001

ROSIE POV 

Don't drool, Rosie. Don't drool.

I repeated the words like a mantra, but how could I not? Those abs-those sinfully sculpted abs-looked like they belonged in a goddamn museum. Defined muscles, taut skin, and water trickling down in slow, mesmerizing streams? Yeah, my self-control was hanging by a thread. All I could think about was running my hands over them-or better yet, licking the water right off his body.

Oh, Rosie. You're so doomed.

My hidden stash of dark romance books wasn't helping either. I mean, how could it? I can't even look at a knife without thinking of a thousand not-so-innocent scenarios. And don't get me started on screwdrivers. The list just keeps getting longer.

"Rosie, I feel like hell. My stomach... my-"

Ashton's voice yanked me back to reality. I turned away from the window-away from the walking thirst trap I'd just been ogling-and focused on Ashton instead.

Not that he got to finish his sentence. The poor guy bolted to the bathroom like his life depended on it.

Ashton and Dominic couldn't be more different. Ashton had soft, curly hair that made him look younger, adorable, even. Meanwhile, Dominic? He was all sharp edges and masculine perfection, his straight dark hair slicked back, revealing every breathtaking feature-his strong nose, those long dark lashes, those lips... Damn. Don't even ask me about Dominic, I could write a whole damn essay.

He's our Alpha. And Ashton? His younger brother. My best friend. Same age, just a month apart, but he gets me like no one else does.

Our families were always close. My father was the Pack Beta before he and my mother were killed in the war. Their parents are gone too. The Alpha included.

Now, it's just us-me, my brother Xylus, Dominic, and Ashton.

Speaking of Xylus, he's the Beta now.

I turned back to Ashton's window. His room had the best view, high enough to see everything happening outside. I loved this view.

I watched as he joined Dominic in the pool. They looked like they were having the time of their lives, laughing and splashing around-until I spotted her.

My face instantly soured.

Cassie.

Or, as in Cassandra, but the bitch insists everyone calls her Cassie like it's some kind of designer brand.

Dressed in nothing but a lacy, barely-there lingerie set, she strutted across the poolside like she was walking a damn runway. My jaw went slack. By the Goddess, she was hot-obnoxiously hot. And as much as I hated to admit it, I was no match for her.

Which is exactly why Dominic would never look at me that way. He sees me as a sister-just like Xylus does.

The Moon Goddess knows I can't stand Cassie. Aside from the fact that she stole Dominic, she's also rude as hell and a desperate, attention-seeking wannabe.

"Hey, Rosie, you've been staring out that window for minutes now. What exactly are you looking at?"

Ashton's voice startled me again, and this time, I tore my gaze away and met his eyes.

"Nothing. I was just... watching them have fun," I stuttered, trying to play it cool.

Ashton wasn't exactly his brother's biggest fan. He liked him, sure, but there was no deep brotherly love between them. Ashton saw Dominic as a bully and hated whenever I got too close to him. But that never stopped Dominic and me from bonding. It never stopped the undeniable pull I felt toward him.

As a matter of fact, Luna Sarah made sure my brother and I ate at her place for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She practically babied me.

"Fun, huh? They do that all the time. Come on, let's eat before the food gets cold," Ashton said, grabbing my hand.

I sighed and followed him to the massive dining table.

Luna Sarah was already seated at the center, with steaming dishes spread out before her. The Pack House was huge, luxurious, and had everything you could ever want.

"How's your stomach? Feeling any better?" I asked Ashton as we sat down.

His dark brows furrowed. "Yeah, I think it was just a slight upset," he muttered, flashing a weak smile.

Fake.

I'd known Ashton for seventeen years-long enough to tell when he was faking a damn smile. But I let it slide.

Ashton pulled out a chair beside his mother and made sure I sat next to him, like I was some prized possession he had to protect.

"Oh, my little Rosie! How are you feeling?" Luna Sarah cooed the moment she spotted me.

"Good evening, Luna. I'm alright," I replied with a small smile.

She still thought of me as that five-year-old girl who cried herself to sleep every night after losing her parents.

One time, I overheard her telling Dominic to always look out for me because she believed I still hadn't gotten over my parents' murder.

She wasn't wrong.

I was just five, hiding under a curtain, when I watched my parents get slaughtered before my eyes. The trauma never left me. It haunted me every damn night.

"So, how excited are you for your eighteenth birthday?" Luna Sarah asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I smiled faintly. Ashton had been lucky-he got his wolf at fourteen thanks to his Alpha blood.

"I'm just curious to know what it's like," I admitted softly.

"It's just two days away! Trust me, it's going to be grand."

If there's one thing I know about Luna Sarah, it's that she never makes empty promises.

"Thank you, Luna." I gave a small bow.

"Ashton, can you call your brother and Xylus?" she asked.

Ashton let out a groan. "He's an Alpha, Mom. It's about time he started acting like one. I'm not going to keep running errands for him. I'm not his damn slave."

"Who said anything about you being a slave? You'd wipe her ass of it was her," By her, Domini was definitely referring to me.

A deep, husky voice sent a shiver down my spine.

I turned sharply toward the doorway-and there he was.

Dominic.

Tall, broad, intimidating as hell. Those long legs moved with effortless confidence as he strode into the room. And right beside him?

Xylus. And that bitch, Cassie.

"What did you just say?" Ashton heard myself whisper.

Fuck.

Here I was, drooling over him again, when there was

actual fire on the mountain.

"You heard me." Dominic's lips curled into a smirk. "You'd practically wipe her ass if she asked you to."

His voice dripped with amusement, but Ashton was far from entertained.

This was the problem.

Dominic and Ashton never saw eye to eye, and now I was stuck crushing on a grumpy asshole in the middle of their never-ending feud.

Great. Just fucking great.