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#Chapter 7: Nothing Underneath
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2024-01-17 21:34:00
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My Brother My Mateย ย ย Chapter 8: Beneath the Surface
Rowena & EricRowenaWhen the unseen hand wrapped around my ankle and pulled me into the water, I felt my world tilting around me. Before I knew it, I was completely submerged, my eyes squeezed shut and shock taking over my system.But then, just as I had slipped below the surface of the water, my eyes shot open again and I saw the face of the person who had pulled me under.Emma.She quickly swam away, leaving me there as I struggled. I swore I saw a smirk on her face, too.I choked on the water, fighting as hard as I could to get to the surface, but it was no use. The more I struggled, the more disoriented I came, sinking even deeper into the pool. My dress floated up around me, tangling around my limbs and dragging me down with its weight.My hands reached up toward the surface as I continued to go down. Cold water rushed into my throat, and my calves started to cramp in agony, my muscles useless against the struggle.I didnโt know how to swim, my dress was too heavy, and I was goi
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-01-17My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 9: Mouth to Mouth
RowenaI awoke to the feeling of water exiting my lungs and a burning pain in my chestโthe sort of pain that I had never experienced before. But there was another experience too, just as new, and maybe even more shocking.Bright blue eyes stared down at me, and our lips were touching. Maybe my lips burned even more than my chest now that I came to my senses.Eric pulled back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He let out a deep breath, clearly relieved.โRowena.โI kept coughing, but the sensation of his lips remained. I knew it was just mouth to mouth resuscitation, butโฆ it was my first kiss, technically.While I continued to cough and sputter, Eric stood up and faced the crowd. The other warriors had gathered around us, looking on with confusion, shock, and discomfort written across their faces.โWho did this?โ Eric bellowed, his voice booming across the now-quiet pool.No one answered. I wanted to say that it was Emma, but I couldnโt. The water in my throat wouldnโt let me
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-01-17My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 10: Chosen
RowenaHeather White.She was a real beauty here at the school, and popular to boot. After all, she was tall and slender, with a delicate neck, prominent jawline, and fierce gray almond-shaped eyes that made her look like a winter fox.Her hair was so blonde that it seemed to absorb all of the light of the sun, making her look ethereal whenever she flipped it over her shoulder while walking down the hall.But she wasnโt just pretty; she was also the cheerleading team captain, and her father was the schoolโs biggest sponsor. She looked every bit the part of the daughter of an Alpha.She was everything that I wasnโt, at least on the surface.And she was my competition for today, or so it seemed.โOh my gosh, Heather, your hair looks perfect,โ one of the girls cooed, stroking Heatherโs long blonde locks.โAnd that baby blue dress looks sooo good on you,โ another girl purred.โAww, you guys!โ Heather replied in that sweet, sing-song voice of hers. โYouโre all so sweet.โThe other girls ti
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-01-17My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 11: The Cheerleaderโs Revenge
RowenaโTheyโll pay for this mistake.โEric and I stopped in our tracks upon hearing the shrill voice coming from behind the row of lockers. It wasnโt just the words that left me dumbfounded, though; it was the fact that I could hear it clearly even from here.Must be the acoustics in here, I thought.Exchanging wary glances, Eric and I silently decided to follow the source of the voice.โI blame you!โ she exclaimed with a huff. โItโs you who took the bribe. I mean, seriously.โโI would neverโโโOh, please. I know you must have taken a bribe to let the likes of her into the camp. How much were you paid, anyway? And now Emma is kicked off of the cheerleading team, too? Do you people have it out for our family, or something? After all my father has done for this school?โโHeatherโฆโEric and I glanced at each other again. So it was her; I thought I recognized her voice. Although, Ericโs face betrayed nothing as we rounded the corner.And there she was: Heather, fuming in front of the loc
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-02-01My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 12: Like Her
