Their Secret Obsession (A Reverse Harem) by Pippa Moon

Kane's POV

After kicking Connie out early this morning, I paced back and forth in my room, the walls closing in like a vice around me. The silence was suffocating, each tick of the clock amplifying the emptiness I felt inside. Seeing Lottie again was supposed to make things easier, but it only tore open wounds I thought had begun to heal. Letting her go-and walking away-was like losing her all over again. Unable to stand still any longer, I stripped off my clothes, headed out the back and shifted into Rolo's form. My wolf emerged with a fierce growl, his emotions mirroring my own turmoil. We needed to run, to escape the chaos in our minds, if only for a little while.

We bolted into the forest, our paws pounding against the damp earth. The ground was slick with mud from last night's rain, but it didn't slow us down. Trees blurred past as we weaved through the dense woods, leaping over fallen logs and crashing through the underbrush. The wind whipped against our face, carrying the rich scents of pine and earth. Streams appeared suddenly before us, but we cleared them in single, powerful bounds. Every muscle burned with exertion, but the physical pain was a welcome distraction from the ache in our heart. We chased after fleeting shadows-rabbits darting into their burrows, deer sprinting deeper into the forest. For a moment, the thrill of the hunt dulled the sorrow. But no matter how fast we ran, we couldn't escape the memories of her smile, her touch, the way her eyes lit up when she laughed.

When our paws began to ache, and Rolo's breaths turned ragged, we slowed to a trot, finally coming to a stop beneath an ancient oak. Our sides heaved as we tried to catch our breath. The forest was silent now, only the distant call of a bird breaking the stillness. "I thought this would help," Rolo murmured within me.

"So did I," I admitted. "But she's still all I can think about."

With a heavy sigh, we headed back toward the packhouse, our pace much slower than before. The run had exhausted our bodies but did little to quiet our minds. As we approached the edge of the woods, I shifted back into my human form. Bones cracked and reshaped, fur receded, and within moments, I stood on two legs again, the cool morning air biting against my bare skin.

I glanced toward the house and caught sight of Connie through the kitchen window. She was gesturing animatedly, her face twisted in irritation.

"Where the hell have you been?" she snapped through the mind link, her voice grating against my already frayed nerves.

"Baking a cake," I growled back sarcastically. "Where do you think?"

"Very funny. She huffed. "You won't believe what happened! That brute Adam attacked me! He just barged in and started throwing accusations, treating me like garbage for no reason!"

"What did you do this time, Connie?" I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, welcoming the cool morning breeze against my heated flesh.

"Me? Why do you always assume it's my fault?" she protested, her tone dripping with feigned innocence. "I was minding my own business when he assaulted me! You need to do something about this!"

"Right," I muttered, unconvinced. I knew her well enough to take her words with a bucket of salt. "I'll handle it."

"See that you do!" she snapped

before cutting off the connection. I

el.nét

was relieved to see her turn away, engaging someone else in conversation. The last thing I needed was another confrontation with her. Rolo stirred within me.

"How are we going to live with her without losing our minds?" he questioned.

"One day at a time," I replied wearily. "Or maybe we'll get lucky, and she'll decide to leave."

"Not likely." He chuckled softly. I approached the back of the house, hoping to stip inside unnoticed and avoid any more drama. As I rounded the corner, footsteps crunched on the gravel behind me. I turned to see my father, Alpha Leigh, striding toward me, his expression unreadable.