When I Died, My Mate Was With His Sweetheart

The next second, Klaus’s phone buzzed, cutting through the tension in the air. His eyes flicked down to the screen, a sigh escaping his lips as he saw the name.

Claudette.

For a brief moment, disappointment flashed in his eyes, but he quickly masked it, pressing the phone to his ear. "What is it, Claudette?" He answered, his voice rougher than usual.

Her voice was frantic, almost pleading. “Klaus, he’s found me again. My ex-Alpha—he won’t stop calling. I’m scared. Can you come?”

At the mention of her ex, Klaus stirred, a low growl rising in his chest. A threat to Claudette? He had never tolerated danger when it came to her, not in the past, and not now.

"Don't worry. I’ll be there soon." His voice was clipped, decisive, as he grabbed his suit jacket and keys.

As he stormed out of the house, I followed him like a shadow. My chest tightened painfully. He had forgotten. Forgotten about the calls, the messages, the gnawing feeling that something was wrong. You were so close, Klaus, just a heartbeat away from realizing I was already gone.

When he arrived at Claudette's place, the tension he'd been holding seemed to dissolve as he found her standing at the door, slightly unsteady. She was clearly tipsy, her cheeks flushed from the wine she’d had at a party earlier. There were no signs of danger, no ex-Alpha calling her nonstop. Just Claudette, looking lost and vulnerable, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“Klaus…” She slurred slightly, reaching out and wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He stiffened, but only for a moment.

He helped her inside, guiding her toward the bedroom. "You’ve had too much to drink. Let’s get you to bed." His voice was gentle, the same voice he used when he wanted to comfort, to soothe.

But Claudette wouldn’t let go. Her grip on him tightened, her face inches from his. “Klaus, I missed you… I missed you so much. Every day I regret leaving you.”

Klaus swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he tried to pull away. “Claudette, stop. I’m… I’m engaged to Mavis now.”

“Do you love her?” Claudette’s voice was a whisper, but the question hung heavily in the air, cutting through the space between them like a knife.

My heart clenched, my soul aching for the answer.

Klaus’s jaw tensed. He didn’t meet her eyes. “We’re engaged,” he said, the words hollow and empty. He didn’t say he loved me. He couldn’t even bring himself to say the words out loud. Not to Claudette, not to himself.

Because I wasn’t his choice. I was his mate, but not his heart.

Claudette’s tears fell freely now, streaking down her flushed cheeks. “If I hadn’t left, Klaus, we would have been happy. We were meant to be.” She leaned in, her breath warm against his neck. "Klaus, please… just hold me…"

The distance between them disappeared, their foreheads touching, then their noses, and finally, their lips.

I stood frozen by the bay window, fists clenched at my sides as I watched Klaus—my mate, the one I had given my life for—fall into the arms of another. Claudette’s robe slipped to the floor, and Klaus’s usual restraint crumbled as he pressed against her, his lips moving from her shoulder to her chest with a tenderness that had once been reserved for me.

I closed my eyes, the pain too much to bear. My soul ached, the agony of betrayal cutting deeper than any physical wound. He had chosen her, even if just for a moment.

Suddenly, the shrill sound of a phone ringing shattered the intimate atmosphere. Klaus froze, his entire body stiffening as the spell between them broke. He scrambled off the bed, pulling the quilt up to cover Claudette as guilt flashed across his face.

"Sorry," he mumbled, not meeting her eyes as he fumbled with his belt and tie, hurriedly putting himself back together.

“Klaus…” Claudette’s voice was soft, confused, hurt.

But he didn’t turn back. His phone buzzed again, and he grabbed it from the floor, glancing at the screen before rushing out the door, the unfinished mess behind him a testament to his moment of weakness.

Once in the car, Klaus let out a shaky breath, raising his hand to his face. In a moment of frustration, he slapped himself hard across the cheek. “What the hell did I just do?”