“You can’t stop it, Mom,” Ryan said evenly. “The bond is the bond.”
“I will! And don’t you dare look me in the eye and act like this is right! Before you laid a hand on her, did you tell us? Did you ask? Did you even think about how this would destroy her? No-you went ahead. How many times, Ryan? How many times have you done this?”
“Mom!”
She suddenly yanked me from his side, her grip strong. “How many times did he sleep with you?”
I couldn’t answer. My whole body was shaking.
“Did he force it on you?”
I looked at Ryan, my eyes filling with tears. I didn’t know what to say. My voice wouldn’t come.
“Anna, baby,” Ryan’s voice was softer now, almost pleading.
“Anna…” Mom’s voice softened, almost pleading now. “Please. Tell me he didn’t hurt you. Tell me my son isn’t that kind of man.”
“Mommy…”
I was shaking so hard I couldn’t breathe. Mom took my silence as an answer, and the look she turned on Ryan was something I’d never seen before, something that mode my stomach twist until I could barely breathe.
ANNA’S POV
Mom looked at Ryon with this expression I had never seen on her before, and I instantly panicked because I knew whatever was coming next wasn’t going to be good. My mouth moved before I could even think, my voice shaking but loud enough for everyone to hear, “Ryan didn’t force it on me. It was mutual.” and then, before I could stop myself, I added quietly, “I love Ryan.”
It was as if the air got sucked out of the room. Mom heard it. Dad heard it. In fact, everyone heard it. Their eyes widened in shock, and I could see Mom’s lips part slightly like she couldn’t believe what I had just said. Ryan, on the other hand, looked… pleased. He didn’t hesitate, walking over to me and pulling me into his arms as he said, I love you too, Anna.”
Mom stared at the both of us like we had lost our minds. “This must be a fucking joke,” she spat. Then she turned fully to me, her eyes sharp, her voice dropping into that tone that made me feel about two inches tall. “Honey.. you’re still too young. You don’t even understand what you mean by love. Ryan is your brother, your big brother. You’re confusing the love you’ve always had for him as your brother with something romantic, when it’s really just brotherly love.”
She didn’t give me a chance to reply before she continued, her voice shaking with anger. “I know exactly what I’m going to do. Bringing you over here was the biggest mistake I’ve ever mode. From now on, you’re going to live in the dorms. I’ll find a spot for you. I didn’t push for it before when they told me it was filled because I thought you. staying with Ryan would be better than staying in the dorm. I thought you two could bond… but not like this. Definitely not this kind of bonding.”
My chest tightened so much I could barely breathe while I tried to understand why she was being like this. She turned to Dad, her voice suddenly calm but cold. “I think we’re late for the dinner. Let’s go. Ryan needs to get himself occupied with another lody. The engagement must be finalized today.”
Her words stabbed right into me, as if she was cutting away any hope I had. I didn’t understand why she was so against this, against me and Ryan. We weren’t blood related. I knew she valued her friendship with my late mom, but I was so sure my mom wouldn’t have minded me being with Ryan. I was certain of it..
Ryan’s jaw ticked, his anger showing in the way his shoulders squared as if he was trying not to explode. “I’m going to stop this betrothal,” he said, his voice hard. “I don’t love Sophie, and I don’t plan on having anything to do with her.”
Tears burned my eyes, and I could feel them spilling down my cheeks. “It’s Anna 1 love, Mom,” Ryan said firmly. “Please, don’t make this harder for us.”
“I won’t accept this,” Mom shot back instantly.
“Mom! There’s no changing this,” Ryan said, his voice rising. “Anna’s the one for me. The one the goddess fated to be mine.”
That made my head snap up. I blinked at him, confused. “What does that mean?” I blurted out, my voice cracking. All eyes turned to me.
“Dad, you promised you’d explain it all to me,” I said quickly, my voice trembling but firm. “So please, I’m listening. I want to understand what Ryan means by me being his fated mate.”
There was a heavy sigh from everyone before Ryan stepped closer to me, his eyes locked on mine. “It means we’re meant to be together. It means we’re made for each other. Baby, that strange feeling you get whenever you’rewith me… that pull you feel when I’m close to you pull. That’s what it is.” that ache you had when I stayed away from you, that’s the
I frowned, still not fully getting it. “I… don’t understand.”
Dad finally spoke, his tone serious as he looked between us. “Anna, we aren’t pure humans.”
“What?”
