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42: Benefit of doubt

Penulis: Gold Writes
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-16 22:42:31

Ivy's POV.

I cried all night.

Silent, aching sobs that I tried to muffle with my pillow, but they didn’t stop. They just kept coming, wave after relentless wave, until I had no tears left, until my pillow was soaked, my throat raw, my body too exhausted to move.

But sleep never came.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her. My mom, in a pool of blood, gasping for air. I heard her voice, weak and desperate, calling for me. And beneath it all, looping in my mind like a sick, twisted echo, was Brandon’s voice from weeks ago.

Pregnancies are easily aborted.

By morning, I felt hollow. Empty. Like something inside me had been scraped out and discarded.

I didn’t wait for Brandon. I didn’t even consider it. I arranged for a different ride and left the house without seeing him, without giving him a single chance to look at me, to speak to me, to exist anywhere near me.

But, of course, luck wasn’t on my side.

Because the second I stepped into school, I ran right into him.

Brandon was already the
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  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   43: fun to mess with

    43.Brandon's POV.I must be running mad. That was the only explanation for why I felt this way.Nothing else made sense. Nothing else explained why Ivy’s accusation had gotten to me the way it did. People had said things about me before, and I had never once cared. Never lost sleep over what someone thought of me.But this?This wasn’t the same.This felt like something sharp had been driven straight into my chest, lodged between my ribs, refusing to let me breathe properly. It sat there, heavy and unmovable, pressing down on me in a way I couldn’t shake off.Ivy had looked at me like I was capable of something that vile. Like I was the lowest kind of filth. Like I had hurt her mother and the baby out of pure malice.I had tried explaining, but she hadn’t let me. She hadn’t even given me the chance. She had just screamed at me, her voice shaking with fury, telling me exactly what she thought of me. Telling me how despicable I was. How vile and horrible I had to be to do something lik

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-17
  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   44: Let him have me

    Ivy's POV.I couldn’t stop thinking about it.The way Brandon had leaned in so casually, as if asking me to let him have me was the most normal thing in the world. As if it was inevitable. Like sooner or later, I was going to give in, and he was just waiting for me to accept it.The worst part? The way my body reacted. The vivid images that flashed in my mind, so clear, so intense, I could almost feel them.And he knew.He had smelled it.He had teased me for it.He wanted to touch me. And I—I would have let him.If the driver hadn’t interrupted. If we hadn’t gotten to school when we did. If the moment had stretched even a few seconds longer, I might have let it happen.The realization made my stomach churn.What the hell was wrong with me? What was I becoming?And why was it him, of all people?I absently nudged a fry across my plate, my appetite long gone. The cafeteria was filled with its usual chaos, students laughing, sneakers squeaking against the tiled floor, trays clattering a

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-18
  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   45: Let me suck your titties

    Ivy's POV.The moment I stepped out of the office, I pulled out my phone and searched for the official announcement for the competition. My fingers flew over the screen as I skimmed through the updates, my heart picking up speed with every line I read.This wasn’t just some regular oratory contest anymore. What was once a two-day competition had transformed into a five–day competition, drawing in representatives from elite schools across the country. Winning didn’t just mean a trophy or bragging rights. It meant connections. Recognition. And, most importantly, a massive advantage in college applications.A 75% increased chance of getting into an Ivy League school.I exhaled sharply, my grip tightening around my phone.This was everything I had been working toward. My golden ticket. My chance to secure my future, to carve out a path beyond this town, beyond the weight of everything that had been dragging me down. This competition was my way out.But there was just one problem.It was

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-19
  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   46: Just for formalities

