Chapter 2

“Impossible,” I mumbled, staring at my supposed brother. Thinking maybe I mistook someone else for my brother, I nudged Nova, the only one who had not left her seat for him.

“Is that my brother?”

“Yep,” she replied, oblivious to the confusion etched on my face.

No. This couldn’t be right.  He was supposed to be my brother. Not my mate. Or was the poison making my wolf daydream?

“I can’t believe it’s really you,” my brother said, pulling me into a hug. The moment our bodies touched, I felt a zap of electricity in my body, resulting in goosebumps. My wolf stirred again and this time, her voice was stronger.

“Mate. Must claim mate.”

My hands, which were meant to embrace my long-lost brother, remained frozen by my sides as all I felt at that moment was confusion. Overwhelming, gut-wrenching confusion.

He pulled back slightly, his brow furrowing as he looked down at me. “Roxanne?”

I opened my mouth, but only one sentence came out. “Do you feel it too?”

“Not here,” he whispered, signaling to others with his eyes, and I nodded. The last rounds of dinner came and while everyone dug in happily while chatting, my appetite was gone, as I found myself taking glances at my family, wondering how they'd react hearing I was mated to my brother.

Luckily, no one noticed my absent-mindedness, and once dinner was over, I was overjoyed. The moment we got home, I didn't even wait for a tour. I yanked my brother aside, wanting answers.

“I should be asking who you are,” Brayden looked at me with crossed hands.

“What do you mean?” I retorted. “I am your sister.” I replied and instead of responding, he stared at me like I came straight out of a movie. "You don’t believe I’m your sister?"

“Not that I don't believe you're my sister,” Brayden scoffed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I am convinced you are not my sister.”

A lump formed in my throat, and I clenched my fists at my sides. “Then why did your parents think I'm their long-lost daughter? Make it make sense.”

“I’ve been trying to figure that out for the last three weeks, he answered, his eyes moving up and down my body. “And unless Mom had twins nineteen years ago, there's no way I have another sister who is just showing up.”

His words weren't making sense to me, but I was ready to get to the bottom of it all.

“Let's get a DNA test,” I suggested. “We'd need evidence to back up your claims and to also get answers from our parents.”

He agreed without a second thought and the next morning, we sneaked out before sunrise, taking a car to a hospital on the outskirts of town. It was a quiet place, free from the prying eyes of pack members who would recognize us immediately. After confirming the silver in my system won't affect the results, Brayden went first, barely flinching as the needle pricked his arm. I, on the other hand, grimaced as the cold metal slid into my skin.

"There," the doctor said, capping the vial. "You’ll get a call when the results are ready."

Once home, I went straight to my room, throwing myself on the bed. Hours passed in a blur, and at some point, Nova burst in, her arms filled with gifts and snacks.

"Celebratory presents!" she announced, placing them on my bed.

I gave her a small smile, appreciating the distraction. She chatted about everything and nothing, making the day pass faster than I expected. Before I knew it, night had fallen, and Brayden had returned.

I found him in the living room, standing by the fireplace with a paper in his hand, and a crinkled eyebrow.

"Well?" I asked, my heart hammering in my chest. "What do the results say?"