CHAPTER 278: 278-CAUGHT SNEAKING OUT OF HIS BED

Clementine:

We were told to return to our rooms without any explanation. I tried to ask how something like this could have happened.

How they had let such an important person die, but they silenced me.

Since no one else stood with me, the ringleaders simply walked away.

I lay on my bed, listening to Oriana and Haiden whispering. Their beds were close together, so she positioned herself so their heads were next to each other.

They kept talking and whispering, annoying me until I wanted to yell at them to be quiet.

I hugged my pillow and turned to the other side, trying to hold back my tears.

Everything was happening so fast, and I had no one to ask or anyone who could tell me what was going on.

Eventually, I fell asleep, only to wake up in the middle of the night at a soft yelp.

I jolted upright, my chest tight with worry, already fearing what I might find. But what I saw was nothing like what I expected.

"Let go," Oriana whispered to Haiden, pinching his arm.

I turned my head in their direction instantly. She was in bed with Haiden, and it looked like they were play-fighting, but she was under him.

The moment she saw me, she pushed him off.

"Dude, she’s awake," she uttered nervously, climbing out of the bed.

What I saw next froze me. Her shirt was lifted so high that even her bra was loose and one of her breasts was out.

Oriana was lying under him, her shorts barely staying on and her belly chain hanging low.

What were they doing? I watched her return to her bed and lie down.

"We were just playing," she said quickly, turning her back to me.

I looked at Haiden. He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding my eyes.

"She was annoying me. She’s so annoying, right?" he mumbled.

My lips trembled. I glanced at Troy and Yorick, both asleep. But it didn’t matter. Even if I told them what I had seen, they wouldn’t believe me.

"Did you need anything?" Haiden finally looked up at me, trying to save face.

"No, nothing from you." I lay back down, clenching my fists around the pillow.

Silent tears ran down my face. I felt completely hopeless and alone.

"Why don’t you give him a piece of your mind?" Mint grunted at me.

"Don’t hiss at me for not confronting him. And what should I even say?" I muttered to my wolf. "I know what he’ll say, that I haven’t picked him yet, so I have no right to call him out."

He didn’t comfort me. He just let me lie there, sniffling in pain and loneliness.

"So that’s it? You’re not going to do anything?" Mint argued.

"Who said I’m not going to do anything? All I can do is not give him a chance," I replied, realizing how helpless that sounded.

They used me, and now I couldn’t even complain because I hadn’t chosen one of them. As if that made anything alright.

I woke up with a heavy headache and realized the others were already awake and had showered. I dragged myself to the bathroom.

After showering and changing into my casual, baggy clothes, I came out and saw Troy standing next to Oriana’s bed while she sat showing him some dresses.

At that moment, I felt such pride that I didn’t even want to call out to my mates for their actions.

I already knew they would irritate me, judging by how they were always hovering around her.

"What should I wear?" she asked him.

"This top. It will look good. I want to see your abs," Troy teased.

The minute he noticed I had come out, he quickly cleared his throat.

"I mean, I want to see if the workout is even working," he added, making up an excuse. Oriana giggled, covering her mouth.

"No, I don’t want to show my tummy," she said meekly.

"How about this one?" she then pointed to another dress.

"Um, just pick anything. You’ll look good, Oriana. Everybody is waiting outside. Come on," Troy urged, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Oh, I need to look perfect. Oh my God, Clementine is so lucky she doesn’t have to worry about it," she commented. I raised my brow at her for being such a scum.

"Leave it to her. She would wear a trash bag if she could. She just doesn’t want to work really hard," Troy muttered under his breath.

"You don’t care about anyone else. You have Miss Perfect with you. Go ahead. Dress her up like a doll," I snapped at Troy.

He turned around, hands still in his pants pockets, looking confused by my outburst.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

I didn’t respond. I walked out the door toward the hall where breakfast was being served.

When I entered the hall, I noticed Haiden and Yorick talking. There was a seat between them, the seat I usually took. Without thinking, I started to sit down.

"Uh, why don’t you sit over there? Oriana already picked this one," Yorick said, placing his hand on the seat.

I stared at his face in disbelief.

I was furious. Were they so blind that they couldn’t see they were hurting me, or did it not matter to them?

In a fit of anger, I decided to punish them the way they had hurt me.

I grabbed my tray and went to sit with Ian instead.

Even though I didn’t like Ian, I could use him.

The minute I pulled my chair back, Ian stood, picked up his food, and moved to a different table, leaving me embarrassed in front of everyone.

Laughter filled the hall.

I hesitated to turn and see my squadmates laughing at me.

Then Oriana arrived, happily skipping and holding hands with Troy.

At that moment, I realized I needed to talk to my squadmates.

Things had gotten out of hand.

I needed to give them an ultimatum, to let them know I no longer wanted to pick any of them and that I wanted our mate bonds severed.

That was it.

I was hurt, betrayed, and disrespected in the harshest way.

All for a woman who had wanted me to leave them. But I hadn’t.

They were the ones who left me when she told them to.