Fate's Deception

Chapter 4

Ruben POV

Alone in the refreshments room, I took a sip of my beer and let out a deep breath.

This meeting was not going according to Christine's plan.

Just as she had started gaining the trust of some alphas, Kohls had ruined it all.

Once this meeting was over, I intended to have a polite conversation with Kohls and tell him to leave us alone.

Christine could try to talk to him and persuade him to keep quiet, but she didn't know Kohls as I did.

He was a jerk, just like his father. And I would handle him the way my father had handled his.

"All by yourself?" someone spoke from behind me.

I cringed at the sound of Scarlett's irritating voice and turned around to find her standing in the doorway, dressed in an overly tight dress that left little to the imagination.

She entered the room, her dark brown hair cascading in soft curls down her shoulders.

"You look much better than the last time I saw you, Romie. Filled out," she remarked.

Rolling my eyes, I placed my drink down and headed towards the door.

She blocked my path and pressed her hands against my chest. "Oh, come on.

Don't be like that.

I just want to talk," she said, twirling around with a foolish grin on her face as if she thought this was some kind of game. "Notice anything different about me?"

"No. Now, move," I replied.

She leaned forward, pressing her breasts together. "Oh, come on, Romie. Just take a guess."

Realizing that I wouldn't be able to leave without using force, I shifted my weight and gave her the most disinterested expression I could manage. "Did you let your hair grow?"

"Guess again," she said, twirling around even slower this time.

Moon Goddess, help me.

I shook my head. "I don't f*****g know, Scarlett.

I'm not in the mood for you either."

She ran her hands up her hips, emphasizing her curves. "Well, I know you're into asses, so I've been working out for you.

I think it's been paying off." She turned around to show me her backside and glanced back at me with desperate, seductive eyes. "Oh, come on.

Don't pretend like you didn't notice." She chuckled. "Tell me, Ruben, does Christine satisfy you the way I used to with Kohls?"

Fuck being nice to her anymore.

I stepped closer to her and wrapped my hand around her throat, which turned out to be a mistake.

"You don't have to say it.

I didn't think she could.

I know what you need and what you want—obedience.

A strong warrior like her could never give you that.

She has too much other stuff on her mind.

But me..." She smiled, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "If I were yours, I'd be kneeling by your bed every night, ready and waiting for you.

I'd make you the dominant man of your pack."

I squeezed tightly until her face turned blue and pulled her closer.

"Christine pleases me more than you ever could, pup," I whispered into her ear. "The next time you mention her or Kohls, I won't hesitate to snap your fragile, worthless neck. Do you understand, Scarlett?"

She brushed her fingers against my abdomen, making me tense.

"Do you understand?" I repeated.

"One day, Ruben," she threatened, tearing herself out of my grasp. "One day, you'll wish you had chosen differently, wish you had chosen me.

Because there is a darkness coming, and neither you nor Christine will be able to stop it." She walked toward the door, staring me down. "You'll crumble, and I'm the only one who will be able to save you."

Narrowing my eyes at her, I let out another frustrated breath.

Darkness? Did she think she had some kind of foresight? What kind of strange ideas had she been consumed by in these past four years?

As she turned to leave the room, she paused at the door. "Oh, hi, Isabella.

It's nice to finally meet you." She flashed me a wicked grin and departed.

Christine appeared in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest and fear evident in her wide eyes. "That was Scarlett, wasn't it?" she asked.

I moved toward her, but she took a step back, rejecting my attempt to get closer.

My wolf growled inside me, frustrated by her rejection.

"Why were you talking to her alone in here?" she asked, her tone filled with anger.

The mere thought of Scarlett trapping me in this room alone to provoke Christine and erode her trust in me angered me.

While I knew that Kohls and Scarlett had been separated for years, there was always a possibility of them working together again to undermine me.

"She wanted to talk," I replied, not knowing what else to say.

I didn't want to tell Christine that Scarlett had made advances toward me, as I didn't want her to feel jealous.

We had less than two minutes before the meeting resumed, and I needed her to have a clear mind.

After pressing her lips together, she shook her head. "Kohls was right," she whispered to herself, grabbing my half-empty beer from the counter and taking a sip.

She glanced at her watch. "We need to get back to the damn meeting."

"Kohls?" I asked, following her out of the room.

I despised the fact that he had been alone with her, even if only for a moment.

I never wanted that man to even look at, think about, or come close to my mate. "You spoke to him?"

She stepped into the auditorium. "Yes."

Before she could go any further, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back toward me. "And?"

"And he said that Scarlett was trying to take you away from me."

She glanced toward Scarlett, who was seated on the opposite side of the auditorium with her pack's warriors.

They all wore fierce, bloodthirsty expressions today, which was unusual for a relatively peaceful pack.

Pulling her closer, I looked into her eyes. "You know I would never jeopardize us. You're my mate, the one I've waited years for." I gently brushed some strands of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ear. "You're mine, Christine. Mine."

Kohls stared at us from his seat, daring to smirk at me and wiggle his fingers, attempting to provoke me. I clenched my claws into Christine's hip in response.

The mischievous expression in his eye conveyed a clear intention:

he aimed to manipulate and weaken me by targeting Christine, whether through spreading falsehoods or even causing harm to her.

Christine held a significant place as one of my vulnerabilities, much like Scarlett had been for Kohls in the past.

Kohls desired revenge, seeking a gratifying and wicked payback. Stay tuned let unfold.