Reborn as a villain:Claim the omega, Kiss the beta, Kill the dukes Chapter 47: Simple

Chapter 46

Nolan

"What?!"

The word rips out of , ragged and raw, louder than I an it to be. But how else am I supposed to respond to sothing this—this insane?

"Are you out of your goddamn mind? That’s your lover!"

Ciel just stands there, calm as ever, with that infuriating little scoff. That tiny tilt of his chin that says he thinks he’s already won the argunt before it even starts.

"You think I’m a fucking idiot, don’t you?" he says softly, but the bite underneath is sharp as broken glass.

"Nolan, I’ve been lusted after my whole life. My whole life. If there’s one emotion I can recognize—even with my eyes closed—it’s when soone wants to fuck soone."

The words hit like a slap.

I should shout back. Should tell him he’s wrong, but the way his golden eyes fix on bright, unwavering, certain, I feel the bottom drop out of my stomach.

I look away, ashad. My jaw tightens.

"No, Ciel. It’s not..." My voice cracks. "It’s not like that."

"Oh really?" His lips curve into a mocking half-smile. "Really?"

***

Ciel

It’s almost funny, watching Nolan try to deny what we both know is true. He really thought I couldn’t see it—, of all people? I’ve spent my life being stared at, pawed at, desired like a jewel in a marketplace.

I know the weight of a gaze. I know when hunger is in the air.

And Nolan... he isn’t subtle.

Folding my arms. "It’s obvious. Everywhere. Every ti. Each interaction you two have, I can feel it. Each ti Jack kisses , I can feel your eyes burning holes into us."

Nolan flinches.

"You want him, Nolan. Don’t you dare lie to ."

His mouth opens, closes, his throat working like he’s choking down words.

"I’ve seen it," I continue, relentless. "The way you watch him in the gym. The way your gaze lingers when he bends. I’ve seen you look at his arms, his chest, his V-line. More importantly—his bulge."

"Stop," Nolan mutters, voice low, dangerous.

"Hm?" I tilt my head. "You want to stop? Even though I haven’t gotten to the best part? Like the day I ca into the laundry room and I caught you sniff—"

"Stop!" His voice cracks like a whip, harsh enough to sting my ears.

The silence after feels thick, ugly.

He drops his gaze, ashad, shoulders rigid. "I get it," he whispers. "I get your point."

***

Nolan

My hands won’t stop shaking.

God. He knows. He knows.

And the worst part? He isn’t even angry. He isn’t screaming at , isn’t telling to get the fuck out of the house. He’s just looking at .

Those golden eyes, gentle and devastating, seeing too much. I forget as well as I know Ciel, he knows just as much.

"I’m sorry, Ciel." My voice cos out hoarse. I wring my hands together, clenching so hard my knuckles ache.

"I don’t... I didn’t an to hurt you."

He kneels in front of suddenly, the way he always does when he wants to listen. Like when we were younger. Like when I’d cry and he’d grab my face and tell to breathe. His hands cover mine now, warm and steady.

"I’m not mad," he says softly. "I’m not. Look at him, look at Jack. It’s hard not to be attracted to him."

His lips twitch into the faintest smile.

"But you know as well as I do, what makes Jack dangerous isn’t his physical appearance. It’s his soul. He’s already handso, but that nature of his? It multiplies him by a thousand."

Sothing inside twists, and I don’t know if it’s relief or devastation.

"I’m sorry," I whisper again. "It’s just—you’re with him. And I..."

Ciel shakes his head, cutting off.

"Nollie. Don’t you like this place? This environnt? When was the last ti we had this? A ho. Safety. Peace. It’s been years."

I look away, jaw tight.

"You always said you wanted us to have a ho," he continues, voice low and persuasive.

"Well we have it now. Shouldn’t we defend it?"

My chest feels heavy. "What does that have to do with sleeping with Jack?"

***

Ciel

I watch the war play out in his expression—the disbelief, the fury, the sha. He still doesn’t see it. He still doesn’t understand.

"Jack likes . He likes Lanny. He doesn’t mind our presence here. But Jack is also a man. Not just any man—an alpha. It’s built into them to want sex." I pause, watching his throat bob as he swallows.

"He doesn’t mind now. But how long is that going to last?"

Nolan shakes his head, muttering, "You’re overthinking."

I lean closer. "Am I? What happens when soone else cos along? Soone new, shiny, untouched. Soone who doesn’t co with baggage? Do you think a new lover would tolerate us here? ? You? The baby?"

His jaw clenches.

"Exactly," I murmur.

"This peace—it’s fragile. If Jack leaves, everything collapses. I can’t lose him."

***

Nolan

He’s spiraling. I can see it. But what scares most is the way his words are crawling under my skin, digging hooks into my ribs.

"Ciel—"

"This morning," he interrupts, voice deadly calm, "Jack received a text."

My stomach sinks.

"I didn’t want to go through his phone," he admits, guilt flickering across his face. "But sothing told to. It was a naked picture. From a beautiful man."

I freeze.

"But Jack wouldn’t..." The protest dies halfway out of .

"I know," Ciel says quickly.

"I scrolled. He’s been texting himself in that chat. But further back—there’s history. They had sothing once. Sexual. Maybe more. I don’t know how serious it was. But it was there."

My stomach twists violently at the thought of Jack with soone else.

"And what happens," Ciel presses, voice rising, "if that man keeps pushing? Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But a few weeks from now? A few months?"

I shut my eyes, jaw aching.

"Let get this straight," I grit out, trying to ground myself in logic.

"You’re asking —your best friend, a beta—to sleep with your alphalover because you can’t, and you’re afraid he might go back to his old fling?"

"Yes." His voice doesn’t waver.

I bark out a laugh, sharp and humorless. "That’s absurd."

"Do you have an alternative?" Ciel shoots back instantly.

"What do you want to do? Force myself to go all the way with him? Tear myself apart just to keep him satisfied?"

"Of course not!" I snap, heart pounding. "Don’t you dare say that."

"Then what, Nollie?" His voice cracks on my na. "What else is there? You’re attracted to him. You think I don’t see it? Why not?"

"Because he’s your lover!"

"And I’d rather it be you than soone else," he snaps back, eyes blazing, raw and desperate.

The silence that follows is deafening.

***

Ciel

Nolan keeps quiet, but I can see the war raging in him. His fists clench, his chest rises and falls too fast, and his eyes ,those clear, ocean-blue eyes are wide with horror and sothing else.

He doesn’t understand. This isn’t betrayal. This is survival. Jack is ours now. He is the cornerstone of this fragile peace, and I refuse to let him slip away. If I can’t give him what he needs, then Nolan will. It’s that simple.