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Ditched by Wolves, Claimed by the Serpent New
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Short filmTranscript
00:01afraid the snake gets jealous his feelings aren't my concern but i genuinely can't be bothered to
00:08see you i'm not your owner anymore you are we never thought of chloe as our owner we never
00:14touched her either if you'd wanted we would have helped you disappear from that wedding
00:19a long time ago so in your eyes i'm still your owner but in mine you haven't been worth that
00:27in a long time director ashford these contracts need your review come in i set the pen down
00:39before you go let everyone know those three shifters downstairs are not to be let up
00:44if they come back have security remove them understood director also you have a meeting
00:50shortly what coffee would you like oh right the meeting i picked up my phone and sent vance a
00:57small emoji a little pat might be home late be good and wait for me without waiting for a reply
01:02i stood smoothed the front of my jacket and walked out actually no coffee just water tell everyone
01:11the conference room of course director ashford vance was often with me when i worked sometimes
01:17when i'd been absorbed in something too long a cool smooth tail would drift over and coil slowly
01:24around my waist why is he so clingy i sighed more fond than exasperated and stroked a tail in what
01:30i
01:31hoped was reassuring human form this time please shifter form is genuinely too much for me
01:42okay i never asked about his other identity whether he was the heir to some family or the head of
01:47some
01:47organization what his name meant in the world outside these walls i wasn't curious i only needed
01:53him here that was enough the way ethan had once said at the airport we actually have our own names
01:59i don't need to know and i don't want to that had been the end of it as for the
02:03business deals vance
02:04had quietly helped put into motion i chose not to notice i simply rewarded him from time to time
02:09small things warmly given vance had hurt eric and evan badly enough that it had taken time for them to
02:15recover by the time they were well i was gone they couldn't find me eventually it seemed they'd left
02:21the ashford estate too until recently director ashford there are three people downstairs requesting to see
02:30you they say their names are ethan eric and evan put them through yes ma'am elena you're back in
02:41the
02:42country i am come meet us no time not interested i stepped into the role chloe had been holding and
02:53i
02:53was better at it the group began to stabilize my father's condition improved somewhat i mentioned it
03:00to vance absently in the top floor office
03:05when a sick person suddenly gets better sometimes it's the last flare of strength before the end
03:11vance's pale fingers wound slowly through a strand of my hair i see
03:19father got worse again his current condition left him with no real grip on the company
03:26he knew it i went to visit him
03:32sign over whatever shares you have left all of them the man in the hospital bed frail now
03:38aged past recognition erupted in fury but all he could do was cough you built this company do you
03:46want to watch chloe run it into the ground he glared i smiled give a little now and i'll make
03:53sure
03:53she's taken care of you've already seen what she becomes without me that's your precious daughter
03:59when you're not watching
04:06father i'm your daughter too i have your blood
04:11who better to leave it with he stared at me for a long time something painful moved behind his eyes
04:19i smiled everything was in place tall striking almost violently beautiful she recognized him her
04:26sister as a child had found a half-dead venomous snake and refused to leave it alone chloe had
04:31screened at her then get away from it are you insane kind oblivious sister hadn't listened she'd
04:37nurse the snake back to health her sister had probably forgotten all about it chloe remembered
04:41so she brought vance home she knew why he agreed he could smell her sister's presence in the house
04:45traces left from childhood here to repay a kindness what a pity my sister won't even know who you are
04:50vance didn't like chloe not even a little and the more he didn't the more she wanted that to change
04:55it never did then her sister called wanting to trade chloe barely thought about it and said yes good
05:00let this cold snake see exactly what kind of person her sister is how she opens her hands for
05:05everyone and how quickly she can close them as expected the three wolves took to chloe almost
05:09instantly but what she hadn't expected her sister had genuinely forgotten vance and yet she still
