It had been more than fifteen minutes.
I glanced at the clock again, my foot tapping restlessly against the floor. Still nothing. No sound of footsteps in the hallway. No sign of Frederick.
My stomach twisted. This was the first time they were truly alone together, and the thought made my wolf pace inside me, snarling.
What were they talking about? What could possibly take this long?
The triplets might believe Selene, might think she was loyal to the plan, but me? I couldn't shake it. There was something about her I didn't trust.
What if she betrayed us?
What if this was her chance—to turn everything upside down while I sat here waiting like a fool?
My frown deepened. I desperately wanted to know. To hear. To see. Anything to prove she wasn't using this moment to tell Frederick the truth.
My wolf growled low, a warning. We should go. We should check. We should not trust her.
I closed my eyes, reaching through the bond to my mates. "He's been gone too long," I whispered. "I don't ."
Lennox responded. "We just spoke to her… she said he is watching her eat… but you can go check it yourself," Lennox suggested.
I got up on my feet and left the room. I located the room Selene was in through her scent, and when I got to the door, I didn't knock; I just pushed it open and stepped inside. My eyes immediately swept the room.
Frederick sat on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, a glass of wine balanced loosely in his hand. His eyes flicked up to me lazily, like he'd expected me to barge in.
On the bed sat Selene, a tray of food perched on her lap. She picked at it slowly, every bite deliberate, her posture stiff like a cornered rabbit.
"What is going on here?" I demanded, my gaze snapping between them.
Frederick didn't flinch. "She's hungry," he said simply, swirling his glass.
My brows arched, my tone sharp. "So you have to watch her eat?"
His jaw ticked, but his voice stayed calm. "She isn't calm yet. I was just… trying to make her feel safe."
I scoffed, folding my arms tight across my chest. "Safe? While I sit in your room waiting with nothing to wear because you never brought me what you promised?"
Selene's wide eyes flicked to me, her lips parting. "I'm… I'm sorry," she whispered, bowing her head slightly. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble—"
"Then leave," I snapped, cutting her off. Faking anger. "If you think you're causing trouble, then go. Don't sit here pretending."
Selene blinked, her lashes fluttering, but she didn't argue. She rose slowly, as if she wanted to leave.
"Stop. Sit back down, Selene… you are not going anywhere." Frederick declared firmly, his angry glare at me.
I scoffed in fake anger, turned sharply, and left as I stalked back to Frederick's room.
Minutes later, the door slammed behind me, making me jump. Frederick strode in, his expression dark, his voice edged with something close to fury.
"This jealousy of yours," he said, his voice rising, sharp with anger. "It needs to stop." His eyes blazed, pinning me in place. "It's becoming irritating, Olivia."
I fought to keep my smirk hidden, letting only a fake anger curl at the corner of my lips.
He was getting pissed.
Exactly what I wanted.
"Really?" I scoffed bitterly. "I'm irritating now?"
I stepped closer, my frown deepening. "I had a perfect life with my mates, Frederick. Do you hear me? Perfect. Until you came crashing in—claiming me, threatening me with death if I didn't obey. And now, when I'm actually trying to live under the same roof as you, trying to at least endure you—you're running after another woman?"
His nostrils flared, his jaw clenching. His frown deepened. "I'm not running after another woman," he spat.
"Then what is it?" I spat, my voice rising. "Because from where I stand, it looks like you can't take your eyes off her. If you like her so much, then set me free. Go be with her. Or is that it, Frederick? You can't. Because it's not about me, or her, is it? It's about Hailee. You're still so obsessed with her that you see me as a good replacement for her."
His frown deepened, and I expected him to snap back at me, but he didn't. What he simply did was exhale, long and sharp. Then, without a word, he moved to the wardrobe, pulling open its carved doors.
A crisp white shirt hung from his fingers when he turned back. He didn't throw it at me or shove it into my chest—he simply held it out, as though offering me a peace token.
"Go bathe," he said evenly. "Change into this. Then come to bed."
I glared at the shirt, my arms still folded tight. "I don't need your clothes." My voice was sharp. "I'll manage."
He didn't argue. Just set the shirt on the edge of the bed, his expression unreadable. Then he stripped off his jacket, tugged at his cuffs, and lay back against the pillows. His eyes closed almost immediately, his body settling as if sleep claimed him without effort.
I scoffed quietly to myself and crossed the room, sinking into the sofa. I made no move toward the bathroom. No move toward his shirt. No move toward his bed. I sat there, arms wrapped around myself, stewing in the silence.
Minutes passed. Then, to my surprise, his voice drifted through the dark. Low. Calm.
"You're not going to bathe?"
I stiffened, keeping my gaze fixed on the floor. I didn't answer.
Silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.
And then—something I never expected.
"I shouldn't have raised my voice," Frederick said softly, his words carrying a weight that startled me more than his anger ever could. "I was… harsh. You didn't deserve that."
My eyes snapped to him, searching his face for mockery. But his expression was calm, his eyes steady, and his tone void of the usual smirk. Follow current novels on 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍
"I'm sorry." He apologized.