Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 59

Atlas's POV

I had been looking for Lisa all morning. I knocked on her door once, twice, and then a third time, but there was no answer. For a moment, I wondered if she’d managed to sneak out of the pack house—which would be bold even for someone like her—but then I spotted Calla walking past with a basket of clean linens.

“Where’s Lisa?” I asked, stepping into her path.

Calla blinked at me as if I had just asked for her entire life story. “She’s at the garden,” she said, adjusting the basket on her hip. “Why? You planning to start a garden war with her too?”

I smirked. “Don’t be jealous that I’m her favorite person to argue with.”

Calla rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “If you ask me, she barely tolerates you.”

I grinned, ignoring her jab, and jogged off in the direction of the garden. The morning sun was warm, the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers filling the air. I spotted her instantly—Lisa, crouched near a row of potted plants, her fingers gently brushing the petals like they were fragile treasures.

“Lisa!” I called, my voice echoing through the garden. She looked up sharply, her expression startled, as if I’d just caught her committing a crime.

“What? Why are you screaming like a mad wolf?” she demanded, dusting her hands on her dress.

I didn’t bother answering; instead, I strode right over, a grin stretching across my face. “I won the bet.”

She frowned, confusion flashing in her eyes. “What bet?”

“The one we made yesterday,” I said with a tone that suggested she should’ve remembered. “I told you that flower over there wouldn’t bloom even if we put it directly under sunlight. And guess what?” I gestured proudly to a pot sitting near the garden wall. “It’s still as dead as your sense of humor.”

Her jaw dropped, a mix of disbelief and annoyance crossing her face. “You cheated!”

“Excuse me?” I laughed, stepping closer. “How exactly does one cheat at waiting for a plant to die? Did I bribe the sun? Threaten the soil?”

“You probably overwatered it or something,” she muttered, crossing her arms.

I leaned in slightly, a teasing glint in my eyes. “Are you accusing me of plant sabotage? I’d take offense if I wasn’t so busy winning.”

She rolled her eyes and turned away, but I wasn’t letting her off that easily. “Pay up,” I said, stretching out my hand with mock seriousness.

“Pay up?” she repeated, scoffing. “You’re insane. What am I supposed to pay you with? A wilted flower?”

“A favor,” I said smoothly, smirking when her eyes narrowed. “We agreed. Loser owes the winner a favor. And guess who’s the loser?”

Lisa huffed, clearly regretting the casual bet we’d made while goofing around in the garden yesterday. “I didn’t think you’d take that seriously.”

“Oh, I take all bets seriously,” I said, lowering my voice as though sharing a secret. “Especially the ones I know I’ll win.”

She turned back to face the flowers, pretending I didn’t exist, but I wasn’t buying her act. I grabbed her wrist gently, pulling her a few steps over to the corner where the stubborn flower sat, its petals crinkled and brown.

“Look at this beauty,” I said dramatically, crouching beside it. “Still dead. Still proving me right.”

Lisa gave me a sidelong glare. “You’re acting like this is the greatest achievement of your life.”

“It might be,” I teased. “You have no idea how satisfying it is to be right about something as simple as a plant when you keep calling me an airhead.”

She tried to hold back a smile but failed. It was small, quick, and gone in a second, but I saw it.

“Fine,” she said finally, letting out a sigh. “What do you want, winner of the most pointless bet in history?”

I tapped my chin as though deep in thought. “Hmm… maybe I’ll save my favor for when I really need it. Something epic. Like you making me a feast of pancakes.”

Lisa scoffed. “You’d use your one favor for pancakes?”

“Not just any pancakes,” I said, grinning. “I want them fluffy, golden, and served with a side of victory dance.”

She shook her head, clearly done with me. “You’re ridiculous.”

The garden was quiet for a while, aside from the rustling leaves and the occasional chirp of birds overhead. Lisa busied herself with rearranging some flower pots while I sat on the low stone wall, watching her. There was something oddly calming about her presence—like she had this soft energy that filled the air even when she was annoyed.

“You spend too much time here,” I commented casually, breaking the silence.

She looked up. “And you don’t spend enough time outside.”

“Maybe I just like watching you get all worked up over plants,” I said with a smirk.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, though she tried to play it off. “Go bother someone else, Atlas.”

I chuckled. “Sorry, no can do. You’re too much fun to tease.”

We ended up wandering around the garden, debating over which flowers looked the best and which ones she claimed I’d ruin if I touched them. Somewhere between her accusing me of having “black fingers” and me pretending to be deeply offended, I realized the sunlight caught in her hair, making it glow like soft fire. For a second, I almost forgot to keep teasing her.

“You know,” I said suddenly, “if you keep hiding here, people are going to think you’re part plant.”

“Maybe I am,” she replied dryly. “At least plants don’t annoy me as much as you do.”

“Ouch,” I said with mock hurt, clutching my chest. “That’s cold, Lisa.”

Eventually, she picked up a watering can and started tending to some fresh buds while I lounged nearby. I couldn’t resist pushing her buttons again.

“You owe me a favor, remember,” I reminded her with a grin.

She glanced at me, unamused. “What if I refuse to pay up?”

“Then I’ll haunt you with endless reminders,” I said with a grin. “Every day. Every hour. ‘Hey Lisa, remember that time you lost to me?’”

She sighed, shaking her head. “I regret ever talking to you.”

The light mood lingered, and for once, I didn’t feel like the tough warrior everyone expected me to be. Being around Lisa made me loosen up, made me forget about the heavy responsibilities hanging over my head. She was like a breath of fresh air I didn’t know I needed.

By the time we were done arguing over which plants were hers and which ones “belonged to no one,” the sun was beginning to dip, casting a warm golden glow over the garden. I stood and stretched, pointing at the dead flower like I’d just won a major championship.

“Don’t forget—you lost fair and square,” I said, grinning. “The favor will come when you least expect it.”

Lisa rolled her eyes but there was a faint smile on her lips. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll see.”

I held out my hand as if expecting her to shake on it. She stared at it for a long second, clearly debating if she should indulge me or just walk away. With a reluctant sigh, she gave my hand a quick, soft shake.

“Happy now?” she asked.

“Ecstatic,” I replied, smirking as I turned toward the pack house.