Page 131 of Cruel Knots

My heart pounds in my chest. Is he telling me he remembers the taste of my chocolate cake from all those years ago?

“Now that we’re here, let’s talk about the upcoming gala,” Lilja speaks up after a while.

“Not again,” Damien mutters.

“Ignoring it won’t make it go away, dude,” Leon says, wrapping his arm lazily around Damien’s chair’s backrest. “You’ve got to gear up because we need to make a statement this year.”

“What are you guys talking about?” I ask curiously. “Does ‘gala’ have the same meaning here as in the outside world?”

“Yep,” Lilja says. “There will be gowns, jewels and fat, old men in tuxes.”

“Here?” I ask, surprised. Volkov Manor is too grim a place to host a party.

Mikhail chuckles. “Is it that surprising to know we throw balls and parties here?”

“Kind of,” I mumble honestly.

“This gala happens once every five years,” Lilja explains. “It’s the only opportunity for outsiders to step into our home. You have no idea the lengths some people go to get our invites.”

“Why?” I ask, wondering why anyone would want to come to this cold, desolate manor in the middle of nowhere.

“Why?” Mikhail echoes. “Don’t you understand who we are yet, Princess? We’re assassins. The most powerful men want us as friends and allies so they don’t end up being our prey. We’re offered a ludicrous amount of cash to stop us from accepting a job for their heads.”

“This is our first time as hosts,” Leon says in a serious tone. “Our dads took care of everything before us. It’s our turn to manage this pack’s affairs now.”

“You guys never told me about your parents,” I say, looking between the three brothers.

“Wait! She doesn’t know about our dads?” Lilja questions, staring at her brothers.

“It never came up,” Damien mutters.

“We have four dads, Lucia,” Lilja says, glaring at her brothers.

“Each generation of Volkov brothers bonds a single omega,” Lilja explains with a serious look on her face. “Her children belong to all the brothers and become heirs to this organization.”

While it’s not unusual for a pack of alphas to bond an omega as their mate, it’s rare. Most alphas are territorial in nature, refusing to share their mate with another.

I stare between Damien, Leon, and Mikhail. From the very beginning, I was attracted to all three of them. Instead of fighting over me, they always shared me.

“This is our pack’s tradition,” Damien explains in a grim tone. “It’s different from the monogamous marriages you’re used to. Our way ensures all Volkov men stay together. With one woman uniting them, they avoid all conflicts that come with forming relationships with outsiders.”

“What happens to the female children of this family?” I ask, gazing at Lilja.

“Girls are free to marry whoever they like,” Lilja says, grinning. “But, there’s a catch. If we attach ourselves to someone who’s not a part of this world, we’ll have to break all ties with our family. It’s the only way to ensure the safety of the girl’s future with her mate and children.”

“And that’s the reason you can’t marry a fucking banker or a postman,” Mikhail mutters in a serious tone.

Lilja sticks her tongue out at him. “I’m marrying the Rossi brothers!”

Mikhail sniggers. “Yeah, right! As if they’ll want to marry a brat like you.”

Lilja glares at him.

Damien moves the cake and the bowl of remaining chocolate sauce out of Lilja’s reach before she can chuck them at Mikhail. I can’t help but smile at him. He’s used to keeping the peace between them.

“What are you wearing to the ball?” I ask, hoping to distract Lilja. Mikhail doesn’t need to get stabbed a second time today.

“You want to see?” Lilja asks with a sudden smile. “My dress is already here.”

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