RowenaHer?โN-Noโฆโ I stammered, still in shock. โI didnโt know. No one told me.โSeeing Adrian with Heather made my stomach feel heavy. Of course I knew about her father being one of the schoolโs biggest sponsors. Of course I knew about her entourage of followers, too, and her beautiful featuresโnot to mention the fact that she was Emmaโs sister.But it was only now that I really began to make the connection. Heather wasnโt just the beautiful, seductive cheerleading captain who had a fling with my brother.She was Adrianโs girlfriend.I couldnโt believe it. Adrian liked girls like that? It didnโt seem like his type. No, I couldnโt believe it.โThere has to be a mistake,โ I said softly. โAdrian doesnโtโฆ Heโs not like that. He doesnโt like girls like that.โEric chuckled. โCanโt you see it?โ he asked, nodding his head toward the two of them. I hated to say it, but Eric was right. It was unmistakable; Adrian had his arm securely wrapped around Heatherโs waist. Her slender hip was bumpin
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-02-01My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 13: Tips & Tricks
RowenaIf I was being honest, I was a little curious about what sort of flirting techniques Eric was going to share with me.But why did he lock the door? And why was he so close?With his body pressed against me, I could practically smell the pheromones coming off of him. He was squeezing me a little too tightly again as well. It seemed as though he had a habit of that lately.Maybe he didnโt know his own strength; after all, he had gotten so much more muscular during his warrior training. Maybe his brain hadnโt caught up with it yet.Gently pressing my hands against his chest, I pushed him away just enough so I could breathe and get a better look at him.โWhatโs all this about?โ I asked, cocking my head to the side. โYouโre crushing me, Eric.โโCanโt you tell? Iโm trying to teach you how to flirt, Rowena.โ As he spoke, his hands slid down my waist. His fingers pressed into the soft skin there, and an inexplicable shiver ran down my spine. โYouโve always been a little stiff in that r
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-02-01My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 14: A Date
RowenaโRowena? Honey, is everything alright in there? I thought I heard shoutingโโThe door handle continued to jiggle, and I quickly shoved Eric away and scrambled to my feet. Running over to the door, I quickly unlocked it and flung it open.My mother stood in the doorway, holding a plate of fresh cookies. Her blonde hair was pulled back in its usual neat bun, and her eyes looked a little bewildered as she looked back and forth between me and Eric.โSorry,โ I said, stepping aside to let her in.She shot me a quizzical look as she walked into the room. โWhy did you lock the door?โ she asked. โI got a little worried.โI fell silent, unsure of how to explain. How was I supposed to tell my mother that Eric was teaching me how to flirt? Sheโd find it strange, to say the least, and maybe even a little inappropriate given how close we had gotten at the end.Suddenly, Eric stood behind me and cleared his throat. โI was just giving Rowena some combat manager lessons,โ he said coolly. โLocke
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-02-01My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 15: Homecoming
RowenaI let out a soft sigh and pushed my glasses up on my nose, then tucked a stray curl behind my ear as I bent over the notebook in front of me.โIโm going to lunch, Rowena.โ The head manager stood from his desk and grabbed his jacket off of his chair. โYouโll be okay in here on your own for an hour, right?โI nodded and looked up, meeting his gaze with a polite smile. โYes. Enjoy your lunch.โWith a curt nod, the head manager strode out of the office and left me alone. I watched his form fade away through the glass door, mingling with the other students who were walking past. I could see how they were chattering excitedly, pointing at the new posters that were practically lining every wall.โCome to the Homecoming Honeys dance this Saturday!โ the sign read. Then, underneath: โBring your โhomecoming honeyโ for free drinks!โI glowered a bit at the sign and shook my head. The atmosphere around the camp had changed so much this week since the dance had been announced; everyone seeme
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-02-01
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My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 105: Epilogue - Part II
