Fated To Three, And I Broke Them All

Jaguar:

”Not in a bad way,” I added quickly.

I didn’t want her to think I was disrespecting her by saying something so indecent about her scent.

I knew Gigi wouldn’t like it.

She was very strict about boundaries.

”But Gigi, you idiot. You’re not supposed to follow someone just because they take you somewhere.”

I was upset with her, not because she was stupid, but because she was so naive.

”Listen, let Jenna do whatever she wants. She’s an adult. If she knows what she’s doing, that’s her choice. But you do not get involved in anything like that. Do you hear me? I don’t want you going to parties like that.”

Gigi nodded, looking innocently lost.

”But what about Jenna? I don’t think she should be doing those things either.”

She pouted, making me laugh.

I had just told her to mind her own business, and here she was, worrying about someone else again.

”I’ll speak to her.”

The moment I said that, Gigi immediately sat up straight and shook her head, her hands flying to her face.

”No. A man talking to a woman about private things is really inappropriate,” she warned, pointing her bony finger at me.

I laughed at how protective she was of women and their boundaries.

”Okay, fine,” I replied, raising my hands in surrender.

”I’ll do it. I’ll do it nicely,” Gigi mumbled, still looking adorably lost as her eyes wandered around.

”Yes, I’ll do it.”

She finally seemed to make up her mind.

I leaned forward, rested my chin on my fist, and watched her.

”What?” she asked.

She waved a hand in front of my face, trying to snap me out of it, her cheeks turning red from me staring at her for so long.

”You’re just so adorable, Gigi. But I don’t want anyone taking advantage of that innocence.”

I pulled myself closer and wrapped an arm around her.

She immediately tucked herself against my chest and settled comfortably in my arms.

It was strangely fulfilling.

Gigi was someone incredibly close to my heart.

Someone I could trust with anything.

Yet there was one person I couldn’t talk to her about.

Verity.

My mind was stuck on Verity.

Even with Gigi in my arms, when I was supposed to be there for her as a friend, I couldn’t stop thinking about that lonely girl who had no one to guide her onto the right path.

After Gigi and I parted ways, I decided to visit her neighborhood.

I wanted to speak with Mrs. Baker, ask her a few more questions, and pay her for, well, spying on Verity.

When I got there, I realized Verity hadn’t returned yet.

But before she arrived, Roman had been waiting at her door.

I stayed in Mrs. Baker’s apartment, looking out the window and watching him stand there with a bouquet of flowers and boxes of chocolates, as though those things could erase the pain he had caused her.

”I really don’t like that guy.”

A voice came from behind me.

I mentally slapped myself.

There was another problem.

It was Mrs. Baker’s daughter.

Misty was always hovering around me whenever I spoke with her mother or even with Tom, her fiancé.

I never paid any attention to her.

I stood by the window behind the curtains, pulling one aside with two fingers just enough to make sure I stayed hidden.

”I know you want an omega and everything, but I’m an omega too.”

The moment Misty said that, I flinched and turned to look at her, clear disgust written across my face.

If she was even half as intelligent as her mother claimed she was, she would have taken the hint.

But no.

She smiled the instant my eyes landed on her, as if my attention was somehow a compliment.

I rolled my eyes, shook my head, and looked back out the window.

”She’s not good enough for you,” she added.

”She’s had men come in and out of her life.”

She immediately fell silent when I turned to glare at her.

”Misty,” I hissed.

I guessed Mrs. Baker had heard me because she immediately rushed out of the kitchen to see what was going on.

”Just because I’m asking your family to spy on Verity doesn’t mean I don’t trust her. I just don’t trust the people around her. I want to know who’s trying to harm her or ruin her reputation.”

As I said those words, I watched Misty gulp.

She had probably realized she was one of the people trying to damage Verity’s reputation, and I wasn’t going to tolerate it.

”I understand,” she replied immediately.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her mother gesture for her to follow.

She did.

At the same time, Verity arrived.

I watched the entire scene.

She went inside the house, and the moment Ragnar’s car drove away, I sprinted out of the apartment and headed straight for the door.

That’s when I heard it.

The asshole’s confession.

I stood there, so lost in thought that I didn’t even realize someone was standing right behind me until I noticed the shadow growing larger.

”That’s not what I taught you.”

Ragnar’s voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

I straightened my posture and turned to face him, trying to look confident.

”I came here to—”

I trailed off.

Ragnar simply watched me like a hawk watching its prey.

”Just stop talking. It’ll really hurt to find out my brother is lying to me.”

Ragnar cut me off, making it clear that he wouldn’t believe a word I said.

”Her boyfriend is abusing her.”

I finally found the courage to speak to my brother.

He looked remarkably calm, his hands resting at his sides.

For some reason, they weren’t tucked into his pockets.

I couldn’t even stand still without keeping my hands somewhere.

But Ragnar had always been different.

That was why I noticed his fingers twitching as he absentmindedly played with his rings.

”I got a video the other day from one of the neighbors. It was a cry for help.”

Finally, I had a good enough reason to be standing outside her door.

I pulled out my phone and showed my brother the video.