Chapter 2

Mira's pov

"Mira," my mom's voice echoed in my head and I snapped out of my thoughts.

I glanced up at my mate that also happened to be my stepbrother and shivered at the sheer intensity emanating from him and between us…

At least from my end.

He was so brooding and strong, it was hard not to find him irresistible.

I had noticed a few she-wolves in here had been trying to get his attention since I entered the hall.

"Mira," my mom called again and that was when I saw Kayden was smiling and holding his hands out for me to hug him.

I gulped and the minute I wrapped my hands around his waist, the energy between us charged.

I felt the instant and incessant urge to touch and be touched by him.

As quickly as I hugged him, I pulled away, afraid I'd do or say something stupid.

"You okay, my love?" My mom asked in confusion.

"Yeah," I whispered rather too quietly, trying to hide my distress.

"But you look pale," she pointed out, coming to feel my temperature with the back of her hands.

"Yeah, I need to use the bathroom." I muttered and practically ran out of there.

I made my way to the bathroom panting heavily. I could feel my heart trying to claw its way out of my chest and I felt like I was going to die at that moment.

Counting from one in my head, I began to take deep breaths to calm me down.

I counted to twenty before my heart beat slowed down to its normal pace.

"What the fuck?" I began to laugh maniacally. This couldn't possibly be happening to me. It just couldn't.

I began to pace around the bathroom restlessly as my heart beat picked up.

My soon to be step brother was my mate?

I knew I should not have come to this party. I just knew but even if I hadn't, his father would still be marrying my mother next month under the full moon.

I had to get him to reject me somehow, anyhow I possibly could.

"No!" Claudia, my white wolf growled.

"We have to, he's my mother's stepson. We just have to."

I countered, my heart was racing again.

I wanted him so bad, it felt illegal but I couldn't jeopardize my mother's happiness.

I had to reject him.

The bathroom door was flung open all of a sudden and I jumped up in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" My mom asked, her eyes scanning my face.

"Nothing mom, I just came here to get some fresh air."

I said, my heart quickening in my chest.

She narrowed her eyes on me.

"You came to get fresh air in the bathroom?" Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Yes, now you can go. I'm fine, you don't have to worry.”

"Okay but we are about to announce our engagement to the pack please hurry up and fix your lipstick."

She said and I rolled my eyes internally at her before showing her out of the bathroom.

I took one last deep breath, reapplied my lipstick and lipgloss before stepping out of the bathroom.

I should tell my mother about this but at the same time, I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

How was I supposed to sit her down and tell her that her new stepson was my fated mate?

He was so hot, I wouldn't have been able to tell if he was a day older than eighteen years old.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Zane waved as she came running towards me after I had walked out of the bathroom.

She was dressed in a green dress that reached her  ankles but had a slit starting from her mid thighs.

"Hey," I said.

"What's wrong?" She asked, scanning my face.

"Nothing, I'm just tired."

"That's not true, something is wrong. Tell me!"

I was about to open my mouth to speak when I heard the clinking of glasses.

"Um, my mom's about to introduce her man, let's go." I pulled Zane away to prevent her from forcing me to spill by force and she smiled, forgetting all about the questions she'd been asking me.

We both made our way over to where my little sister stood with her best friend.

"Hey, you okay?" She whispered and I nodded with a reassuring smile even though I felt anything but reassured.

"She-wolves and gentle wolves, welcome to my engagement party…" I turned my mother's voice out as I stared at my mate standing so closely to one she-wolf I didn't recognize, holding her.

I felt a pang of jealousy rise from deep within me and my wolf growled out in pain.

Our eyes met and I inhaled sharply. He was staring at me with zero emotions in his eyes and an unreadable expression and yet somehow, I could feel him howling out to me.

The crowd around me all stood up and began to clap. I shot up from my chair and joined the crowd to clap.

I watched as my mom kissed Alpha Remy and I literally wanted to run up there and tear him away from my mother.

I wanted to tell them what their marriage would do to me in the future.

I wanted to run towards Kayden and rip that girl off his arm. He was mine, he was my mate not hers.

I shook my head, disappointed in myself for my own thoughts. I was definitely a terrible person.

I should be figuring out a way to get rid of him and not be angry that my mother was finally getting a shot at happiness.

Maybe I could tell my mother about the situation and she could convince Kayden to reject me.

"Sorry, I'm late," I heard Cameron's voice from behind."

I turned around and hugged him.

"You are always late but I'm glad you are here," I said with a smile.

Cameron was I and Zane's best friend, well, Zane's boyfriend now. We'd known each other since middle school.

"Babe, what took you so long?" Zane glared at him as she made her way to hug him.

"My father, you know how he is," He explained and we understood.

Cameron lived in a different pack from ours now. After his mother married an Alpha from another pack, they moved.

"I'm sorry, but I'm super excited you are here. How long are you planning to stay?"

"Two weeks." He whispered and I watched as she hugged him excitedly.

"Come on, Mira, let's go meet mom," Talia said and dragged me to the front of the hall where my mom and her fiance stood waving at everyone.

"What took you so long?"

My mom gritted out without looking at me directly.

"Sorry," I apologized, afraid to look at my soon to be stepbrother.

I could feel his eyes on me but I didn't dare look.

I watched as he kissed my mom on the cheek. and then hugged Talia. I gulped knowing it was my turn next.

As he let go of Talia, he walked over to me, his eyes piercing mine and he enveloped me in a hug.

I just melted into him as his strong scent took over my body. My wolf was beyond grateful and excited to be in her mate's hand.

As if burnt by my touch, Kayden suddenly let go of me abruptly and walked over to the she-wolf I had seen him talking to earlier.

As I watched, he pulled her close and kissed her.

Unable to take his obvious show of affection towards another woman, I marched out of the hall, my heart breaking into a million pieces.