Chapter 4

Vivienne showed up bright and early the next morning.

"Kaelen and I agreed to go shopping," she announced. "We just have similar tastes, and we always have so much to talk about when we go out. You aren't mad, are you, Clara?"

She watched me closely, testing the waters.

Normally, I would sulk and refuse to let him leave. It had always eaten at me that he refused to go anywhere with me, yet constantly went out with her.

But today, I had my own plans. "I don't mind," I said casually.

Kaelen had a look of disgust ready, but my answer stopped him in his tracks. His expression turned awkward. "Clarissa... you really aren't angry?"

I pulled on my jacket. "Not at all. Go wherever you want."

There was a massive end-of-season sale at the mall today, and I needed to get moving to buy some essential supplies for a werewolf.

Vivienne linked her arm through his, her voice delicate. "Isn't it better that she isn't causing trouble? Let's stop talking and just go."

I watched how physically close they were, but I didn't feel my usual stab of jealousy. I simply slipped on my shoes and walked quickly out the door.

The regular mall was packed, just like it was all year round. It was mostly lower-class people out shopping with their ordinary werebeasts. Shoppers bumped into each other in the crowded aisles, but they all wore happy, genuine smiles.

Their upbeat energy started to rub off on me. Once I brought home a new werebeast, I would probably be just as happy. I would never again have to hear Kaelen say that worthless people deserved cheap things. He wouldn't loudly make fun of this mall in public before ditching me, leaving me standing there humiliated.

All I really wanted was a normal, affectionate werebeast. If I hadn't stumbled across Kaelen begging for help back then, I could have been living that life a long time ago.

I didn't get back until after dark.

Surprisingly, Kaelen was actually home. He and Vivienne usually stayed out late. He was planted on the couch with his arms crossed, visibly fuming.

"Where have you been? You didn't even make dinner," he snapped. "It's bad enough living in poverty with you, but now I'm starving. You do a terrible job taking care of me."

I took a sip of my coffee and set my shopping bags on the counter. "I figured you would just eat at Vivienne's. Plus, I didn't think you wanted my cooking anyway. I spent all afternoon making your birthday dinner, and you threw the whole thing in the trash."

That shut him up.

I focused entirely on unpacking the supplies I had bought for the werewolf: chew toys, a grooming comb, and fish oil. I didn't hear Kaelen walk up behind me.

"Are you treating me like a dog?" he scoffed. "I don't need cheap trash meant for some low-grade werebeast. A comb like that is going to ruin my hair, and this fish oil isn't even pure. But whatever. Since you already bought it, I guess I can try it out."

"These aren't for you," I cut in.

He froze, his hand hovering just over the comb. "What do you mean?"

I turned to look at his flawless face. "I'm not good enough for a high-grade werebeast like you. I've already filed the transfer paperwork. In a couple of days, you'll never have to see me again."