5. The Talk

Rhianna's POV

I AM F*CKED. I was screaming inside my head at myself. It was Nia. My wolf was a bad influence. She was the one who corrupted me. I kicked the floor in anger and hissed when I accidentally hit the leg of Peyton's crib.

"You still haven't opened the door, Adams." H sounded more than just irritated. "What is wrong with you? Just open the damn door."

Anne gulped and walked to the door.

"If I die today, take care of Peyton for me, Anne?" I mind-linkd her and she rolled her eyes as if to say I was being dramatic.

"I am sure he doesn't want to kill you. Just open the door," Anne replied.

From the sound of a boot kicking against the door, I was sure he was going to do as he promised. Kicking the door down.

This guy was f*cking insane. This whole family was insane. It was my bad luck that I was saddled with the King of assholes, my freaking mate. Moon Goddess was an idiot.

Sorry, but we both know it is the truth, goddess.

Anne's eyes widened as I thrust Peyton to her. She took Peyton from me, her fearful eyes begging me to not do anything rash, but what else could I do now other than opening the door to the guy, who might or might not be here to murder me?

"The crazy asshole is not going to go away," I hissed under my breath.

Anne's eyes widened and she paled.

"Wait, did I just say it out loud?"

"Yes. You did. Did you just call me a crazy asshole, Adams?" he said with a low growl. He didn't sound too amused.

The twins always called me by my last name, just to prove that they could never respect me enough to call me by my first name or something.

I slapped a hand against my forehead and bit my tongue. I was digging my own grave, and deeper, too.

"It is all your fault, Nia," I said with a sigh. Now that she wasn't here, I missed her so damn much.

"Wait," I said. "I will open the door. My daughter is scared."

He stopped instantly as if he just realized that this was Peyton's room and that I might not be alone inside the room. He swore under his breath in rapidly. "I am sorry. I promise I didn't mean to scare her," he said with a deep sigh.

I opened the door and came face to face with blonde hair and light green eyes. This wasn't Forrest. This was the younger one of the twin trouble.

My heart fell into my stomach further.

"Fa- fabian? Wh- what do you want?" I stammered as I fisted my palms, hiding the tremble in my fingers. My heart raced as it always did when I was too close to the twins. It was from fear.

At least, I would know what Forrest would want to do with me. To rip my throat out for talking back. But Fabian, I had no idea what he wanted.

"Hey Pey-Pey." He waved to my daughter and she giggled, waving her hands up and down.

Oh yes. They only hated me and avoided me. All their problems were with me.

My daughter, Peyton, always got special attention from them. They were the cool uncles. They would buy her toys, story books, dresses, and things she couldn't eat for another two years whenever they come home from one of their vacations.

Anne and I would finish the costly chocolates they bought for Peyton.

"We bought you new toys, munchkin. I will come back later. Uncle is sorry for kicking the door. Now, can I borrow your mother, little angel?" he said in the softest voice a man like him could have. I felt a twinge in my heart and my eyes burned.

This different side of them always surprised me.

They had always ignore me, but never Peyton. It was clear they absolutely adored her, even though they were rarely here at the castle. When they came, they would always spend time with her.

At least, they were better than my a*shole mate on that part. Her own father had threatened her to keep me tied to this prison.

My heart hurt. Everytime I thought about Theo and what happened and how he changed after I caught him cheating, the pain in my chest only doubled.

"Thanks, angel," he said to Peyton before he turned to me with a frown. "Let's go outside and talk."

"What do you even want to talk to me?" I muttered under my breath as I followed him. He finally stopped in front of his room.

No way in hell was I going to get into the lion's den, all alone. He pushed the door open. I shook my head. Hell NO!

"What? Don't look so scared. I am not going to kill you," he said with narrowed eyes.

"What do you want to say? You can say it here? It is okay."

"Why are you looking at me like that? I promise I just want to talk with you."

"But why? What? You usually avoid me like I have some kind of contagious disease," I said with a scoff and his eyes widened as he took a step back and then he looked at me with an amused smile.

"Yeah, about that... it is not you. It is me."

That didn't make any sense? Why would he treat me like a flee ridden wolf if it isn't about me?

I knew he wouldn't let go if I wouldn't go inside. So I finally walked inside with a sigh. My heart thundered. The room was filled with a strange scent that was almost calming.

My stomach felt like it was filled with giant, morphed butterflies.

"Did you talk with her? What did she say? Is she alright?" Forrest almost sounded concerned. I cleared my throat. "She looked so..." The door banged open and Forrest's eyes widened when he saw me standing there. He looked down at himself and I looked at him, too. He was not wearing a shirt. I always knew they were both handsome, and built... but... he was more than handsome. He was sexy as fuck.

I choked on air. My whole body heated.

I knew it was absolutely preposterous to look. They were forbidden. I was their brother's mate. I had always known they were gorgeous, but I never allowed myself to look, because they made me feel some strange things.

But now somehow my eyes... they wouldn't move away from his chest. I bit my lips. My mind was like a mess. What the hell was happening to me?

"Oh... I didn't know you are here," he said and rushed back into the bathroom and slammed the door.

My cheeks were hotter and I was sure I would look like an overcooked lobster by now. My heart was racing.

I wondered why my body was reacting like this to just that glimpse of his chest and his back. Of course, he was built like a lean predator going on a hunt, but why would that do anything to me?

Did I lost it after I found Theodore with Louisa together? Did I go crazy?

It wasn't like I hadn't see shirtless man before. Being a shifter meant you saw naked men and women more than you would otherwise. It was not strange, but seeing him, even without a shirt was different.

"Sorry again." He came back after a few seconds wearing a shirt. It was buttoned wrong. I wondered if I should mention that, or not, and decided I should keep it to myself. It was already awkward as it was, and I didn't need to add to that.

"Talk." I turned to Fabian. "What is so important you almost kicked my daughter's door down?"

Fabian ran his fingers through his long blonde hair, messing it up.

I still didn't understand what they wanted from me. After ignoring me for two years --or sometimes, they would throw some offensive, irritated looks my way or some negligent words if I was there when they came to visit Peyton-- why would they suddenly want to talk with me?

"I am sorry for - you know," Forrest said as he pulled at his dark brown hair. He really looked agitated. "I didn't mean to snap at you in the hallway."

"But you did. You always do," I said. "So why are you suddenly apologizing to me?"

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