Chapter 5

 Blake's POV

After spending two days in the Crystal Falls pack, I was itching to go home.

It was probably because I knew I didn't have much time left on earth, and the place I wanted to spend my last days was with my pack. But there were things that needed to be done, and my coming here was one of them. 

As I sat behind the wheel in my truck, I watched as Claire bid her father goodbye. 

It was a good thing she agreed to come with me; otherwise, this would have been really difficult. But considering all she’d gone through in this place, I doubted she would have wanted to remain here. 

There was no other person who came out to wish her farewell. These people are really pathetic! How can they treat a member of their pack with such fear and contempt when she has done next to nothing to them?

The past two days had been spent mostly with Claire, and I’d gotten to know firsthand everything she was subjected to. I suspected there was a direct reason for it, but it seemed she had no plans to tell me yet. 

From my position in the car, I could see members of the pack watching her from various parts of the area as she spoke with her father. As I observed them to see if there would be any show of emotion apart from their curious looks, I spotted Dylan, who looked rather pleased to see our backs. 

That little twerp! He still has the guts to show his face after what he did. He’s lucky. I was in a good mood then; if not, I might have taken matters into my own hands. 

My attention was drawn by the sound of the door opening. Instinctively, I watched as Claire hopped into the seat beside me. 

I put on my sunglasses and turned on the car, which gave a satisfying roar. Then, I nodded at Ron and drove off, out of the dirt track and woods, onto the main road.

As I drove, I couldn't help but notice how nice Claire smelled. 

I turned to give her a quick look. From her black hair laced with green to her porcelain skin, she looked extraordinary, even for a werewolf. Even with these features, she looked really beautiful with her ocean-green eyes and lips that looked utterly sinful. 

I sighed. I should never have signed up for this. Now look what she is doing to me. 

It takes everything in me to restrain myself from devouring her whenever she gives me that bewitching smile of hers. 

Can she really help me, as the witch said?

But I can't really trust her, though. After all, she had always wanted me to pick a mate, and this might be a ruse to make me do just that. But that's beside the point. I'll do everything I can to avoid her once we get home.

I can’t allow what is transpiring between us to go beyond this level. I can’t subject her to the type of suffering I know she’ll endure when it’s over. I won’t.

At that moment, the memory of my last conversation with Ron came to mind.

"Don't hurt my daughter; she has been through a lot, and I am sure you have seen enough to know she actually has." He said.

I am sorry, Ron. In the long run, this will be beneficial to her.

I was trying to convince myself that this was the best option, but guilt pervaded my thoughts. It was difficult to release the words stuck in my throat.

"Claire, I have something to tell you," I said, tightening my grip on the wheel. It was now or never.

"What's up?"

Sparing her another quick look, I caught her smiling at me, her head cocked to the side. 

Damn! This is going to be difficult.

I steeled myself against the effect her smile was having on me. 

"I need to make some things clear to you."

Here goes nothing.

After taking a quick breath, I continued, "My coming to get you to join my pack was for a platonic reason."

"What do you mean?"

"Simply put, I have no feelings for you."

"What?"

"Yeah, I don’t. In fact, I never wanted a mate, but my pack needs a Luna." At least that was the truth.

"So why did you come for me? Obviously, any pack can still survive without a Luna."

This is getting harder than I thought it would be. But that shouldn't be the case. I barely know her!

"I have great need for your skills in healing and toxin secretion."

At that moment, I couldn't help but feel like an asshole.

How was I any different from the pack members I condemned earlier on?

Yet this must be done, unless it could complicate things for both of us.

"Oh! I see," she said, reminding me of when I used the same words, though in a different context.

"In essence, what I am trying to say is..."

"It's OK; I get your point. This relationship is based on personal benefit, not love. Right?" She stated.

I flinched internally at her words.

That was harsh.

"Those were not the words I was aiming for."

"Does it make any difference?" She retorted.

"Not really; you couldn't have put it in a better way," I murmured.

"I guess I need an award for that."

I spared her a quick glance. Her face had lost most of the joy that had highlighted her features earlier. Now, she sat still in her seat, her eyes glued to the road ahead while her hands were clasped together, still on her lap. 

I’m sorry I couldn’t give you what you wanted.

"May I at least know the reason?"

"No!" I snapped.

She flinched. Damn, Blake, get a hold of yourself.

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you."

"Probably someday, but not today. So, in essence, all I am trying to say is that I have no fantasies about me; I am not the guy you thought I was."

My voice sounded foreign to me even as I said the words that I knew were not really true. 

This should kill whatever feelings she may have harbored for me. Now it's my turn to do the same.