Chapter 3 : Our Little Stepsister

Lily’s pov ; 

As soon as I ended the call with my mother, I turned to find Ryder standing nearby, a vicious grin spreading across his face. He had clearly overheard my conversation.

"Good job, Lily," he smirked, grabbing my arm tightly, and causing an immense pain to rush through my hand. "You really are our good little girl, keeping up appearances like that. I think you deserve a reward."

I tensed and tried to pull my arm free. "I don't want anything from you," I snapped with my suppressed anger.

Ryder's grin only widened, his blue eyes glowing with amusement. "Oh, come on, don’t be like that. We're just trying to show our appreciation."

Before I could respond, he suddenly yanked me closer to him. His dark hair fell into his eyes as he gave me a vicious look. "How about a kiss? Just a little token of our gratitude."

My heart raced with anger and fear. "No," I said firmly, yanking my arm away. "I don't want anything to do with any of you.” 

"Feisty," he commented with a smirk. "I like that."

Hunter, the oldest, appeared behind him with his brooding intense gaze, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on here?"

"Lily did us a solid," Ryder explained to him, not taking his eyes off me. "And I'm thinking of how to show our appreciation."

Hunter with the most mischievous smile chuckled. "Maybe she prefers something other than a kiss. Any suggestions, Lily?"

I blinked at him in surprise, this was the first time I saw him so playful. 

Before I could retort, the teacher approached us, and I remembered my cleaning duty punishment for skipping class. I braced myself for another scolding.

“What are you doing here? Your duty is on the second floor,” he reminded me arrogantly. 

Before I could leave, Ryder flushed his charming smile to the teacher.  "We'd like to take her punishment on her behalf. If we want to manage the pack someday, we need to learn to treat newcomers kindly." He let out smoothly like the manipulator that he is. 

The teacher seemed surprised but nodded, visibly impressed. "Very well. If you're sure."

I stared at Ryder in disbelief. He just has to twist the situation to his advantage, making himself and his brother look like the good guys. 

As the teacher walked away, he turned back to me with a smug smile. "Looks like you owe us one, Lily.” 

I hate the way he takes my name. Asshole. 

He leaned in closer to me, his breath warm against my ear. "We’re always happy to help our favourite stepsister," he whispered with sarcasm.

Anger and frustration boiled inside me, but I bit my tongue. I couldn’t afford more trouble, especially not on my first day.

“It's getting late. Let's go,” Hunter sighed with a bored face, and walked away. I thought Ryder would do the same. 

But instead of letting my arm go, he began to drag me with them. “What are you doing? Let me go.” 

He ignored my pleas and we reached their big ass car. Reluctantly, I got into the car with them. 

The moment the car doors were closed, I began to feel uneasy. 

"Nice save back there," he said, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. "Lying to your mom like that. You're becoming one of us already."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "I did what I had to," I replied tersely, hoping to end the conversation. I shouldn't have lied that I was getting along with these assholes. 

"Oh, don't be so modest," Ryder chimed in, turning in his seat to face me. His face suddenly got closer and I pushed my head back in surprise. "It was quite impressive. Maybe we'll make a liar out of you yet. You’re learning fast. You'll even start to like us."

I clenched my fists, willing myself to stay calm. "Don't count on it," I muttered angrily under my breath but it seemed someone heard it. 

Hunter, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke. "You should be grateful. We saved you from cleaning duty. A little appreciation wouldn't hurt."

I quickly shut my mouth as I looked at him and found him glaring at me. For some reason, I could not talk back to him like Ryder. He oozes more authority among the brothers. 

Ryder laughed. “Go easy on our little girl, big bro,” he commented as he began to drive. 

The rest of the drive was filled with their snide comments and laughter, each word making my skin crawl. I couldn't wait to get out of the car and away from them.

Finally, we arrived home, and I practically jumped out of the car. 

“Hey, where is our thank you?” Ryder yelled behind me but I only quickened my pace. 

****

At the dinner table, Alpha Lucus, my mother’s partner and the father of the twins, turned to me with interest. "So, Lily, how was your first day at the Academy?"

Seeing my mother's expectant eyes across the table, I forced a smile. "It was great," I lied. "Especially with two step brothers,” It was supposed to be sarcasm but my mother’s warm smile widened. 

Alpha Lucus’s eyes gleamed with pride as he looked at his sons. "I’m glad to hear that.” 

Ryder gave me a subtle smirk winked, and Hunter remained silent. 

However, Alpha Lucus's expression shifted to one of concern. "I do worry about whether my boys will find their mates this year.” 

Mom placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Don't worry, Lucus. They will. There's plenty of time."

Suddenly, Alpha Lucus seemed to remember something. "Lily, your 18th birthday is coming up in a week, isn’t it?" he asked, his eyes turning to me. "We’re all looking forward to you meeting your mate on that day."

The mention of my birthday caught me off guard. Meeting my mate was the last thing on my mind, given my past and my current situation. 

"Yes," I replied cautiously, managing a small smile. "It is coming up."

"Are you looking forward to it?" I was surprised when Hunter was the one who asked it. 

"Of course," I lied smoothly, and hoped my voice didn’t betray my fear. "I'm curious to see who my mate would be.” 

Mom smiled, and I could see the relief in her eyes. She wanted me to fit in here, to find happiness and stability. “Of course, my baby will find the most loving mate.” 

I suddenly heard a light snicker, and through the corner of my eyes, I saw Ryder laughing to himself. I feel embarrassed sitting there. 

“Excuse..me,” I excused myself and retreated to my room to get some peace. 

Looking at the time, it's already time to go to Sam’s party. I don't want to go but I also don't want to disappoint her. 

And I need an escape from this place, even for a short moment. So, I opened my closet to decide on a dress. I quickly got dressed. 

The sudden knock on the door made me jump. I walked over and opened it, and to my surprise, Hunter's face came into my view. 

"Hey, Lily," he said seriously. "Mind if I come in?"