No matter how I stifled the sighs escaping my lips, relief eluded me. It was as if my body knew its desires as keenly as my mind and heart did, refusing to respond to anyone else’s touch but the twins’.
Realizing my efforts were futile, I finished my shower and dried off. I had brought a change of clothes into the bathroom and slipped on a thigh-length dress with long, thin sleeves to ward off the afternoon chill. I blow-dried my hair while the twins waited outside, undoubtedly preparing themselves.
Stepping into the bedroom, I was enveloped by Ethan and Kieran’s intoxicating scent. As I reached for a pair of shoes, Ethan blocked my way, mere inches separating us. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin, his musky scent mixing subtly with tea-tree from his body wash. It was a new scent, but equally captivating. My breath caught as Ethan traced a finger down my flushed face, lingering near my collarbones.
“Did you manage to finish?” Ethan murmured, his touch teasing the hem of my dress. His warm fingers grazed along my bare thigh, sending a shiver down my spine.
“No,” I swallowed, my voice higher pitched than usual.
Ethan continued to toy with the hem of my dress, his fingertips dancing closer to the softness between my legs. Just as his finger brushed over my underwear, he pulled away. His eyes darkened, the fabric of his pants straining slightly at the waist. Cupping my face with one large hand, he tilted my head up to meet his gaze.
“Poor little mate. Your body craves us even now,” Ethan murmured, his breath brushing against my ear. “Kieran and I will tend to you later.”
His lips trailed along my jaw, igniting a fiery ache deep within me. I squeezed my thighs together, ignoring the scent of my own arousal filling the room.
“Where’s Kieran?” I asked, darting my eyes around the room, searching for a distraction.
Ethan and Kieran separately were a constant temptation, a continual test of my willpower. Together-irresistible. The focused attention of two males solely on me was something I could easily grow accustomed to. The way they savored my reactions, absorbing every blissful sound that escaped my lips under their touch.
Being with them fully would be all-consuming.
“Your little moans got him a bit worked up,” Ethan chuckled lowly in my ear, “He needed a moment alone. You’re welcome to go lend him a hand, though I might get jealous.”
It took me several minutes to compose myself and another ten to quiet the intimate thoughts racing through my mind. When Kieran finally returned, he flashed me a wide smirk, causing my cheeks to flush as my gaze involuntarily dropped.
Finally leaving the house, Ethan and Kieran briefed me on Williams. He had once led a small band of rogues but had grown in power as his pack expanded, eventually becoming a full Alpha. Creating one’s own pack was rare among werewolves, who typically fought for dominance. Williams had claimed a small piece of territory adjacent to Sebastian’s pack. As Sebastian’s numbers swelled, he sought more territory, pressing Ethan and Kieran to cede some of theirs to accommodate him. However, Ethan and Kieran refused, unwilling to uproot thousands of people from their homes to satisfy Williams’s expansion.
While I understood Ethan and Kieran’s responsibility to their people, I couldn’t help but feel there must be a solution to this conflict.
As we arrived at Sebastian’s driveway, the sun was setting, painting the sky with hues of navy blue, indigo, orange, and pink. The crescent moon hung faintly in the distance. Inside Sebastian’s house, warm yellow light spilled out, and I braced myself for the impending encounter with his wife.
Krystal greeted us at the door with a nervous smile, casting a wary glance at Ethan and Kieran. She looked at them as most did, her eyes widening at their imposing figures, undoubtedly taken aback.
“I’m sorry in advance for anything my mom says,” Krystal grimaced, “Not that it makes a difference.”
Her sincerity filled the room, washing over me like a cold wave. Krystal wasn’t a bad person, I realized. Her previous hurtful words had been fueled by jealousy and spite, not defining her character.
“I appreciate it,” I told her honestly.
“Are you going to tell Dad what I told you?” Krystal frowned, lowering her voice and glancing nervously at Ethan and Kieran before refocusing on me. “I mean… I won’t blame you if you do, but Dad won’t be happy.”
“I won’t mention it,” I assured her.
I sensed her relief, sweet yet tinged with bitterness. Guilt pulsed through her, bitter and somewhat chilling. She was hiding something, a whisper in my mind warning me she wasn’t entirely truthful. Why feel guilty if she had disclosed everything? Pushing aside the feeling, I followed Krystal into the spacious dining room.
The smaller table had been replaced with a larger one, with Sebastian seated at the head. To his left sat his wife, and to his right, Williams. Sebastian wore a crisp slate-grey suit, his charismatic business smile seemingly genuine as he welcomed us. Olivia, though impeccably dressed with golden hair cascading down her back, wore a sneer that added years to her otherwise youthful appearance. Despite her silence, her disdain and something akin to hatred radiated from her, piercing through me.
I flinched inwardly at the impact-I had never felt such negative emotions through my newly acquired gift. Kat’s anger was one thing, but Olivia’s hatred was an entirely different level.
“It’s good to see you,” Sebastian greeted warmly, taking his seat.
While his smile was usually charming and casual, it held a genuine warmth now. He truly seemed pleased we had joined them for dinner.
Now that I could sense others’ emotions, I found myself uncertain about Sebastian. He wasn’t perfect, nor did he seem likely to become a parental figure in my life anytime soon, but his feelings spoke louder than his actions or words. I could feel his nervousness, a subtle undercurrent of worry about tonight. A fleeting twinge of guilt passed through him, akin to what I sensed from Krystal, though I couldn’t pinpoint its source.
“Thanks for having us,” I managed to say through clenched teeth.