    Ivy's POV.“No.”I met his gaze head-on, my heart hammering in my chest.Even though I wanted it.Even though my body reacted to the way he looked at me, to the way his voice dipped lower, to the way anticipation curled low in my stomach against my will.And I hated it. I hated the fact that I wanted it.Brandon didn’t look disappointed, not even annoyed. If anything, he looked amused, like my refusal was expected but irrelevant.“Well, asking was just for formalities,” he murmured, and before I could react, his hand slipped under my shirt.I sucked in a sharp breath, my entire body tensing at the warmth of his palm against my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away, but I just stood there, frozen, helpless against the rush of sensation overtaking me.His fingers moved with ease, skimming over my ribs before cupping my breast, squeezing just enough to send a shock of heat through me. I bit down on my lip, hating myself for the way my body reacted, for the way my back arched into

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-20
  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   47: A Proper Relaxing Ritual

    47.Ivy's POV.Brandon stayed true to his word.It was unexpected, but he actually made an effort. He showed up to our tutorial sessions on time, brought study materials, and even wrote study notes that significantly lessened my workload. If I was being honest, he was incredibly efficient, probably even more than me, and I was surprised.But no matter how hard I tried to concentrate, my mind kept circling back to that first day. To what we did.Brandon, however, acted like it never happened. He never made any reference to it, never tried to touch me again, never even looked at me in a way that suggested he remembered. Our relationship was now cordial and what was supposed to be normal.I was supposed to be grateful for that. But every time he sat next to me, completely unfazed, a frustrating part of me wished he would.It was annoying.The day before we were supposed to leave for the competition, I decided to spend the evening with my mom. She was recuperating well after losing the

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   48: I've always liked you

    48.Ivy's POV.Flying first class should have been exciting. It was my first time, after all. The plush seats, the endless drink options, the kind attendants who seemed determined to pamper every passenger. It was a world away from what I was used to. Everything about it screamed luxury, from the warm hand towels they handed out before takeoff to the menu filled with dishes I couldn’t even pronounce.And yet, I couldn’t enjoy any of it.Not when Brandon was sitting directly across from me, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.I refused to look at him. I kept my focus trained on the window, watching the clouds shift and stretch across the sky. But it didn’t matter. I could still feel him, his presence pressing into me like a heavy weight, making it impossible to forget what had happened last night.His hands. His mouth. The way he had looked at me afterward, like he owned every reaction he had pulled from me.My breath hitched slightly, and I pressed my th

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   49: A Treat Every Night

    Ivy's POV.One of the girls in the group scoffed, folding her arms as she turned to Aaron with a skeptical look. “Oh, please. You’re just trying to get close to her so you can steal her points. Everyone knows she’s the most brilliant one here.”A few students chuckled, nodding in agreement, but before I could even process the compliment, another girl shook her head.“I don’t know about that,” she said, crossing her arms. “Ivy isn’t the most brilliant here, Brandon is.”Dude, I'm standing right here.The conversation immediately shifted. A few murmurs of agreement rippled through the group, heads nodding as students exchanged glances.“Their school must be ridiculously lucky to have two prodigies like them,” one of the guys mused, adjusting his glasses. “Most of us don’t even have one.”“Right?” another student chimed in. “I mean, their parents must be over the moon that they’re stepsiblings now. Imagine raising two geniuses under the same roof.”I stiffened slightly at that, my finge

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21
  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   50: This has to stop

    Brandon's POV.I couldn't remember the last time someone had irritated me as much as Aaron Vaughn.Last night had already been bad enough. He had walked up to Ivy with that smug grin, acting like they had some kind of history when they didn’t. They talked like they were old friends, like he knew her. He had been all over her, throwing compliments left and right, making her laugh in a way that made my stomach twist in ways I didn’t want to acknowledge.And now, in the dining hall, he was at it again.I watched as he pulled out her chair before she could even reach for it, acting like he was some kind of gentleman."Here, Ivy."She smiled as she sat, completely oblivious to the way he looked at her, like she was something special."Thanks, Aaron."I clenched my jaw.Then, as if he hadn’t already pissed me off enough, he leaned in, eyes warm with something that made my blood boil."You look really pretty this morning," he added, voice smooth, too smooth.Ivy smiled in response. "Thank y

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-21

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  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   69: Take it like a good little slut

