Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

KASMINE.

The tears had finally stopped. Not because the ache in my chest had lulled but because I had nothing left to give. My body had wrung out every drop.

I sat there with hollow eyes, shivering inside a hoodie I didn't remember putting on.

Perhaps I should thank Kester and his brutal, explosive outburst. It had jolted something in me and snapped me out of the spiral.

Thank Selene, Lwas here to stop him. Otherwise, he would have killed Cole,

We were still waiting for Claire. The doctors were still with her in the ER. I had been praying, begging, promising, and bargaining with Selene and every god that might exist since the moment she got shot that nothing ever happens to her. Otherwise, I would never forgive myself

I already couldn't. My chest felt like it was folding in on itself, rib by rib.,

I was already drowning in a pool of regrets. I should've called her. God, if I had just picked up the damn phone instead of making it about me, maybe we wouldn't have been here. I wouldn't have had the need to stop her by the roadside just to apologize for not being in touch with her.

I was a bad friend. And look where it had gotten me. All she needed was to be in touch with me. But no. I pushed her away. And

now...

God.

I could feel my chest tightening again.

"Shhh... Baby..." Kester pulled me into his arms again, 'She'll be fine. Okay?"noveldrama

"It's my fault," I whispered against his shirt, "That shooter... he... he was there for me. But Claire took the hit."

I broke down again, sobs punching out of me like I was being stabbed from the inside out.

"Don't say that, Mine," Kester murmured into my hair, his breath warm against my temple. "He wasn't there for you. He came for Claire. That's why she was the one who got shot."

"No." I pulled back just enough to see his face, "He was there for me. I saw it, Kes. I saw the way he looked at me. If I hadn't pul! Claire to run... if I'd hesitated for even a second... it would've been me. I was the target. Not her." I explained, and a small frown appeared on his face.

"But..."

"Claire has no enemies, Kes. You do. A lot of them," I sniffed, and for some reason, my instinct kept pushing one name into my head.

June.

I might be wrong. But this instinct was way too strong that I couldn even shake it off, no matter how hard I tried.

The last time she was at the house, she said a lot of things that should have gotten me worried. She looked at me like I was something she wanted to destroy.

But I had just brushed them off, thinking she'd take it out with Kester and let me be. But maybe I was wrong.

Maybe she hadn't wanted Kester to hurt. Maybe she wanted me to bleed.

"What's on your mind?" Kester asked suddenly, watching me like a hawk.

I blinked. "Huh?"

"What were you pondering about?" He asked.

"Nothing. It's nothing, Kes. I lied.

Because, on the other hand, what if was wrong? What if it wasn't June? What if I told him, and he went after her, killed her, and then we found out it was someone else entirely?

trie

I couldn't take that risk. I had to be certain before letting him know

It could've been Alpha Kex. Or Wes. Or any of the other enemies Kester had made just by breathing.

Kester had way too many enemies for my guess to even go round.

"Mum knows about the baby, Kes," I said suddenly, needing to change the subject before I completely lost it.

He was quiet for a second, deep in thought, before he replied, "Okay. Good."

I scoffed, "That's it?" I shook my head in disbelief, "She wants me to get rid of it. The pack is in chaos,

Kes. Dad and Mum are being

squeezed under the pressure

of

those forming an opposition against you. They're losing their grip." I

explained.

let

He dragged in a slow breath and exhaled through his nose, clenching his jaw. "have to address everyone about this. I've had enough of this madness already. As soon as I am certain Norlan is fine, I'lthead straight to the pack and hold a meeting with

everyone," He sounded so casual, but I could feel the tension rising in him.

The shift in him was instant. The soft edge he'd held for me vanished. Now, it was Alpha mode.

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