Seated at the far end of the table directly across from Sebastian, with Ethan and Kieran on either side of me, I felt their positive emotions battling Olivia’s waves of disdain. Their affection, happiness, and awe contrasted sharply with her negativity.
“This isn’t awkward or anything,” Williams quipped, covering his amusement with a long sip of alcohol.
Krystal suppressed a smile behind her wine glass, while Olivia shot one of her trademark glares at Williams. It seemed I wasn’t the only target of her animosity-her protective feelings were reserved for her daughter and mate alone.
Tracy and a few servers brought out our dinner, complete with pristine china under silver domes, an unbearably fancy affair that felt foreign to me. Tracy hadn’t changed since I’d been away; the lines on her face made her appear approachable. Spotting me at the table, she offered a kind smile that conveyed her genuine pleasure at seeing me. Her wheat-colored hair was neatly pulled into a bun as she approached.
“Steak or salad?” Tracy asked, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze.
“Steak,” I replied, rolling my eyes at Ethan and Kieran’s identical grins.
They looked particularly handsome tonight in black button-down shirts and slacks, their only distinguishing feature being their haircuts-Ethan’s hair tousled and falling over his ears, Kieran’s shorter on the sides but longer on top. Whenever they glanced away from me, which was rare, I couldn’t help but admire the muscles straining against their clothes.
A suppressed snort sounded from across the table as I eyed the steak hungrily on my plate. Catching Olivia’s cold gaze, I grimaced as she shook her head disapprovingly. Her mouth opened as if she might say something, but upon meeting Ethan’s eye, she thought better of it. Her mouth clicked shut, redirecting her disdainful gaze to Williams.
“So, what brought you back?” Williams interjected, shrugging when Sebastian shot him a disapproving look. “I’m just curious.”
“I made a mistake leaving. When Sebastian told me about what I was, I freaked out,” I frowned, feeling some tension release as Ethan’s fingertips grazed my knee under the table. “He chose the worst way to break the news to me.”
“I take full responsibility for that,” Sebastian admitted gruffly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. His embarrassment and sheepishness were palpable. “Honestly, I thought Lauren might have told you something.”
“I lived with my Grandma for a while. I hardly saw Lauren until she passed away,” I shrugged.
“Your Grandma was a remarkable woman. Not the easiest to be around when she was upset, though,” Sebastian nodded with sincerity. “That much I can attest to.”
“You lived with your Grandma your whole life?” Williams’s voice sounded disinterested, but his emotions told a different story-he was genuinely curious, almost overwhelming in his interest. Unsure why he was so invested in my life, I figured there was no harm in sharing. My Grandma had been gone for years; there was nothing he could use against me.
“Since birth,” I shrugged. “After she passed, I moved in with Lauren.”
“And how did that go, living with your mother?” Williams pressed, prompting a visible grimace from Sebastian.
More guilt swirled around him, causing me to question my newfound ability. Since meeting Sebastian, I had assumed his concern was solely about my future role in the pack. But judging from his conflicting emotions, he felt some level of responsibility toward me-he felt guilty for leaving, guilty because I had lived unhappily and unaware with Lauren. I pushed the conflicting emotions aside and turned to face Williams.
“Lauren isn’t my mother, never was. I kept to myself and took care of my own business,” I replied evenly. “Respect isn’t freely given, Olivia; it’s earned. And trust me, Lauren and Darren were never my family. That’s why they never had my respect.”
Olivia scoffed for the third time, unable to contain herself. “A child who doesn’t respect her parents has no right to rule a pack. How can you lead and earn respect from those who would lay down their lives for you if you can’t even respect your own family?”
“Olivia,” Sebastian’s voice bristled with hostility, though I sensed he was restraining himself. Regardless of her attitude, she was his mate, and despite her behavior, he held a soft spot for her. While I struggled to accept that fact, I was grateful to have Ethan and Kieran at my side.
Ethan and Kieran didn’t hesitate to defend me; Ethan even emitted a low growl in her direction. Both of them fixed Olivia with intense gazes, glaring daggers at her.
“That’s enough. It’s fine,” I reassured Ethan and Kieran, offering them a thankful smile. Turning back to Olivia, I refused to back down under her harsh glare. “My family is Ethan and Kieran. I respect them just as they respect me. Lauren and Darren were never my family. Respect isn’t blindly given, Olivia. It’s fought for and earned. That’s something you will never have from me.”
Williams let out a low whistle, chuckling softly as Olivia’s face turned an unflattering shade of red. Krystal seemed shocked, her gaze darting between me and her mother. Even Kieran chuckled quietly, taking a long sip of his drink before sharing a smirk with his brother.
“She’s definitely part of the family,” Williams chuckled.
If it weren’t for my newfound ability to sense emotions, I might not have caught the significance of Williams’s words. As Williams finished speaking, a flood of emotions surged through the room-panic and shock from Sebastian, fear and anger from Olivia, amusement and irritation from Williams. Even Krystal emitted a familiar pang of bitter guilt. Ethan and Kieran seemed oblivious to the subtext, but I wasn’t.
“Part of the family,” I echoed slowly, savoring the emotions swirling around me.
My gaze shifted from Sebastian to Williams, noting the differences and similarities between them. Sebastian and Williams appeared to be silently engaged in a disagreement, one that Sebastian currently seemed to be losing. As their unspoken battle concluded, Williams fixed me with a meaningful stare.
“Yes, Sophia. Part of the family,” Williams affirmed with a nod, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “It’s good to finally meet my niece.”