chapter two

CHAPTER TWO

GABRIELLAS POV

LATER THAT EVENING 

I was driving up the long hill to my father’s mansion. The house sat at the top like it owned the night, tall windows glowing with warm light.

Gravel crunched under my tires as I parked. I forced myself to breathe slowly.

Tonight wasn’t about my infertility, even though there was a high chance  I won't be able to stop thinking about it, especially when I see Jacob. 

I can do this, I don't have a choice… we will just have dinner, and meet my father’s new wife.. I just have to find a way to get through this dinner.

Inside the mansion the air felt strange, thick somehow.I felt restless for reasons I couldn’t explain.

A staff member guided me down a long hallway toward the dining hall. My father stood at the head of the room beside a beautiful woman with soft eyes and a welcoming smile.

“You’re late,” Dad said,  the moment he saw me.

“Sorry, Dad,” I murmured quietly.

He gestured toward the woman beside him. 

“This is my wife; your new mother; Stacey.”

She stood right away, stepping forward with a warm laugh. “Oh dear, just call me Stacey. Mom makes me sound old.”

I forced a small smile. “I’m really sorry I missed the wedding.”

“Oh don’t worry about that,” she said gently. 

“Jerold,sorry I’m late.”

My stomach dropped so hard it hurt.

That voice.

I didn’t turn at first.

I couldn’t, because I already felt the guilt rising, thick and choking, like it knew I didn’t deserve to face him.

“Ah, you’re here,” Jerold said warmly, pulling him in. “Come, come.”

I forced myself to look.

Jacob stood there, composed, distant… untouched by anything.

His eyes passed over me like I was nothing, and somehow that made it worse, because I had already betrayed him.

My fingers curled into my dress.

God… what have I done?

“Let me introduce you,” Jerold continued, cheerful, unaware. “This is Stacey.”

Their voices blurred.

All I could hear was my heartbeat… too loud, filled with so much guilt.

I could still feel it; last night, the stranger, his hnads on my skin... my sin.

I swallowed hard, but it didn’t help, nothing helped.

I stood there, a wife who had just…I couldn’t even finish the thought.

“Are you okay?”

He was looking at me now.

Finally, but there was nothing in his tone, no affection, or  concern. Just… obligation, like he was asking out of politeness, not because I mattered.

“I…” My lips trembled before I forced a small smile. “I’m okay.”

The lie tasted bitter.

It sat heavy in my chest, because I wasn’t okay.

I was standing in front of my husband, knowing I had given something that was supposed to be his… to someone else, and he didn’t even know.

“Dear, are you sure?” Stacey’s voice softened. “You look unwell.”

I nodded quickly.

“I’m fine,” I said again, quieter this time. “I just… need the bathroom.”

My hands were already cold. I needed to get away.

Before it showed., before I broke. I turned and walked out before anyone could stop me.

The hallway outside the dining room was quiet, too quiet.

I exhaled slowly and turned the corner, instantly bumping into someone.

Strong hands grabbed my arms before I could fall. The moment his fingers touched me, the air shifted, it felt familiar, it felt wrong.

Power rolled off him heavy and commanding. My heart started racing before I even lifted my head, then I looked up.

Golden eyes stared down at me. It was him, 

The same sharp gaze. The same dangerous presence from the lodge.

“You…?” I whispered.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied my face like he was trying to place where he had seen me before.  His energy was so cold.

“Hey beautiful…. Wait, don't I know you from somewhere?” he asked flatly.

The words hit harder than they should have

. Before I could answer, footsteps came from the dining hall.

"oh good,” Stacey said brightly as she stepped into the hallway. “I see you’ve met.”

My heart beat increased.

She smiled warmly and gestured to the man in front of me.

“Gabriella, this is my son.” Her hand rested lightly on his arm.

“Alpha Killian of the Reyes Pack.”

Son? Alpha?

The air turned heavy instantly.

Killian’s gaze shifted briefly toward my father. For a split second something dark flashed between them before my father’s face went blank again.

“And Killian,” Stacey continued warmly, “this is Jerold’s daughter. Gabriella.”

My ears started ringing.  No, this couldn’t be happening.

How is it that the man standing in front of me… the stranger whose bed I woke up in this morning…the man I had to lose my virginity to happened to be my Alpha,not just any Alpha, but my stepbrother.

My stepbrother… Why? My stomach turned violently.

I had sex with him.

Oh my goodness…I slept with my

For a moment, the world around me felt distant,like everything had been dragged underwater.

The hallway felt too small, the air was too thick to breathe.