    69.Ivy's POV."Did you enjoy the date?"I scoffed, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. "That’s none of your business. And since you clearly don’t understand boundaries, get out. I want to undress."His smirk deepened, his gaze dropping lower, lazily dragging down my body, like he had every right to look at me that way. "I’ve seen you naked before."My jaw clenched. My fingers dug into my arms, but I refused to react, refused to let him know he was getting under my skin. Instead, I turned sharply on my heel, heading straight for the bathroom. I wasn’t doing this with him. Not tonight.I took my time cleaning up, dragging out every second, hoping that by the time I came out, he’d be gone.But of course, he wasn’t.He was still seated here and waiting.I exhaled sharply, gripping the towel wrapped around me a little tighter. "Seriously?"His eyes flicked over me, slow, deliberate, unapologetic before he met my gaze again. "Do you like Aaron?"I rolled my eyes. "Again, none of your

  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   68: First Date

    68.Ivy's POV.By the time Saturday rolled around, Jackie was already at my house, tearing through my closet like a woman on a mission. Dresses flew onto my bed one after another, her brows furrowed in concentration as she appraised each one."You have to look absolutely stunning," she said, tossing another dress my way. "This is your first ever real date, Ivy. We can’t mess this up."I sighed, sitting at the edge of my bed, watching helplessly as my room turned into a fashion battlefield. "It’s really not that serious."Jackie spun around, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed like I had just committed a crime. "Not that serious? A guy transferred across the country for you, and you’re telling me it’s not serious?"I pressed my lips together, unable to argue. She had a point. The whole week had passed without a single word from Brandon. No weird mind games, no taunts, no tension-filled stares. Yes, It was exactly what I’d wanted, to be left alone. But instead of relief, it left this dull

  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   67: Guilt

    67.Ivy's POV.Seeing my mother again made my stomach twist with guilt. The moment she stepped into the house, all bright smiles and full of travel stories, I felt like the worst person alive. If only she knew what I had done, what I had let happen, under this very roof while she was away.I could barely look at her as she hugged me, her warmth wrapping around me like a comfort I no longer deserved. She asked if I had eaten well, if I had missed her. And I had, desperately. But not in the way she thought. I had missed her in the way a prisoner misses freedom, in the way someone drowning misses solid ground.Brandon, on the other hand, was unreadable. He greeted his father with his usual cool composure, nothing out of place, but there was something off about him. Something quieter than usual. It unsettled me more than his teasing ever did.On the way to school, that silence stretched between us, thick and heavy. Normally, he’d poke at me, provoke me, find some way to make me react. But

  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   66: Sex With Her Stepbrother

    66.Ivy's POV.I was already breathless, my mind hazy from what he had just done to me, but then Brandon placed his lips on mine and kissed me deeper, slow and deliberate.“Taste yourself.”And I did. Sweet and salty.A soft sound caught in my throat as he took his time with it, letting me feel everything, the heat, the possessiveness, the unspoken claim. His hands roamed my body, tracing the curves he’d memorized with his touch, and I shivered under his attention.My fingers curled against his shoulders, holding onto him, because I didn’t trust my legs to keep me steady even though I was on the desk.His lips left mine and moved down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I moaned softly, my fingers tangling in his hair as I pulled him closer and arched my back, craving more. His hands cupped my breasts, his thumbs brushing over my hardened nipples. I gasped, my head falling back as pleasure coiled low in my belly.Then he stopped and pulled back just enough to look at me,

  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   65: Not Anymore

    65.Ivy's POV.After eating dinner alone, I made my way back to my room, my footsteps echoing through the quiet house. It had been like this ever since my mom and Brandon’s dad left for their trip right after the engagement. Just me, and Brandon.As soon as I stepped inside, I stopped dead in my tracks.Brandon was sitting at my study desk, with his long legs stretched out. My laptop was open in front of him, the screen casting a faint glow on his sharp features. He looked entirely unbothered by the fact that he was somewhere he absolutely should not be.“What the hell are you doing?” I snapped, taking a few steps closer.He didn’t even flinch. If anything, he looked amused as he lazily turned his head towards me, his lips curling into that infuriating smirk, the one that made my hands itch to throw something at him.I frowned, my eyes flickering to the laptop. He was reading something, and whatever it was, it had his full attention. A sudden, uneasy feeling coiled in my stomach as I

