Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Clay’s POV

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Lucian’s gaze flicked to me, the disappointment clear in his eyes. He wasn’t ready to let her go yet, not after the progress they’d made.

“Scarlett,” he said softly, reaching out. She paused, looking down at him, her face a mix of shyness and apprehension. It was clear she was still processing everything, still carrying the scars of past hurt. But Lucian’s expression held a quiet plea, and though he didn’t say anything more, I could see the hope in his gaze.

“Please stay a bit. Maxwell and Clay just got home,” Lucian pleaded, his voice soft, and she looked over at me, gauging my expression. I smiled and added, “Please.” After a brief hesitation, she nodded, and I poured her a small drink.

“This’ll warm you up,” I said, handing her the glass, but as I was about to pass it to her, a thought hit me. If Thomas’s reports had been false, then maybe Scarlett didn’t drink as we’d assumed. I paused, curiosity getting the better of me. “Scarlett, be honest with me… when did you have your first drink?” Her cheeks flushed, and I saw the answer in her eyes before she even spoke.

“No way, Scarlett. No way,” I said, astonished, my tone somewhere between amusement and disbelief. Lucian, unable to hold back, wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her close and burying his face in her neck, breathing in her scent as if he couldn’t get enough.

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I could feel his wolf surging to the surface, just as mine, Vinn, stirred restlessly. The mate bond’s pull was overwhelming now, unrestrained by any grudges or lingering resentments, and controlling our wolves was becoming a struggle.

“Scarlett,” I murmured, gently framing my next question, “would you mind sleeping here tonight, in this apartment? We promise… we won’t touch you in any way you’re not comfortable with.” I glanced at Lucian, who looked at her with hopeful eyes, silently urging her to agree. But I could see from the look on her face that she wasn’t quite ready to take that step.

“Never mind,” I said quickly, softening my tone. “Another time, maybe. For tonight, just hang out with us a bit longer.” Her

expression softened with relief, and she gave a small smile, reassured.

As we all sat together, I could still see traces of the pain and distrust in her eyes. Scarlett had been through more than we could

understand, and while she was here, she wasn’t yet fully open to us. There was still so much healing to be done, so much work to

regain her trust. But as I watched her laugh, feeling the warmth of the bond start to melt away the hurt, I knew that all three of us

would do whatever it took to break through her defenses and finally, truly, welcome her home.

Seeing Scarlett relax and smile, truly smile, was like witnessing a sunrise after a long, stormy night. She was most comfortable with

me, and that small trust she placed in me felt precious, something I didn’t take lightly.

Lucian watched her, and his eyes flashed black–Tiger, his wolf, showing himself in a silent display of possessiveness. Scarlett just

smiled back, and I knew exactly why. She’d met Tiger and spent time with him, had already felt that grounding presence, and Vinn,

my wolf, immediately simmered with jealousy.

“You let Tiger beat us to it,” Vinn grumbled in my mind, and I couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy myself. Lucian, who had

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always seemed the least likely to open up, had moved faster than any of us.

When Scarlett gave a gentle “Okay,” accepting the drink, I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding, feeling like a teenager experiencing all this for the first time. I handed her the small glass, and together we clinked

of us burst out laughing, watching her struggle with the bite of the alcohol.

step toward healing. Scarlett swallowed the vodka, and her reaction was

glasses, a subtle but momentous

scrunched–up face. The three

and a

The innocence we’d been so blind to was evident, painfully so, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. The signs had been there from the beginning, but we had buried ourselves in mistrust, anger, and assumptions. It had taken us so long to realise it, and the haunted look in her eyes, that fragile wariness, was our doing. We’d broken her, treated her as anything but a mate, and the weight of that mistake settled heavily on me.

Maxwell joined us, his excitement evident. He lifted Scarlett in his arms, spinning her around before lowering her and capturing her lips in a soft, deep kiss. The connection was electric, his hand pulling her closer by the waist, and I could feel the surge of désire between them. Her scent changed, sweetening with arousal, her excitement an unspoken invitation. But as much as the moment charged the air with tension, I knew we couldn’t rush this. We’d already taken so much from her; we had to rebuild her trust slowly, give her the chance to truly want this on her terms.

When Maxwell finally broke the kiss, I moved forward, meeting her eyes, feeling the softness and desire there. Without hesitation, I leaned in, pressing my lips to hers, tasting the warmth and sweetness of as she responded in kind. Each kiss was a step closer to

deserve.

the future we could have, a future that we now had

o work tirelessly er

Her lips were like silk, her mint scent wrapping around me, filling me with a bliss I’d never felt before. I could sense Vinn, my wolf,

straining to break free, to fully claim her as ours, but I forced myself to pull back, reigning in every urge to take her right then and there. As I broke the kiss, I couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful she looked, her lips flushed and a hint of green lighting up

her eyes, as if our bond itself was weaving magic into her gaze.

In that moment, I felt something shift, a cord connecting us all, binding her to each of us and us to her. The sensation was unlike

anything I’d known, a rush of sweet, aching pull that vibrated through me.

The mate bond was alive, the connection intensifying with every shared glance, touch, and kiss. The pull toward her was almost

dizzying, nearly sending Vinn into a frenzy. My wolf’s instincts screamed to seal the bond, to complete the connection, but

Scarlett’s needs came first. She deserved time, the chance to grow into this bond, to get to know each of us and to decide, willingly,

to let us in.

I lifted her, beating Lucian to it, and a soft giggle escaped her. I could smell the subtle shift in her scent, the hint of arousal

blending with her usual freshness, tempting me. But I held back, determined to take this slow, savouring every moment and each

step forward. This was only the beginning, and I knew we’d built something special here, something worth protecting.

The best part was the sense of unity settling among us. For the first time, I felt a shared purpose, a calm certainty that we could

move forward without the weight of resentment and mistrust hanging over us. The days ahead were full of potential-

-our roles as

alphas, our territories, and now Scarlett, our mate. We could finally live and rule with purpose, not divided by old wounds but

united in something we were only beginning to understand.

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Chapter 42

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