Chapter 13 Avery
avery
I wake to screaming, my heart lurching in my chest as the morning light filters through my curtains.
My body’s warm, curled in my nest of blankets, Declan’s pine scent lingering on my skin from last night but the warmth vanishes as I register the voice.
Lila, Declan’s mom, is at my bedroom door and when I sit up, I see her face red with fury.
“Declan Wolfe, what the hell is this?” she yells, her glare cutting through the haze of pleasure I was in last night. Next to her stands my dad, Henry, his eyes heavy with disappointment, not anger, and that’s somehow worse.
I sit up, my vanilla cupcake scent spiking with panic, and clutch a blanket over my bare chest. Declan’s beside me, scrambling for something to cover himself. When he finds nothing, he drags one of my blankets around his waist. “Mom, not here,” he says, his voice tight but trying for calm.
Lila’s not having it. She storms after him as he bolts out, her voice echoing down the hall with obscenities I’ve never heard her use. “You’re throwing this family away, Declan!”
Which just leaves me in my nest, my dad stepping into the room and closing the door, muffling Lila’s shouts. I pull the blanket tighter around me, nothing making this moment easier—not even Declan’s lingering scent or the memories from last night. I want to disappear, but there’s nowhere to go.
Dad sighs as he runs a hand through his messy hair. “I thought something was going on. The way you always looked at him. But I didn’t think you’d be so stupid as to follow through. He’s your brother.”
“But we’re not actually related!” I yell back, my voice cracking, desperate to make him see.
“We’re stepbrothers, Dad. It’s different.
We’re not doing anything wrong!” My vanilla scent sours as I try to keep it together.
I know good and well that we’re doing something wrong—not in the eyes of the law but in no world would our parents ever agree to this.
However, a life without Declan now that I’ve had him just isn’t an option.
Dad’s jaw tightens, his shoulders falling in defeat.
“But to the eyes of everyone else, you are. This isn’t right, Avery, and I don’t condone it.
Your mother—Lila—talked to me last night about all this, the rumors, the auction.
I had no idea that you spent all your money on him.
I think it’s better if Declan stays on campus for the time being. ”
Tears well up in my eyes, my heart breaking.
It feels like everything is falling apart even if I only confessed to him two days ago.
“We’re adults. I don’t understand. Why can’t we just…
be together? We don’t need to tell everyone.
” I don’t want to keep Declan a secret but if it will make things better for now, I will. Just until Dad understands.
“I’m not sure why you thought we’d approve or even let this continue.
I’m married to his mother. This family’s already complicated and you’re making it worse.
” He clicks his tongue, glancing out into the hallway before speaking again.
“I’ve talked to the administration. You’ll be staying here for the rest of the semester.
I expect you home every night and I don’t want to catch wind of you two dating or together in any capacity. ”
I want to fight him on those words but he just shakes his head.
“I don’t want to talk about this again,” he states.
“I thought you might enjoy some company while you figured out where you wanted to go after the academy but dating your brother is out of the question. No exceptions. His mother is terrified I was going to leave her because of this.” He just sighs and then leaves my room, closing the door behind him.
All alone, I curl up tighter in my nest, stuffing my nose into the spot Declan occupied.
Sobs run through me as I try to get a grip on what just happened.
This wasn’t supposed to go like this. Sure, we’d eventually tell our parents and they wouldn’t approve but we’d be in a place where we could handle it.
I feel like I just got my heart ripped out. Dad just took my Alpha from me.
I freeze, realizing that he’s no longer just a crush or even just a boyfriend.
Dad stole my mate from me.