GREY

My blood boiled the second those words left his mouth. My fists itched to drive into his face, just to wipe that calm expression off him.

“You are not my brother,” I spat, voice low but laced with venom. “You’re just the son of the man my mother married. Don’t act like we’re close.”

Brian let out a slow sigh. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought that look on his face was genuine regret. But I knew him. He was too good at playing the saint.

“Grey, it’s been years,” he said softly. “I wish you’d stop treating me and my father like we’re your enemies. Our parents are together because they love each other. We should support them. My father loves you like his own son.”

A bitter laugh slipped out of me. “No. He married my mother because he wanted the Alpha’s seat. And don’t pretend you don’t know that his plan is to pass it down to you.”

For the first time, Brian’s mask cracked. His eyes flickered with guilt.

“I don’t care about any of that,” he muttered. “I don’t want to be Alpha. The title belongs to you anyway, so why fight over something I never asked for?”

I stepped closer, narrowing my eyes at him. “You think it’s that simple? You’ve spent your whole life doing whatever he tells you to do. You don’t even know how to say no. So don’t stand here and pretend you won’t follow him blindly. And don’t act like we’re close, Brian. It disgusts me.”

I shoved past him on my way out, making sure my shoulder hit his. The door slammed shut behind me, leaving a tight knot in my chest.

This was exactly why I couldn’t afford the distraction of a mate. I had no space in my life for weakness.

But as much as I tried to push the thought away, her face appeared in my mind. Iria.

My jaw tightened. I had to stay away from her. The pull of the bond was maddening, a constant itch under my skin, whispering for me to give in. I tugged at my collar, desperate to shake off the sensation.

How could resisting something so natural feel like tearing myself apart?

IRIA

By the time I made it back to class, Clara was already waiting. I had stopped at the bathroom mirror, making sure to wash my face and erase every trace of the tears I had spilled. No one could know how shaken I had been.

Clara grabbed my arm the moment I sat down. “What took you so long? Don’t tell me something happened in the bathroom.”

Her sharp eyes pinned me in place, and I froze. I couldn’t tell her about Grey. Not yet.

But then I remembered the other person I had run into on my way out. Brian. Even thinking his name sent a strange ripple through me. The pull wasn’t as overwhelming as with Grey, but it was there, lingering and unsettling.

“Have you ever heard of someone named Brian?” I asked cautiously.

Clara’s eyes lit up like fireworks.

“Brian? You mean Brian?” She gasped. “Don’t tell me you actually met him.”

I nodded slowly. “Yes. Do you know him?”

“Know him?” Clara leaned in, her voice practically bubbling with excitement. “Who doesn’t know Brian? He’s the school’s golden boy. Everyone wants to date him. He’s ridiculously good-looking and he’s destined to be Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack. Half the girls in this school are dreaming of becoming his Luna.”

I bit my lip. That's perfect, huh?

Watching Clara gush about him stirred something unpleasant in my chest. Jealousy? No. That made no sense.

“Don’t you have a mate? Should you really be drooling over another guy?” I teased, trying to cover my own unease.

Clara stuck her tongue out playfully. “I’m just admiring from afar. It’s not like I’ll ever get close to him. But how did you meet Brian? He’s usually hard to approach.”

“Outside the restroom,” I answered vaguely. No way was I telling her more.

Clara squealed. “You’re lucky. He’s not only the best footballer in school, he’s also Grey’s brother. Everyone here either wants Brian or Grey. The two of them are like forbidden fruit.”

Her words blurred after that. My focus is locked on a single sentence.

“Brian and Grey are brothers?” My voice came out sharper than I intended.

Clara tilted her head, giving me a look. “Yes, they are. What’s so shocking about that?”

My stomach twisted. Fate really had a cruel sense of humor. A cold dread crawled up my spine. Nothing good could come from being caught between those two.

Trying to sound casual, I pressed, “What do you know about Grey?”

Clara shrugged. “Not much. He’s cold and unapproachable. People spread all kinds of rumors about him. But he’s handsome, so girls still throw themselves at him.”

“I see,” I murmured, though my thoughts were a storm.

The mate bond, Brian’s strange pull, their family ties it all felt like stepping into quicksand. The more I struggled to make sense of it, the deeper I sank.

Clara studied me, suspicion flickering in her eyes. “Why do you care? Do you know Grey?”

I forced a laugh, though it sounded hollow even to me. “Of course not. I was just curious after you said he’s Brian’s brother.”

She didn’t look convinced. Still, she leaned closer and whispered, “Then let me give you some advice. Stay away from him. Grey isn’t someone you want to get involved with.”

Her warning lingered in the air, heavy and sharp.

But my heart was already betraying me. Because even as I nodded, all I could think of was Grey’s eyes, the fire in them, and the way his presence pulled me closer no matter how much I wanted to run.