Chapter 167: And If She Doesn’t?

Knox POV

Biting down on the inside of my lip to stop myself from talking, I did as Kane asked and listened to my brother talk, although I couldn't help but note that he looked like he had aged overnight.

"He hasn't slept." Havoc chimed in, making me feel guilty. "He is hurting badly, he is drowning in self-hate." My unhelpful wolf shared with me. Waving my hand for Kane to continue, not trusting myself to speak in case he heard how my anger was fizzling out

"Connie." I scoffed as his words registered. "I would rather fuck a blender."

"I get that, Knox. I don't exactly like the idea of putting my dick anywhere near her either."

"Repeatedly, Kane. I would rather jam my dick in a blender until it was nothing but a piece of shredded fucking skin."

"I HEAR YOU!" HE roared, pushing off the drawers. "But you are not hearing me. I don't know what else to do! If we don't do this, then the only way anyone is going to believe this is real is if SHE is tarnished as a cheat. If people think she betrayed us and our bond with Mike." My brother ranted, and I could see and feel the fear and anger rising in him.

Sighing, I waved for him to continue, because yeah he was making a little bit of sense.

"And do you know what happens to our pups then? If people think she cheated on us?" Kane asked, pursing my lips. I nodded, because if I had learned anything from our chat with Mom and Dad it was that our kind were dickheads when it came to accepting the weak.

"People will whisper and talk all their lives, they will forever be gossiped about, and their every decision questioned"I replied with a scoff, because that needed to change! We as a race needed to change.

"Yes, because people will believe and have GOOD reason to question IF they are even ours. If they have the right to rule after us. And then there is Charlotte. Knox, she will be shunned like Odette was. Thrown out and discarded. Our kind are not forgiving." Kane continued to vent, and finally, I understood where he was going with this, even if I didn't like it.

"Her life will be worse than anything we can imagine." He added, pushing my temper too far, but we both knew it wasn't him I was angry at, it was this damn situation.

"No." I growled, jumping to my feet. With three large steps, I was across the room, my face in my brother's, my eyes locked on his. "Because we won't let them." I added furiously.

"You can order people to accept her, have Havoc scare them into agreeing, but deep down everyone will have questions, and they will ask and whisper. Knox, if she is labelled as a cheat she and our babies will spend the rest of their lives living under the umbrella of shame, and they don't deserve that!" He sighed, but his eyes held mine. "I don't want that for them.. Do you?"

"But, why with Connie? Brother, she is a skank." I groaned, running my hand down my face. I wasn't ready to admit that Kane had a point, many points in fact, I didn't want that life for Lottie, or my kid. I knew what it felt like to be talked and gossiped about. Having never been able to train with the other kids or rough house. I knew they laughed and whispered about me, and yes, I had Kane who was always at hand to deliver a blow or two to anyone he caught spreading shit, but our pups would not have that, Lottie would not.

"She hates Charlotte. And Charlotte doesn't exactly like her. If it was anyone else she might stay around, but I know her brother... she won't be able to stay here and watch us with Connie, at least not for long. Connie and Lilly WILL make her life hell, so eventually, she will leave and go with Chase." I could hear the sadness in Kane's voice, and it sucked, but right now, he was all I had to take my rage out on.

"Why does she have to fucking go!" I roared, slamming my fist into the wall behind my brother's head.

"Because if she stays.. I won't be able to cope. I will lose my mind seeing her every day, as she grows with our babies. I can't Knox. And you won't either. I have never seen you like this with a girl. I know you love her.."

"I do. It would kill me too, but I would manage." I whined, closing my eyes.

"So, when you see her talking to another guy, offering him a smile or laugh. Will you be ok with that? Because SHE will be single... She can do as she pleases." Kane asked, stirring the damn pot.

"No she fucking can not!" I roared as yet again my fist landed on the wall, my eyes narrowed into the hole I had left, and the blood that coated the cement.

"This is my point. You can't be seen to be moving on with Connie, accepting her as your mate if you still want to punch every fucker who offers Charlotte a kind word or smile. Knox, she has to go with Chase. If not for that, then because Connie would make her life a living hell, the stress would be no good for the babies! It will be for the best." My brother reasoned and, as much as I wanted, to land the next blow in his face. I didn't. Because the bastard was right.

"I am not mating Connie." I hissed and, to my surprise, he nodded in agreement.

"Neither am I. And if I have my way, I won't be putting my dick near her either." Kane added. Sighing, I let relief ease my tense shoulders.

"Then how do you plan to do this?" I asked, arching a brow.

"Astaroth." Kane moaned, and I felt my insides tense at my brother's stupidity.

"So you really are trusting a demon? Do you think this is the best thing for us to do? I mean he has so far done nothing but trick and lie to us." I asked, because as much as I hated all this, my brother did seem to have everything planned out, I just don't think he truly is considering who he is getting into bed with.

"I know, but I don't know what else we can do," Kane acknowledged sadly.

"Can we not just drug Connie every night to make her think we fucked her?" I groaned like a moody teenager.

"She would know, she has had enough cock in her to know what it feels like the following day." Kane answered with a look of distaste gracing his face. At least he was still with me on the Connie front. She was gross!

"Maybe, but maybe she is soooo loose she wouldn't know. I mean come on.." I tried to reason, but I knew his mind was made up.

"I am not taking the chance, brother."

"So, how exactly do you plan to break this news to Lottie.. Because she is under the impression we are going to go to see Astaroth and ask questions..." I questioned, needing to know he planned to pull this off. Our little mate was clever, smarter than he gave her credit for.

"We distract her until it's too late, then we do what we need to make her think the moon goddess has taken things out of our control," Kane divulged sourly. "It sucks, I hate that she will be hurting but when all this is over hopefully she will forgive us, and believe that nothing happened between Connie and us. That we kept her at arm's length."

"And if she doesn't," I asked nervously.

"Then we lose the love of our lives, but at least she and the pups will be protected, safe and very much alive." Kane nodded somberly.