Chapter 5 Confronting The Enemy

Claire's POV

My patience had run out. I was fed up with Thalia's constant dealings and her unwavering presence in Xavier's life.

I detested Thalia, and couldn't help it anymore. I couldn't even stand the sight of Thalia as a result of her frustration from all her fruitless attempts to save her marriage with Xavier.

"Leave him alone." I yelled out loudly with my voice firm.

All their attention was now drawn to me, but that couldn't stop the rage I had pulled out.

"He is my mate, not yours." I yelled loudly at Thalia.

Thalia's smile was sarcastic

"Oh, Claire, who are you talking about?" she queried, as though I didn't know what I was saying.

"Xavier! "Of course," I answered furiously.

Thalia chuckled, as she replied,

"Xavier doesn't want you, oh sorry, Xavier doesn't love you."

"You are nothing but just a desperate whore." She added.

"I was there from the beginning. I lent him shoulders to lean on whenever he was tired. I listened to his heart. Each time he bled, I bled with him. "I was there for him, I was here for him, and I will always be here for him. "Can't you see?" she queried again, now showing how important it is to be there for him.

"Xavier is only putting up with you because of the marriage arrangement." She fired with so much rage in her voice this time around.

Thaila's words were like a dagger butchering a cow by a butcher as her words pierced through my soul and raised my insecurities concerning my marriage to Xavier.

'Thalia really got some nerves.'

I muttered to myself.

"That's a very bad lie." I screamed out as I countered Thalia, trying to keep her voice unshaky.

"Oh dear, hahahahaha," Thalia's laugh was detectable.

"Are you really convinced that Xavier is into you or interested in you?"

"Please, please, please, He's been hiding from your presence since the wedding."

"I guess you were so lost in your fantasy that you didn't even notice that you were a piece of work to him."

" Yes my dear, you are a burden to him." she ended her statement with the blunt view that I was nothing but an arranged piece of statue for Xavier.

It was as if the universe was against me, my doubts were birthed daily, Thalia's unending taunts were consistently hurting me and pulling down my confidence.

I began to notice Xavier's constant absence and avoidance, even in the narrow corridor, he'd pass me unnoticed, even in the hallways or even ignore my attempts to have a very proper conversation with him.

As time went by; seconds to minutes, minutes to hours, hours to days, days to weeks, weeks to months, I was battling with my emotional stability.

And the fact that my conviction was being countered by my daily experiences was overwhelming.

Gradually, I began to feel a decline in my health. I was getting down with a fever, my body was weak and tired.

Xavier wasn't happy about my health issues. It was difficult to say if his unhappiness was out of concern for me or something else.

As the days went by without a solution to my sickness, Xavier wasn't happy that, at this point, he had to be there to witness the doctors administer treatment to me, but then again there was nothing fruitful.

"I would suggest that you take care of her yourself," one of the doctors suggested to Xavier.

But as he couldn't stand me, he uttered saying,

"I can't do that. "I have other things to do," he replied.

"Okay then, you would have to take her to her father's pack, because she needs someone who cares for her willingly at this moment to take care of her, and you, as her mate, should be able to do that," the doctor commented.

Eventually, he admitted to taking care of me, but his behavior could tell he was forced to take care of me. His presence was a mixture of concern and obligation.

And for a moment, I felt a ray of hope. Perhaps, or just maybe, Xavier has concern for me after all.

Not quite long, my hopes were dashed as I saw him with Thalia, conversing and laughing. My doubts were ignited and resurfaced.

I was sad as I saw myself as a duty to Xavier. I thought to myself,

'Am I just a responsibility he would rather not have?'

My mind kept conflicting with questions and my heart bothered with so many uncertainties.

It felt like the decision I took happened to be the ugliest moment of my life.

While walking towards my chambers, someone shouted,

" Stop there right away," the unfriendly Thalia spotted.

It was at this point in time that I actually had to get myself back on track because I couldn't survive this kind of maltreatment next time.

"And what just happened there?" Thalia queried.

The entire environment was quiet, strenuously none of us could utter a single word. After a moment of silence from us both,

I moved straight to where I was addressed to stay.

Thalia didn't hesitate to follow suit.

"We are here!" She exclaimed happily, as though she had been waiting for us to reach my chambers.

" What are you doing in my room ?" Thalia said.

"You don't have a choice. This is not your pack, where you choose where to sleep. "If you are not comfortable with people, then pack your luggage and move straight to your father's house", Thalia yelled at me.

"And as to why I followed you here, it's simple: stay away from Xavier, you desperate whore." She added.

"I didn't mean to offend anyone," I reported.

"Better, I thought you were going to change your mind and say something silly."

The joy and happiness in her facial expressions has it all that she was so eager to have me agree to her terms of staying away from Xavier.

"I couldn't utter a word," I stood there so foolishly.

Definitely, I would have to suffer for a crime I didn't commit.