Their Secret Obsession (A Reverse Harem)

Knox's POV

Mindlessly running my fingers through Lottie's hair, I watched Kane scrutinising the way his shoulders pulsed, his fingers locked at his back, turning white with what I knew to be stress. Something was obviously bothering him, something he did not wish to share with the group but, most importantly, with me. I knew we had grown apart these last few months, which was my burden, but I thought we had put everything to bed in the tunnels.noveldrama

I guess not.

I opened my mouth to speak to ask what was causing him to have such a stick up his ass when Adam's words shattered my concentration. "You could really kill your mate?" Licking my lips, I looked at Chase, a feeling eating at my stomach; it wasn't jealousy, lord knows I didn't want the bitch. But a sense of betrayal in some way.

"Are we talking about 'our' Connie?" I asked as Kane's lips twitched into an amused smile. "Don't know why you are smiling, Kane; this isn't good news." I barked, irritated at my brother's mood change.

"Yes, it's hard to explain, though." Chase had the decency to reply as he looked down at Lottie, who sat still and silent in my lap. I wanted to wrap my arms around her, but she was seriously giving off a 'don't touch me' vibe I knew I should respect. Kane would. Enveloping my arms around her, I pulled her closer to me. Reminding myself that I was not Kane.

"I think you need to start explaining." I added when no one spoke. Lottie hardened and looked up at her brother, her eyes hooded under those thick lashes that made her so damn irresistible. As much as I knew how important this crap was, I really couldn't wait to get some time alone with my queen.

"Honestly, I don't understand it any more than you guys do. I have seen her so many times over the months and felt nothing but repulsion. But since we got here, it's like an invisible thread pulling me closer to her."

"How strange," Kane uttered from where he stood, looking out the window.

"Isn't that what the mate bond does?" Liam asked casually "It makes you want to be with your mate at all times." He clarified, but a smirk spread across my brother's lips as he finally stepped from the window and looked at us.

"I meant that anyone would want to be close to THAT girl- most run from her."

"Did you just crack a joke?" I scoffed, a smile teasing my lips too.

"Carry on, Chase." Lottie interrupted, shooting me a glare over her delicate shoulder. Seemingly, she didn't appreciate my attempt to lighten the mood.

"Sorry." I mouthed while nodding to Chase to go on.

"I saw her coming back from Kane's room the other night in lingerie and her make-up running, and that usual 'eww' feeling was replaced with the sudden need to cover her up from prying eyes until I got her alone and..." Sighing, he closed his lips tight as if cutting off the rest of his sentence. I felt Lottie stiffen in my lap and knew it wasn't Chase's mating issue causing her pain, but her mind was running away with her as she no doubt ran through the reasons Connie would be in his room in lingerie at all. With a huff, she nodded for him to continue.

Chase began to talk, to explain that he had fought the connection, that he had refused her advances and all that crap, and while Lottie sat there tense and undoubtedly upset, my eyes remained glued on my brother as he apparently had not realised that Lottie was upset but more importantly not made an effort to reassure her that nothing had happened between them.

"Maybe it did," Havoc interrupted my thoughts with concern, lacing his voice.

"No, he loves Lottie too much to betray her like that. We both do."

"And you remained celibate during that time?" Havoc proceeded to probe. I felt my throat suddenly dry up while I remembered all those drunken nights with my memory missing.

"Fuck off." I snarled inwardly as I focused back into the room, only to see Lottie shift forward to reach out for Chase's hand as he spoke of how he was sorry.

"Forgive me." He uttered, and I even felt a moment of pity for him, seeing that his eyes were red-rimmed.

"There is nothing to forgive." She

finally uttered as she reached out to lift Chase's chin to look at her. "It is a sacred bond, given by the Moon Goddess and if she thinks Connie is good for you and you her, who am Dami to argue?" My heart filled with pride for my girl as she once again rose above the drama and heartbreak to support her brother. But it didn't ease the concern washing through both Kane and me. This did make things difficult.

"I am not sure if it was a Goddess-given gift," He finally admitted as his eyes softened, as he lifted from the bed to pace back and forth. "Huh?" Liam asked from beside us.

"Can something just be straight fucking forward for us?" Adam grumbled as he fell back in his chair.

"When I was held prisoner by

Astaroth, he taunted me with the

knowledge that Connie might not be my goddess-given mate; it was just a trick and illusion played by him. When I relaxed, he backtracked and told me he was joking, but there was something about the way he spoke, his tone and expression as he watched me... he was disappointed that I was not gutted to lose my mate; he thought that would cause me pain when in truth it only gave me a sense of relief to know I would not have to pick between my mate and my family. Not that there was a choice," he added with a scoff.

"And who would you pick?" Kane asked from the corner, his voice curious and intense, just like his stare.

"Family, every time." He shrugged, and something about his eyes told me he meant every word. Kane was also clearly satisfied with his answer as he gave a nod and looked back at the window as if he was bored with this conversation. "Well, if she is your mate, it changes nothing," He finally stated.

"How so?" Lottie asked with a somewhat defiant pout.

"She has to die." Kane replied coldly, his eyes dark and grim as he turned back to address us. "Charlotte is

right. She will never go quietly. I I considered that maybe if Chase was her mate, we could get her to reject us and leave with him. That would

give us the freedom to mate Charlotte and be a happy family

again. But when are we ever that

lucky?"

"If she knows you have chosen me, her wrath will be another level of spiteful." Lottie sighed as she slumped back into my arms.

"Chase, you need to pick her." She finally answered after a moment of stewing it all over.

"I can't." He announced as he looked over to Liam, that familiar stare exchanged between them.

"Why?" I asked, "You just said you wanted her, that you felt pulled to her, you wanted to ride that fucking hurricane."

"Knox." Lottie growled, disgusted. But I couldn't help but wonder if she was disgusted because it was her brother or the evil bitch I was talking about.

"We need to tell them." Liam sighed with a nod to Chase.

"There is more?" I laughed nervously, wondering just how much more fucked up this story could get.