A violent surge tore through my chest,  My pulse spiked, heat rushed through my veins so suddenly my fingers trembled.

No.

No, no, no.

This wasn’t happening.

Across from me, Killian stiffened.

His golden eyes darkened slightly as his gaze sharpened on my face.

“Is something wrong?”

My father’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.

I hadn’t even noticed him step closer.

His sharp eyes moved between Killian and me, studying the strange pull in the air.

Killian answered first.

“Nothing,” he said coolly.

His voice was calm, controlled.

“Your daughter simply ran into me.”

His gaze flicked briefly to my father, and something silent,heavy, passed between them.

My father’s jaw tightened, almost imperceptibly…before his expression smoothed out again.

For a minute, the two men looked less like family…and more like rivals measuring each other.

.“Killian Reyes,” Jacob said with a low laugh. “I should’ve known it was you.”

Before anyone could react, Jacob closed the distance and pulled Killian into a firm embrace, clapping him on the back like an old friend.

My stomach dropped, oh heaven, what is happening?

Killian returned the embrace easily, the familiarity between them unmistakable.

“Jacob,” Killian replied evenly.

I stared at them, frozen.

Jacob… knew Killian .

Which meant this situation had just become far more complicated than I had imagined, then Killian stepped back at last, but not before leaning just close enough that only I could hear him.

Then Stacey clapped her hands lightly, completely oblivious to the tension thickening the hallway.

“Well,” she said cheerfully, “since everyone’s finally here, let’s eat.”

Dinner felt like walking through a dream I couldn’t wake from.

The dining table stretched long and polished, glowing softly beneath the warm lights. Plates were neatly arranged, the rich scent of food filling the room.

But it still felt tight because Killian was there sitting across from me, while Jacob was right beside me.

Perfect.

Every time I lifted my eyes, his were already waiting.

Watching, not openly… but enough.

Enough to make my pulse refuse to settle.

I forced my attention to my plate, gripping my fork tighter than necessary. Just breathe. Act normal. No one knows. No one can know—

“Killian.”

Stacey’s voice cut gently through the room.

“Didn’t you get my text? I asked you to bring a plus one” she said, a hint of disapproval beneath her smile. “I told you to bring a lady with you. You need to stop sleeping around and settle down.. I need grandchildren and this pack needs a Luna .”

My hand stilled.

Across the table, Killian leaned back slightly in his chair, completely at ease.

“Oh, Mother,” he said smoothly, “You need to be patient. Soon,you will get your grandchildren, as a matter of fact… I did meet my mate last night”

A small pause.

“You what? Well where is she? Or are you lying to me?” Stacey asked with so much excitement in both her eyes and voice.

“She, my dear mother, is hiding.. at least that's what she thinks,” he said, his eyes landing on me.

What the hell?

“ I don't understand. What do you mean hiding? You fool, what did you do?” 

She smacked him in the head.

“ Well, that's exactly what I want to find out,, because I am sure I did nothing wrong, especially with the wild and passionate sex we had last night”

The fork slipped from my fingers, hitting the plate with a sharp clatter.

I choked.

Air refused to move through my lungs as heat rushed violently to my face. My hand flew to my mouth, coughing as every pair of eyes shifted toward me.

“Gabriella?” Jacob’s voice came, low, concerned.

“I’m fine,” I forced out quickly, reaching for my glass of water. My hands weren’t steady. “Just… went down the wrong way.”

Don’t look at him.

Don’t— and I looked.

Killian was already watching me. What the fuck is he doing? Is he trying to end me?

His gaze locked onto mine, something dark flickering beneath the surface—something that said he knew exactly what he was doing.

“The only downside,” he continued smoothly, as if nothing had happened, “was that she kept calling me another man’s name.”

My fingers curled tightly around the edge of the table.

“But,” he added with a faint shrug, “I didn’t mind.”

His eyes didn’t leave mine.

“She seemed to be enjoying herself just as much.”

The room felt smaller.

“Killian,” Stacey said, her tone sharpening slightly. “If you are sure that woman is your mate, then you need to find her and bring her home immediately.”

A quiet breath of amusement left him.

“Already on that mother.. in fact, you would be surprised how close she is to home already," 

Mate?

Hell no, you have got to be kidding me.

.“Alright, uhmm, I need some air,” I murmured, stepping away before anyone could stop me.

This has to be some kind of sick joke… I can't be his mate.

Is that even possible?

Mated to My Alpha stepbrother 

I couldn't right now… this was a nightmare turned reality, and this Alpha was driving me to my grave.