RowenaThe sun cast golden rays on the carpet as I stood in the middle of my bedroom, surveying the half-packed bag on my bed with a frown. Would this be enough for three months of training?Finally, after deciding that I wasnโt quite ready yet and stuffing in a few more shirts, I zipped it closed and slung the strap over my shoulder. A soft sniffle made me turn toward the doorway, and I felt my face drop slightly when I saw the sad faces staring back at me.My parents lingered there, my momโs eyes red-rimmed and glistening with tears. She attempted a watery smile when she saw me looking, but I could see right through it. She didnโt want me to leave.โYouโre really going, huh?โ she murmured.Crossing the room with a sigh, I pulled my mom into a tight hug and shot my dad an apologetic look over her slender shoulder. โItโs only for a few months, Mom,โ I reassured her. โIโll be back before you know it.โโI know, I know.โ She squeezed me tighter, her fingers digging into my back. โItโs ju
My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 104: Epilogue - Part I
RowenaI stood in the hallway just outside the parlor, my heart pounding in my ears. The voices behind the door were hushed, but I could still make out every word through the thick wood.โYour Majesty, we canโt thank you enough for making this journey,โ my fatherโs voice echoed softly. โI can assure you that, had circumstances been different, we would have liked to have met you much sooner.โThere was a pause, and then a deeper, richer voice respondedโone I didnโt recognize yet. โPlease, call me Stefan. And the honor is all mineโyou protected my daughter despite everything. Although a part of me still canโt believe my little girl is actually alive after all these years.โMy heart leapt into my throat. My fatherโKing Stefan from the Northern kingdom. I knew he was coming to visit, but to finally hear his voiceโฆ It was unreal.A trembling hand came up to rest against the door as I tried to conjure up any memory of my father, of my past life. But there was nothing, of course; I had been
My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 103: Crowning Glory
RowenaMy heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest as I watched Eric mouth those two simple words to me.โKiss me.โHis bright blue eyes bored endlessly into mine, and in those moments, time stopped. Kiss him? Kiss him? Now? In front of everyone?โCโmon, Ro,โ Eric murmured, sensing my fear. โYou promised.โI gulped, unsure of what to say; and at that second, I felt myself being thrust back to our childhood, back to one summer afternoon so many years ago when things were so much differentโฆโHey, Ro?โ โYeah?โโDo you ever wonder what it would be like if you were born in a different family?โI remembered that day clearly; Eric and I had been laying out in the grass beneath the big oak tree behind our house, watching as the leaves waved back and forth. I was nine, and he was going on twelve. Oddly enough, I remembered exactly what we were wearing: he had on a blue shirt, and I wore a pair of overalls. I think I remembered the shirt because it matched his eyes, and the color
My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 102: Her Champion
EricI tightened the cloth wraps around my fists, feeling the familiar ache in my knuckles as I stared across the sandy expanse at Darius. With Adrian and Heather gone, it was just the two of us left.Darius grinned at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. โQuite a show you and your girl put on back there,โ he said, loud enough for just us to hear over the roaring crowd.I allowed myself a slight smirk, although my stomach still twisted painfully when I thought about how close I had just come to losing Rowena foreverโall thanks to Adrian and some demented scheme to assassinate the Northern princess.โMy girl?โ I said, feigning ignorance.Darius smirked at me. โOh, come on; everyone has suspected that sheโs not actually a Griffith for months. And we both know what you two were doing the other day in her office.โThe tips of my ears turned pink, but I couldnโt help but shake my head and laugh. Of course everyone had known. I hadnโt exactly put in the greatest effort to hide it since I
My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 101: My Hero
RowenaI could only stand there, frozen in place as Heather and Adrian were hauled away by the guards. Their hateful glares burned into me until the very last moment when they disappeared into the tunnels.And then they were gone. It was overโฆ For now, at least.A sudden cacophony of sound slammed back into me all at onceโthe roaring of the crowd, shouts and exclamations from students and spectators alike. I flinched as hands grabbed at me from all sides, my parentsโ frantic faces appearing like a lifeline through the throng of people.โRowena! Oh god, are you alright?โ My mother clutched at me desperately and drew me toward her, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked me over for injuries. โWe were so worried, we thoughtโฆ We thoughtโฆโShe trailed off, unable to put her worst fears into words as she smoothed my hair back from my ears, checking me over as if I were made of glass. My father wasnโt much better, one large hand cupping the side of my face while his eyes bored into me