05:15treated him gently instinctively why after everything that's been done to her why can't she
05:19just stop a dying snake as a child a litter of abandoned wolf pups she picked them all up
05:24impossible infuriating it was fine her sister was about to be forced into a marriage with a man
05:29who'd outlasted three wives the pressure would crush her would she come crawling to chloe then
05:33the way chloe used to visit bringing gifts to that small apartment the generous sibling would
05:38she finally be desperate enough to need chloe's help that would be the right choice come to her
05:43sister not scatter kindness into the void chloe thought about all of it with something close to
05:47pleasure until she realized her sister had played her as they got older chloe learned something she was
05:53prettier than her sister not that her sister was ugly she was genuinely lovely in a quiet clean way but
05:58chloe had inherited every striking feature with perfect precision head to toe so the pattern became this
06:03those who saw chloe first then her sister looked vaguely let down those who saw her sister first
06:08then chloe looked stunned every time this happened chloe thought to herself her sister must be so hurt
06:15so humiliated when they were teenagers her sister drew attention the ashford family's eldest daughter
06:22graceful enough that boys noticed despite everything inevitably those boys noticed chloe and redirected of
06:28course they did she was brighter prettier warmer pathetic shallow idiots chloe thought it internally
06:33all contempt but honestly if they'd spent more time with her sister they'd have found out her sister
06:38was smarter and more interesting than anyone gave her credit for too bad they lacked the patience to look
06:42past the surface at that thought chloe would feel something almost like pity poor thing no matter how
06:48kind her sister was to everyone people still chose chloe she imagined her sister in the dark seething with
06:54jealousy hating her somehow that thought made the exhaustion of performing warmth all day vanish chloe
07:00would hum to herself lighter then she met a snake shifter her sister always had people around her
07:06boys and girls a full crowd her sister stood in the middle of them smiling then she noticed chloe and
07:12waved
07:19when the others saw chloe their expressions shifted to something like wonder chloe walked over
07:25her sister reached into her pocket and pressed a candy into her hand i saved this for you strawberry
07:33your favorite chloe took it happily then one of the girls said elena is so thoughtful
07:41she remembers everyone's favorite chloe's smile went stiff why she was her sister why was she this
07:46nice to everyone shouldn't she save the best of herself for chloe chloe turned and walked away
07:55behind her voices floated is that your sister she's gorgeous like a doll her eyes are so big
08:03she didn't hear what her sister said back she turned the corner and dropped the strawberry candy into a
08:09trash can i switched to an overseas number no one could reach me chloe never ended up marrying the
08:15man the two families became enemies when i returned my parents had aged my father spent most of his time
08:20in a hospital bed they couldn't trust the extended family with the company so they'd given it to chloe
08:25but under chloe's management the group was declining steadily then i walked through the door my mother's
08:31hand rose on instinct she was going to slap me i stepped back i smiled are you sure i'm the
08:38only
08:38one who can save you now froze mid-air i looked over chloe had her eyes locked on me sharp
08:44and searching
08:44but she looked nothing like before the polish was gone she was frayed worn down by everything she'd been
08:50holding together on time no see little sister or her gaze away and burst into tears chloe had hated her
08:57sister since childhood why it started in primary school band set beside me on the flight he looked
09:03down long lashes casting a faint shadow across his cheeks so you really were gonna take the groom's
09:11place and marry me you move fast after realizing i wasn't there it slipped out immediately that brief
09:21shadow on the live stream only i would have recognized it your scent went faint right the
09:27terrifying thing about shifters was their sense of smell precise and absolute i'll be overseas for a
09:33while until the timing is right to come back vance leaned in close that cool faint air of his wrapped
09:39around me his lips pressed lightly to the side of my neck this time he didn't bite i almost smiled
09:47they said wolves were canines bonded hard but this cold-blooded snake seemed more bonded than any of
09:53them over the months that followed the ashford family fell into disarray vance settled behind me
