Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 136

Enzo's POV

I leaned back in my chair, the room dim except for the lantern on my desk. Papers lay spread before me, but my attention wasn’t on them. My mind was already halfway gone, tugged toward the plans I’d been arranging for days.

Atlas stood at the far side of the table, arms crossed over his chest, silent but sharp-eyed as always. Ash leaned against the wall, his expression unreadable under the low light. Kael was nearest the door, restless, his hand tapping his thigh as though he had a hundred better places to be.

My pack’s core. My wolves. Delta, Beta, Gamma. The ones I trusted with my life, yet only up to a point.

I cleared my throat, pushing the papers aside. “I’ll keep this short. Tomorrow I won’t be here.”

Atlas lifted his head, frowning slightly. “Where?”

I let the question hang in the air, my gaze steady on him until he looked away. “That’s not your concern.”

Ash smirked faintly. He never pressed where he wasn’t invited. Kael, on the other hand, bristled.

“You’re going without telling us why?” Kael asked, brows furrowing.

“Yes.” My tone brooked no argument.

Ash pushed away from the wall, arms folding loosely across his chest. “How long will you be gone?”

“Not long. One night. I’ll be back the following day.”

Atlas exhaled through his nose, clearly uneasy but wise enough to keep his mouth shut.

Kael stepped forward, his voice harder now. “And Lisa?”

I looked at him sharply, and the silence that filled the room was heavy. My lips curved into a thin smile. “She won’t know a damn thing.”

Ash’s mouth twitched, but he said nothing.

I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the table. “Kael, you’ll take over tonight. Handle anything that comes up. The rest of you stick to routine. No one—and I mean no one—breathes a word of this to Lisa.”

“Understood,” Atlas said simply.

Ash gave a small nod.

Kael hesitated, then inclined his head, though his jaw clenched. “Fine.”

“Good.” I rose from the chair, the leather groaning faintly under the shift. “Meeting dismissed.”

They filed out, one by one. I stayed a moment longer, staring at the dying flame in the lantern. A secret meeting wasn’t something I took lightly. There were reasons Lisa couldn’t know—reasons I wasn’t willing to share, not even with my wolves.

When the room was empty, I pushed to my feet and headed down the corridor. My steps slowed as I neared her door, a different kind of anticipation building in my chest.

Lisa.

I hadn’t told her a word. Couldn’t. But before I left, I wanted her. Needed her.

I knocked lightly before opening her door. She sat on the edge of the bed, brushing out her hair, the soft strands catching the lamplight. She turned, her lips curving when she saw me.

“Enzo,” she said warmly, setting the brush aside. “I thought you were busy.”

“I was.” I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms, watching her. “But I’m bored.”

Her brows lifted. “Bored?”

“Mm.” I pushed off the frame, moving toward her with slow steps. “Come swim with me.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “Now?”

“Now.” I reached for her hand, pulling her up. “You need it. And so do I.”

She laughed softly, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”

“Maybe,” I said, tugging her close, brushing my lips against hers. “But you love it.”

She sighed against my mouth, her smile breaking through. “Fine. But if I drown, it’s your fault.”

“You won’t drown,” I promised, pulling her toward the door.

The pool lay at the far edge of the property, hidden by walls of greenery. The night air was cool, the water shimmering faintly under the lights embedded along the edges. I stripped down without hesitation, dropping my shirt, kicking off my pants. Lisa hesitated for a moment, then followed, shedding her clothes until she stood in nothing but a thin slip.

I raised a brow. “That’s not swimming attire.”

“It’ll do,” she said, though her cheeks flushed faintly.

I smirked, diving into the water with a clean cut, surfacing in the center. “Come on, Lisa.”

She dipped a toe in, shivering. “It’s cold!”

“Then jump. You’ll warm up fast.”

She hesitated, then finally slipped in, gasping as the water wrapped around her. I swam closer, circling her slowly, predator and prey.

“See?” I murmured, brushing past her, letting my fingers graze her waist under the water. “Not so bad.”

She splashed me in retaliation, laughing. The sound loosened something tight in my chest. I lunged at her, catching her around the waist, pulling her close. She shrieked, kicking, laughing harder as I dragged her under for a moment before letting us both surface.

“Enzo!” she scolded between breaths.

I grinned, water dripping from my hair, sliding down my chest. “What?”

“You’re—” She broke off with another laugh, splashing me again.

I caught her wrists, pinning them against me under the water. “Careful, Lisa. You keep playing, and I’ll take it further.”

Her eyes darkened just a little, her breath catching. “Maybe I want you to.”

My smirk widened. I kissed her hard, water sloshing between us, our mouths clashing. Her legs wrapped around me instinctively, and I held her against me, the water making her weightless in my arms.

We played like that for a while—kissing, teasing, pushing each other under and coming up laughing. The sound of her joy lingered long after each ripple faded.

When finally we pulled apart, clinging to the edge of the pool, her chest rising and falling, I brushed wet strands of hair from her face.

“Wait here,” I murmured.

She blinked. “Why?”

“I have a surprise for you.”

Her brows knit. “A surprise?”

“You’ll see.” I kissed her forehead, then pushed myself out of the pool. “Stay here. Don’t move.”

She huffed, but nodded, wiping water from her eyes. “Fine. Don’t keep me waiting too long.”

I chuckled, grabbing a towel, drying myself quickly as I strode back across the property. My pace quickened as soon as I was out of sight.

The hidden attic lay above the west wing. Few knew it existed. Fewer still had ever been inside. I climbed the narrow staircase, the air growing heavier the higher I went. At the top, I pressed against the wall panel, and it gave way with a soft creak.

The attic was dim, lit only by a single lantern. Kael sat there, sharpening a blade, his dark hair falling into his eyes. He looked up when I entered, his expression flat.

“You’re late,” he said.

I ignored him, shutting the panel behind me. “You’ll take over tonight.”

His brows lifted. “So it’s happening.”

“Yes.” I moved closer, my voice low, hard. “You know what to do. Keep everything running. Handle any problem that comes up.”

“And Lisa?” he asked carefully.

I met his gaze, unflinching. “She knows nothing. She stays that way.”

Kael studied me for a moment, then slid the blade back into its sheath. “Understood.”

I nodded once, sharp. “Good. I’ll return tomorrow.”

The lantern flickered between us, shadows cutting across his face, across mine. The air felt heavier up here, the weight of secrets pressing down from all sides.

I turned, my hand on the panel. “Don’t fail me, Kael.”

His voice followed as I slipped out. “I never do.”