  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   64: New Student

    64.Ivy's POV.I couldn’t believe it.Aaron Vaughn was standing in my classroom like he belonged here, flashing that same dimpled smile I remembered all too well. He looked even better than before, taller, and still carrying that effortless confidence that he had approached me with at the oratory competition.But what really had my mind reeling was what he had just said.He transferred because of me?I tried not to let my shock show as the teacher turned to me. "Ivy, why don’t you show Aaron around the school?"I swallowed, forcing a polite smile. "Sure."Mrs. Reynold gave one last approving nod before turning and walking out of the classroom, leaving behind a low hum of murmurs as everyone whispered about the new guy.Aaron wasted no time making his way over to my desk, his usual confident grin in place as he adjusted the strap of his backpack."Shall we?" he asked, his tone light and expectant.I hesitated for half a second before nodding. "Yeah."Pushing back my chair, I stood up,

  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   63: The Rage In Him

    63.Brandon's POV.I hadn’t been able to sleep.No matter how hard I tried to shut it out, the images kept coming back, those bastards cornering Ivy, her struggling against them, and the sheer terror in her eyes. My wolf had never reacted like that before. It wasn’t just some vague instinct or a general awareness of danger. It was clear, sharp, like an alarm going off inside me, screaming that she needed me. I had never felt anything like it. Nothing else had mattered in that moment.And when I saw them touching her, something inside me broke.The rage had been instant, uncontrollable. My wolf had taken over, and I hadn’t cared who was watching. I wanted them dead. I should have killed them.I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply as I pulled out my phone. If I couldn’t get the images out of my head, I could at least make sure those bastards never forgot what they did. I dialed a number, pressing the phone to my ear as it rang."Need you to track some people down," I said the

  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   62: Needing Him

    62.Ivy's POV.I woke up gasping, my body jerking upright as the remnants of a terrible nightmare clung to me like a second skin. My heart pounded in my ears, my breath coming in sharp, ragged pulls. My skin was damp with sweat, my fingers twisted in the sheets, and for a moment, I couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t.The room was dark, still, but something felt off. A strange prickling sensation crawled up my spine, the kind of feeling that told me I wasn’t alone.I turned my head sharply, my gaze landing on a shadowy figure standing at the foot of my bed.My stomach dropped.Panic surged through me before I could stop it, my body moving on instinct as I scrambled backward, nearly tumbling off the bed. My pulse roared in my ears, my fingers gripping the sheets like they were the only thing keeping me tethered to reality.The figure shifted slightly, stepping into the faint moonlight spilling through my window, and the breath caught in my throat when I saw his face.Brandon.H

  • HER LYCAN STEPBROTHER’S OBSESSION   61: Should I Just Kill Her?

    61.Amari's POV.This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.I had done everything right. Strengthened the mate bond just like I was told. Played my part perfectly. Yet, even as I sat beside Brandon as his fiancée, the only person he was supposed to be drawn to, I could feel the distance. A wall between us that I had no idea how to break through.Because his eyes were always somewhere else.On her.Even through the engagement party, as everyone toasted to our union, as I smiled and played the perfect mate, he was barely present. He responded when spoken to, held my waist when expected, kissed my temple when cameras were pointed our way. But his gaze, his focus, kept drifting toward Ivy.It was infuriating.At the club, it only got worse.I was all over him, my fingers tracing slow circles on his chest, my lips brushing against the curve of his neck. I had whispered things in his ear, soft, teasing words, offering exactly what any man in his position should want. And yet, nothing. His shoul

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