Are you sure you want this

Are you sure you want this
Nero POV




They say, "out of sight, out of mind." But when Blake was gone from my place, she wasn't out of my mind, it was just that I could easily focus on what mattered when she wasn't in my face.




But then I saw her tonight, and damn it, I have that same stupid desire to keep her safe and act recklessly for her.




"Nero, please listen to me. I swear, I didn't deceive you." Luna cried, her eyes moist. 




This wasn't the plan. Tonight was about me taking the easy way out of this mess… reject Blake, claim Luna, and hopefully get the list sooner than later with her help.




"I am sorry. But Miss Noble was just as convincing as you are right now, so I apologize if I claim that I don't believe you." I told her.




The thought of vengeance is still very much alive inside of me, but tonight I guess, the one I will be sacrificing would be Luna and not Blake. 




But I have to do it carefully because I still very much need Loki to trust me, and if I don't choose my words carefully, things may become bloody within a matter of seconds.




That is why Karen is my scapegoat because when she suddenly knocked on my car windshield a couple of minutes ago and I let her in, the way she spoke told me that she hates Blake being with Killian as much as I did.




"Karen, what the heck is wrong with you?! Why would you be spreading such lies about me and your brother?!" Luna shouted, throwing her a dirty look.




"Don't call my sister a liar! We both know who's not telling the truth here." Killian mumbled as he shot her a warning look.




"How about you stay out of this?" Loretta said peevishly.




Great, I have started the fire, and it was time to take a step back and let everyone else fan it until it blasts.




"I am not going to stand here, and let your daughter reject me for the second time, lying to my face and everyone else." Killian blurted out, raising his voice.




"What right do you have to call my daughter a liar!" Loretta lashed out.




Looking over at Blake, her lips were trembling as she stared at me, and I could tell she was holding in a chuckle.




When our eyes locked, her face grew serious, and she tried to mask her devilishness with an innocent expression, but I threw her a cold stare, and she pouted at me with sadness in her eyes. 




After years of living my life in peace, I am stuck with an annoying brat, and to think she looked so peaceful as a newborn, just to grow up into this… agitating rascal who somehow got me wrapped around her fingers, even though I tried hard not to admit it.




Gazing away from her, I eyed Loki as Mr. Noble approached him, and I watched him mouth out, "Fix this mess, Loki."




"Okay, how about we move past this, and go to the next stage of this ceremony!" Loki announced in an authoritative tone.




At that moment, I caught Blake glaring at her father, and at first, she didn't say anything, allowing the silence in the room to reign. 




Then she eyed me and mumbled, "If Killian is Luna's mate then I am not going through with this ceremony." Blake blurted out.




"Are you sure you want us to do this now!" Loki mumbled in a dead tone. 




"We both know Killain is not my mate, and if Luna belongs to him, I don't want to get labeled as the girl who stole her sister's mate."




"Stop talking."




When my gaze shifted to my right, I caught Blake staring at me.




Then she immediately drew her eyes away when our gaze locked, stared at Loki, and said, "I should have stayed with Jason. I hate myself for leaving him, and maybe this is fate telling me to go back to hi…"




"Can you keep quiet, Blake!" Loki lashed out.




Already hating myself for thinking this, I calmly let out, "Actually, Blake is not alone. I don't want someone else's mate either. Since Luna already has a mate, I will take my chances with someone who doesn't." 




Looking at me with a look of disbelief on her face, Luna's brows furrowed as she whispered, "What are you doing, Nero?"




"Being honest with my feelings," I told her.




As the whispering from those around us grew louder, Loki looked restless, his eyes were shaking from left to right, and he seemed like he was about to lose it.




"Good luck, Luna," Blake said loosely. "I should retire to my room for the night since I am not partaking in this ceremony. These heels are killing me."




Frustrated, I watched her walk away, and I knew she was being smart. It was going to be hectic to put it out there that she was already marked by me.