09:59his chin coming to rest on my shoulder one arm loosely circling my waist an embrace cool as winter air
10:06i'm talking to you vance smiled why something unsettling in it would it make you happy if
10:13something happened to them i paused eric and evan were ethan's brothers why would their getting hurt
10:19make him happy ethan's throat moved where are they no idea probably close to dead though ice went through
10:29me but ethan contrary to everything i'd expected didn't turn and run you're both leaving together
10:38isn't it obvious why are you taking him the vein at ethan's temple stood out are you all right
10:46chloe gave him to me i'm his owner then you're still mine you all belong to chloe now don't you
10:53remember
10:56you're the one who sent me to her something dark pooled in his eyes i heard everything you said in
11:02the living room that morning how much you all liked chloe i was doing you a favor and now you're
11:09turning
11:09it around on me you heard all of that i had nothing more to say to him i pulled vance
11:15by the hand and
11:16turned to go ethan moved to follow and was stopped by the airport security i'd quietly arranged in advance
11:23at the airport my phone rang
11:27the fake husband his voice was hard come back marry me what's your problem you're not worth it i blocked
11:36him too honestly i'd overlooked him i hadn't thought he'd be this delusional i'd been waiting for a while
11:44when a shadow fell across me i smiled without looking up you're here i raised my eyes ethan i blinked
11:50what's that face disappointed who were you expecting vance his expression went cold you really can't
11:59catch a break he's not coming i nodded kept my face easy ethan dropped into the seat beside me i
12:05didn't expect you to actually pull off an escape don't bother me i really i cut him off he shut
12:09his
12:09mouth bit down on his back teeth he switched tactics no cold edge this time going not your business elena
12:16where are eric and evan ethan's expression changed they're blocking vance aren't they his face went
12:26tight then i saw him vance came through the crowd in long strides a dried cut at his temple marks
12:32on
12:32his neck something low and dark in the set of his expression when he reached me the sharp smell of
12:36blood came with him are you okay ethan clenched his jaw what did you do to them
12:49chloe's perfect face was streaked with tears shaking her head backing behind my father father's
12:54face was iron gray where's elena find her she's gone too far you said you had feelings for me her
13:01sister
13:01was willing to step aside for us and you can't even i have no idea what's going on since my
13:05son
13:05loves chloe why not let chloe take her place it's still a happy occasion for both families i'd had
13:09the foresight to block my parents a butler and chloe before leaving even with the groom's mother
13:14trying to smooth things over they couldn't afford to make a scene my mother went still then looked
13:18at chloe chloe bit her lip her voice came out no what do you mean no were you lying to
13:24me this whole
13:24time don't you have feelings for me i don't you had three wives die on you why would i ever
13:29like you
13:29complete chaos
13:33i watched with genuine satisfaction then i spotted ethan eric and evan in the corner of the frame
13:39their expressions were something else entirely the left side was also empty the venue erupted
13:44i stared at the screen two minutes later my fake husband rushed in he recovered took the microphone
13:51actually today's bride was never elena ashfun the bride i've been waiting for is my true love
13:57miss chloe ashfun that was when vance's call came through
14:04where are you on the way to the airport you before i could finish asking a news alert pushed to
14:10my screen
14:11male family heir confirmed for tonight's high profile wedding not a pure human reports indicate he is a
14:17shifter i tapped it immediately a tall unmistakable silhouette comments below looks like a snake
14:22shifter cold-blooded running a corporation actually kind of fitting something clicked in my mind vance
14:28were you just trashed the wedding i swallowed it back i'm planning to lay low abroad for a while until
14:32things settle i hung up if vance wanted to follow he would if not i didn't mind either way i
14:37turned back
14:38to the live stream total chaos at the venue the wedding day arrived the city's most prestigious
14:43hotel over 30 000 white roses cascading from the ceiling crystal chandeliers threading through the
14:49waterfall of petals long tables draped in ivory jacquard champagne flutes standing in neat rows
14:54catching the light with a faint golden tint every detail was breathtaking big budget i took one look
