Their Secret Obsession by Pippa Moon

Lottie POV

"Chase... What about your mother and father?" I asked, knowing I would not like the answer he was about to give; I tried to keep the pain from my voice.

"My mother is dead. Once she had served her purpose, my father no longer needed her," he expressed, with a shrug that I knew was forced, but he continued on, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. I guess I had to respect that, even if I disagreed with it. "And my father, like yours, wasn't exactly the sappy type. More blood and sweat than hugs and laughter." "What do you mean by purpose?" I asked, unable to hide my shock because he couldn't possibly mean what I thought he did.

"What? Are the Royals not quite what you thought, Your Highness?" He scoffed, my jaw locking tight at the pet name he had seemingly bestowed upon me. Did he think I was like the barbarians he was describing to me? Is that why he chose the name? "What about yours, your mother? She is dead, right? Do you know much about her side of the family?" He asked, taking me by surprise. I never spoke of my mother, especially not with people I barely knew, which meant my father had been spewing his venom when it came to her.

"Char... Tread carefully," Sage warned, her senses prickling at the mention of our mother.

"It's okay; I trust him," I admitted, and the truth was I did. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something about him felt safe, like the warm embrace of family.

"My father never spoke about her, at least not until recently, and what he has to say isn't exactly worthy of repeating."

"I see." Chase nodded, and I felt he really did, given the way his eyes lowered from mine sympathetically. "Would you welcome her family if they appeared on your doorstep?" He asked, his eyes tightening at the corners as I considered his question. I had always wished for family, with a bond like Lilly had with hers, but it wasn't exactly a secret my dad was a drunken fool or that my mother had died, and where had my family been then? If I had managed this long without them, I hardly needed them now.

through my mate's bond, crippling me

happened?" I asked through the bond. I could sense them on the other end as panic ate at my insides. Yet no response

to waste a minute. I could see the confusion whirling in his eyes

his eyes pinching together as he tried to feel through the bond he had

eyes opening wide as he tumbled into the immense stoic figure of Alpha Leigh, his eyes scanning Chase and then me with a tinge of outrage and confusion. "Care to explain why you are sneaking a male who is not my son's out of your

damn concussion now!" Chase mumbled, a frown

growled, pushing past Alpha Leigh only to walk straight into Sebastian. His eyes shifted between Chase and me, his frown deepening as some kind of realisation dawned on

a tizzy?" Sebastian sighed, rolling his eyes as his hand landed on my shoulder, sparks tingling under the skin where his hand lay. Looking at his hand

kick my ass, Seb.. wanna do that now or later?" Chase asked in his usual juvenile manner that any other time would be cute! But when

He whispered just enough for Sage and I to hear. "Will you slow the fuck down, woman?" He added as he reached the stairs, taking

"I don't have time to explain, Alpha. Kane and Knox are hurt. So either wait... or hurry up and follow me." I sighed, knowing I was making a mistake in involving Alpha Leigh because the second he entered that room

my ear as he linked his arm through mine and walked down the