Chapter 504-My Cunning Fox

Chapter 504: 504-My Cunning Fox

Ragnar:

I was sitting there, watching everything unfold.

Just because I had remained silent for so long didn’t mean I was guilty or that I didn’t have a plan.

I noticed the judgmental glares my brothers kept throwing my way.

I could see the hope and fear in Lady Lucille’s eyes, as though she was terrified that if Verity had to choose only one of us, I would undoubtedly be the first to get rejected.

Because none of them knew what had been going on between us or how long it had been happening.

As far as they knew, I was still preparing to marry Gigi.

I had also noticed the confusion on Jenna’s face, and then there was my own little lioness, practically roaring at me from across the room.

The way Verity sat there, bringing up Gigi with that innocent expression, made me smile inwardly.

She was so fucking clever, cunning as a fox.

Yet whenever she was around me, she somehow managed to make a complete fool of herself with her ridiculous antics.

Normally, people like that didn’t attract me. I had always preferred someone composed, confident, and well put together.

So why the hell did I enjoy watching her act so silly?

Especially when I knew the woman sitting across from me wanted nothing more than to destroy my brothers and me.

And there I was, willingly embarking on a suicide mission.

I had convinced myself that I could save my brothers by taking all the torture upon myself.

I was practically sacrificing myself for them.

And perhaps there was a blessing hidden in that sacrifice, too.

"I think we shouldn’t bother her," Jaguar spoke up before I could say anything.

Of course, they still cared about Gigi.

Ever since Verity had arrived, everyone’s attention had shifted away from her, especially my brothers’.

Even I had recently found myself caring less about her.

But the truth was that, deep down, they still cared for Gigi a great deal.

"Besides, you only have to choose one of us. There’s no point telling everyone about the mate bond and putting ourselves through all that drama," Jaguar continued.

I nodded, snapped my fingers, and pointed at him.

"He’s right," I agreed, keeping my eyes on Verity.

Her eyelids narrowed slightly, as though she was silently judging me.

"Why make things awkward? Imagine you reject me, and then you have to attend my engagement. Gigi already knows you were my mate. Why make the situation uncomfortable for everyone? Whoever you choose, you’re still going to become part of our family. So why embarrass everyone unnecessarily?"

I continued watching Verity while Theodore and Jaguar nodded vigorously, exchanging glances with each other before turning their attention back to me.

The tension had finally disappeared from their faces.

My response had apparently convinced them that I didn’t want Gigi finding out because I expected to be rejected first.

They probably assumed I wasn’t willing to jeopardize my engagement over a mate bond that had only existed for a few hours.

"Well, it’s your decision," Verity replied with a shrug.

But I knew she was seething inside, probably itching to attack me.

And I couldn’t fucking wait for it.

I mean, I had absolutely no problem being ruined at the hands of my future Mrs.

She was the first woman who had ever dared to look me straight in the eyes and disrespect me so openly, yet I still hadn’t punished her for it.

And she had certainly taken full advantage of that.

I mean, she had already gotten into my head.

And the distance between the mind and the heart wasn’t all that great.

Somehow, with those ridiculous little antics of hers, she had already managed to cross it.

"So, tell us, who are you going to choose?" Theodore asked her, shifting restlessly on the couch, half rising from his seat before settling back down.

His anxious body language alone was enough to show how disturbed he was.

"The thing is, I haven’t slept since yesterday. All this tension has left me completely exhausted and restless," Verity explained.

The moment she said that, Jaguar sprang to his feet.

She looked so fragile standing there, as though she hadn’t been plotting and scheming against everyone all along.

That was the thing about her.

No matter how cunning or wicked she acted, her innocent face always managed to save her pretty ass.

"Then go back to your wing and get some rest," he suggested, pointing toward the wing where she used to stay.

Verity followed the direction of his hand before turning her gaze toward me.

Everyone else looked my way, following her eyes.

"No. Not after the way I was kicked out of there. Until I accept one of you, I’m not going back," she declared, raising her eyebrows at me.

"I’m the one who kicked you out, and now I’m telling you to stay. Besides, my brothers aren’t going to take much longer. They already look pretty restless, so make your decision quickly."

I spread both arms across the back of the couch and rolled my eyes at her, making my impatience clear.

She understood.

I hadn’t brought her here so she could play games with me.

"Fine. I’ll just take a nap for an hour or two."

She abruptly rose to her feet and hurried away, almost as though she was trying to avoid everyone.

I knew none of this was easy for her.

My attention then shifted to my two brothers, who kept exchanging glances and making subtle gestures toward each other.

I had given them so much love, so much care, yet the moment they discovered that I was also their mate’s fated mate, their reactions had been nothing short of strange.

There was disbelief, and disgust.

They were willing to compete with each other for her, but they didn’t even want me included in that competition.

But why?

Did they really harbor that much hatred toward me?

I had never imagined my own brothers could think of me that way.