Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose.

Kael.

After everyone left, I didn’t. I lied to my brothers and Chalice that I wanted to drive around town for a while to clear my head, when in truth, I simply drove over to Leilani’s house.

But I couldn’t bring myself to step out of my car.

I couldn’t bring myself to knock on her door either.

My heart raced in anticipation and the hand clutching my wheel turned chalk white as I glared at her front door. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t bring myself to move.

I needed to see her. I needed to talk to her.

But I lacked the courage.

Sighing, I inserted my key into the ignition and was just about to drive off when her front door suddenly opened and my breath hitched when she stepped out in a comfortable-looking pair of grey shorts and black tank top. Her hair was styled into a ponytail, and every trace of make up she had on earlier had been wiped clean.

But that didn’t make her look less beautiful. If anything, she appeared better... ethereal. Demure.

And I wanted to devour her.

Gosh, baby tiger. Take a break!

Naturally, I should’ve driven off. I should’ve not stared at her for too long. I should’ve not watched the way she carried the garbage bag to the trashcan outside. I should’ve not looked when her hips swiveled generously as she moved.

I should leave. I should leave.

"Leilani!"

The words escaped my lips before I could stop it, and at the sound of my voice, she froze and turned in my direction. However, as soon as her eyes landed on mine, her face darkened. And just like that, gone was the peaceful atmosphere that once surrounded her like a veil.

Does she hate me that much?

’If I were her, I’d hate you that much too.’ Zephyr, my wolf, murmured in my head but I ignored him, my attention solely focused on Leilani.

She took a step back, threw out the garbage and began to take fast strides into the house. But I was faster.

I do not remember when I stepped out of my car or when I began to rush after her, just that my hand clamped around her wrist, causing her to spin around to pin me with a glare.

She growled; "What the hell are you doing here?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, my mind went blank. I struggled and failed to find the right words. My stuttering made Leilani cock her eyebrows at me, tilting her head to the side as she mumbled;

"Cat got your tongue?"

No. No cat did that. But I wanted my tongue shoved down her throat.

Jesus gracious, when did I become this nutcase?

I sighed. "No. No. I just wanted to talk."

She stared at me for a moment in disbelief, and then she shrugged her arm free to fold them across her chest whilst tapping her feet on the ground impatiently. She spat; "You can start talking now. I have a guest and you’re wasting my time."

I blanched. Like quite literally.

Against my better judgement, my eyes trailed down her body, noting how sexy her clothes were, and how they hugged her curves quite flatteringly.

Her long legs were on full display, and goddess, they looked way more creamier than the Fettucine Alfredo I had this morning.

My throat suddenly felt dry and I gulped. "I wanted us to talk somewhere more... private." I drawled, glancing around us pointedly in a way that should’ve made her realize I wanted us to go into her house. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Leilani glanced around too and shrugged. "Here’s just fine. We should talk here."

"Why can’t we go in?" I snapped, unable to hide my irritation anymore, and at that, she stopped, glared straight at me and smirked.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I have a movie night with someone, and I wouldn’t want you making my guest uncomfortable. Moreover, you and your brothers are not welcome into my house." She hissed, but after her first sentence, I didn’t hear anything else.

I was blinded—no, deafened— by rage.

Did she just say she has a date?

With someone else?

Someone that may be in her house as we speak?

My eyes thinned into force slits, a strange sense of anger rising at the pit of my stomach as I growled; "You have someone in your house?"

She frowned. "That’s none of your business. Now, will you speak or should I walk away?"

"No, don’t walk away!" I spat quickly— too quickly. With a softer voice, I asked; "Who’s in your house? Is it a man?"

But why do I care? Why do I sound so jealous?

That was probably Leilani’s thought too because then she rolled her eyes and took another step away from me, whilst glaring at me like I’d just sprouted a second head.

I shook my head, trying to dispel the thoughts of having another man crawling around her and drawled; "I wanted to apologize to you."

"What for?"

"For everything. Especially for what I did to you last week."

At that, her eyes darkened again but she didn’t move away.

Success!

She hissed; "Well, if that’s all what you’re here to do, you can go now. I’ve heard all that you have to say, and I do not think I can ever forgive you for it."

I froze. "Why?" Then realizing that that was a very stupid thing to ask, I added quickly. "I know that what I and Caelum did was inhumane. I know how hard it’ll be for you to forgive me, but please, can you promise to think about it?"

"No."

Goddess, she needed to stop looking at me like that. Like she wanted me too. Her pink lips were inviting... so so inviting; And looking at her like this, with all of her femininity laid bare, I couldn’t help but be plagued by illicit thoughts about her.

I wanted her in a way that was almost primal. And it was strange. Strange because I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.

Not even my supposed fiancée.

My chest felt tight with emotions I couldn’t name and my body, it trembled with want. Absolute want for the woman in front of me.

She cocked her eyebrows at me again but just as she was about to speak, another voice called out; "Lani baby?"

Huh?

"Baby where are you?"

I froze. My heart plummeted into the deepest darkest corner of my soul.

The person in her house... her date had just called out to her.

And they’d called her baby, not Leilani?

The red hot rage slipped into my eyes, my veins... my chest before I could stop it. But when I looked towards her door, I was stunned.

Because her so-called date was not a man. It was a woman with an outrageous mane of pink hair.

I let out a long sigh. "Your guest is a woman?"

And that made Leilani smile at me. It was so wide, so pristine... so mocking that my heart raced. She drawled; "Why do you worry so much about my guest, Alpha Kael? Have you met them before?"