Chapter Three

Third Person Pov 

Ryan nervously looked at Clarissa, trying to gauge her reaction first before saying anything to her. He wasn't too sure of what was going on in her head, and he couldn't tell if she was mad at him, but the look on her face was enough for him to know that she wasn't very pleased.

"Hey, babe, what are you doing here? How did you know that I was here?" he asked, genuinely curious to know how she figured out where he was and also hoping to distract her from any anger she might be feeling towards him.

Clarissa glared at him, not amused by his question. "Is that really what you're supposed to say to me right now, Ryan? Was that question really necessary?" she asked, her tone cold and disapproving.

He could already confirm that she was quite upset, and knowing the kind of person Clarissa was, he needed to make sure he said the right things to her, or else he'd be risking getting her even more upset.

"I don't know if you know this, Ryan, but I've been waiting for you the whole day, wondering where in the world you were since you disappeared from my side without saying a word, and all you can ask me is how I figured out you were here. Are you being serious right now, Ryan?" she snapped, seeming a lot more irritated than he expected.

It suddenly dawned on him that he had left her side early that morning without saying a word to her, and he shifted uncomfortably, feeling guilty for not telling her where he was headed earlier.

"I'm so sorry I left without saying anything to you, babe," he said, keeping his voice calm and gentle.

"I've been dealing with some pack-related issues, and I forgot to tell you that I'd be busy today," he explained, not exactly liking the fact that he was lying to her but knowing that it was necessary as it was the best choice.

He had left her side early that morning because he had a lot on his mind, mostly concerning Rayna and how she was his mate. His wolf had been acting restless and demanding that it wanted to see Rayna, and because he didn't want to act out in front of Clarissa and give her any reason to suspect anything, he chose to leave and stay by himself for a few hours, hoping to sort out his complicated thoughts.

He was also hoping that, by some miracle, Clarissa had not seen Rayna and him together because he didn't know how he'd explain things to her and get her not to think too much of it.

Clarissa's eyes narrowed as she stared back at him, her anger apparent. "And who was the lady you were with just now?" she demanded, her tone accusatory.

"It seemed like you were about to go after her, and I'm pretty sure that I've never seen her before. So, who is she, and why in the world were you two by yourselves?" she questioned him, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at him with eyes that made it clear that she was suspecting something.

He mentally groaned at the confirmation that she had seen him with Rayna, which was the last thing he wanted.

He had no clue how he was going to explain Rayna's presence or even explain who Rayna really was to him without upsetting Clarissa, and he honestly didn't think she was ready to hear that he had met his mate because that would only make her worry for no reason.

"Uhm, that was Rayna, babe, and she's the daughter of an Alpha friend of mine," he answered, trying to sound convincing.

"She came to talk to me about some pack-related affairs, and I was going to follow her just to escort her back to the border so she doesn't miss her way," he explained.

Clarissa scoffed at his response, clearly not buying it. "Do I seem stupid to you, Ryan?" she asked, her voice rising in frustration.

"You expect me to believe that she only came here for business? What business could she have come to talk about that you two couldn't talk about in the packhouse or at least in the meeting room, which is the official room for important conversations? Why did it have to be here?" she demanded, visibly pissed.

"I'm telling you the truth, Clarissa. Our conversation was confidential, which is why she had to meet me out here, but I can assure you that whatever it is you're thinking, it's not it," he replied, hating the fact that he had to lie to her repeatedly even though it was for her own good.

She stayed quiet for a while, clearly thinking of how to respond, and he waited calmly for her to gather her thoughts and blurt out everything she had in mind.

"I never thought the day I'd ask this question would ever come, but tell me the truth, Ryan. Are you cheating on me? Is that woman a lover of yours that perhaps visited and caught you unaware?" Clarissa asked suddenly, and simply saying he was shocked by her question would be an understatement.

"Wait, what? What are you even talking about, babe? Why would you think to say such a thing? You know very well that I'd never cheat on you, so why would you even ask me that?" Ryan responded, struggling to fathom the fact that she had just accused him of cheating on her.

