Fated To The Four Notorious Alpha Brothers

The brothers are in my room now; it's currently 9:00 p.m. They just got back from wherever they went, and even though I've been expecting them, I'm not exactly thrilled to see them—not after what Ruby told me.

Why are they trying to take away my only friend? She's all I have left. I'm on the verge of breaking down, but I know better than to cry in front of them. It'll only make things worse.

"I told you we should get her a private bodyguard, but you disagreed. You said she needed privacy since she's a girl," Gavin's voice rang out.

"We were at fault; we can see that now," Parker sighed.

"This wouldn't have happened if she had one. I told you," Gavin repeated.

"But can she go around with a male guard?" Cooper asked.

"A female could be better," Bryce groaned.

"Yes, a female. But do you have anyone in mind? Anyone from your team?" Cooper asked again.

"I only have male guards, not a single female."

"We could hire someone new; she doesn't necessarily have to be part of the team," Parker said.

"I'll look into it. I should be able to get one within a day or two," Gavin replied.

They continued their conversations, ignoring my presence. After they were done, Parker turned to me.

"Ms., you told me you were going for piano lessons? Will you be kind enough to explain this situation to me?"

What does he want me to say? They're only going to torment me.

"Ms., we're waiting." Parker snapped his fingers, but I remained quiet. There's nothing to say.

"You're going to keep quiet, aren't you?" Parker sighed.

"And why do you have that look on your face? Is this some kind of protest?" Gavin noticed my frown and pointed it out.

"It's a protest; she clearly doesn't like what we did to her friend and her nanny," Cooper said.

Friend and nanny? I know about Ruby, but Nanny? What did they do to her?

Fixing my gaze on Cooper, I asked, "What did you do to Nanny Marlowe?"

"Oh, the princess is speaking, finally. We should be happy, eh?" Parker scoffed, taking a cigarette from its pack and moving to the window.

"Nothing much, we just fired her. We also found a donor for her daughter, but we're no longer interested in saving her. We got her daughter discharged from the hospital. She'll definitely die within a few days," Cooper revealed, his expression straight and neutral. He explained it as if it meant nothing, treating the topic like it held no significance.

But what did Nanny Marlowe do? She had no hand in this. She did nothing.

"Nanny Marlowe is innocent," I whispered.

"We know, but you should have thought of her before endangering your life—before lying to us. You should never have done that," Cooper responded.

So, it's all because of me? The people close to me are suffering because of my actions.

"What more do I need to know?" I asked, my voice slightly raised. "Say it now. Who else did you hurt?"

My question must have truly gotten their attention, because they all fixed their gazes on me.

"Do you wish for more people to get hurt?" Bryce stared at me, then shook his head. "I don't think she got the message."

"She didn't. She clearly didn't," Parker sighed, turning his attention back to his cigarette.

Gavin and Cooper also looked away; their attitude felt like a stab to my chest, and before I knew it, I was bawling.

I know I shouldn't cry. I mustn't. They hate it when I cry. But I can no longer hold it in. I can no longer hide this pain.

My grip tightened around the duvet, and my body shook violently as tears poured from my eyes.

Fuck.

Without saying a word to me, Bryce stood up and left the room, swiftly followed by Gavin and Parker. Cooper was about to leave, but I rushed out of bed and held him.

"Please… Can't you forgive me this once? I know I lied, but please…" I held both of his hands and stood before him, but he refused to look at me.

"Cooper, please… They're innocent. You can punish me, but leave the rest out of this. I'll accept whatever punishment you give me, but please, Nanny Marlowe's daughter—don't let her die. My driver is innocent; I forced him to do what he did. He had no choice. Drop the charges against him. He also has a family to feed. I beg you."

"You knew all this and still lied to us?" he groaned, still not looking at me.

"I know, it's my fault. I accept it. But please, leave the rest out of this." I moved closer and embraced him tightly.

"You're putting me in a tight spot, Princess," he sighed. Out of all the brothers, Cooper can be the most cooperative at times. He can be understanding, unlike the others. Bryce is the least—he'll never go back on his word, even if it kills him.

While Gavin worries about me most of the time, he's still not cooperative. Parker's emotions are unpredictable—he's more like a vampire. I can't understand him most of the time.

That leaves me with Cooper; if I'm able to convince him, he might stand up to his brothers for me. It's unlikely, but it's worth a try. And I'll give it my best shot—whatever it takes.

After placing my head on his chest, I relaxed into him, my grip remaining tight. If I loosen it, he might escape; I can't take chances. I must use this opportunity.

"I'll do whatever you want. I'll become more obedient. But please, just let the others go," I kept pleading.

After several rounds of pleading, he finally wrapped his arms around me; one hand went to my hair, and he started running his fingers through it.

"I'll try, but I can't promise you anything. Regarding your friend, we've permanently banned her from the house, but she may still continue her education with you. You'll meet her at school, and nowhere else. As for your nanny, she's fired; she won't come back, but I'll try to ensure that her daughter gets treatment."

"And the driver?"

"We'll drop the charges, but he still has to pay for damages for what happened to you. I heard you transferred ten thousand to him."

"That was…" I tried to argue but stopped myself. Arguing or explaining won't help my situation.

"Yes. I did," I murmured.

"He'll pay five times what he accepted from you; that will be all. That's all I can do," he stated.

"Thank you," I whispered, looking up at him. He held my gaze for a few seconds before pressing his lips against mine.