“Yes,” Dad continued. “We’re werewolves. If you don’t know what that means… well, I’m sure you’ve heard of it from books. Most romance authors write about us.”
I shook my head slightly. “I’m not a fan of romance novels, so I’ve never really…
Dad sighed and explained it in a way I could understand. He told me that Ryan being my mate meant he was chosen for me by the goddess, that no one else could ever compare, that we were bound in a way that went beyond human relationships. The more he spoke, the more I started to understand, but before I could say anything, Mom cut in sharply.
“Still… it won’t work.”
Ryan’s head snapped toward her. “Why not?! You and Dad did the same!”
Mom let out a slow breath, looking at him with something between pity and frustration. “Ryan… it’s different. Your dad and I were different. Your dad wasn’t adopted into the family. I didn’t see him as an older brother. I saw him as my stepmother’s son. He never lived with us, he stayed away, so it was different. But you and Anna… you both grew up together. She’s adopted into the family. Even though she’s not blood related, she’s your sister. She’s adopted into this family as our own. You both just… can’t happen. You can’t compare it to us. Do you understand, Ryan?”
Ryan’s voice was tight as he gritted his teeth. “Then it’s too late. Anna and I are already intimate.”
“It’s not too late,” Mom shot back quickly. “We’ll close this chapter. It’s over. It was a mistake. You’re both young and clouded by emotions. It was my fault, and I’ll take the blame. I caused this, so I’ll make it right. Anna won’t stay here any longer. She’ll move into the dorms at her school, and you, you’ll get engaged to Sophie, take over the company and your dad’s pack, and move on with your life. You’ll marry Sophie, she’s good for you. She’s royalty. Her dad’s the alpha King of Europe. You’re a perfect match. Forget Anna.”
“No!” Ryan’s voice boomed, but Mom’s words were final.
Dad let out a long sigh, looking at Ryan. “I think your mom’s right.”
ANNA’S POV
“Then I’m not going to that dinner,” Ryan said sharply, his voice low but so full of anger it was as if it could cut through the air, making my chest tighten.
He looked straight at Mom and added, “If you both want to act this way, if you refuse to see things as they’re meant to be, then forget that dinner. I’m not going.”
Mom’s eyes narrowed, her voice rising. “Fine, don’t go, Ryan. Act all mighty, act all strong, but one thing you will never get is Anna. She’s your sister, and that’s all you should know.”
She turned to Dod. “Cancel the dinner with Alpha King George, I won’t attend either, not while Ryan is acting like this. You can cancel it.”
Dad’s phone rang, breaking the tense silence in the room. He glanced at the screen, his eyes narrowing slightly before he answered.
“George,” he said, his voice calm but firm. I couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, only the low rumble of a deep voice through the receiver. Dad’s expression shifted almost instantly, his jaw tightening, his eyes flicking away from us as if something urgent had just landed in his lap.
“Yes…. I see,” he said quietly. “That’s a problem… No, I understand.” He rubbed the back of his neck while pacing a few steps before finally stopping, “We’ll have to reschedule the family dinner then. I’ll be there.”
He ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket “Something urgent came up,” Dad said simply, his gaze sweeping over all of us. “I have to go.”
No one asked questions, but the air in the room seemed to grow even heavier now that the dinner was off and Dad was leaving in a hurry.
Mom suddenly turned to me. “Anna, baby, come with me. We’re going to our room. We need to start packing. You’re not staying in this house one more minute.”
Even though I didn’t want to leave, I followed her. When we got fo the room, I tried to speak, to tell her to stop, but the look on her face was enough to silence me. She yanked open the closet and started throwing clothes into a suitcase, the sound of hangers clattering making my stomach twist.
“Mom, please “I started, my voice breaking.
She didn’t stop until she saw me crying. Then she came over and sat beside me on the bed, her voice softer but still firm. “Anna, my dear… you might think you love Ryan, but you don’t. It’s just the love you’ve always had for him as your brother, and you’ve mistaken it for something romantic. I know you’re confused, and I know you two were already… involved before I found out. But you have to listen to me, Ryan is your older brother. This was a mistake, and I’m going to make it right.”
Her hand was warm against mine, but her words were deep. “I don’t want you repeating the same mistake I made. You’re still too young, just nineteen. You should be focused on your studies, not on this, not on mistaking brotherly love for romantic love.”
She closed the suitcase with a snap. “Let’s go to the dorm. That’s where you’ll stay from now on.
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