Rejected by Her Mate Claimed by Four Alphas novel Chapter 221

CHAPTER 204

Clara’s POV

I didn’t go back to my shared bedroom with Darius.

I couldn’t. Not with my head being a mess.

I walked as fast as I could as I turned down a side hall, keeping my head down even though no one else was around. My skin still tingled, not from the cold, but from the lingering sensations; phantom touches that wouldn’t leave me alone.

My heart hadn’t stopped pounding since the last time I felt a hand on my thigh beneath the table.

I didn’t want to see Darius. Or Killian. Or Ronan. Or even Lucien, though he’d barely spoken all night. It was too much. Everything was spinning, and I couldn’t handle more tension, more pretending.

I was halfway down the west corridor when I almost walked straight into someone carrying a stack of fresh linens.

“Oh! Luna Clara,” the young omega said, immediately dropping into a small bow. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you coming.”

I recognized her as Denise, one of the housekeeping staff. She was young, maybe nineteen, with brown eyes that always seemed a little nervous around authority figures.

“It’s fine,” I said, then paused. Maybe this was exactly what I needed. “Denise, can you help me with something?”

“Of course, Luna. Anything.”

“I need you to go to my room, the one I share with Alpha Darius, and pack some of my things. Personal items, nightclothes, toiletries. Whatever you think I might need for a few nights.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “A few nights, Luna?”

“Yes. And I need you to take everything to one of the guest rooms. The farthest one you can find.

Somewhere quiet and… private.”

Denise nodded slowly, clearly curious, but too well-trained to ask questions. “There’s a room at the very end of the west wing. It’s quite isolated from the main quarters, but it’s clean and comfortable.”

Perfect. The farther from the alphas’ rooms, the better.

“That sounds ideal. Can you handle this discretely?”

“Yes, Luna. Right away.” She hesitated for just a moment. “Should I tell Alpha Darius where you’ve gone?”

“No,” I said quickly. “Don’t tell anyone. Not yet.”

Denise nodded and hurried off with her linens. I continued down the hallway, following the path she’d

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described until I found the room at the very end of the west wing.

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It was small but perfect-a single bed, a small dresser, and most importantly, a lock on the door. The isolation felt like a blessing. No one would think to look for me here.

Within twenty minutes, Denise had quietly delivered my things and prepared the room. She worked efficiently, asking no questions, and left with a respectful bow.

“Thank you,” I told her. “Not a word about this to anyone.”

“Of course, Luna.”

After she left, I locked the door and leaned against it for a long moment. Finally, some peace and quiet. Some space to think.

I made my way to the small bathroom attached to the room. The hot water felt good against my skin, washing away the stress and confusion of dinner. But even as I cleaned myself, I couldn’t stop thinking about those touches under the table.

Who had done it? And why?

I caught sight of myself in the small mirror as I dried off. My face was flushed, my eyes looked tired and troubled. The mate mark Darius had left on my neck weeks ago was still clearly visible, a reminder of our bond.

I once thought the goddess hated me for giving me an incompetent and useless mate like Jaden. I suppose she decided to listen to me and thought it would be fun to give me four options to choose from.

Too bad it only meant insanity for me.

I slipped into a thin silk nightgown-one of the few things Denise had packed-and walked to the small

window that looked out over the grounds.

The moon was full tonight, hanging heavy and bright in the dark sky. Its silver light cast everything in sharp relief, making the world look both beautiful and cold.

I pressed my palm against the cool glass and stared up at that light.

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“What did I do?” I whispered to the moon. “What crime did I commit for you to punish me like this?”

The moon goddess was supposed to guide werewolves to their destined mates. One mate per person. One bond, strong and true and lasting forever. I’ve even heard tales of mates finding each other in the afterlife, proof that even death couldn’t keep them apart.

So why did I have four men claiming me? Four different connections that I couldn’t understand or control?

“Four mates,” I said quietly, my breath fogging the glass. “How is that even possible? What kind of curse is

this?”

The moon offered no answers, just that cold, beautiful light that had watched over countless generations of wolves before me.

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Maybe I was broken somehow. Perhaps there was something wrong with me that allowed these bonds to form when they shouldn’t have.

Or maybe the goddess was testing me in some way I couldn’t understand.

I turned away from the window and climbed into the narrow bed, pulling the blankets up to my chin. Tomorrow I would have to face them all again. Tomorrow, I would have to figure out what to do about Lucien’s bloodline claims and Ronan’s confession, as well as whatever game someone had been playing with me behind the scenes.

But tonight, I just wanted to sleep. To escape into unconsciousness where nothing was complicated and no one was making demands on my heart or my body or my future.

I closed my eyes and tried to quiet my racing thoughts.

At first, the room was peaceful. My breathing began to even out. My muscles began to relax, and I felt a sense of calmness.

Suddenly, I felt something crawl near me. I ignored it, attributing it to the fact that this was my first time in a while sleeping without Darius near me. I just turned, trying to find a comfortable position.

Going back to sleep, moments later, I felt my blanket being pulled away slowly until it was far from reach and I was bare on the bed with nothing to shield me from the cold night’s assault.

I grunted in frustration before opening my eyes to look for the blanket to wrap myself again. But then what I saw before me made my blood run cold, and I let out a blood-curdling scream.

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