later
The air in Country M felt different, lighter, safer. It was like I never left back then, three years ago. For three years, I had remained in the shadows, pouring every ounce of my soul into raising my son, building silently, But now, I was ready to step out of my shell and build a real legacy for us. I owed everything to Nathan, the man who had picked me up off the street and asked for nothing in return.
"Are you Clarissa?"
I looked down to see a man holding a sign. I recognized him from the photos Nathan had sent me.
"Yes," I answered.
"This way. Mr. Nathan is waiting for you in the car."
I followed him to a sleek, luxury sedan and climbed into the back seat. I gasped slightly when I saw the man sitting there. Three years had changed Nathan, he was even more striking now, radiating power and quiet confidence.
"It's good to have you back, Clarissa," Nathan said, his smile warming the cold corners of my heart.
"Thank you for everything, Nathan. I honestly don't know how I will ever repay your kindness."
"Is that so?" He asked, his eyes dancing with amusement. He leaned back as the car pulled away from the curb. "Then tell me, what was your major in school?"
I hesitated. My past felt like a different lifetime. "I... I had to drop out for personal reasons. But I spent the past three years honing my skills in fashion designing."
I didn't mention Dante. I didn't mention that I had traded my education for "Luna training," a role that had ultimately been used to humiliate me.
"What a coincidence," Nathan exclaimed. "My company produces high-end dresses and clothes. I could use someone with your eye on the design team."
I bit my lip. He had already done so much. He gave me a home and even lent me the money to start my life, money I had worked tirelessly to pay back two years ago. I didn't want to be a charity case again.
"Thank you, Nathan, but I don't want to be a burden. I should find my own way."
"Clarissa, please," he said, his tone turning sincere. "If you don't want to work for me, I have the application details for a partner firm. I have already arranged for a phone and the equipment you will need for your portfolio. Don't reject me."
I went quiet, a flicker of my old anxiety returning. Why was he being so helpful? After Dante and my sister, trust didn't come easily. I searched his face for ulterior motives, for the hidden sharp edges of a betrayal I knew all too well.
"I know you don't trust easily," Nathan said, reading my expression with unnerving accuracy. "But I am not doing this for nothing. You said you wanted to repay me, didn't you? Consider this an investment. Besides, this role is convenient. You can go back home to meet your son. No more leaving him for weeks to work."
That was the clincher. The thought of being there for every milestone of my son's life was more tempting than any paycheck.
"Alright," I whispered, feeling a genuine glimmer of hope. "I accept."