Tasting

403–Even When She Cheated

Cain:

My heart sank once more as I started to grasp the meaning of my brother’s words.

“I’ll break it down for you in just one sentence,” Nash said, his voice steady. “Natalya doesn’t have a wolf, and our dear brother here has the ability to hypnotize wolves.”

I nearly hurled my phone at the wall, frustration boiling inside me. Even I was beginning to feel anxious about the entire situation.

I had thought it would be easy to resolve, but clearly, I had been deceived by my own confidence.

“So, what now? Should we just kill her?” I blurted out, though I knew the answer. Nash grimaced at my suggestion.

“If it were that simple, I would’ve handled it already. But remember, Nora would despise us for killing someone over this. We don’t murder people for our personal gain or to keep our secrets hidden,” he reminded me firmly.

Even though we had vowed to stand by each other, even to the point of breaking the rules if necessary, killing was not something we would resort to just to bury our secrets.

“And Natalya isn’t the only one who knows about those pictures,” he added, his voice tinged with guilt.

“Wait, who else knows?” I frowned, feeling the weight of the situation grow heavier.

“April and… Daphne,” he muttered, spitting out Daphne’s name through clenched teeth.

I should have expected it. That girl didn’t take the breakup well at all. So now, three snakes have conspired together to make Nora suffer?

“And what’s your plan for silencing Daphne?” I asked, my annoyance clear. I had once painted her after she begged me to, and even when she tried to seduce me, I had done nothing with her.

I was cursed, but I still had a lot of self–control.

Unfortunately, my reputation wasn’t the cleanest, and if Nora’s name were to get linked with mine right now, it would ruin her.

“I gave her what she wanted,” Nash admitted, a subtle shame creeping into his voice. My focus immediately shifted.

“And what does she want?” I raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that he couldn’t see me through the phone.

“I’m dating her again,” he sighed heavily, and a shiver ran down my spine.

“I was wondering if you know what Natalya really wants,” he added, hesitation clear in his voice. It was obvious he suspected that Natalya’s interest might be in me.

“She wants me,” I groaned in frustration.

But there’s no way I’m giving myself to anyone else. I’ve waited for my mate for years. When Nora first arrived, I lost control, not understanding why at the time. But now, it’s clear–I had fallen for her long before the mate bond revealed itself.

After being betrayed by her, I no longer desired a mate or any companionship.

I’m fine being alone.

“Then you have to do what I did to keep Nora safe,” Nash jumped in, explaining the complexity of the situation before I could open my mouth to protest. “Remember, we will be leaving shortly. If we’re gone, who will keep Nora safe?”

“So what do you suggest? I date Natalya, and then what? How does that keep her safe when I’m gone?” I didn’t even realize when I stopped using ‘we,‘ but my promises to stop thinking about Nora always faded, and I found myself acting possessively once again.

“Do you have a better plan?” There was a bitter edge to Nash’s tone as I dismissed his idea. Why must I suffer if he was suffering too?

“How about-” I took a deep breath, knowing I was about to say something that might make my brother uncomfortable. Given my reputation, he might even think I was a pervert, jumping at the chance. “I say that she is my mate?” I finished, biting my bottom lip.

“We can lie,” I quickly added.

“Hmm, and then what? Remember, when we leave, she’ll want to stay with us. Do you not recall what will happen then?” Nash’s tone turned bitter. “How could you even suggest that? If you say she’s your mate, she will come with us and become a victim of our enemies. And if she stays behind, she will still be a target. You know she’ll be a helpless mate of an Alpha King left behind.” I lowered my gaze, fully aware that my brother was subtly referencing my enemies.

“Fine. I will date that bitch-“I hissed under my breath, dreading the torment that awaited me in the coming weeks.

“Not just date her, but make sure you don’t cross her. She must not release those images,” he warned, and I nodded my head reluctantly.

He hung up, leaving me staring at Nora’s painting. I would have to hide it somewhere and then break Nora’s heart. Even though it was easy for her to break my heart, I knew I wouldn’t be able to do the same to her and feel good about it.

That was the difference between my love and hers.