5. Obsessed

Airk’s pov

For literally two years, I have been in love with Brax. Or,obsessed, as some call it. Sometimes you just know you want something, or in this case, someone, and you’ll do anything to get it.

I’m not crazy, and if Brax didn’t want me or rejected my advances, I’d give up eventually. But he never told me he didn’t want me. Brax said I was too young when I was fifteen, and even now, when he says he only has casual relationships, he doesn’t tell me he doesn’t want me.

I’m not dumb. I know I can’t magically make him fall in love with me. But there is a connection between us, and while he refuses to talk about mates, I know in my heart he is mine.

So I’ll take things slow. I’ll pretend not to care as much as I do. Anything to be with him for these few weeks.

That kiss alone was enough. Seriously, if I went home now, I would be happy with just that kiss.

I scoffed, thinking about my brother and his stupid remark. Argo told me he didn’t do anything with Hazel except kiss. As if a kiss were nothing. But I have saved my first kiss for Brax. I had saved myself in every way for him, even though I knew he had been with other people. It wasn’t about Brax needing me to be pure or whatever; it was about me wanting to have all my firsts with someone special. With the person I was convinced was my mate.

It is about feeling safe when I am at my most vulnerable. My first kiss and my first time together should be with someone that I love and who loves me. Love is scary enough as it is, but Brax makes me feel safe.

"Is this how you’re going to fucking act from now on? Like a love-sick puppy dog?" Argo asked me after Mila and Brax stormed off.

"Is this how you’re going to act? She’s the alpha’s sister, Argo."

"I didn’t fucking realize it until it was too late," he growled.

I rolled my eyes at my twin brother, "they look alike."

"Yeah, sort of. But he’s like this big wall of muscle, and she’s just...

I raised my eyebrow, waiting for Argo to finish this. He was only burying himself deeper into a hole if he started commenting on the way she looked.

"She’s what?" I finally asked.

Argo started walking back to the packhouse, and I chased behind him. "I mean, I can’t even call her what she is because it makes me sound like a dick. She is fatter than most werewolves. She’s big. I was surprised she could fight. Fuck, I was surprised she didn’t run out of breath after five seconds."

"Argo…."

"What?! She was fucking rude to me too. She started punching me out of fucking nowhere. Just her whole fucking face, man. It’s like she hated me from the start. I could really do something good here, help with these soldiers, and she’ll fuck it up for me because I made one comment she didn’t like."

I sighed, "I’m sure Brax won’t keep you from helping with the soldiers. But just be nice to Mila. I’m sure she’s actually not so bad."

"She said I was ugly," Argo said, shaking his head. "Me! She’s the ugly one. Taking her fucking shirt off. I mean, her breasts were fucking impressive, but still. Cover up; nobody wants to see all that skin."

"You’re just hurt because a girl finally doesn’t like you. Is this a first?" I teased my twin.

Argo laughed, "it actually is. I mean, apart from Hazel, but Hazel never fully told me she didn’t like me. She just needed time because of that dick Isaac trying to woo her.  I don’t fucking get it; what’s not to like about me?"

I rolled my eyes again before stepping into the packhouse. For one, his arrogance, I thought to myself, And two, the way he objectifies women. Three the way, -

"You’re making a fucking list inside your head, aren’t you?" Argo said, stopping me from finishing the list before slapping me on the arm. "You dick! You’re supposed to have my back. It’s the Omari’s versus the, um, what’s Brax’s last name?"

"He took his mother’s last name, Novak." I replied, blushing slightly because Argo assumed I would know his full name.

"Okay, so it’s the Novaks versus the Omaris." At least until you’re fucking mated to one," Argo said with a wink.

"We’re not… I mean, we didn’t... Please don’t say stuff like that around him, okay?" I mumbled, feeling my face heat up and knowing I probably looked like a tomato.

"Okay, Brax has commitment issues. I get it; before Hazel, I didn’t want to fucking settle down either."

I scoffed, "really. You want to settle down?"

Argo laughed, "what can I say? I’ve fallen for her."

Once he had Hazel, Argo would get bored of her, like he did with most of his girlfriends. He was all about the chase, and once he had slept with a girl, he’d find a flaw and start to get annoyed with them. The only reason Hazel was special to him was because Isaac wanted her too.

I really like Hazel. But her personality doesn’t go well with Argo’s. She’s not headstrong enough. She’s too sweet for him, too softspoken and shy. I laughed to myself. Hazel was like me. And while I didn’t mind always being in my brother’s shadow, I don’t think that would work for mates.

Mates should be equals; they should stand next to each other, not one in front and the other hidden behind them. Argo liked to fight, to party, and to socialize. Hazel loved to read and spend time with the animals at the farm, but she doesn’t feel at ease in crowds. Argo wants a big and exciting life, and Hazel wants a calm life at the farm.

