Ronan’s POV
Lila was just a cruel bitch and nothing more.
Going behind my back to threaten Malia was something I’d make sure she was punished for.
But for now, I needed her on my side to get my brother’s position in the pack.
My arms tightened around Malia as I assured her that no one was going to take her away from this pack. She seemed so scared and Lila was to blame for that.
I slowly released her from my embrace and I sucked in a breath when I looked into her soulful eyes. She looked so young and vulnerable at that moment. I felt my chest tighten and I knew I couldn’t afford to lose her.
A teardrop that had been clinging to her long eyelashes dropped to her cheek.
I slowly brushed it off with my finger and her eyes closed gently at the touch.
I felt desire rise like a wave inside of me.
I allowed my fingers to gently travel down her face to her neck and then move along her collarbone.
Her lips slightly parted and I heard her sigh.
I wanted to taste those lips so badly.
A part of me didn’t want to take advantage of her vulnerability but the greater part found the temptation too difficult to resist.
I cupped her chin in my hand and lowered my head slowly until our mouths were just a breath away.
“No,” she whispered and turned her face.
“I’m sorry, Ronan but I can’t do this with you. It doesn’t feel right.”
I closed my eyes and released a sigh of frustration. It was as though someone had suddenly doused me with icy water.
“It’s okay, Malia. I understand,” I said.
I was going to have to go slow and control my wicked urges. I didn’t want to scare her away.
I was the right man for her and she was soon going to realize that.
I got up and caressed her cheek affectionately.
“I’d tell Penelope to bring your dinner here. Goodnight, Malia.”
“Thank you, Ronan. Good night” she murmured and gave me a small smile.
I needed to get Lila off Malia’s back and I didn’t want to be the one to confront the bitch.
This was why I went back to Ryder’s room.
He was at the mini bar in his living room area nursing a glass of rum.
He looked like he was in a foul mood.
I lowered myself on the stool beside him and poured myself a glass of rum.
“What do you want?” He asked in a low voice.
I wanted to ask him what was wrong but changed my mind. It wasn’t my business.
“Lila threatened Malia,” I began.
The glass that had been on the way to his mouth, paused halfway.
“Lila knows that the Alpha of the Silver Crescent Moon Pack is looking for Malia. So she threatened her to stay away from us, else she was going to expose her and deliver her to the one who’s searching for her,” I finished and took another sip of my drink.
“I’ll handle it,” he murmured and downed the rest of his drink. “You can leave now except if there’s anything else you’d like me to know.”
I took a deep breath and rose from the stool.
“Goodnight brother.”
He didn’t bother to respond.
I walked out of his room and headed back to mine. To my surprise, Derek and Scott were still there, sitting comfortably on the sofa and munching on potato chips while they watched a movie.
“Don’t you two have rooms?” I asked, not exactly expecting them to reply.
They pointedly ignored me and I sighed in resignation. I was going to have to share my chambers with them tonight.
But no way was I going to allow them to sleep on the same bed as me. That was why there was an extra room.
I busied myself with making a one-pot creamy Tuscan pasta for dinner. Out of the three of us, I was the only one who knew how to cook.
Those two were hopeless when it came to cooking.
Derek was sensible enough to come help me set the table when the meal was ready.
“Lila was here earlier to see you,” he said.
“What did she want?” I asked, setting down the big ceramic bowl of pasta at the centre of the table.
“She didn’t say. Just said she had important information to pass across that was supposed to be for your ears only,” he replied.
“Food is ready, dumbass,” I called out to Scott and pulled out a chair for myself.
Derek took the opposite chair and stared at me.
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s creepy,” I said to him, scooping some pasta into my bowl.
“Why did you tell Lila about your plans? I thought you disliked her immensely,” he asked still staring at me.
Scott joined us at that moment and settled himself on the chair beside Derek.
“She’s going be useful. We think she might be privy to some of Ryder’s weaknesses and we can use them to bring him down. She hates him anyway because he’s planning to push her aside and be with Malia,” Scott answered for me.
Derek gave him a look. “I was asking Ronan and not you.”
“Are you sure you aren’t doing this because you think Malia is going to choose you if you become Alpha?” He queried.
I took a sip of my water. “If I’m being truthful, it’s actually part of the reason why. But trust me, there are other valid reasons why I want to be Alpha,” I replied.
“If you say so,” he said. “I just wanted to be sure we’re not going to be risking our lives because of some girl.”
Scott scoffed. “Some girl? Derek, I thought you liked Malia. You guys are friends.”
Derek sighed deeply. “Please do not get me wrong. It’s not that I do not like Malia but a girl who doesn’t love you back is not worth risking your life for. But since she’s not the only reason why we’re doing this, I don’t mind.”
I nodded. “I understand you perfectly, Derek.
“And concerning Malia loving me or not, I know she’s going to end up realizing that I’m the right one for her. You’ll see.”
Derek scoffed. “I don’t want to say this but I have to. You’re being delusional, Ronan. Snap out of it please.”
I felt offended by his words and I gave him a deathly glare. “Are you going to eat or you’re just going to continue to insult me?”
He raised his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry if you feel offended. But we’re friends and I just thought friends always told each other the truth.”
Scott scoffed and Derek turned to face him.
“It seems like you have something to say Scott so just say it.”
He shrugged. “Well, I just think you’re being a hypocrite. If you’re all about friendship and being truthful to your friends and all that shit, then why haven’t you told him about your affair with Lila?” Scott fired at him.
I gasped in shock. “What?”
“Derek, is this true?”
“You have a really big mouth, did you know that?”
“I was going to tell him in my own way at the right time. You just had to open your mouth because you’re just jealous that I’m closer to Ronan than you’ll ever be, right?”
“Stop it,” I roared and the table fell silent.
I looked at Derek expectantly and he sighed in resignation.
“Yes, it’s true I’m having an affair with Lila. But we’re mates, Ronan.”
Scott’s gasp mirrored my own feeling of disbelief at this revelation.
“Since when have you two known this?” I asked, thinking what a terrible person Lila really was.
“Some months before the Alpha took an interest in her,” he answered and I shook my head in disgust.
“Why didn’t you two just reject each other instead of living like this? Or don’t tell me you’re satisfied with loving her in secret, knowing she warms another man’s bed.”
Derek hung his head. “I just love her so much. Even before we knew we were mates. She didn’t want to reject me even though she wasn’t pleased with my low status, and I didn’t have the heart to reject her.”
Scott snorted. “You know how this sounds right? You two could be planning to get rid of Ronan and Ryder for all we know so that you’d be Alpha since you love each other.”
Derek gave him a wry smile. “If that was possible don’t you think I’d have done it a long time ago?”
I had suddenly lost my appetite. I drank the rest of my water. “I think we all need to go to bed. I don’t know what to say or think at the moment.”
Derek opened his mouth to say something but I raised a finger to silence him.
“Whatever you have to say is going to have to wait till tomorrow.”
“Goodnight guys.”
I dropped the napkin and got up from the chair making my way towards my bedroom. It was going to be a long night.