All Chapters of Claimed By My Stepbrother : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

After some couple of days it was finally moving day. Everything was happening in a blur—boxes being packed, the movers going in and out, Mom’s never-ending instructions. I stood in my nearly-empty bedroom, the walls bare, shelves empty. The only things left were a few dust bunnies in the corners and some random pushpins I had forgotten to pull out of the wall. The whole place looked hollow, like a ghost of the room I had spent so many years in. I took a deep breath, trying to absorb every little detail because, honestly, the thought of leaving made my chest feel tight. I know this might sound weird coming from a teenage girl, but I hate change. Seriously, hate it. The idea of walking out of my room for the last time—it made my stomach churn. I had spent years filling this space with memories, with moments that were mine, and now I was supposed to just...leave it behind? The bed where I had binge-watched way too many shows, the little nook by the window where I had sit and rea

The next morning, I was already bracing myself for the whole “living with Ethan” nightmare as I got ready for school. I mean, yesterday had been a lot, and my brain had gone around in circles all night, trying to process the mess I was in. But I kept telling myself that maybe—just maybe—school would go back to normal. Maybe no one had to know. I could just keep my head down, survive the day, and try to stay invisible. Yeah, good luck with that, Camila. I stepped out of my room, backpack slung over one shoulder, and wandered down to the kitchen where the smell of breakfast was wafting through the air. Normally, that would have made me feel all warm and cozy, but today? Nope. Today, I just felt like everything was off. And then I saw why. Mom was in the kitchen, dishing out breakfast, looking as cheerful as I had ever seen her. And there was Greg, all smiles and laughter, like he had just won the lottery by scoring a second family. For some reason, the sight of them together—

My mind was a mess, and I mean a complete, tangled mess. I couldn’t make sense of what just happened. Ethan’s arm was still wrapped around me, the word “mate” echoing in my head like some kind of spell. Was he… was he serious? Did I just imagine it? Did I pass out somewhere in this hallway and hallucinate all of this? But no—his hand was right there on my arm, firm and real, and his face, that intense, brooding look, hadn’t budged. And I just… stood there, staring at him, completely frozen. Then suddenly, a voice jolted me out of my daze. “Whoa… Am I, like… interrupting something?” It was Tessa. She was standing a few feet away, her eyebrows raised and a smirk spreading across her face. I snapped back to reality, blinking as I remembered myself. “No,” I mumbled, almost too fast, tearing myself from Ethan’s grip. “Nothing. Definitely nothing.” I took a step back, trying to act like my heart hadn’t just been pounding out of my chest. Not looking at him, I practically sho

The night had stretched far longer than I had intended, and the once-vibrant karaoke bar was winding down. People were filtering out in pairs and groups, leaving behind empty soda cans and laughter that still echoed faintly in the air. I glanced at my phone and winced. It was late—really late. Grabbing my jacket, I mumbled a quick goodbye to Tessa and the others and headed out, eager to avoid any awkward encounters or explanations with Mom about why I was stumbling home after midnight. But as soon as I stepped out into the cool night air, I froze. Ethan’s car. It was parked right across the street like some ominous sign from the universe. His sleek black car gleamed under the dim streetlights, looking entirely too out of place for this shabby part of town. “What the actual hell?” I muttered to myself, pulling my jacket tighter around me. How long had he been here? Was he waiting for me? And why was he even here? Panic set in as my brain scrambled to figure out what to do.

The bus pulled up to the school, and I was more than ready to escape the cramped space and the overly loud chatter of early morning gossip. I grabbed my bag and stepped off, inhaling the crisp air that smelled vaguely of freshly cut grass and exhaust fumes from the line of cars pulling into the lot. And then I saw her—Tess. She was just parking her car, the bright red paint gleaming in the sunlight like some sort of showpiece. She spotted me almost immediately and waved, a wide grin splitting her face as she jogged over. Her blonde curls bounced with each step, and her oversized sunglasses looked ridiculously glamorous for someone in high school. “Well, well, look who decided to show up bright and early,” Tess teased, adjusting her bag strap as she reached me. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t act too surprised,” I shot back, smirking. “Not all of us have a car and can roll in whenever we want.” “Oh, trust me, I noticed. You’re looking very... public transportation chic today.” I roll