Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 135

Lisa's pov

The moment I woke up that morning, my head felt heavy, not from a bad dream or a restless night, but from the weight of too many eyes on me. Even before stepping out of my room, I could sense the hushed whispers from the servants lingering in the hallways, the way their footsteps slowed whenever I passed, as though I carried some unspeakable secret they were desperate to piece together. Maybe I did. Maybe I was the one with a secret I was still trying to untangle myself.

I slipped into my robe, tying the sash tightly around my waist, and stared at my reflection in the tall mirror by the wall. My hair was messy, strands sticking out at odd angles, and my lips were still swollen from… well, last night. The memory of it washed over me and I pressed my lips together, almost as if I could erase the traces of it by sheer force. But it wasn’t something I could erase—not with the way my body still responded when I thought about him.

I shook myself and forced a sigh out, rolling my shoulders before opening the door. The corridor was silent, too silent, and for a moment I wondered if I’d woken earlier than usual. But then I caught sight of one of the maids, young and timid, balancing a tray of folded linens in her hands. She froze when she saw me, nearly dropping the pile.

“Good morning,” I said, offering her a small smile.

She bowed her head quickly, murmuring the greeting back before hurrying off as though the walls might swallow her whole if she lingered near me for more than a heartbeat.

That was the thing about this place—every word, every look, every accidental brush of fingers meant something. Nothing ever just… was.

By the time I reached the dining hall, the air was already heavy with the smell of roasted bread and herbs, faint traces of meat simmering in the kitchens beyond. Enzo was there, seated at the head of the table like he always was, his back straight and his expression unreadable. But the moment his eyes lifted to mine, some of that hardness melted, just enough for me to notice.

“You’re late,” he said, though his tone wasn’t sharp.

“I overslept.” I slid into the seat beside him without asking, even though technically, I should’ve taken one of the lower chairs. That was the thing about Enzo—he allowed me liberties no one else would have dared to grant.

Atlas was already seated, his posture lazy, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he drummed his fingers against the table. Kael was further down, stretching his arms as though he hadn’t gotten enough sleep, his eyes still half-lidded. Ash wasn’t there yet, but I could feel his presence somewhere nearby, like he was just waiting for the right moment to walk in.

“You look tired,” Enzo murmured under his breath, leaning slightly toward me.

“Maybe I am,” I replied, not bothering to lower my voice.

Atlas let out a low chuckle, tilting his head at us. “Somebody’s moody today.”

I shot him a glare. “And you’re annoying as always.”

The servants, who had been silently arranging plates and pouring drinks, froze at the exchange. Their heads bowed lower, but I caught the way their eyes flickered between me and Enzo, probably waiting for him to put me in my place, to remind me that alphas didn’t tolerate backtalk from anyone, much less me. But instead of snapping, instead of reminding me of who he was and who I was supposed to be, Enzo leaned back in his chair, his lips twitching with the ghost of a smile.

“She’s right, Atlas,” he said casually, reaching for the cup in front of him.

The room stilled. I felt it—the collective intake of breath from the servants, the disbelief etched into their wide eyes. Enzo never softened in front of them. Never let anyone believe he could be swayed. But here he was, siding with me.

I smirked, sitting a little taller. “See? Even he agrees.”

Atlas groaned, muttering something under his breath before stuffing a piece of bread in his mouth. Kael let out a loud laugh, shaking his head.

“You’re getting soft, Enzo,” Kael teased. “Next thing we know, you’ll be letting her run this entire place.”

Enzo’s gaze flicked to him, sharp and warning, but Kael only grinned wider, clearly enjoying the reaction.

“I don’t need to run it,” I interjected before Enzo could respond, “because he’ll listen to me anyway.”

The servants nearly dropped the dishes in their hands. One of them, an older woman, glanced at me with something close to horror in her eyes. I ignored her. I wanted them to see this, wanted them to know that I wasn’t afraid to speak to him like this, that whatever hold he had over them, it wasn’t the same with me.

Enzo leaned closer, his hand brushing against my thigh under the table. “Careful,” he whispered, his lips barely moving. “You’re pushing it.”

