2: Move in

IVY

I was frozen throughout dinner. Mom and her husband, my new stepfather, and also Brandon's father chattered all through it while my sense of doom increased by the minute.

Brandon and I were now stepsiblings?

I refused to believe it. But he was sitting right beside me and his father across from me. I've never seen Mom laugh as much as she did in the 30 minutes he has spent here.

She was happy, free, and light. She was all of the things Dad stole from her. But how? How could she possibly find all of that in Brandon's father?

How could Brandon be my stepbrother out of the blues?

No no no. No way!

"Evelyn!" Mom's loud voice jolted me out of my reverie. They were both staring at me.

"Sorry. What?"

"I've been calling your name for the past 2 minutes. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I faked a chuckle, "I was just lost in thoughts. I can't believe the Alpha King is now my stepfather."

"Ohh," Alpha Castle chuckled, "I can't believe you're my stepdaughter too. I mean, I've been observing your progress since you won that scholarship and I know you more because you apparently give your stepbrother, Brandon a lot of academic headaches since you're better than him."

Normally, Brandon would have countered, that I was in no way better than him but he said nothing. He just continued to eat his food in silence.

The most words he had spoken today were monosyllabic words as answers to my Mom's question.

Their conversation lingered on the alleged healthy competition between their kids. That is, Brandon and I. I wasn't sure but I surely couldn't be the only one feeling the murderous energy from Brandon. His silence was too lethal like he'd combust soon.

I heaved a sigh of relief when dinner was finally over but my relief was cut short when the Alpha suggested that I do the dishes with Brandon while he and my mom go on a walk as opposed to my mom doing it with me.

I tried to turn it down but he insisted. I expected Brandon to turn it down but he walked over to the sink and picked up the washing gloves.

It was just the sound of running water and ceramics until the main door closed and our parents' footsteps receded.

"Was this why she made you apply for our foundation's scholarship? So she could get closer to my father and seduce him?"

"What?" the plastic I was holding slipped from my hands. I turned to him and he was already looking at me.

Glaring at me.

"Watch what you say about my mom."

"Or what? Isn't it obvious? Explain it to an illiterate and they'll tell you that an ordinary and measly human getting married to a Lycan, a king at that, is only after one thing and that's his money and power."

"I don't care how you talk to me, Brandon but this is my mom. You'll respect her."

He looked at me like I had grown two heads before cackling loudly.

"You're delusional if you think I'll respect a mere human."

I rolled my eyes and it probably reached my skull, "Again with this. Are you that insecure that hating on harmless humans makes you..."

I didn't get to complete that statement because the next thing I knew, an invisible force wrapped around my neck and started choking me.

I instinctively clawed at my neck. There was nothing to fight off but the intensity of the choking increased with so much force that I stood on tiptoe. Tears were streaming down from my face, my airflow was getting cut down, and small black dots clouded my vision.

Opposite me, Brandon stood unmoving. He just casually leaned against the cabinet.

"I'm not joking when I said I hated humans. I might have tolerated your excesses in school but the last thing I'll allow is your mom marrying my father. If you don't want to live in hell for the rest of your life, I'm going to suggest convincing your mom to leave my Dad alone."

The force withdrew as bizarrely as they came. I dropped to the floor, coughing and spluttering.

"What the hell was that?"

"What you'll get used to if you don't convince your mom to leave my Dad. You have till the weekend, Ivy."

He stepped over me to walk away while I remained on the floor and in total disbelief of what just happened.

*******

I was unable to convince Mom. In fact, I couldn't bring it up at all. When she spoke of Alpha Castle, it was with figurative stars in her eyes. I've never seen her that happy since Dad happened. She deserves to be this happy. And besides, how would I convince her? How do I tell her that Brandon threatened me? That he choked me with literally nothing.

The more I think about it, the more I was doubting my clarity about what really happened. To the best of my knowledge, wolves don't possess that kind of supernatural power. No creature does. So everything that happened was likely just in my mind.

But the faint red marks on my neck said otherwise.

"Do you like your new room?" Mom's voice cut through my reverie. We moved into the alpha's house today and we were currently in my room. It was three times bigger than my previous room. It has its own walk-in closet, a mini library, and a huge mirror.

The interior was pink and green and the settings looked like something out of a dream.

"I love it, Mom. Thank you."

"I know this might be all too sudden for you," She was in front of me, staring right into my eyes, "but it's for the best, Evelyn, trust me."

"I trust you, Mom, and I don't mind. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

"I'm happy, the happiest I've ever been in years."

"I'm happy too, Mom, very happy."

She pulled me in for a quick hug.

"So freshen up and rest. I'll have a maid come and call you when it's time for dinner."

Once alone, I collapsed on the bed. It was still all too much for me. I've spent the week avoiding Brandon in school but now, I've moved into his house. There was no avoiding him.

My phone pinged and I let out a hiss when I saw what it was. It was a text message from Demi.

"The date is tomorrow at Castle Black. Don't be late."

The irritation I felt was enough to make me want to throw my phone at the wall but I had to control myself. I had no one else but myself to blame for the misfortune Demi was putting me through.

I could only hope that he'd get tired soon and leave me alone.

*********

I woke up to loud bangs and screams the next morning. I was initially disoriented. The noise was coming from outside so when I peeped through my window, I saw what the commotion was all about.

There was a huge crowd standing outside the Castle's and the demand was loud and clear. They don't want a human Luna.

I went downstairs to meet Mom, the Alpha, and Brandon staring at the crowd through the mirror too. Brandon was absent at the dinner last night but when he saw me approach now, he didn't hide the disdain in his eyes.

"You have nothing to worry about, Kat," the Alpha was holding Mom fondly in his hands, "the forces will soon be here to disperse the crowd."

As if on cue, we heard a loud siren and military men soon took over. The crowds started dispersing.

"I'm not worried about now, I'm worried about later. What if they never accept me?"

"You're carrying a royal baby, Kat. They have no option but to accept you."

My eyes widened in shock at the announcement.