"You've not exactly left me with much of a choice, Ryan. You've been acting strangely ever since you got back from that pack meeting, and I'm starting to think that something happened that day and it must have something to do with that woman," she accused, and the fact that she was right with her observation made him feel much worse.

It didn't occur to him that she had noticed his distressed mood in the last few days, and he hated the fact that it had been too obvious that something was bothering him without realizing it.

"The last thing I would ever do is cheat on you, Clarissa, and I need you to believe me because it's the truth," he said to her, hoping she would erase all the negative thoughts she had in mind.

Clarissa sighed, her eyes searching forwhat? any signs of deception. "Ryan, I know you better than anyone else, so I'm certain you're lying to me right now," she said, her voice firm.

"But you know what, I'm not going to keep insisting you tell me what's going on because I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm not going to like what the truth is," she added, and he couldn't really be sure if she meant it or if she was only trying to bait him.

He took a deep breath, feeling guilty for not telling Clarissa the whole truth. As much as he wanted her to trust him, he knew he couldn't tell her about Rayna. Rayna wasn't someone he intended on dealing with for very long, and he didn't want her to start worrying over someone who had no importance in his life.

"Clarissa, I know it might be hard for you, but please believe me, babe," he said, his voice pleading. "I promise that I'm not lying to you, and you don't have to worry about anything. I'm always going to be loyal to you, and that's never going to change," he assured, but Clarissa didn't respond to what he said at all.

Instead, she asked that they head back to the palace, stating that she was tired of talking. He hesitated for a moment, knowing that he still had some things he needed to take care of before he could head back with her.

For starters, he needed to check if Rayna had left the pack and send a guard to follow after her just to make sure she arrived back home safely, and he didn't seem like some heartless guy.

He also needed to speak to Mason, his best friend and third in command, to ask for his advice on what to do because he had no idea how to handle the situation without complicating things with Clarissa and making enemies with Alpha Kavan.

"I'm sorry, babe," he said, taking her hand in his. "But I still have some things to take care of before I can head back to the palace. You go ahead without me, and I'll catch up with you soon."

Clarissa's expression turned to one of anger. "What do you mean, catch up with me soon?" she demanded. "I'm not going back to the palace without you, Ryan."

"Clarissa, please understand," he said, his voice gentle. "I still have some important pack-related affairs to take care of before I can go back, but I promise I'll be back soon," he assured her.

But Clarissa angrily pushed his hand away. "Has it even occurred to you that lately, you're always leaving me by myself, Ryan?" she spat out furiously, glaring at him with an expression that he had never seen before on her face.

"At this point, I have had it up to here with you and your pack-related businesses, Ryan! I'm sick and tired of it, so if you don't come with me now, I'm going to go back home, and you'll never see me again," she threatened.

He sighed, knowing that Clarissa was only being this way because she was hurt and that it was all his fault.

"Please, Clarissa, listen to me," he said, trying to explain. "There are some things that I need to handle before I join you at the palace, but I promise it won't take long," he said to her, hoping she would just calm down and understand him like she always does.

She looked like she still wasn't going to listen, but before he could say anything else to convince her, a voice interrupted them.

"Is everything alright, Ryan?" a somewhat familiar voice asked, and he froze at the thought of who he felt the voice belonged to.

He slowly turned around, only to see Rayna standing behind them with a confused expression on her face.

She was the last person he was expecting to see right now, and his heart sank when he realized that Rayna, his mate, and Clarissa, his girlfriend, were standing face to face.

Clarissa turned to look at Rayna, her eyes revealing a mixture of confusion and hurt. It was clear that Ryan needed to explain the situation promptly, but he was at a loss for how to do it without causing further pain to either of them.

"Now's your chance, Ryan. Explain what this is and who she is right now." Clarissa demanded, her voice sharp and filled with anger. Her gaze bore into Rayna with a distinct hint of contempt as Rayna stood there, looking bewildered and caught off guard.