My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 100: My Hero
RowenaEverything seemed to move in agonizingly slow motion as Adrianโs arrow sailed straight for my head. Time itself seemed to go still, the crowdโs roar fading into an eerie silence.In that endless moment, a thousand different thoughts raced through my mind. Ericโs handsome face, his last wink burned into my memory. The way his fingers had threaded through my hair just this morning as we had secretly made love under my sheets. My parentsโ smiling faces from their seats up in the crowd, now twisted into masks of horror.So this was how it ended, then? Struck down by a cowardโs arrow in front of thousands of spectators? My identity revealed to everyone, only for it to be snuffed out before I even had the chance to meet my biological family?There was no time to move, no time to even scream. All I could do was brace myself, my eyes squeezed shut as I awaited the impact. The embrace of death. I hoped it would be quick, if nothing else.But it never came. Instead, a sudden whistle of a
My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 99: Sacrifice
RowenaThe roar of the crowd was deafening as Emma and I made our way through the tunnels toward the main arena. I could feel the vibrations of thousands of stomping feet even from here, and it made my heart pound in anticipation.Inside of me, my wolf was practically roiling with excitement; I had grown used to her presence over the passing days, although it felt completely and utterly natural from the beginning.โAre you ready for this?โ Emma asked with a grin, giving my arm an excited squeeze.I took a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. โAs long as Iโve got you by my side,โ I replied.When we finally emerged into the bright stadium lights, I had to blink a few times to adjust. The massive arena stretched out like a desert in front of us, the sandy pit already prepped for the combat rounds. Lining the walls were the colorful pavilions and banners for each warrior and manager pair.My gaze immediately found Eric, standing tall and proud beside his pavilion across the way. He caught
My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 98: Marked
RowenaEric and I sprang apart at the sound of the doorknob turning, frantically smoothing our clothes down and covering ourselves just as a group of warriors walked into my office. I felt my cheeks flush hot as the apparent leader flicked on the light, blinking in confusion.โRowena,โ the warrior at the forefront said, glancing back and forth between Eric and me for a moment. โI wasnโt sure if you were in here. Why were the lights out?โBefore I could answer, Eric stepped in. โI was just helping her change the lightbulb,โ he said, gesturing to the light dangling from the ceiling. โYou came just in time.โโOh.โ The warrior seemed to buy that, at least. Thank goodness.โWhat can I do for you?โ I asked in a shockingly confident tone despite myself, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear and pushing my glasses up on my nose.โWell, we heard that you both made it on the list and we just wanted to wish you luck,โ the lead warrior said easily, shoving his hands into his pockets. โAs the
My Brother My Mateย ย ย #Chapter 97: Finalists
RowenaTaking a deep breath, Eric and I pushed our way through the crowd so we could see the results. As we approached, we received curious looks from the other studentsโno doubt word of what had happened at the party on Friday, or at least what people thought had happened, had spread like wildfire.OrโฆAs I read the names on the list, I knew now why they were really staring.โEric,โ I gasped, gripping his arm with one hand while I pointed at the list with the other. โItโs you!โI couldnโt help but grin as I looked up at him. Even Eric was beaming from ear to ear; he was at the top of the list of the three warriors who would be competing in the tournament. Of course he wasโhe was the best warrior at this camp, after all. He had earned it, fair and square.โCongrats, Eric!โ a nearby student called out. โI canโt wait to see you fight next week!โEricโs smile grew. โAnd I canโt wait to win,โ he quipped, eliciting giggles from a nearby gaggle of cheerleaders who were smiling and twirling
