Mia
“Make sure you see me immediately after your meal.”
I frowned as I heard those words. I already knew Albert too much to know that those words didn’t mean something good. A row was about to go down between Quinn and his father and I was curious to know what it was.
I looked at his brothers and they didn’t seem bothered as if they already knew what it was about and didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire.
I started to rush my food just as I noticed that Quinn was doing the same. I didn’t want to miss out on the fun. He didn’t seem eager to leave the table even though he was rushing his meal so he could leave early and I knew at that time that it was a serious case. That made me eager to find out what it was. I couldn’t help wondering if something had been happening to Quinn while I was busy running from home.
I gasped at the thought that crept into my head as I remembered what Albert had told me. I hoped that it wasn’t time to choose an alpha and Quinn would have to fight for his life or lose it.
I was just starting to like him. I didn’t want him to die so soon.
Like him? I blanched at my thought.
“Please excuse me. I have to meet with dad.”Quinn said, pushing himself off the chair.
I snapped to attention, pushing off the thoughts in my head. I had no time to waste thinking of what wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t like Quinn and that was it. If I kept denying it, one day, I was going to believe it.
I did justice to my food and stood up from my chair two minutes after Quinn had left.
“Please excuse me. It was a long trip and I would like to retire early.”
“Okay. Goodnight, darling.” Mum smiled at me.
“Goodnight, sister.” Jack replied.
I ignored him. He really needed to stop calling me sister with that tone that made it too obvious that he didn’t think of me as one.
I was amazed at how pure-hearted and oblivious my mum or she should have suspected how her step-sons thought of her only daughter.
I made a turn to Albert’s study and hoped that I was right that the boys weren’t interested in knowing what was about to happen between their father and their brother. It would be awkward if they found me standing at the entrance to their father’s study and eavesdropping when I had told them that I was going to my room to sleep.
I didn’t need to stick to the door. Albert was yelling loudly at Quinn and I could hear him clearly.
“Can you hear yourself, Quinn? You are sorry you lost control? You didn’t mean to mark her? You weren’t meant to sleep with her at all. She is your sister. How do I explain this to Veronica? Were you thinking at all? How would you mark your sister as your mate?”
What? I gasped. How did Albert know that I had slept with Quinn? I couldn’t believe that Quinn had told him. Why would he do that? What did Albert mean that Quinn had marked me?
“You could have had any other lady, why did it have to be Mia?” Albert said.
“Dad, it has always been Mia.” I heard Quinn say. “I had never thought of her as a sister. None of us ever did. You know of what happened in the past. I have wanted her since then.”
Albert groaned and I could imagine him putting his hand on his temple and rubbing against it to ward off a headache.
“You could have lost those feelings of yours the moment she became your sister. How hard is that to do?”
“I tried, dad. We all tried, dad but it wasn’t easy.”
Albert sighed. “If I had known how the three of you felt about her, I would have sent her abroad till you find a way.”
“Wouldn’t that be meddling with her life, dad?”
“Don’t you dare tell me what meddling is! How is it different from what you have done? You marked her. You fucking marked her, Quinn.”
I jumped as I heard a crashing sound and knew that Albert had thrown away something in his anger.
“I lost control, dad.”
“Don’t patronize me, Quinn. We both know you have always wanted to do that the moment you decided she was going to be your mate. I know your brothers would also like to mark her since you all want her as your mate.” He sighed. “Why did you have to choose a girl I already adopted as my daughter as your mate?”
“You can still have her as your daughter-in-law, dad.”
Albert hissed. “Don’t.”
“I’m sorry, dad.”
“Don’t tell me that because I know you are not. You would mark her again if you have another chance to. How do I explain to my wife that her daughter would have to get married to my three sons? What a big messed up family we have become.”
Albert barked out a mocking laugh and continued. “I already have a headache thinking of how I was going to explain to Veronica that the three of you would be with one woman when you finally pick a mate. How do I tell her that her daughter would be the one you would all be mated to? Did you boys think of the dilemma you were going to put me through when you started liking Mia? I didn’t think I was raising such selfish boys.”
“How does she feel about you? Is the feeling mutual? Was she the one who encouraged you? Does she like you? I can’t even ask if she likes the three of you because I know that would still sound crazy to her. Please tell me she likes you. I can’t bear to think that you forced yourself on her.”
“No, dad. I didn’t force myself on her but I know she regrets being with me right now.”
“And you marked her?” Albert yelled at him.
With the way he shouted, I was expecting him to land a slap on Quinn’s cheek. I was curious with this marking thing and wanted to know what it meant and why Albert was getting worked up.
“You marked a girl who isn’t wholly interested in being with you. What if she doesn’t want you? You have ruined her for life and ruined her chances, you manipulative bastard.”
“I hope that you will believe me that I got carried away, dad. I didn’t mean to do that to her. As much as I wanted to mark her as mine, I didn’t want her to love me because she has no choice.”
I have no choice? What were they talking about? I still had my strong will. I wasn’t going to be with Quinn if I didn’t want to, regardless of the marking they were talking about.
“How do your brothers feel about this? I’m sure they would have known that you slept with her. Your mark is all over her and every werewolf out there would know she is yours. I knew immediately I saw her that you have slept with her. No human male would get close to her to ask her out again. They would always feel like she is taken.” Albert sighed. “I’m not sure she is ready for this change in her life.”
I gasped, covered my mouth to hold the tears in as I ran to my bedroom. Quinn hadn’t told his father that we had slept together. I had told everyone myself by coming back home. I wished I had known that bastard had marked me.
No wonder the boys and Albert had been staring at me all day and I had no idea. I felt embarrassed and ran to my room as fast as I could so no one would see me.
I felt ashamed that they had all known that I had slept with Quinn and I had no clue of it. I wondered if they had even imagined me in bed with him.
How would I face Albert when I see him? What would he even think of me? It shamed and pained me that he would think of me as a slut. He had thought of me as his precious daughter and I had disappointed him.
Everything that had happened to me began to make sense and I was filled with a fresh wave of regret for sleeping with Quinn.