“Am I?” I whispered back, my heart racing from the touch and the warning laced in his voice.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he straightened in his seat again, his face neutral, as though nothing had just passed between us.

Ash finally walked in a few moments later, his hair still damp from a shower, his shirt clinging to him in a way that drew too much attention. My gaze lingered on him longer than it should’ve, and I quickly looked away, focusing on the cup Enzo had set down.

Breakfast carried on with idle chatter—Kael mocking Atlas about something stupid he’d done years ago, Atlas retaliating with insults that made even the servants snicker under their breath. I joined in once or twice, laughing at their antics, but mostly, I was aware of the eyes around me. They weren’t watching the brothers. They were watching me. Watching the way Enzo let me get away with things no one else could. Watching the way his hand lingered against mine when he passed me a plate, or the way he softened his tone when speaking to me.

By the time the meal ended, the servants couldn’t hide their shock anymore. They exchanged looks when they thought I wasn’t paying attention, their mouths tightening as if holding back questions they’d never dare ask. I rose from my chair, brushing my hands against my robe, and Enzo stood too, almost instinctively, as though it were natural for him to mirror my movements.

We walked out together, side by side, and I could feel the weight of their stares burning into my back.

---

The rest of the day stretched out with a strange rhythm. Kael found me in the courtyard later, leaning against the edge of the fountain with a smug grin plastered across his face.

“You like causing trouble, don’t you?” he asked, flicking a pebble into the water.

“Only when it’s worth it,” I replied.

“And Enzo letting you get away with it?” His eyes glinted with mischief. “That’s priceless. I’ve never seen him so whipped.”

“He’s not whipped,” I said quickly, though my cheeks heated at the thought.

“Sure.” Kael smirked, clearly not buying it. “Keep telling yourself that.”

Before I could respond, Atlas strolled over, his hands shoved in his pockets. “What are we talking about?”

“You being replaced,” Kael said smoothly.

Atlas frowned. “By who?”

Kael jerked his chin toward me. “By her. She’s got Enzo eating out of her hand already. Give it a week, and she’ll be giving the orders.”

Atlas laughed, shaking his head. “Over my dead body.”

I rolled my eyes. “You both are insufferable.”

They only grinned wider, clearly enjoying how flustered I was becoming. It was like a game to them, pushing me until I snapped.

Later, I crossed paths with Ash in the library. He was seated near the window, a book resting in his hands, though his eyes weren’t moving across the page. They were on me. I felt his gaze before I even looked up.

“What?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Nothing,” he said smoothly, setting the book aside. “Just watching.”

“That’s creepy.”

“Is it?” He tilted his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

I ignored him, pulling a random book off the shelf just to give myself something to do. But even as I flipped through the pages, I could feel his eyes on me, heavy and searching.

By the time evening came, I found myself back near Enzo, almost unconsciously gravitating toward him. Maybe it was because he made me feel… not safe, exactly, but grounded. Even when we argued, even when I pushed him in ways no one else would dare, there was something in his presence that anchored me.

We ended up in the main hall, voices rising as we clashed over something insignificant—whether or not I should be allowed to walk through the estate without guards.

“It’s dangerous,” Enzo snapped, his voice echoing against the stone walls.

“I don’t care!” I shot back, folding my arms. “I don’t want people following me everywhere like I’m a prisoner.”

“You don’t get to decide that.”

“Yes, I do!”

The servants froze where they stood, their tasks abandoned as they turned toward us, eyes wide. No one ever raised their voice at Enzo. No one ever argued with him so publicly.

But I did. And he didn’t silence me.

He rubbed his temples, exhaling sharply, but instead of roaring at me or ordering me into silence, he muttered, “You’re impossible.”

I grinned, triumphant. “And you like it.”

The gasp that rippled through the servants was audible. Their shock was a tangible thing, pressing against the walls, filling the air with disbelief. Enzo only shook his head, turning away before I could see the smile tugging at his lips.

And just like that, the day ended with me clinging to him, not because I needed to, but because I wanted to. Because despite the chaos, despite the whispers and the staring eyes, he let me exist here in a way no one else did.