Chapter 6: A Deal With The Blackwood Brothers.

ROSAELIE

“What are you doing here?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

I froze at the bottom of the staircase, my hand tightening around the wooden railing.

My heart, already restless from everything that had happened last night, seemed to sink straight into my stomach.

Sitting comfortably in the living room beside Mom were the last two people I wanted to see.

Asher… and Hannah.

What the fuck were they doing here? Shouldn't they be back in the Shadowfang Pack?

“Asher?” My voice came out colder than I'd intended.

His head snapped toward me, and a bright smile spread across his face as though nothing had happened between us.

His eyes held no betrayal. No trace of guilt, and shame.

“Rose!” He stood immediately and walked over, reaching for my hand.

I stepped back before he could touch me. “What are you doing here?”

He frowned. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Yeah.” He scratched the back of his neck with an awkward laugh as he turned to my Mom. “I couldn't make it yesterday. I already made plans. There was a special guest so I couldn't break my promise. But, well I'm here now, and will attend today's celebration banquet.”

My face twisted with disgust. Plans. Right. A special guest? My teeth clenched against each other. I didn't need him to explain who that special guest was.

He continued with a proud smile, expecting me to fall into his embrace, “It's my mother-in-law's mating ceremony, after all.”

I resisted the urge to laugh, and took his hand while I pulled him toward a corner.

“Why the hell are you here? And, you even brought Hannah here? Who is managing the pack then?!”

“Come on, relax, Rose. Don't be so boring. Shouldn't you be grateful that I attended your mother's celebration banquet?”

“Answer my question, Asher.” I said, my face flushed with annoyance.

“It's been so long since I've had fun. I came here for vacation. As for the pack… those men Alpha Damian sent are managing it. They're very helpful. You did wonderful.”

I rolled my eyes. An Alpha was letting someone else take charge of the pack. Someone from another pack. Was he stupid?

I heaved a sigh, my gaze shifted toward Hannah, who stood quietly a few steps behind him with her head lowered. “Then, why the hell have you brought Hannah here then?”

Asher sighed dramatically, as though I were the difficult one. “Come on, Rose. Don't make this complicated. You're my Luna, you're supposed to be bigger than this.”

He tried patting my shoulder. I brushed his hand away.

“I brought Hannah because I want the two of you to make up.”

I blinked. “Make up?”

“Exactly.” His smile widened. “You’re best friends. Aren't you two like sisters? You both can serve me together. It'll be better then, for us, for the pack.” He sounded genuinely pleased with himself. “Wouldn't that solve everything?”

For several long seconds… I simply stared at him. Then I laughed. Not because it was funny. Because I genuinely couldn't believe someone could be this shameless.

Three years. I'd spent three years loving this man. Three years building his pack. Negotiating with neighboring Alphas. Cleaning up every disaster he created. And this… This was the man I'd sacrificed everything for.

“What's up? Any serious conversation happening?” My breath hitched as my gaze found the source of the voice. It was Xavier. My throat turned dry.

What was he doing here?

My heart thumped with fear. I didn't want them to meet. Was he going to tell him? I didn't want another drama.

Asher looked back, and almost went to hug Xavier, but he avoided him.

He laughed awkwardly. “Thanks for those men you sent. They're very helpful. I even let one of them deal with the Alpha matters.”

“You handed your pack over to them?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Asher looked at me as though it were the most natural thing in the world. “Of course. They're far more experienced than my people.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

Was he actually insane? The Blackwoods weren't just another influential family. They were one of the strongest Alpha bloodlines in the werewolf world. If they ever wanted Shadowfang… They could swallow the entire pack whole. Without mercy. Without resistance. And, I could feel it. They wanted to take over the pack.

I heaved a sigh. None of this mattered to me anymore. If he was going to do this, let him be responsible for his choices. His matters didn't concern me anymore.

Asher’s gaze turned toward me. “Well, Alpha Xavier, I've some matters to discuss with my mate.”

“Well, of course.”

I pleaded. Pleading him through my eyes to not leave my side. Not now. I didn't want to stay here with him.

But… He left.

My heart thumped. Then my eyes turned toward the doorway. Xavier was leaning lazily against the doorway, amusement dancing in his amber eyes. “Well, apologies. We require her right now. Brother is calling her. Please wait for sometime.”

“Ro—” Asher was saying something, but I cut him off. I didn't even acknowledge him as I passed through him and went inside the room closest to me. Xavier followed.

I let out a slow breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. “Has your mate always been that stupid?”

I turned.

“If he weren't stupid...” His gaze lingered on me. “He wouldn't have cheated on someone like you.”

Heat immediately rushed to my cheeks.

I didn't even want to stay with him. Them. I ran away after what happened yesterday. Didn't even answer them. But, now, I was again here, forced to be near them. But, his presence made me feel safe.

“You're blushing.”

Damn it. Why did my face betray me every single time he teased me?

More footsteps echoed through the room. Lucien. Elias. Rowan. The atmosphere changed the moment they entered. The room suddenly felt much smaller. Much hotter.

Lucien stopped directly in front of me. “Have you thought about it?”

I knew exactly what he meant. The deal. I lowered my gaze. “I...”

Last night, rejecting it had seemed obvious. Now… After seeing Asher once again… Going back to Shadowfang somehow felt worse than staying here. “I haven't decided.”

Lucien remained silent. Watching me. Waiting.

I swallowed. “Do I even have another choice?”

No one answered. Their silence told me everything. I closed my eyes for a brief moment.

Fuck. They were right. I didn't have many options. I didn't want Mom worrying. I didn't want last night's secret coming to light. And I definitely didn't want to go back to a place that had stopped feeling like home long ago.

Finally… I exhaled. “Fine.” All four of them looked at me. “I'll stay...” I hesitated before finishing. “Until summer vacation is over.”

A satisfied smile tugged at Xavier's lips. Elias smiled as though he'd known my answer from the very beginning. Lucien simply gave a small nod. Rowan, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. “Good choice.”

Yet somehow… They made my heart beat even faster.

I'd just agreed to a deal with the four Blackwood Alphas. A deal that can break me. A dangerous deal.

“Now…” Xavier smirked. “Didn't you feel excited yesterday? You wanted more. Want to finish what we started yesterday?”

I blushed, knowing what they meant. They let me go. Without fucking me. Yes, I craved them. But I didn't want to admit it.

Lucien approached, his breath crawling into my skin. My breath hitched. I almost couldn't breath and it felt like someone chased me. He gently closed the door.

Then, his hand moved down there, and stopped at my pussy. My body was shaking. My legs were almost giving up.

“Don't,” I said. Lie. I wanted him inside me.

He smirked. Not stopping. He slid his fingers into my panties, inside my pussy. Then, he circled his fingers around my clit.

I leaned my body against him, huffing for breath.

“Does this make you hotter? You're wetter than usual…” As he said it, he slammed my body against the door. “You hear your mate's voice… He's just outside the door.”

Asher…

Fuck. “Please don't…” I murmured. “Don't do it here…”

Asher was outside. Just outside the door. He was there with my Mom, while Lucien was fucking me with his fingers.

“Sure? Your pussy seems to have another mind of its own. Hear its sound. It doesn't let me go…”

I blushed. My mind focused on the sounds my pussy was making. And, it turned me hotter. Hotter than it should.

I shouldn't be doing this. Not here. But…