CHAPTER 4 BEST DECISION

CLAIRE Willow Zach stood with her mouth slightly sagging as her big brown eyes took me in on her porch. She blinked repeatedly to make sure I was real, standing on her porch in only my dress. I could not risk returning to the opulent apartment Hudson had offered me to stay in for the past three years we had been married. I could not afford to get reminded of him in the worst way ever. "Claire?" Willow whispered under her breath when she seemed to recover a bit from the shock. "Hi." I forced a smile, looking away from her to my feet. I was unsure of what to say. I was grateful to have been able to make it out of Hudson's territory. I had made a smart move to leave, and after about thirteen hours, I was here now, gazing at my best friend. Willow and I grew up in the facility that provided for lone pups and stranded tween wolves until they were able to thrive alone. We had grown together, hoping to find love someday. Maybe there was a family that would love us, but that never happened. I had lived there in the facility until Alpha Hudson's eyes wandered my way when he visited the facility. I had grown up. I was now assisting with the younger ones until the goddess pulled a fast one on me. Willow had left, too. But she never failed to send me her new address, just in case a day like this was ever going to come, and here we were. "Come on in," She stepped away from the door, leading me into the nicely tended home. I glanced around the entire living room, and it was nothing but love, exactly what my heart had always craved. I had no idea what had happened in Willow's life for the three years we had been separated. I had no idea if she had met her mate. She looked happy and content in this entirely new pack. "Get comfy; I'll make us some tea." She offered. I settled my frail figure onto the sofa and remained that way until Willow returned a few minutes later with two cups of cinnamon tea. The lines creasing her forehead returned as she considered my pale figure on the sofa. She bit back her tongue as she handed the tea to me. "Thanks," I mumbled. I took the first sip, and it was the first thing I had since morning. I chose not to mention it to her. "What happened?" She considered me with a glint of concern twinkling at the edges of her eyes. "I called it quits." I tried to shrug negligibly, feeling the prick in my conscience for lying. "Oh yeah?" She snorted, not seeming to buy the lie. She was aware of just how flattered I was to have Alpha Hudson stare in my direction. Of all the girls in the facility, he had chosen to single me out for him. I was flattered until I got to a point of no return. I had reached the point where I had no choice but to sign the papers agreeing to the contract. "He dumped you, right?" Willow said as quietly as she could, and there was not a ton of judgment in her tone. The tears I had been fighting for hours now trickled freely down my face as I sobbed uncontrollably. "It's alright." She came closer to me, wrapping her arms around me. "No, it's not alright. He doesn't want me anymore." I sobbed more into the crook of her neck. It wasn't just Hudson walking out on me; it was his timing. It just wasn't right. I was dying, and the least I had expected was to wallow through this all-encompassing hurt. "What happened?" Willow asked me when she released me from her embrace. I shook my head, unsure if I was ready to delve into it. Just as hard as the news of his divorce hit me, thinking about it now was going to hit me just as hard, and I could not bear to get through it —not now. "Can I stay here until I figure it out?" I asked instead of choosing to rock the hard edge. I watched her eyes as she nodded with a smile that didn't meet her eyes. The concern in her brown eyes couldn't let her pretend to be happy for me. She wasn't, and I didn't expect her to. "Sure, this is your home. You're welcome here, anytime." She took the first sip of her tea, relished it, and smiled my way. "Other than my daughter, there's no one around here." "Daughter?" I raised a blank brow at her. "Irene. It's not official yet. I plan on adopting her. She's a sweet girl." A smile curled on her lips. I nodded and remained silent. My mind was on how I was going to tell her I was dying in three months. I had no idea what to say. She had been the only reason why I had rejected all of Hudson's benefits. I knew I could come here and be at peace. Sticking to Hudson's wealth was never going to get me the peace I needed before I breathed my last. It was how the goddess rolled out the dice and how my rate played the game. It was a messed-up life. I was leading a messed-up life. It would take more than a miracle to save me from this life. "That's enough," Willow said, getting to her feet. I'll show you the room you'll be staying in and fix you something to eat right after." I nodded as I followed her quietly up the stairs, and we walked quietly through the hallway. "This is Irene's room," she hushed. "She's asleep, but you'll get to meet her in the morning. She's really sweet." I nodded, and then we stopped by the door, and she let me in. I stepped aside as I got in. Willow turned on the lights, and I took her into the small room. She was relieved to finally have a place to stay. It was not as fancy as the room I stayed in for the last three years, but this was more than the standard I grew up in. This was exactly the kind of home I wanted to live in. "I'll bring a few clothes and sheets. Settle in, and please don't try to think about it all." She cooed, turning back out of the room. I settled into the bed, my gaze trained on my fingers. I chose not to dwell on my thoughts, which were gloomy and not worth dwelling on. In no time, Willow returned with the bedsheets and handed me the clothes. I nodded and headed to get some warm shower spray on my spine. It was how my life was going to be in a pack far away from Hudson. Coming here was the best decision I could ever make. I knew it. I felt it.