I wasn’t going to tell him that, though. He would figure it out for himself soon enough. I just hoped he wouldn’t get hurt in the process. Who was I kidding? It was probably Hazel that would get hurt.

Elora spotted me and Argo and waddled towards us, "o, you’re back. I’m so craving apple all day, and they’ve prepared my favorite pie. You’ll love it. It’s similar to the pie grandma Lily bakes grandpa Os each year."

I loved that pie and the tradition around it. Grandpa Os’ mother would bake him an apple pie on his birthday, and when she died, the tradition stopped. Until my grandma Lily heard about the story and started baking it with him. Then, with dad and aunt Kate, and when mom and dad were busy trying to find our sister, we’d spent grandpa’s birthday baking the pie with them.

We spent a lot of time with our grandparents while our parents were working on getting revenge on those who had kidnapped them and getting our sisters home. I wondered what it was like for them that once they got Elora back, she decided to leave and join another pack so soon.

We sat down at the table, where Brax and Mila were already seated. Darian, Elora’s mate, was unable to attend lunch because he was busy at work in the city.

Mila rolled her eyes when she saw Argo enter but gave me a kind smile.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t have a chance to greet you properly." She said as soon as I sat down. Brax was at the head of the table, with Elora on his left and Mila on his right. I didn’t think when taking the seat beside Elora, but the only spot with a full plate left on the table was next to Mila.

He growled softly before sitting down beside her. "You could have greeted my brother properly if you hadn’t run away like a fucking baby just because you lost a fight."

"Argo…." Brax warned, his aura slipping out.

Argo bared his neck to Brax, "I apologize, Alpha Brax."

Mila laughed, "you’re so fake. Look who's the baby now, groveling for the alpha."

"You don’t even fucking know me!" Argo scoffed.

Mila laughed again, "I know you. You’re just like every other pretty boy who gets everything handed to him. I’ve met enough alpha males to know just the type of guy you are."

Elora seemed to mindlink Brax, and he chuckled softly, "yeah, that’s right."

"What is it?" Mila asked, raising her eyebrow.

Elora blushed. "Brax was worried that Argo would hit on you, but at least he doesn’t have to worry about that."

Now it was Argo that was laughing, "Yeah, no chance in hell. She’s definitely not my type. Loud, annoying, and, -"

"And fat, right?" Mila filled in the words for Argo before he could finish.

"I wasn’t going to say that." Argo replied.

"What were you going to say? That I am big? I would run out of breath in five seconds. Fatter than most werewolves? Or that I should cover up?" Mila replied, trying to keep her voice steady, but I could see the hurt in her eyes.

O, no. She heard everything we said.

Argo paled, and for a moment he actually looked guilty. I knew he didn’t mean it, but when Argo got hurt, he would lash out. He wasn’t the best at handling conflicts. I had seen it before—one wrong comment from someone, and he’d lose it. Like how he cut his best friend out of his life over a girl they both liked. He had no filter and could be rude, but usually he would just complain to me and get it out of his system.

Elora looked to me and Argo, waiting for us to respond, while Brax stood up, ready to beat the shit out of my twin brother. Before we could say anything, Mila had already spoken again.

"Don’t worry. I’m sure a nice guy like Argo would never say those things, right?"

"Right," Argo said softly.

Argo and Mila didn’t speak for the entire lunch, but Elora, Brax, and I had a lovely conversation. Maybe Argo and Mila should argue more often. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Argo talk so little. He usually dominates every conversation we’re in, and usually I don’t care. But when it comes to Brax, I don’t want to be hidden behind Argo; I don’t want to be quiet. I want Brax to notice me.

And boy, does he seem to notice me. His eyes kept landing on my lips, and I blushed thinking about the kiss we shared. I hope I did it right, and I pray I get to do it again.

Brax gives me a quick wink and bites his lip before focusing back on my sister. "I was thinking I could take your brothers to see the packhouse later. Airk offered to help with the construction."

Argo shook his head and spoke for the first time since that awkward exchange between him and Mila. "I’ll help if it’s needed, but I’d rather focus on training the soldiers. If you don’t mind, Alpha Brax."

"Mila?" Brax asked his sister. "What do you think?"

"I’m not going to stop going there," Mila said. "I want to keep up with my training before my eighteenth birthday."

Brax nodded in understanding, "can you two work together?"

"No fucking problem," Argo replied, while Mila rolled her eyes at him before turning back to her brother.

"Sure." Mila said with a fake smile. 

"Well, then it’s just me and you, Air." Brax said with a smirk. Perfect, just like I hoped.