Chapter 161: Solve the problem.
Ella.
I stood there in the suffocating silence of the room, my heart hammering against my ribs as I looked between them.
I really could not believe that Lugard had actually resorted to violence, striking his own flesh and blood out of pure, unadulterated jealousy.
A sharp spark of anger flared within me. I was thoroughly pissed off by his behavior, but almost instantly, a heavy wave of guilt crashed over me.
A profound sadness settled deep in my chest at the realization that I was the very reason these brothers—a trio that should have stood united—were tearing each other apart.
Why was this so difficult for them?
Couldn’t they all just find a way to accept the undeniable reality that the moon goddess had mated me to the three of them?
"She is my mate too!" Lawrence’s voice boomed once more, echoing fiercely against the walls of the enclosed space. "You have to get used to that fact!"
The air turned to ice.
Lugard fell completely silent for a moment, his chest heaving as he stared at his brother.
The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.
"You—" Lugard finally spoke, his voice dangerously low as he slowly stretched out his hand, pointing a rigid, threatening finger at his brother’s face. "Watch your tongue, Lawrence," he added, the words vibrating with a dark, lethal warning.
I couldn’t take it for another second. A terrifying certainty washed over me: if I didn’t intervene right this moment, they would keep fighting, and this volatile situation would spiral completely out of hand. Blood would be shed, and I couldn’t let that happen. I had already tried using my voice, but Lugard had completely shut me out, ignoring my pleas as if I weren’t even in the room.
Fine. If words wouldn’t work, actions would. Wasn’t he throwing this massive, destructive tantrum simply because he had realized I kissed Lawrence? If a kiss was what it took to extinguish this fire, then I would solve this problem peacefully.
Without a single shred of hesitation, I moved forward boldly, stepping right into the middle of their terrifying commotion. I didn’t care about the danger or the raw alpha energy radiating off both of them. I reached up, firmly grabbed the collar of Lugard’s shirt, and used all my strength to pull his towering frame down to my level. Before he could react, I slammed my mouth against his, claiming his lips in a fierce, sudden kiss.
Lugard’s eyes widened in absolute shock, the hostility instantly draining from his posture as the unexpected contact caught him entirely off guard.
But the surprise lasted only a heartbeat. The moment his instincts recognized my touch, his hands snapped out to grip my waist, pulling me flush against his hard chest as he eagerly took control and deepened the kiss with a desperate, sudden hunger.
A quiet, amused laugh echoed in the back of my mind. I really, truly could not believe this powerful, terrifying man had been tearing the room apart just because he wanted a kiss.
He could have just asked.
I slowly pulled away, breaking the contact of our lips, and Lugard immediately stared down at me with an expression of profound disappointment. His eyes were dark, clouded with an intense, unfulfilled longing, as though he hadn’t gotten nearly enough of the taste of me and was grieving the loss of the kiss.
"Theresa, I—" he began, his voice rough and cracked with emotion.
Before he could utter another syllable, I raised my hand and placed my fingertips firmly against his lips, silencing him instantly. He stilled at my touch, his jaw tightening as he swallowed hard, the words dying in his throat.
"No words, Lugard," I said firmly, keeping my gaze locked onto his as I slowly slid my hand down from his lips, letting my palm rest flat against the rapid beat of his chest. "You completely ignored my words earlier when I tried to stop this madness, so why should I listen to you now?" I asked, challenging him with a steady, unyielding look.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to!" he rushed out immediately, the fierce Alpha pride completely evaporating from his demeanor.
His dark, pleading eyes frantically searched mine, begging for a forgiveness he hadn’t yet earned.
"It’s far too late to plead, Lugard," I replied calmly, my voice dropping to a cool, quiet murmur that was barely above a whisper.
I took a deliberate step backward, breaking the physical connection between us with the intention of crossing the room to check on Lawrence. But before I could even take a full step away, Lugard’s hand snapped out, wrapping around my wrist and pulling me right back into his space.
"I want more, Theresa!" he said, his voice raw, deep, and thick with a hungry desperation that vibrated through the small room.
But I didn’t yield. Instead, I simply chuckled, a soft, amused sound that seemed to catch him completely off guard.
"You won’t be getting any more, Lugard," I said with absolute calmness, meeting his frantic gaze with a smooth, unshakable resolve. "Consider that your punishment."
Lugard froze instantly, his entire body stiffening as the weight of my words sank in.
I turned my head away from him, looking over at Lawrence who was still standing by the bathroom, and then glanced back at Lugard, ensuring I had the undivided attention of both men.
"From now henceforth, the very moment any of you choose to argue or fight over me..." I paused deliberately, letting the heavy silence stretch out between us to ensure they felt the gravity of what I was about to say. "You won’t be getting even a single glance from me, let alone anything more."
Without waiting a single second to hear their arguments, excuses, or responses, I turned on my heel and walked straight out of Lawrence’s bedroom.
The moment the heavy wooden door clicked shut behind me and I was finally alone in the corridor, I leaned against the wall and let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief.
My hands were trembling slightly as the adrenaline began to fade. I closed my eyes, a sudden wave of bewilderment washing over me.
What exactly had come over me?