Chapter 15

Hugh’s POV

When I receive the text from my mysterious fated mate, I’ve just left the house to meet with Kimber.

Sylvia had given my brothers and me quite the scare when we heard she passed out, but she seemed alright when we caught up to her. For her best interest, we still insisted on taking her to emergency to have her looked at. She was sent home quickly.

My brothers are with her now. Normally, I would stay with her, but I could trust my brothers to keep our dear sister safe.

We all handle stress in different ways. The best way I can handle it is by finding a woman to fuck. Kimber, if she’s available. Others, if she’s not. Our relationship is open. She doesn’t care if I mess around with other women, though of course she prefers when I put my dick in her.

The text from my mysterious mate shocks and delights me. I pull my car to the side of the road to reply, thoughts of Kimber already disappearing to the back of my mind.

I want to meet, she writes.

My brothers and I are eager for a meeting, I reply. I know a little café we could meet at and talk.

No. I want to meet you alone. And I don’t want to talk.

I stared at my phone in surprise. I thought our mate was an innocent little lamb, shy and sweet, who might need gently guided into the typical debauchery me and my brothers often reveled in. Yet here she is, basically propositioning me and me alone.

I should feel guilty for not wanting to stick up for my brothers. They would be insanely jealous to know that I’m not only speaking to our fated mate, but that we are making secret plans.

Instead, I find the prospect rather thrilling. The shy little minx wants to have a secret affair with yours truly behind my brothers’ backs. It would be a blatant betray of them, and certainly make me a bit of a villain.

We would have to sneak around to ensure the utmost secrecy.

I have to shift in my seat, already getting excited. Some of the hottest sex I’ve ever had has been in the midst of torrid, hidden love affairs.

The hidden nature of it allows for the women to truly let themselves go in ways they would be afraid to with people they were openly dating. Maybe my mate was shy externally, but behind closed doors, she would let loose.

At the very least, I intend to make her wild.

I respond, I’ll get us a hotel room. Somewhere discreet.

After an agonizingly long minute and a half, she replies, Too public.

A discreet hotel room is too public? Just what does this girl have in mind for our evening? My mind fills with ideas, all of which involve her screaming my name until she goes hoarse.

In that case, maybe any hotel would be too public. Unless the room has sound-proof walls, everyone around the block would know just who is giving her the best fuck of her life.

A new message comes in while I’m lost in my fantasy.

The park to the north of town has an abandoned cabin in the woods. Can you find it?

I know the park she means, but not the cabin. But, with her scent to guide me, I would be able to find her on the moon.

I’ll find you. Tomorrow. 7pm.

Her next message arrives quicker.

I’ll be there.

Smiling with delighted anticipation, I save her number into my phone under Cute Brunette. It’s discrete and typical of me, nothing too obvious that will give the real situation away should one of my brothers see.

Placing my phone down, I grip my steering wheel, ready to pull back onto the road. But I’m not so sure of my destination anymore. The anticipation of seeing my mate tomorrow has me flying so high that the thought of sleeping with Kimber this evening makes me feel unenthused.

Honestly, I’d almost rather be alone with my fantasies tonight, planning out exactly how to delight and pleasure my mate tomorrow.

Already planning on doing a u-turn, I’m surprised when my phone rings before I can even get out onto the road. It’s Conrad.

“What is it?” I ask, answering.

“Drop what you are doing and get back here,” Conrad says. In the background, I can hear Sylvia sobbing. “Sylvia told us who is to blame for all this.”

“I’m on my way.”

Ollie’s POV

With the plans finalized, I feel relieved, though Ella is still looking at me with some concern.

She can’t be upset about me using the cabin we found together, as it was her suggestion to start with. But if it’s not that… then what?

“Earlier,” she says. “After you fainted and I struggled to carry you, Conrad and the others came over as soon as they say. Conrad even insisted on carrying you to the doctor’s office.”

My heart leaps at hearing my suspicions confirm, though I immediately scold myself for the reaction. I don’t want to feel any excitement in regards to them. They’ve hurt me far too many times. Yet… it’s like I can’t help myself.

“Maybe they subconsciously sensed you are their mate,” she says. “Maybe if you were just honest with them, it would go as badly as you think.”

I shake my head, dismissing the words no matter how much my chest aches. “This is the way things have to be.”

Ella seems no less concerned, but she doesn’t speak out about it again.

I take efforts to avoid Sylvia and the quadruplets that night, and fortunately don’t see them at all.

However, the next morning at school, I find the four brothers standing inside the school gate, with Sylvia sobbing into Wes’s arms.

“She’s here,” Declan says, his eyes on me.

I pause, bracing myself for the worst. Am I in for more punishment? More humiliation? What could they possibly have planned for me now?

Sylvia moves away from Wes to approach me. The four brothers follow her closely. I purposefully avoid looking at Hugh, but my heartrate picks up all the same.

“Careful,” I whisper in my mind to Scarlet. “We can’t risk giving ourselves away.”

“I won’t slip,” Scarlet says. I can feel her pressing harder down on our bond and our scent.

“Oh, Ollie, I’m so sorry for what those terrible girls did to you,” Sylvia says. Fat tears fall from her eyes. She wipes at her cheeks with the meat of her palms. “To think that I once considered them my friends…”

As she covers her face with her hands, Wes steps forward to pull her into a hug again. I look from him to Conrad for explanation.

“Sylvia told us that her friends were bullying you and her,” Declan says.

“We told her she didn’t need to apologize to you for their actions, not when she’s a victim too,” Conrad says. “But she insisted.”

“Christie, Vikki, and Kimber have been removed from our lives and expelled from the pack,” Wes says. Softly, to Sylvia, he whispers, “They won’t hurt you anymore.”

I’m somewhat stunned. That the brothers would go so far to protect Sylvia, even when they only had her word – her lies – to go on.

“Are you trying to distance yourself from this situation, then, Sylvia?” Ella asks bluntly, her face twisted in annoyance, her hand on her hip. “Everyone knows those girls looked to you like a leader.”

The eyes of the four brothers frosted over, yet their chilly glares only stayed on Ella for a moment before switching to me. They remain quiet, as if they expect me to say something.

This is some kind of test. I just know it.

“Tell them the truth,” Scarlet pleads in my mind. “They might listen this time.”

Doubt makes my stomach churn, but my foolish heart still wants to believe in the quadruplets. If they are truly my mates… If they can sense the bond even subconsciously…

Maybe there’s hope.

Gathering my courage, I say, “What if I told you that Sylvia has been one of the people bullying me all along?”