His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 45

**TITLE: Betrayal Births by Joseph King**

**Chapter 45**

**Claire’s POV**

As dawn broke, the sky stretched above me, a dull shade reminiscent of cold milk, thick with clouds that hung low as if the universe itself was in a state of indecision.

I found myself standing before the mirror, lingering on my reflection longer than was probably necessary. The harsh bathroom light cast my skin in a ghostly pallor, yet the soft warmth blooming in my cheeks was a tiny comfort. It was a reminder that I was still alive, still breathing, still a part of this world.

Mom was insistent about driving me to school, her worry palpable in the air, but I managed to persuade her otherwise. I needed to confront those looming gates alone. I didn’t want to be seen as the girl who fainted, or the daughter of the Luna, or the fragile charity case that everyone whispered about in hushed tones.

No, I wanted to reclaim my identity. Just me. I longed for the quiet life I had before Jessica’s unwelcome attention turned my world upside down.

The walk to school was eerily silent, almost foreign, since I had never taken this route on foot before. It was the kind of silence that forced you to confront your thoughts. The strap of my backpack pressed uncomfortably against my shoulder, and I could see my breath in the chilly morning air. By the time the tall school gates came into sight, my stomach had begun its familiar, nervous twisting.

As soon as I stepped inside, I could feel the weight of stares upon me.

Like magnets, their gazes followed me as I moved from one hallway to the next. Conversations that had been lively moments before fell into a hush as I passed, only to resume in hushed whispers once I was out of earshot.

I caught snippets of their chatter—words like shock, hospital, and near death floated around me like a dark cloud.

But not a single person uttered my name aloud.

Typical.

Naomi intercepted me halfway down the main corridor, her face a mixture of relief and cautious excitement. “You actually came,” she said, linking her arm through mine as if to provide some semblance of comfort.

“Yeah,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. “I figured I can’t stay home forever.”

Her smile faltered, a flicker of concern crossing her features. “People have been talking.”

“Of course they have,” I replied, a bitter edge to my tone.

“I mean, like—” She glanced around, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “They don’t really know what happened. I heard five different versions this morning. One said you got electrocuted by accident. Another claimed you fainted because of a potion gone wrong.”

I blinked at her, incredulous. “A potion?”

She shrugged, her expression a mix of sympathy and exasperation. “You know how rumors work here. Someone adds a sprinkle of magic, someone else tosses in a dash of drama, and before you know it, you’re at the center of a full-blown conspiracy.”

I let out a long breath, shaking my head in disbelief. “I don’t even care anymore.”

But deep down, I did care, even if it was just a little. The weight of everyone’s curiosity clung to me like an unwelcome static charge.

As we entered homeroom, the noise dropped instantly.

Every pair of eyes flicked toward me, scrutinizing.

The teacher glanced up from his notes, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Miss Winters. You’re back.”

“Good morning, sir,” I murmured, forcing a small smile that felt more like a grimace.

“Take your seat.”

I slid into my chair beside Naomi. My desk was just as I had left it—scattered pencil shavings, a half-finished doodle in the corner, and a faint scuff mark on the edge.

It should have felt normal, but it didn’t. It felt as if everything had been altered, tainted.

Midway through class, I sensed Jessica’s absence like an empty void in the room. Her seat in the second row, near the window, was conspicuously empty. Not even her obnoxious glitter pen remained.

During breaks, I overheard snippets of conversation buzzing around the room, filled with half-truths and speculation.

“I heard she got expelled,” one girl said, her voice low and conspiratorial.

“No, suspended. Her parents are furious,” another whispered. “Apparently, the Alpha’s furious too.”

I stared down at my notebook, tracing a finger along its spine, trying to block out the noise.

Elijah hadn’t shown up to first period yet. Part of me felt relieved, but another part of me was anxious. I didn’t want to think about it.

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