14:59then was ushered into the backstage dressing room over the next three hours the guest list filled from
15:04backstage i heard the steady murmur of congratulations my parents appeared several
15:08times to confirm i was still there and cooperating i looked at myself in the mirror flawless makeup
15:13then i checked the clock the ceremony was about to begin i'd already taken care of the makeup artist
15:17and assistant in advance i gathered the heavy skirt and slipped out elena the bathroom straight ahead
15:22the assistant kept pace so no one in the hallway questioned it
15:29once inside i stripped off the gown efficiently and changed into the clothes she'd stashed in her bag
15:34something light with sneakers and opened the window a black car was parked close by first floor
15:39i climbed onto the sill and dropped down cleanly once in the car i called vance
15:49two rings no answer i frowned maybe the venue was too loud he didn't hear it head to the airport
15:55the car pulled into traffic i opened my phone and found the live stream my fake husband had insisted
16:00on broadcasting the ceremony he wanted the world to see the moment chloe stepped forward out of love
16:05lucky for me that made watching very convenient welcome our bride and groom from both sides
16:12both doors opened simultaneously the right side where i was supposed to stand was empty i laughed when i
16:17looked at the left side a shadow there for just a second my smile faded
16:23vance the days before the wedding i was perfectly calm i tried on jewelry the estate meanwhile had developed
16:30its own sustained low pressure system even chloe who normally at least maintained the pretense
16:35of civility stopped by to take a shot didn't expect five percent of the shares to be enough to break
16:40you
16:40i had no reaction that seemed to infuriate her more do you know how much i'll have eventually
16:46when father's gone all of it comes to me i paused i actually looked at her she looked satisfied jealous
16:55the filial piety in this household is truly something i couldn't help but think
17:00pathetic evan kept his face blank eric nodded ethan scrolled through his phone and said nothing
17:06pathetic are they talking about me i didn't care what they thought i was watching vance he wasn't
17:11as dark as i'd expected he just lifted his gaze and those black fathomless eyes met mine that's when
17:18i realized it when his eyes weren't carrying that cold hostility they were beautiful the shape subtle
17:24the outer corners lifting just slightly an unintentional almost lazy quality to the look
17:30the day i came home with the marriage certificate and my fake husband the entire ashford family was
17:35seated at the dining table everyone's face said something different the news about the arranged
17:39marriage had already spread through the household i caught vance's eye from across the room a small
17:45reassuring look his expression was flat but i could feel it the suppressed hostility simmering
17:50underneath the faint darkness around him it was fine once everything was resolved i had a place for
17:55him and what came next i gave him a small calm smile from across the room he glanced at me
18:00once
18:00then looked away when i slipped into the kitchen to help carry dishes eric was at the sink you don't
18:06like him who your husband eric smiled pleasantly elena ask me nicely and i'll help you run i looked at
18:17him he clarified the other two are on board too the other two ethan and evan that explained why all
18:22three of them had been off today eric's voice dropped just a shade too deliberate you don't want
18:26to spend the rest of your life with someone you don't even like do you mind your own business you'll
18:32regret this elena regret after dinner though we chatted brightly with my fake husband effortless and
18:40radiant i slipped away to the study alone and signed the share transfer documents next week the grand
18:48wedding and the show was just getting started a few days later a private room at a cafe i took
18:54a
18:54calm sip of coffee i looked across the table and cut straight to the point i know you're in love
18:58with
18:59chloe he looked up surprised set his phone down i also know you've been approaching our family with
19:05a marriage proposal you want chloe but they keep deflecting you with the excuse that the eldest
19:10daughter has to marry first who wouldn't prefer your sister she's not indifferent to me either
19:17she just says she won't compete with you because you liked me first i have a way to get you
19:22what you
19:22want what way we get a fake marriage certificate if chloe really does feel something for you she'll
19:30get jealous when she sees us together right a fake certificate people only realize what they want when
