Mia’s POV
I stared at him, my heart slamming against my ribs.
This had to be some kind of trick.
The man standing before me-the Alpha who carried himself with the weight of power and authority-looked exactly like me. The same high cheekbones, the same stormy eyes, the same dark hair. It was like I had been split in two, like fate had been playing a twisted joke on me this whole time.
The brothers were frozen beside me, their tension thick, their gazes locked onto him like he was a threat.
I stepped forward cautiously, my body tight with suspicion. “Who are you?” My voice came out sharper than I intended.
The man smiled faintly, his gaze never leaving mine. “I’m Lucas.” He tilted his head, studying me like he was seeing a ghost. “And I believe… I’m your brother.”
My breath caught.
Brother?
The word felt foreign, impossible.
A laugh slipped past my lips, sharp and humorless. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not,” Lucas said smoothly, his voice calm, unwavering. “We were separated at birth.”
I swallowed, my throat dry. “No. I don’t have a brother. My mother-” I stopped myself, shaking my head. My mother never spoke about my past, never told me anything about where I truly came from.
Lucas took a step closer, his presence overpowering, but not in a threatening way. “You were taken. Hidden away. I’ve been looking for you for years, Mia.”
I stiffened at the way he said my name. Like he knew me. Like he had been searching for me.
The brothers tensed beside me, their protective instincts kicking in even though I wanted nothing to do with them.
Nathan narrowed his eyes. “How do we know you’re telling the truth?”
Lucas didn’t even spare him a glance. His focus remained on me. “Because you know it’s true,” he murmured. “You feel it, don’t you?”
I hated that I did.
There was something deep inside me, something beyond the mate bond, beyond anything I had ever felt before. A connection. A pull that told me he wasn’t lying.
But still, I hesitated. “Why now?”
Lucas exhaled, his gaze softening. “Because I only recently found out you were alive. That you survived.” His jaw tightened slightly, his emotions carefully restrained. “I wouldn’t have left you alone if I had known sooner.”
The weight of his words settled in my chest, and for the first time, I felt something other than pain, other than anger-I felt…
Wanted.
I glanced at the brothers. Their faces were unreadable, but the tension in their bodies was clear. They weren’t sure if Lucas was a threat, but they also knew they had no right to tell me what to do.
And for once, I didn’t need their permission.
I turned back to Lucas, taking a slow breath. “Prove it.”
His lips twitched slightly, like he had expected that answer. “Come with me. I’ll show you everything.”
Every instinct screamed at me to be careful.
But another part of me-the part that had always felt like something was missing-whispered that this was real. That I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was.
I clenched my fists, my heart hammering. “Fine.”
Lucas extended a hand, waiting.
The brothers didn’t take it well.
The second I agreed to leave with Lucas, they snapped.
“You’re not going anywhere with him,” Nathan growled, stepping in front of me like a living barricade.
Xavier scoffed. “You don’t even know if he’s telling the truth, Mia.”
Rolex folded his arms, his golden eyes sharp. “He just shows up out of nowhere, claiming to be your twin, and you’re ready to follow him?”
Sean shook his head, his voice quieter but no less firm. “Think, Mia.”
I exhaled sharply, frustration clawing at my ribs. “You don’t get to decide for me. Not anymore.”
Lucas remained calm, his expression unreadable, but there was something calculating in his gaze as he watched the brothers stand in my way.
I wasn’t stupid.
Lucas had power. A lot of it. He didn’t get to be the Alpha of one of the most feared packs by being soft. But was he a threat to me? No. I could feel it-deep in my bones, in the pull of something unexplainable.
Still, I wasn’t ready to fully trust him.
So instead of leaving with him, I pulled out my phone, typing my number quickly before handing it to him. “Call me later,” I said, voice firm. “I need time.”
Lucas studied me for a second before nodding. “Alright. I’ll wait for you to reach out.”
Xavier let out a slow breath like he was relieved, but I shot him a glare. “That doesn’t mean you win,” I muttered before turning and walking away with the brothers.
Lucas didn’t stop me.
He just watched as I left.
Later That Night
I barely had time to process everything before my phone buzzed.
Lucas.
I hesitated before answering, stepping outside into the cool night air. The mansion was quiet, the brothers had gone to their own rooms-though I knew they weren’t really asleep. They were too paranoid, probably listening in on this conversation.
“Hey,” I said cautiously.
Lucas wasted no time. “I want to see you.”
I frowned, gripping the phone tighter. “Now?”
“Yes. Meet me outside.”
I glanced around. “I am outside.”
Silence.
Then, “Turn around.”
I stiffened before slowly turning, my heart skipping a beat when I saw him leaning against a sleek black car parked at the edge of the driveway. He was already here.
I exhaled, walking toward him. “You don’t waste time, do you?”
Lucas smirked. “I don’t believe in waiting when something is important.”
I folded my arms. “And I’m important?”
His expression softened just slightly. “More than you know.”
Something about the way he said it made my stomach tighten. I wanted to believe him, wanted to let myself believe that I finally had family-real family.
But something felt… off.
“Come with me,” he said suddenly. “I want to talk to you privately.”
I hesitated, glancing back at the mansion. I knew if the brothers caught me leaving, they’d go insane.
Lucas seemed to read my hesitation. “Relax. I’m not taking you anywhere far. Just a drive.”
I bit my lip, debating. “Fine. But only for a little while.”
He opened the passenger door for me, and I slid in, my heartbeat uneasy as he started the engine.
At a Secluded Spot
We parked near a quiet stretch of road outside the city, the trees swaying in the night breeze. It was peaceful, yet the tension between us was heavy.
Lucas turned off the engine and faced me. “I know you want to introduce me to your family,” he said carefully. “Your uncle. Your cousins.”
I nodded. “It’s the right thing to do.”
His jaw clenched slightly before he sighed. “I can’t.”
I frowned. “Why?”
Lucas hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. “It’s complicated.”
“Complicated how?”
He rubbed a hand down his face, exhaling through his nose. “Your uncle is your mother’s brother. Which means I should meet him… but I’m not ready for that yet.”
Something about the way he said it made the hairs on my arms rise.
“You don’t want to meet our family?” I questioned, narrowing my eyes. “Why?”
Lucas glanced out the windshield, his expression unreadable. “It’s not that simple, Mia.”
I hated cryptic answers. “Then make it simple.”
He turned back to me, his eyes dark. “I just need time.”
Time? For what?
I wanted to press, wanted to demand an explanation, but something in his gaze warned me that I wouldn’t get one.
Not yet.
A cold breeze slipped through the slightly open window, making me shiver.
Lucas noticed. “I should take you back.”
I didn’t argue.