Chapter 4

Ella. 

I left the pack territory with my hands shaking so badly I could barely grip the steering wheel.

Two mates. Two werewolf mates. The words kept circling my head like a broken record.

I made it three blocks before I had to pull over. Sat in a parking lot, forehead pressed against the wheel, trying to remember how to breathe.

My phone buzzed. Text from Dad: "Dinner in twenty. Elena's joining us."

Perfect. Just perfect.

I drove home, plastered on a smile, and walked into a house that smelled like takeout Chinese.

Elena was already there, setting the table like she lived here. Which, in a month, she would.

"Ella!" She beamed. "How was your day?"

"Fine," I lied.

Dad appeared from the kitchen with plates. "How's Kyle settling in at school? You two talk at all?"

The memory of Kyle's arms around me, his scent, the way the bond had hummed with rightness, flashed through my mind.

"A little," I said.

"Good, good. It'll be nice when we're all under one roof. A real family."

I excused myself before they could see my gloomy face.

In my room, I stared at my phone. No messages from Kyle. Nothing from the unknown number that had to be Jason.

What was I supposed to do? Go to school tomorrow and pretend everything was normal? Sit in class while I could feel Kyle three hallways away? Come home and eat dinner with my future stepbrother who was actually my primary mate?

I couldn't do this.

My phone rang. Unknown number.

I answered. "Hello?"

"Ella." Jason's voice was smooth, calm. Nothing like Kyle's rough voice. "I know today was a lot. I wanted to check if you're okay."

"I'm not okay. I'm the opposite of okay."

"Fair enough." A pause. "Can we meet? Let's talk without the Elders and pack politics?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please. Just coffee. Somewhere public, neutral. You can leave whenever you want."

I should have said no. Should have hung up. But part of me, the part connected to that secondary bond wanted to understand what this was. Who he was.

"Tomorrow," I said. "After school. There's a coffee shop on Main Street."

"I'll be there."

He hung up before I could change my mind.

I barely slept again. When my alarm went off Tuesday morning, I felt like I had been hit by a truck.

School was worse than Monday.

The moment I walked in, I felt Kyle. The bond pulled tight, and I knew exactly where he was, senior hallway, near the lockers. The awareness made my skin prickle.

Jade found me immediately. "Okay, you look like death warmed over. What's going on?"

"Family stuff."

"The hot stepbrother?"

"Can we not call him that?"

Jade raised her eyebrows. "So it is about him. Spill."

"There's nothing to spill."

"Liar. You've been weird since Sunday. Is he being creepy? Because if he is, I'll…"

"He's not being creepy." He was being a werewolf. My mate. Who I couldn't have because we were about to be family. "It's just complicated."

"Everything's complicated with you lately."

She wasn't wrong.

First period, I couldn't focus. I kept thinking about Jason, about the coffee shop, about what I'd even say to him. The second period was worse, Kyle was in the classroom next door, and the bond made it impossible to ignore.

By lunch, I was exhausted.

Jade dragged me to our usual table. "You're eating. I don't care if you're upset, you need food."

Brandon from the debate team stopped by. "Hey, Ella. We still on for Friday? The tournament?"

I had completely forgotten. "Yeah. Sure."

He smiled. "Great. Maybe we could grab dinner after? Celebrate our inevitable victory?"

Jade kicked me under the table.

"Maybe," I said noncommittally.

Brandon left looking hopeful. Jade squealed. "He's totally asking you out. Finally."

"I'm not interested."

"Why not? He's smart, cute, nice…"

"I'm just not."

Across the cafeteria, Kyle was staring at me. His jaw was clenched, hands fisted on the table. He had heard the whole conversation, enhanced hearing. Right.

I looked away before I did something stupid like walk over there.

After school, I drove to the coffee shop. Jason was already there, sitting at a corner table with two drinks in front of him.

"I didn't know what you liked," he said as I sat down. "So I got both coffee and tea."

I took the tea. "Thanks."

Up close, he was different from what I had expected. Older, obviously. But also calmer. More settled. Where Kyle was all fierce and barely contained violence, Jason was controlled and Confident.

"So," he said. "Two mates. Didn't see that coming."

"You and me both."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you wanted."

"What I wanted was to finish senior year, go to college, have a normal life." I laughed bitterly. "Guess that's not happening."

"It could. If you choose to reject both bonds."

"The Elders said that could kill you. Both of you."

"Maybe. Maybe not. But it's your choice, Ella. Not mine, not Kyle's. Yours."

I studied him. "Why are you being so reasonable about this?"

"Because I'm twenty-two, not eighteen. I've had time to learn control." He leaned back. "And because forcing you into anything would be the fastest way to lose you."

"You don't even know me."

"I would like to. If you'll let me."

The secondary bond pulsed gently. Not overwhelming like Kyle's, but present. Warm..

"Tell me about yourself," I said. "Your normal life not the Alpha stuff."

Jason smiled. "I run a security company. Boring, I know. But it gives me flexibility, lets me manage pack business without raising human suspicions."

"Do you like it?"

"Honestly? It's fine. The pack is what matters. Making sure everyone's safe, fed, and protected. That's what I care about."

"Sounds lonely."

"It is." He looked vulnerable for a moment. "Being Alpha means everyone looks to you for answers. There's no one to lean on. No partner to share the weight."

"Until now."

"Until now," he agreed quietly.

We talked for an hour. He told me about taking over the pack at twenty when his father died suddenly. About learning to lead, making mistakes, and figuring it out as he went. About wanting to build alliances instead of continuing generations of rivalry.

He asked about me too, my mom, losing her, how I coped. About books and my debate team and what I wanted to study in college.

It was easy. Normal. Nothing like the stiffness with Kyle.

When I finally checked the time, it was after six.

"I should go," I said. "My dad's expecting me."

Jason walked me to my car. "Can we do this again? Just talk?"

"I don't know if that's fair to Kyle."

"Kyle gets to live in your house. See you every day. I think coffee once in a while is fair."

He had a point.

"Maybe," I said.

I drove home, walked inside, and froze.

Kyle was sitting on my couch. With my dad and Elena. Having a family dinner.

His eyes met mine, and I knew he could smell Jason on me. He Could probably hear my elevated heartbeat, sense my guilt even though I had nothing to feel guilty about.

"There you are!" Dad said cheerfully. "We were waiting for you. Sit, sit. Elena made lasagna."

I sat as far from Kyle as possible.

It didn't help. The bond stretched between us.

Under the table, my phone buzzed. Text from Kyle: "We need to talk."

I didn't respond.

Dinner was torture. Elena and Dad chatted about the move, about combining furniture, about whose dishes to keep. Every time they said "family" or "siblings," Kyle flinched.

After they left, I collapsed on my bed.

Two mates, four weeks, and a dreadful choice.

And I had no idea what I was going to do.