Chapter 175: Epilogue

Lottie POV

"Oh, it's you." Lilly chuckled. "I assume she knows." Lilly added looking at Chase and talking like I wasn't here. "She is YOUR sister, after all, you can tell her." She laughed walking off. My heart raced, and my mind went to the darkest places, quickly.

"What does she mean? Are they hurt?" I asked, my words, rushing out like I had verbal diarrhoea.

"You know what, I will find out for myself," I growled as I walked away from the kitchen, leaving them in my wake. Chase might be my brother, but Lilly was meant to be my oldest friend and the fact she had discarded me so easily grinded on me.

My mind was a whirlwind of confusion and anger. I could hear Chase's footsteps behind me, his presence a constant reminder that something was being kept from me. As I made my way towards Knox’s room, my thoughts raced, each one more troubling than the last.

Halfway down the hallway, I almost collided with Luna Laura. Her face softened with concern as she looked at me.

“Charlotte, you look exhausted. You should get some sleep.” She cooed like I was a damn child again. The well-meaning advice grated on my nerves. I was fed up with everyone telling me what to do. Without a word, I pushed past her, my frustration boiling over.

"Charlotte, wait,"

"Fuck off." I hissed, moving forward. I reached Kane's door and shoved it open. The sight that greeted me made my heart plummet to my stomach. There, in bed, was another girl, very naked and very asleep. Knox lay on his side, facing in the opposite direction, while Kane sat up, reading a book as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

For a moment, I stood frozen in the doorway, the world tilting off its axis.

“What... what is this?” My voice trembled as I found the strength to speak.

“Charlotte, I can explain.” Kane looked up, his eyes widening in surprise and something that looked like guilt.

“Explain?” I echoed, my voice rising. “You think there’s an explanation for this?” Knox stirred, turning to see me standing there, his expression quickly shifting from confusion to alarm.

“Lottie, it’s not what it looks like.” He rushed out. My heart shattered at his words, my chest tightening with the weight of betrayal.

“Not what it looks like? It looks like you’re in bed with another girl, Knox! I thought you loved me. Both of you.” Kane set his book down, swinging his legs over the side of the bed to stand up.

“We do love you, Charlotte. This isn’t what you think.” I took a step back, shaking my head as tears blurred my vision.

“Then what is it, Kane? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve betrayed me.” The girl on the bed stirred, slowly waking up and blinking at the scene unfolding before her. My eyes focused through the tears to see the smug face of Connie staring back at me. She looked between us, realisation dawning on her face.

“You have told her then?” she demanded, her voice high and annoying as always.

"I am sorry.” Knox pleaded, his eyes red-rimmed from sleep as he got out of bed, moving towards me with his hands raised in a placating gesture.

“That’s supposed to make me feel better?” I cried, stepping back further. “How could you do this to me?”

“Charlotte, please. Let us explain.” Kane reached out, his expression pained. I looked between them, the two men I had given my heart to, and Connie who seemed so out of place in our world. Everything felt surreal, like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.

“I trusted you,” I whispered, the words like shards of glass in my throat. “I thought what we had was real.”

“We did too” Knox insisted, desperation creeping into his voice. “But it was a mistake. A huge mistake. Please, understand she is our mate. Our real mate.”

Connie had gathered the sheets around her, looking as proud and smug as I was sure she could possibly manage. She glanced at me, then at Knox and Kane, clearly pleased with herself.

"I guess you're not that special after all." She grinned as I turned away, unable to look at them any longer.

"Wait, we deserve to give you a proper explanation, can everyone leave." Kane demanded, and only then did I see Laura, Leigh Chase, Lilly and her damn mate gathered in the hallway, watching like this was their favourite TV show.

"Oh my god your face, Char.." Lilly laughed from the doorway.

"OUT!" Knox roared as they all backed off. Pursing my lips, I waited for Connie to leave, despite the betrayal my heart begged for just a moment alone with them.

Taking her time, Connie slipped a robe on and walked to Knox. Leaning upon her tippie toes, she leaned in for a kiss. I sucked down the pain I felt burning the back of my chest and looked away, but not before I could have sworn I saw Knox flinch at the idea of kissing her.

"That is just what you want to see." Sage warned me. I heard the sound of lips teasing and knew she was kissing them, her mates... my mates before she moved to leave. Pausing in the doorway, she smirked up at me and nodded at her new shiny toys.

"Reject her. Or I reject you. Right now." Something snapped inside me, something I couldn't explain, and I shook my head with anger welling in my chest. "I will not share you like you shared me." She added purposely,

"No need." I seethed, my eyes shifting from her to the two men I loved more than I ever thought possible.

"I, Charlotte Jane Attwood of the Crimson Moon Pack, reject you, Knox and Kane Maddox, as my mates and sever my bond to you both and your pack!" I recited, my eyes dancing with my unspoken pain seeing my mates entwined together with a female!

A female who was not me!

Shaking my head of the tears, I felt threatening to fall from my icy hues. I straightened and waited for them to accept my rejection! But the words that left their lips left me stunned.

"Connie, leave. Now." I heard the door slam and shook my head. Anger welled in my chest at how they could have done this. We were in love, and I was having their children. My hand fell to my belly as I turned to glare at them. I was about to ask what would happen to my babies. Our babies. When Knox's body slammed into me. His hands cupped my face and forced me to look up into his eyes.

"I, Knox Maddox of the Crimson Moon pack, refuse to accept your rejection!" He snarled, stepping into me. Kane was quick on his heels, the pair caging me in a wall of muscle and testosterone.

"You belong to us, Charlotte! I, Kane Maddox, of the Crimson Moon Pack, refuse to accept your rejection."

"Ours!" Knox repeated, anger swimming in his baby blues.

"We love you!" They whispered as Knox cocooned me in a wall of pure, undeniable love. Their hands wrapped around me as memories flooded back, memories of a cathedral, a deal, a promise...

It was a ruse!

"Remember?" Knox asked, his eyes on me filled with anxiety and fear.

"I love you too." I gushed as my eyes focused and relief spread through me... I was theirs, they were mine... They loved me, and I loved them...

"But do you remember?" Kane asked, his eyes darting behind him as if to look at someone I could not see. A smirk licked at my lips as I nodded.

"Where is Fluffy?"

"Told you it would work, you just need to be alone together.. And she will remember everything. But you have a small window before The Moon Goddess finds out. So be quick." Astaroth offered. Spinning in my mate's arms, I met the red eyes of the demon who had helped me.

"Astaroth..."

"He will always be close by, as will I! You will never be a risk." He promised before he vanished, leaving me alone with MY mates.

MY. MATES.

END OF BOOK 1

Book 2 will start in the next few weeks, unfortunately it will not be available on this platform. If you would like to know what happens with Lottie, Kane and Knox, you will find a list of platforms/apps to read the story on my socials Author.Pippamoon or search for name on leading apps X