19:36they think they're losing it if you act close to me let her see it she'll be devastated then at
19:42the
19:43ceremony itself i disappear no bride she won't be able to stand watching you humiliated in front of
19:49everyone she'll step in then you tell her it's always been her have a ring ready something chosen
20:00just for her she'll be moved that's not wrong i know we'd never make each other happy you love chloe
20:11that deeply and she feels something for you i'd rather the two of you get to be happy
20:17miss ashford i misjudged you i had no idea you were so generous
20:23as long as you're both happy first snakes were notoriously insatiable snake shifters even more so
20:30if chloe hadn't said he was celibate i never would have asked for him second certain things were simply
20:36too much but i really am getting married so i'll probably need to give you back to chloe for now
20:42she won't be marrying anytime soon something moved behind vance's eyes at last right as something brutal
20:47flickered across his gaze i asked quietly do you wanna go back to chloe have i made you miserable
20:56no you're actually pretty proactive about the housework the next second he lowered himself over me
21:03his shadow swallowing everything then don't even think about getting rid of me i was quiet then i
21:12reached out and gently touched his tail don't worry about what exactly i shook my head inwardly i had a
21:21plan already i haven't lived here in months it's still that strong something dangerous spread through
21:28the air i genuinely feared he'd consume me his sharp teeth dragged against my collarbone
21:36you just took a suppresses yesterday i brought you up here to tell you something i'm getting married
21:43vance didn't release me the way i expected instead his tail coiled tighter and i was lifted and dropped
21:49onto the bed he loomed over me then his tail slipped beneath the hem of my shirt i grabbed it
21:55on instinct
21:55then looked away fast he watched me gaze darkening you dislike me
22:04no that's not aren't you my owner shadow fell over me or are you afraid honestly a little
22:13i came back downstairs to the same quiet i walked over to vance i also had something to say to
22:19him
22:20let me show you my room evan looked at me suspiciously you haven't been back in months what's there to
22:25see
22:29want to come too who said i did chloe was picking through the fruit bowl father's still home
22:36maybe it's not appropriate her voice was deliberate you have three shifters with you
22:41i'm bringing one to my room what exactly is inappropriate
22:47we never
22:50you make a fair point sis
22:53but vance still has to be willing
22:55every pair of eyes in the room turned to the man with the perfectly unreadable face
22:59let's go
23:00i nodded and gestured for him to follow whatever the others looked like behind me
23:05i didn't care to check my room was white and minimal clean someone had kept it dusted i cleared
23:11my throat ready to speak something coiled around my waist the tail your scent is so strong here
23:19register the marriage first hold the wedding after father leaned back in his chair and sift his tea
23:24once everything is settled i'll transfer the five percent i didn't hesitate i want the shares the
23:30moment the certificate is signed the teacup hit the saucer hard the lines around his eyes deepened
23:35with irritation you really have that little faith in your own family i sighed i'm just worried chloe
23:40might throw a fit and my share disappears again he flinched visibly the irritation held but after a
23:45long beat he relented come back with your husband and the marriage certificate it said everything
23:50about what my compliance meant to them and beyond that this share transfer would also serve as a
23:54gesture of loyalty to the man i was marrying after all assets acquired during marriage get split between
23:59spouses i didn't comment on any of that and stood to leave you'll stay at the estate until the wedding
24:06no wandering off and those shifters cut that off before the ceremony that single sentence detonated
24:13evan unfolded himself from the couch pulling that sharp grin come again then a cool hand
24:20yanked me behind him vance smiled barely back off eric's expression hardened what did you just say
24:27the tension in the room snapped taut then chloe came down from upstairs all brightness i could hear
24:33you from my room what's going on they think the mark on my neck is a hickey they seem unhappy
24:39about it
24:39and want to investigate predictably chloe's smile flickered her gaze settled on my neck
24:48so is it what do you think i deflected she didn't answer silence ethan sauntered over hands in his
