Gisele’s POV

As I walked down the hallway that led to my room, I couldn't help but feel relieved.

The party was finally over and I had said my goodbyes to Maureen and Morris. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and forget about the drama that had unfolded. But as I approached my room, I saw my step brothers standing in the hallway, blocking my path.

Kaelric, Orien, and Raugar stood tall, their eyes fixed intently on me. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I met their gazes, my heart rate picking up slightly.

Despite my best efforts to stay calm, I couldn't help but feel a pull towards them, a magnetic attraction that seemed to draw me in. I tried to brush it off, telling myself it was just my wolf responding to the mate bond. But as I looked into their eyes, I saw something there that made my heart skip a beat.

They didn't move, didn't speak, just stood there, their presence filling the hallway.

I felt like I was trapped, caught between my desire to escape and my growing curiosity about what they wanted. "What do you want?" I asked finally, trying to sound calm despite the turmoil brewing inside me. My voice was steady, but my eyes betrayed me, flicking to each of their faces, searching for answers.

“What was that kiss with that scoundrel?” Raugar asked, his voice laced with anger.

I raised an eyebrow, my irritation growing with each passing moment. "It's none of your business," I said, rolling my eyes in exasperation.

I didn't owe them any explanations, and I certainly wasn't going to justify my actions to them.

But Kaelric's expression turned stern, his eyes narrowing as he took a step closer to me while I slowly backed away.

"We don't want to see that scoundrel anywhere near you again," he warned, his voice low and menacing.

"You're our mate, and if you continue to stay close to him... we don't know how far we'd go to make him suffer." He added.

I felt more shivers run down my spine as I met Kaelric's gaze, my mind flashing back to all the times they'd made their threats to me.

I knew they weren't bluffing, and the thought sent a chill through me. They'd do whatever it took to protect their own interests, and if they saw Morris as a threat, he'd be in serious danger.

I stood my ground, trying to appear braver than I felt. "You have no right to dictate who I can and can't see," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. But deep down, I knew they had a hold on me, a hold that went beyond just physical attraction. And I wasn't sure if I was ready to confront the implications of that.

“Gisele, you claim that you don’t want to be our mate but I know you feel it.” Orien said. “This pull, this undeniable urge. I know you can feel it.” He added.

I tried to keep my voice steady, "I don't feel anything." I said.

The lie felt bitter on my tongue, but I knew I had to deny the pull I felt towards not just him but all of them. I couldn't let them know how much they affected me.

But before I could even process what was happening, Orien's hands were on my waist, his fingers wrapping around me tightly. "Then prove it," he whispered, his breath hot against my skin as he leaned in to kiss me.

My heart was racing, my mind filled with the burning sensation of his touch. But just as his lips were about to brush against mine, we heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Orien's head jerked up, and he pulled away from me, his eyes locked on the hallway.

I followed his gaze, and my heart sank as I saw Maerona standing in the entrance of the hallway, her eyes fixed on all of us with an unreadable expression.

Orien's hands dropped from my waist, and he took a step back, his face neutral. I felt a rush of relief, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of unease. Did Maerona see anything?

“What’s going on?” Maerona asked when she got close enough.

“Nothing, we were actually just leaving.” Raugar replied before they quietly walked away.

Maerona's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched them walk away, her gaze lingering on them for a moment before she turned to face me. "Everything okay, Gisele?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.

“I hope they didn’t say mean things to you?” She asked.

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Part of me wanted to confide in her, to tell her about the complicated feelings and tensions that had been building between me and my stepbrothers.

But another part of me was hesitant, unsure if she'd understand or if she'd just add to the drama. I wasn’t sure I could fully trust her yet.

"Yeah, everything's fine," I said finally, forcing a smile onto my face. Maerona looked at me skeptically, but she didn't push the issue. Instead, she nodded and fell into step beside me, walking with me towards my room. "Okay, if you're sure," she said, her voice gentle. "But if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you, Gisele." She said.

After that she handed a blue scarf to me, I recognized it as mine. I had probably forgotten at the party.

“I found this on my way here.” She said.

As I watched her leave, I couldn't help but think about what would have happened if she hadn't intervened.

Would Orien have kissed me? Would I have kissed him back? The thought made my stomach churn, and I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me.

I was still trying to process the mate bond, and the intensity of my stepbrothers' sudden feelings towards me. It was all so overwhelming.

As I stood there, lost in thought, I heard a faint noise coming from the hallway. I turned to see Raugar standing in the doorway, his eyes fixed intently on me. "Gisele," he said softly, his voice low and husky. "We need to talk."

My heart skipped a beat as I met his gaze, unsure of what was going to happen next.