For now, I was just glad that she doesn't have to be with Killian. Later, I can figure out how to claim her after all this dies down because I need her more than ever since I just lost access to Luna. 




This is going to make this whole task even longer, but it's a price I am okay with paying.




"Blake, don't take another step!" Loki shouted, frowning as he gazed at her back.




Immediately, she stopped, slowly turned around, scowling at him, and asked, "What?"




Gazing away from her, Loki looked at Killian and said, "Mr. Noble, I will ask you just this once, are you certain that Luna is your mate?" 




"Yes!" Killian uttered with no reluctance.




"Dad, what are you doing?" Luna whispered, and I could see anger glowing in her eyes.




Ignoring her words, Loki gazed at me and said, "Mr. Fang, you said that you would rather take your chances with someone who doesn't have a mate. Blake and Jason are over. She is available."




Nothing made me hate Loki even more than his last statement. He was treating his daughters as something to be sold, not caring if they are with their right mates. It made me sick with rage. 




"Dad!" Luna screamed, looking over at Blake. "This is all your plan right, bitch?!" 




"Loretta, control your daughter!" Loki shouted, his eyes blood-red as he glared at his wife. "Before I remind her whose presence she is in!"




Then he looked back at me and asked, "What do you say?"




Staring at the serious look on his face, I knew that there was also a fifty-fifty chance that he was putting me through a test, and I mumbled, "Turning down one sister for the other, I don't think that is appropriate."




"You have principles, I admire that. But I hosted this ceremony to announce both my daughters getting marked. Don't you think I have lost face enough in front of my own pack?" Loki stated calmly with soulless eyes.




There was more to his words, and I could sense it from his body language and expression. But the last thing I wanted was to piss Loki off in his territory, so I eyed Blake, looked back at him, and mumbled, "If that's the case, it will be my honor to accept your daughter as my mate."




A grin surfaced on Loki's face as he clapped and declared openly, "Problem solved. Let the second stage of the ceremony begin!"




Confusion ate at me as I continuously stared at Loki, wondering what was going on in his sick mind, and what game he was playing with us.




"Blake, please escort Mr. Fang upstairs to the east wing guest room," Loki announced, looking at her.




Gazing Blake's way, I could tell she was in shock by her father's decision, just like everyone in this room.




At first, she didn't move, standing still like a pretty sculpture until he shouted, "Blake!"




Without replying, she seemed so disturbed as she took a long look at him, and then she looked back at me before mumbling, "Please follow me."




Not caring for the growing whispers in the room and Luna's cries, I followed Blake out of the hall and silently walked behind her in the corridor.




When she got to the room, she gently closed it, resting her back against the door, and whispered, "What just happened?"




"He's your father. I should be asking you that question." I told her, still in a state of confusion by Loki's insane decision.




"My hands can't stop shaking!! Do you think he knows… about us?"




"I don't know, Blake."




When I looked down at her hands, she wasn't kidding. They were trembling, and she made a tight fist when she noticed me staring.




Letting out a harsh breath, I walked over to Blake, took her hands in mine, and squeezed them, not losing sight of her eyes.




"Why did you leave?" I mumbled, wanting an answer so desperately because that question haunted me every night since she ran off.




Staring down, she said no words as her thumb stroked the back of my hands, and then she finally whispered, "Because I was afraid…"




There was a long pause. Then she raised her head, gave a weak smile, and whispered, "I was afraid of getting rejected by you for her."




A nervous chuckle escaped her lips as tears settled in her eyes, and I didn't think twice, leaning in closer toward her face to get a taste of her.




Her lips were warm and soft when mine pressed against them, and with every shared breath, I wanted more of her.... every inch of her skin, I wanted to own and mark.




When I pressed Blake against the door, she pulled back, breaking free from my kiss, and mumbled, "Are you sure you want this? I can talk to my dad to change his mind." 

"Why? Are you already thinking about getting rid of me when we just got back together?" I mumbled, listening to her throbbing heart.