The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

~ALARIC~

I was fucking pissed. I knew I had no reason to be mad at Carter, but why the fuck was he asking me these questions in front of Clara? She shouldn't have to hear any of this; he could have asked me privately. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

"I've always been concerned about Clara's safety," I growl, and that was the damn truth. Even while they were together, I've always worried about her safety.

"Bullshit," Carter says as he glares at me.

"I have," I assure him. "Way more than you ever did."

His jaw clenched as Scarlett walked into the room and placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. The second that she does, it works like magic. He immediately cools down.

"I think this isn't a discussion to be having now." She says as she looks at us. "My sister had a rough night. We need to get her home so that she can rest."

Clara looked at me again, and it was hard to ignore her even though I knew it was the right thing to do. I still didn't understand why she would want to be in that room with me during the bloody full moon. She should have wanted to run and hide like Nicole always told me.

She was a lot different than my ex-wife. There was something gentle about Clara; I've always seen it in her, even more now that she was accepting the part of me that even I couldn't seem to accept.

"This discussion isn't over," Carter growls as he leaves with Scarlett.

I was glad that he was gone; I wanted to be alone with Clara even though I knew I should never be left alone in a room with her.

"Promise me," I tell her. "Promise me that you will stay locked in your room on that night. Do not go out anywhere."

I knew if she were out, I would find some way to find her. I couldn't be trusted in that state. Usually, my brothers and I had zero clue who we would be after, but I was positive it would be Clara. That fact was still bothering me.

Clara's lips parted slightly, and there was a scary, determined look on her face. It made me think that she was willing to do the opposite of what I was asking her to do.

I shouldn't be worried; it's not like she would be able to access the basement easily.

"Actually," she says suddenly. "I won't be home on that night."

I stiffen.

Where the fuck would she be? I knew damn well that if it were with another man, that would be trouble. I would fucking kill anyone that even looked her way in the wrong way during the full moon.

When have my thoughts gotten this dark? What was happening to me? I was losing control on days I should have the most control.

"Where will you be?" My voice was unrecognizable. I was angry, and it was difficult to hide it from her.

"Here." She announces suddenly. "Since Carter still doesn't trust himself around Scarlett while she's pregnant, he wants to lock himself in the basement like he usually does. Scarlett asked me to keep her company during the full moon. So, I will be here."

Shock courses through my veins at this new information. Why hadn't she said this to me earlier? Why hasn't anyone mentioned it to me before? It was my first time learning about this entire thing.

I felt better knowing that she wouldn't be out with another man, but now I had something else to worry about. With Clara in the same house as me, the dangers had just multiplied dramatically.

The constant worry and uncertainty were weighing heavily on my mind, and I knew that I needed to find a way to protect Clara from the beast within me. She had no clue what I was capable of, and I wish she would take it more seriously.

"Are you sure that you want to be here during the full moon?" I ask her.

She nods, "nothing and no one will stop me from being here."

Fuck!

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

"Make sure that you keep the doors locked," I warn her. "Please, Clara. Listen to me. I want you to be safe."

Her lips part slightly, and she looks at me stubbornly. "I promise you that I will be safe, but there are no other promises that I'm willing to make with you."

That was it. I was so fucking scared for her safety that everything in me snapped because of her unwillingness to protect herself from me.

I had no control when I grabbed her by the waist and pushed her against my desk so that I was leaning over her. I could see the movements of her chest clearly, her heart was beating rapidly now that I had her closer to me. “Clara, do you have any fucking idea how dangerous the beast inside of me gets when there is something that he wants? Do you have any idea what could happen to you if I get my hands on you during the full moon? DO YOU?"