The Alpha’s Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger

Chapter 264 264: The aftermath...

Nathan

| woke up feeling like | was floating.

For the first tin years, | felt light, sated, fulfilled.

Lyla.

| couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as memories of last night flooded back. Her soft sighs, the

way she fit against me, the way she looked atlike | was the only thing that mattered.

After twenty-six years of waiting, of restraint, I'd finally given myself to the woman | loved—the woman who was

destined to be my Luna. I'd always believed that my first tshould be with my true mate, and now it had

happened. Lyla had ctowillingly and had initiated everything. It was better than | could have ever

imagined.

| stretched languidly, feeling my muscles protest slightly. As | moved, | felt her stir beside me. | stilled, not

wanting to wake her just yet. | wanted to savour this moment, this victory. After she settled back into sleep, |

turned onto my back, letting my eyes roam lazily over her form, the way the golden morning light cast a warm

glow over her bare skin.

And then—

All the hairs at the back of my neck stood and my breath caught in my throat as | stared at the form. Blonde hair

splayed across the pillow where brown should have been.

It was blonde.

Blonde.

| blinked rapidly, trying to clear my vision and convince myself that it was just a trick of the light.

A creeping unease slithered down my spine. Lyla was a brunette. Had she dyed her hair?

When did she dye her hair? | was sure she was a brunette yesterday when | had picked her up from the Northern

Forest. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, | reached out to brush the golden strands away from her face.

The moment her face cinto view, my entire body went rigid and the world stopped.

It wasn't Lyla lying next to me. It was Clarissa.

| just lay there, staring at her, wondering if | was trapped in sbizarre nightmare. This couldn't be real. No.

No, this had to be a dream. Skind of sick, twisted nightmare.

Last night | was with Lyla. | remembered her scent, her touch, her voice...

Clarissa stirred, a small, satisfied hum leaving her lips before she blinked up at me, smiling.

Her eyes fluttered open. When she sawwatching her, a slow, satisfied smile spread across her face.

"Good morning," she murmured, her voice was still thick with sleep.

| couldn't speak. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what was happening. How had this happened?

Where was Lyla? | was sure it was her yesterday. What was going on here? When did Clarissa cto my bed

and why wasn't | aware?

Clarissa propped herself up on one elbow, not bothering to cover her ample bosom. They stared atwith their

pinkish bud and to say the truth, they looked warm and inviting. | tore my eyes from there and looked up at her.

Her smile had faltered slightly at my silence. "Last night was amazing, the best night of my life, Nathan. I'm glad

my first twas with you."

An icy sensation gripped my chest. Her first? She had been a virgin too?

My stomach churned violently at the implication. | threw off the covers and swung my legs off the bed. | needed

to get up. | needed to breathe. | practically leapt from the bed. My body was tense, my hands had curled into

fists at my sides.

What the hell had just happened?

| wasn't angry. Not yet.

I didn't know what | was.

The room spun slightly as | took a step, whether, from the lingering effects of last night's alcohol or the shock, |

couldn't tell. | spotted a discarded robe on the floor and snatched it up, shrugging it on as | strode toward the

kitchenette, my mind racing.

| could feel Clarissa's eyes followingas | moved across the room.

My hands shook as | poured myself a generous glass of whiskey from the crystal decanter on the counter. |

needed something to steady my nerves, to helpprocess what had happened.

Lifting the glass to my lips, | downed it in one go.

| felt Clarissa's presence before | heard her. She cup behind me, sliding a hand up my back, pressing my

tense muscles with her fingers.

"You shouldn't drink on an empty stomach," she whispered, her breath warm against my neck.

I ignored her, downing another glass of whiskey in one burning gulp. The alcohol scorched a path down my

throat but did nothing to ease the turmoil inside me. | reached for the decanter again, ready to pour another,

when Clarissa's hand closed over mine, stopping me.

Something insidesnapped. With a roar, | hurled the empty glass across the room, watching it shatter against

the wall as the shards flew in different directions.

She didn't even flinch.

"You deceived me, goddamnit!" | shouted, spinning to face her. "You manipulated your way into my bed. You

pretended to be Lyla!" My voice rose with each accusation. "You're a vermin, and | hate you for deceiving me!"

If my words were affecting her, she didn't show it. She just stood there, wrapped in a sheet, her face surprisingly

calm.

"I never pretended to be anyone," she said evenly tucking her hair behind her ear. "You assumed | was her. | was

only trying out a seduction tactic | learned earlier. | had no intention of lying to you."

My entire body was shaking at this point.

"Bullshit!" | spat. "You knew exactly what you were doing. You knew | thought you were Lyla, and you played

along."

"Did | ever say | was Lyla?" She raised an eyebrow. "Did | ever claim to be someone I'm not?"

| opened my mouth to argue but found | couldn't remember her explicitly claiming to be Lyla. Still, she had to

have known. The room had been dark, I'd been drunk, and she hadn't correctedwhen I'd called her by the

wrong name.

"You're going to regret this," | said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "For deceiving me, you will pay."

To my surprise, Clarissa laughed—it was a bitter sound devoid of humour.

"That's rich coming from you," she said. "You deceivedtoo, Nathan. You madebelieve you cared about

me, that | was special to you." Her eyes hardened. "You've been usingto get to Lyla all along. | think we're

even."

Her words hit uncomfortably close to home. | had been using her, keeping her close because she was Lyla's

sister. After all, she might be useful in my plans. But that didn't excuse what she'd done.

Before | could respond, a loud, urgent knock rattled the door. Without waiting for an answer, my father burst into

the room, his face ashen, chest heaving as though he'd run the entire way.

"Dad?" | stepped toward him, alarm cutting through my anger. "What's wrong?"

He bent over, hands on his knees, struggling to catch his breath. "Blue Ridge...pack," he gasped. "Under

attack...White Moon warriors..."

My stomach dropped.

°°,

..:

o

word

word

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWLHI0RAO&1

mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1

mmMwWL1i10f1ifl0&1

mmMwWLIiI0fiflO&1