Chapter 15

Rory’s POV

"I see the three of you managed to find your way here," Riley said. He didn't bother standing up. He just sat there on the velvet sofa with a sharp, arrogant grin that made my skin itch.

His gray eyes tracked us as we moved into the room. Everything about the guy was calculated, from the way his dark hair was slicked back to the heavy black trench coat he left unbuttoned. He tried to look like a king holding court, but to me, he just looked like a cheap imitation of power. He was a fake through and through.

"Where is the other one?" Riley asked. He reached up and started twisting a heavy emerald ring on his finger. "Did the four of you leave your fifth brother behind to rot while you came out to play? That seems a bit cold, even for you lot."

He was talking about Royal.

"Royal has a very low tolerance for filth," Ripley said. He dropped onto the seat next to Philip and leaned back. The scar cutting through his left eyebrow made his smirk look even more jagged and mean. "He prefers to stay away from stinking trash. He is actually the lucky one. He doesn't have to look at your face."

Ripley shifted his gaze to the two men standing like statues behind Riley’s shoulders. They were his sworn mate brothers. They looked just as smug as he did.

In our world, things had changed. Pureblood she-wolves were gone, and the old ways of a single Alpha and his Luna were fading into history. To keep the packs strong, Alphas started bringing in sworn mate brothers. It was a blood bond, a ritual that tied men together so they could pool their strength. They lived together, fought together, and breathed for the pack. And if one of them found a fated mate, she belonged to all of them. One woman to bind the circle.

Riley didn’t flinch at the insult. He just let out a dry, wicked little laugh. "You always were the funny one, Ripley."

"You want to see how funny I get when I’m serious?" Ripley’s voice stayed light, almost like he was joking, but his eyes went totally black. The humor vanished. "I could send you home in a box. Or maybe I’ll just dump your body in a ditch for the stray dogs. I doubt they’d even want to eat something as rotten as you, though."

Ripley wasn't posturing. If he decided to kill Riley right now, we would all jump in without a second thought. The room felt heavy, like the air was getting sucked out of it.

I walked over to the other side of Philip and sat down. I ran a hand through my hair, letting it fall over my shoulders, and gave Riley a lazy, mocking look. "Actually, we left Royal at home so he could get some quality time with our new pureblood. I’m sure the news reached your ears by now." I leaned back, making myself comfortable. "I almost forgot you were standing right there when we outbid you. Tell me, how does it feel to lose like that? Was it boring without any blood hitting the floor?"

None of us liked talking about that girl. To us, she was just a tool, a necessary evil. But watching Riley’s face tighten at the mention of her was worth the bad taste in my mouth.

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Riley and his two shadows stopped looking bored. Their eyes sharpened. We all knew why they were here. They wanted what we had.

"What do you want, Riley?" Robbie snapped. He was never one for patience. "If you’re tired of living, I can help you out with that. We can reunite you with your brother."

The corner of Riley’s mouth twitched up. It wasn't a smirk this time, just a cold, thin line. "You boys are always so obsessed with killing. Haven't we moved past that? You already had your revenge. You slaughtered my parents and my brother after that little scuffle with your pack. The Council says we are at peace now. Why keep acting like enemies?"

He was hiding behind the rules. After the massacres years ago, the Werewolf Council stepped in and forced a truce. They tied our hands with treaties and peace pacts. On the surface, the packs traded and talked, but underneath, we were all just waiting for someone to trip so we could go for the throat. If the Council wasn't watching, Riley wouldn't be sitting on a sofa. He’d be screaming on the floor.

"I’m here on business," Riley said, smoothing out the fabric of his coat. "I figured I would stop by and see my old friends while I was in the neighborhood."

In our world, money and trade moved between packs regardless of who hated who. It was the only reason he’d been allowed through the front door.

"I have a proposal for you," Riley continued. He waited for a reaction, but we gave him nothing. We just stared. "I am willing to pay you significantly more than what you dropped at the auction for that she-wolf."

He leaned forward, his voice dropping into a persuasive, oily tone. "I want you to share her with us. My brothers and I can join the arrangement. We all share the girl. It’s a win for everyone."

A loud, mocking laugh broke the silence.

Philip had been quiet the whole time, just watching. Now, he leaned forward, his eyes burning with pure contempt. The laughter died down, leaving the room ringing with tension.

"You want us to share the bitch we paid for?" Philip asked.

"That is the offer," Riley said. He was trying to stay calm, but he was desperate. Every Alpha knew the score. Without a pureblood, you couldn't breed a true heir. More importantly, only a pureblood could handle the knotting process without dying. It was a level of power and pleasure no other woman could provide.

Philip picked up his glass of wine, drained it in one go, and then tossed it. The glass shattered against the floor right between Riley’s boots.

"Go find a mirror and go fuck yourself," Philip spat. "Maybe you'll have better luck there."

Riley chuckled, though it sounded a bit forced. "You always did have a way with words, Philip."

"It is a funny thought, though," Ripley added. He had a nasty grin on his face now. "You can go play with yourself while we’re busy using every hole that girl has. I’m really looking forward to the moment I knot her. I want to see her carry my pups. Our pups."

Ripley leaned in, his gaze turning icy. "It’s a shame you’ll never feel that. Maybe you should just adopt a kid. Or, if you ask nicely, I might give you one of mine when I have too many to count. That would be an easy way for us to legally take over your pack, wouldn't it?"

Riley’s mask finally slipped. His eyes flashed with anger, and his jaw tightened. "You should think about the reality of your situation," he said, his voice straining. "The whole world knows you have a pureblood now. You think the five of you can keep her forever? Someone is going to come for her eventually. Someone will take her."

"Let them try," Philip said. His voice was a low, dangerous growl. He didn't blink as he stared Riley down. "If any man puts a hand on what belongs to me, I will burn every pack territory to the ground. I’ll start with yours."

There was a raw, heavy silence after that. Philip sounded like a man possessed. I couldn't tell if he was just putting on a show to humiliate Riley, or if the wine was making him say things he didn't mean. But hearing him call that girl 'his' made something shift in the room.

"Get out," Philip ordered. "Before I forget about the Council's rules."