24:57pocket you always covered marks like that why show it today probably because i don't consider this a
25:04hiccup that seemed to click for the others evan blinked now that you mention it you used to cover
25:08everything eric's eyes narrowed sis father wants you in his study you don't need to follow her up
25:14i slipped my hand quietly from vance's grip and paused i looked back at the room don't give him
25:19trouble we give him trouble elena in your eyes were turned and walked away before he could finish
25:29silence behind me back at the ashford estate the entire first floor just ethan eric and evan the
25:37atmosphere was awkward evan set down his game controller and glanced up eyes tracking from me to vance
25:44ethan drawled why are you here it's my house can i come back ethan's expression didn't change but the
25:51corner of his mouth curved up slightly i stared eric set down the fruit he'd been arranging and walked
25:56toward me chloe said you refused to come home for months and now you show up did you miss us
26:03i stepped
26:04back before i could speak evan stopped don't even wonder without us she couldn't last a day she doesn't
26:10look particularly heartbroken to me ethan's eyes snapped up who asked you sharp hostile energy
26:17surged through the room i reached back quickly and pressed my hand over vance's cool beneath my palm
26:22trying to calm him the same as yesterday wolves and snakes were both apex level shifters if they
26:27actually fought it wouldn't end clean what you brought him here to make us jealous snakes are
26:35cold-blooded and from what chloe says this one's worse than most no feelings at all you don't actually
26:42think you can change him do you then eric grabbed my jaw fingers tight uncomfortably tight his stare
26:50locked onto my neck the mark from last night his voice came down slow and deliberate what's that a
26:56hickey i rushed after him found him bent over the washing machine pulling out clean laundry piece
27:01by piece hanging it to dry eric had put my clothes in the wash that morning he hadn't taken them
27:05out
27:05before he left i watched vance's long fingers handle my clothes and scratched my cheek i'll buy a dryer in
27:12a few days then you won't have to do this vance said nothing i never got the chance to buy
27:16that dryer
27:16the next morning an uninvited guest appeared the ashford estate's butler stood at my door with measured
27:23deference miss your father says you've had enough time it's time to return and proceed with the
27:30arranged marriage no the butler smiled miss this is the wish of both the master and madam he stepped
27:40aside several bodyguards materialized behind him i laughed coldly aren't you worried i'll stab the man
27:47with a knife on the wedding day and then kill myself the butler's expression faltered the master said
27:52should you agree to the marriage you will receive five percent of the ashford group shares hand on
27:58the door went still the butler seemed to have anticipated exactly this the car is waiting
28:03downstairs also the second miss asked that you bring mr vance along i glanced back advance we made eye
28:13contact his dark eyes were as unreadable as ever yet somehow a chill crawled down my spine good thing the
28:21door had closed in time the scent hadn't drifted out the footsteps faded i pushed the snake shifter
28:26off and didn't let myself look at his tail i rummaged quickly for the heat suppressants the same ones i'd
28:32used on ethan eric and evan during their heat cycles when it became too much even for me plenty left
28:38i
28:38tossed them to him then went to wash my face when i came back to the living room his tail
28:43was gone the man
28:44was draped across the couch long legs crossed expression back to its cold shuttered default
28:50he glanced up at me i thought you were i started confused celibate his voice was low and rough it's
28:56a theological response it's been too long since my last suppressor oh knowing chloe's personality
29:00if she'd actually wanted to sleep with him she wouldn't have kept him on suppressants and judging
29:04by what had just happened it wasn't like he could hold back indefinitely so how had he been managing
29:08before but if he didn't want to say i wasn't going to pry i poured a glass of warm water
29:12and handed it
29:13to him rest today you can help with the housework tomorrow and if you need more recovery time take
29:18it he cut me off you treated them the same way i blinked them he meant ethan and the others
29:23i was
29:23quiet for a second then nodded equality between pure humans and shifters was the standard now
29:29technically but given a shifter's nature the bonding the recognition of owners there was always
