MATED TO MY STEPBROTHER

ISABELLA’S POVI never, ever thought I was going to find my mate.All thanks to my mother, I grew up believing finding one’s mate was a luxury. It wasn’t a privilege everyone got to have and quickly accepting the fact that I was far from privilege, it was a reality I quickly allowed to dawn on me- I wasn’t going to find my mate. I was simply going to grow up, find a decent person who liked me and if I was lucky, I liked back, settle down and spend the rest of my life living a happily ever after as far away from my mother as possible.My plans were one thing. And evidently, the moon goddess’ was another one entirely. One that in no way was I prepared for.Surprises was something I’d gotten extremely used to so it was safe to say I was rarely taken aback by whatever life threw at me. From my mum divorcing my dad when I was twelve to getting married all over when I was thirteen only to have him die few years later, leaving me with a stepbrother the same age as me and an even more emotion

ISABELLA’S POVIt had to be the slowest a week had ever gone by.Ensuring I didn’t run into my mum more than twice a day, I spent the entire seven days till her wedding locked up in my room half the time, the other half being spent at college.The guilt I felt aside, it was pretty easy to avoid my mum and not spend time uselessly chatting about her wedding that was upcoming. It wasn’t her first or second wedding and it definitely wasn’t going to be the event that would mark the miraculous rekindling of our already dead relationship.If I could, I was going to avoid my reality forever. But the second I watched the long hands of the clock hit twelve, I knew the time I had running from it had finally come to an end.“Isabella,” the voice came from behind my door, followed by the squeaking sound as the door was opened to reveal my brother. “It’s time. We’re going to be late.”I looked at Beckett and nodded slowly, noticing how he checked me out to confirm if I was ready. One hand was shov

GRAYSON’S POVI’d always- ever since I was a little kid- wanted to find my mate. The idea of being destined to be with one person your entire life started off as intriguing. Then it grew into something more. Something deeper. And before I could even stop it, something I wanted more than anything. My parents’ relationship didn’t help make things better. They were perfectly in love, happiness visibly surrounding them all the time. It was amazing and every opportunity they got, they thanked the moon goddess for making them find each other. For mating them to each other. So quite naturally, I wanted my own mate too. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’d been counting down to the very moment I’d meet her. I had the lines I’d utter to her rehearsed in my head. How I’d tell her how glad I was to finally meet her. How I’d smile like a kid who got his first taste of candy and how I’d hug her for the first time, promising forever in her ears. It was all going to be like I’d dreamed- pe

GRAYSON’S POV By the time I returned home from school, it was late already. Late enough for me to be certain Isabella would definitely have returned home from college and just enough time for me to head to the kitchen to cook dinner. Cooking was something I’d gotten used to overtime. It was a chore I shared with my dad, neither of us ever considering it a big deal. Whoever was simply home first cooked or in some cases, whoever was less exhausted did it. Normally, with my dad out of town, I rarely cooked. I never really liked the idea of eating alone so it was easier to order in without needing to sit at the dining table. But for the first time, things were different. My dad wasn’t home yet I was cooking. I stirred the pasta in the pan, glancing at the wall clock to ensure I didn’t lose track of time. It had been about twenty-four hours since Isabella and her brother moved in and we were all yet to have a proper discussion together. And there was no better place to have awkward co