Their Secret Obsession (A Reverse Harem)

Adam POV

I closed my eyes, letting heartbreak, guilt, and fury swirl in my chest. I saw the same fierce determination burning in Lottie's gaze when I opened them again. She eased away from me and squared her shoulders. "I need to speak to Selene," she declared, loud enough for us all to hear.

Startled whispers moved across the group. Liam and Chase only offered sad smiles as though they had expected no less from her. Kane drew in a sharp breath, crossing his arms over his chest. "What's the point?" he asked quietly. "She didn't warn us about any of this. Why would she listen now?"

His question made my wolf, Savage, howl inside my head--a raw, mournful cry. I clamped down on despair, refusing to let it consume me. He was her mate; he should be supporting her, not ignoring her needs.

"She's our goddess," I affirmed, my tone harsher than I intended. "She's answered Lottie before. She needs to know why she kept this from us. Why did she not give us a chance to stop Liam and Chase from making that deal? If she truly wanted Lottie safe, surely we should all have had the option of offering ourselves."

"And if she says it's too late?" Liam asked, his voice flat. A cold thrill of dread ran through me, but I stood taller, forcing my shoulders back.

"Then I'd make her listen," I vowed. "I can't lose you both. And nor can she! I do not plan to stand by while the goddess tears our family apart--not for the sake of a treacherous alpha who betrayed us all."

Chase stepped closer, brushing his knuckles against Lottie's cheek while she remained in my arms. His eyes brimmed with pride and heartbreak, a look I knew well.

"That's our brother," he laughed, shifting his gaze between us. "Did you know? He never learned to give up, did you, Adam?"

A weak smile tugged at the corner of my mouth despite the gnawing misery in my gut.

"No," I whispered, "I never did. And I'm not about to start now."

A silent understanding bound us in that moment. There was still so much about Alpha Leigh, Astaroth, and Sebastian we hadn't discovered, not to mention the hidden corners of Selene's realm where such pacts could be forged. But our time was running out; Liam and Chase had only a few days before Selene claimed her debt in full.

It no longer mattered whether we would fight. Of course, we would. The real question was how. My heart beat harder at the idea of confronting a goddess, but I remembered Emma's final moments--remembered how I had lost her and my daughter because I couldn't challenge a power greater than myself. I refused to let that happen again. This time, I would tear worlds apart if necessary.

"But until we do that," I declared, releasing Lottie enough to look at everyone in turn, "we need a plan."

Lottie gazed up at me, her cheeks still damp.

"Connie?" she asked softly. There was a tremor in her voice, though she tried to keep it steady. She wasn't the only one who trembled. We all felt it.

"Aye," I murmured, shifting my gaze from her to Liam, Chase, Kane, and Knox before my eyes settled on my sister and her red-rimmed eyes. I drew a deep breath, forcing composure.

At that moment, as Lottie's voice

faded, a faint pulse of energy rippled

through my mind. I recognized it as the pack mind link. Chase is

reaching out. I steeled myself, half

expecting a wave of anxiety or panic

from him, but instead, Te

I a

surprising sense of calm emanate through the connection.

"Adam, it's okay", Chase's voice sounded in my head, quiet yet resolute. "We're not scared. Liam and I... we just know somehow we'll see this through. As long as no one interferes, we'll get the outcome Selene intended." His words startled me.

"Not scared?" I shot back, half-disbelieving. The weight of this goddess's debt threatened to break all of us, but especially him and Liam.

"We both feel it. Can't explain it, but we're certain everything ends the way it should." Liam chimed in then, his mental tone more measured. I sensed a flicker of guilt behind his confidence--he was aware Lottie had no such assurance. "She can't rock the boat, Adam." he continued gently. If she does, the outcomenoveldrama

might be... worse."

I clenched my teeth, stealing a glance at Lottie's tense figure. Her gaze lingered on me, full of questions and brimming with unspoken fear.

"Tell her yourselves," I snapped through the link, frustration curling in my gut. "She deserves to hear it from both of you, not from me."

"We've tried," Chase admitted, an edge of helplessness creeping into his thoughts. "But the words never come. Every time we try, something chokes them off. It's like there's a block..."

"A goddess's block," Liam muttered grimly. "We'd only worry her if we forced it. For now, we need to keep her focus on Connie--and the pack."

A low growl rumbled in my throat, though outwardly, I kept my expression neutral.

"So you want me to shoulder the secret? And Lottie remains in the dark about your so-called certainty that you'll survive Selene's bargain?"

"We have no choice," Liam's voice was quiet. "You've seen what happens when we push Lottie. She'll fight the entire pantheon for us. If she stirs this too soon, we might lose everything." I exhaled sharply, my annoyance warring with concern.

"They aren't wrong: Lottie's protective streak could derail even the best-laid plans," Savage muttered, joining us; his agreement sent a ripple of relief through my brothers, which only fueled my irritation. "Fine," I relented, feeling my shoulders tense. "We'll handle Connie first. If she's out of the picture, at least the pack can rally around Lottie, and we won't be blindsided."

"Exactly," Chase's relief flickered across the link. "Focus her on that. We'll handle Selene when the time's right."

I severed the mind link with a slight shake of my head, turning my attention back to the others.

"You're right," I announced aloud, clearing my throat as I strode into the middle of the small circle we'd created. "First, Connie. We know she's playing two sides; we use that to our advantage." A glance at Liam and Chase affirmed our unspoken agreement.

There were no more tremors in Lottie's voice when she asked,

"What's the next step?" But I saw her knuckles whiten as she twisted her fingers. I smiled softly, lightly touching her hand in silent reassurance, torn between wanting to share her burdens and the knowledge that I must protect her from truths she couldn't yet face.

"All of us together," I murmured gently, meeting each pair of worried eyes in turn. "We'll figure it out--step by step." And somehow, I prayed, those six days would be enough to dismantle Connie's deceit before Selene's debt came due and

threatened to take Liam and Chase away forever.