29:34emphasis on extending extra consideration to them long quietness my name is vance i registered it and
29:41smiled nice to meet you i'm elena he stood expressionless and walked toward the balcony
29:46the bedroom isn't that way wait are you going to jump if you don't like it here i can ask
29:51chloe to
29:51take you but his tail cushioned the impact it didn't hurt his breath spilled across my neck
29:56my skin broke into shivers then sharp knocking at the door eric's voice from outside are you okay
30:02my fingers stirred the pale cold gold vertical pupils staring down at me seemed to darken the
30:08coil around my waist tightened i didn't reach for the door are you in pain let me get you some
30:14heat
30:14suppresses okay the pressure around me paused the mating scent that had been thickening stopped
30:19spreading more knocking harder now chloe's voice uncertain sis are you both okay in there i thought i'd
30:25calmed him down i let out a breath i was about to speak a coldness at my neck he bit
30:30me not soft
30:31like claiming something and yet beneath it a trace of something almost indulgent i muffled a sound my
30:37voice came out slightly adrift we're fine you can go ethan's drawl you sure she said she's fine evan
30:46cut in impatient then a beat later elena that snake didn't hit you did he no i bit my lower
30:52lip behind
30:52my neck a cool tongue traced over the mark chloe didn't explain she studied my expression nothing there
30:58maybe one of them should stay with you you seem upset evan didn't move from chloe's side ethan
31:05leaned against the wall bored eric's smile stayed thin and cool no one spoke chloe wasn't surprised
31:11she gave me a small comforting smile between the two of us i was never the one who got chosen
31:17we'd both
31:18made peace with that a long time ago and him add my words chloe's posture barely shifted then she turned
31:25towards the door come in heavy footsteps a man stepped forward tall with an almost aggressive stillness
31:32to him the next second i was looking directly into a pair of dark shadow filled eyes
31:40hello his gaze came from above sticking appraising i broke out in goosebumps he didn't acknowledge me
31:48he's just like this sis if it's too much tell me and i'll take him back who is he chloe
31:54clearly
31:54didn't want to explain i didn't know where to begin either she smiled and pivoted the car's waiting
32:01downstairs shall we the wolves were quiet for a beat then didn't push further they followed chloe out on
32:08long strides the snake shifter stayed i was about to close the door when eric looked back at me
32:14something unreadable in his face and the man beside me suddenly contracted his pupils into a cold
32:21a smooth tail wound around my waist a strange overwhelming scent burst through the air
32:34not keeping one for yourself which of you wants to stay with me the air curdled no one answered
32:39finally evan got up and went to open the door he rolled his eyes a flick of contempt on his
32:45face
32:45stop pretending to be decent both of you chloe's bright smile filled the frame hi boys
32:52my sister already explained things right you all belong to me now hey there new mistress chloe
32:59looked him over with satisfaction then let her gaze sweep across eric and ethan you're all gorgeous
33:06did you pack actually never mind i'm sure my sister couldn't afford to buy you much anyway
33:11we'll get everything new at the villa ethan gave a lazy murmur of agreement eric glanced at chloe then
33:17slid his eyes over to me i kept my face blank every set of eyes in the room landed on
33:22me at once
33:23chloe noticed she walked up to me don't worry sis i'll take better care of them and when you're
33:29done playing house just come home and do the arranged marriage stop stressing mom and dad
33:35arranged marriage what arranged marriage i quietly turned back i was used to it honestly everyone
33:42gravitated toward chloe she was radiant and magnetic every gesture every smile pulled at people
33:47without even trying standing next to her i felt exactly like what i was plain and unremarkable chloe
33:53glanced around your apartment is so much smaller than the family estate is there even enough room
33:59for them it's fine then i watched ethan usually disinterested in everything let his gaze drift to chloe
34:05eric's devastating smile turned itself on her instead even evan the moody one propped his head up to
34:12stare at her his wolf ears flickering non-stop chloe didn't seem to notice she sipped her water with
34:17perfect innocence in that moment i knew my things were about to drift quietly toward chloe again after
34:24that the gentle clingy warmth disappeared they became cooler like they wanted me destroyed like
34:30they couldn't stop themselves until i heard their conversation i'd been right all along one look at chloe
34:36and they'd fallen the afternoon came fast a knock at the door chloe arrived the silence that had
34:42settled over the apartment deepened into something heavier you're really giving all three of us to her
34:48yes i found the three wolf pups on a wet gray afternoon they were collapsed on the concrete
34:54firm matted blood soaked from the rain i almost walked away but then one of them flicked its tail just
35:01twice slow and weak then curled it around my ankle i couldn't leave them i brought them home under my
35:07care they recovered fast a few months later they hit their maturation phase and all three of them shifted
35:13into men i should have brought them to a shifter registry but the registry told me they'd already bonded
35:18recognized me completely as their owner releasing them without care would cause serious psychological harm
35:24i looked at those three pairs of beautiful eyes and caved i let them stay they said they had no
35:30names
35:30so i gave them some oldest to youngest ethan eric evan young hot-blooded wolf shifters with energy to
35:37burn even in human form they couldn't stop their ears and tails from flickering clinging to me every hour
35:43of every day then one afternoon chloe called sis aren't you going to come home for the arranged marriage
35:50the man has had three wives die on him and he's ugly but his family has money i looked away
35:55that
35:56was exactly why my family had cut me off after i fought the arrangement they couldn't bring themselves
36:01to send chloe in my place so instead they applied steady relentless pressure on me eric who always
36:07read the room perfectly don't like the call hang up what was that voice i took the opening to change
36:12the subject i rescued three injured wolf pups a while back they just shifted recently and they won't
36:18leave me alone i can barely keep up a few seconds of silence i'm honestly jealous my snake shifter
36:24won't even let me touch him he'll warm up eventually chloe just gave a soft unconvinced hum the next day
36:31she showed up at my door with bags upon bags she wore a pretty little white dress beaming at me
36:38surprise sis i turned around all three shifters eyes went straight to her
36:43the three wolves i saved wanted me in bed every single day but the truth is they didn't like me
36:49they just wanted to use me to get close to my sister so i called her and asked to switch
36:54mates
36:54three horny wolves in exchange for one cold serpent today after being fully claimed i fell into sound
37:01sleep god look at her that body that stamina and she thought she could handle three of us doesn't
37:07matter the second she taps out she'll hand us off to her sister she can't even get out of bed
37:11right now
37:11a few more days of this and she'll give up on us for good the conversation from the living room
37:15kept going they thought i was still asleep i kept my eyes low watching the marks on my wrists and
37:20legs
37:21and the amber glow of the bedside lamp every single one of them unmistakable she's not gonna hand all
37:26three of us over to her sister right which means at least one of us stays elena's dull and boring
37:32you want to stay go ahead i don't same whatever fate decides is she up yet no way she was
37:39crying so
37:40hard she nearly passed out she's not waking up anytime soon so weak let's get her up in a bit
37:45a few more days of this and she'll give up on us my vision went dark i reached for my
37:49phone face pale
37:50and called chloe she picked up fast what's wrong sis weren't you just saying you were unsatisfied
37:57take all three of mine give me that celibate snake shifter of yours
38:03is that okay are they willing they like you she understood because it was the truth everyone
38:11liked chloe more all right your place is small anyway not really ideal for them but my snake shifter
38:18sis he's cold if he weren't celibic i wouldn't have asked for him in the first place
38:25i'm completely wrecked i just need someone to handle the housework
38:32i just hope he doesn't turn out like these three wolves don't worry i haven't managed to tame him
38:39yet he's not going to be interested in you i'll come pick them up this afternoon the line went dead
38:44that exact second the bedroom door swung open you're up he crossed the room and reached for my blanket
38:49wait what is it mistress i'm exhausted i need to rest can't do that he said easily mistress you
38:56took us in that means you're responsible for us we're nowhere near satisfied if you rest what are
39:00we supposed to do chloe's coming to take all of you this afternoon he went still the two leaning in
39:08the doorway froze too which two of us all of you
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