Fated to Three Alpha Brothers

FUNCTIONALLY FUN

SUMMER

The car was warm and quiet, and the road unwound through the trees toward Hearthstone in the golden midmorning light.

Maddox had stretched his long legs sideways, angled toward me in the relaxed way of someone who had never once sat still in his life but had learned to make restlessness look comfortable. He was spinning the harmonica between his fingers, the same one from breakfast, without seeming to notice he was doing it.

"Can I ask you something?" he said.

"You're going to anyway."

"True, but I'm practicing manners." He glanced at me sideways. "What's it like being an only child?"

I considered this. "Quiet," I said finally. "You get used to your own company."

"Lonely?"

The word landed more directly than I'd expected. "Sometimes," I said, which was more honest than I'd intended. "What's it like living with two brothers?"

He made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. "Loud," he said. "Complicated. Never boring." He turned the harmonica over. "Logan and Rhett are basically opposites. Like, if you put fire and air in a room together and told them to coexist."

"Which is which?"

"Logan's the fire. Moody, intense, takes up all the oxygen when he's in a mood, which is often." His tone was fond despite the words. "He's terrifying on the football field, though. Like, genuinely. Scouts have been circling since sophomore year. When he's focused on something, there's nobody better."

"Is that where the bruises are from?" I asked. "Football?"

Maddox turned to look at me, and the grin that spread across his face was slow and deeply, insufferably knowing.

"Someone’s been paying attention to Logan’s body, I see," he said. “Interesting.”

"I was just asking."

"Uh-huh."

"I noticed them at breakfast." My voice was perfectly level. "It was an observation."

"An observation," he repeated, in the tone of someone filing something away for later. "Sure."

"It was."

"I believe you completely." He didn't sound like he believed me completely. "Yes, it's football. And training. He trains like the world is ending, honestly. Has since he was fourteen." He paused. "Anyway, Rhett's the air in the room. Still, calm, never loud, sometimes unnoticed. He’s not into sports at all, he'd rather be in his studio than anywhere else. You should see his paintings, though. Genuinely unsettling how good he is. Like, the kind of good that makes you feel a little stupid for ever picking up a pencil yourself."

"He was sketching at breakfast," I said.

"He's always sketching. It's how he thinks. Logan trains, Rhett draws, and I —" He spread his hands modestly. "I play harmonica and save people from falling off bookshelves."

"An important contribution." I smiled.

"I think so too." He turned to look at me properly. "Speaking of which. I saved your life today."

I blinked. "I fell off a shelf." The worst that could happen was probably a bruise on my lower back.

"So I think you should do something to repay me."

"How?”

He pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and showed me something — a flyer, digital, with the words DEAD STATIC — LIVE TONIGHT and a club name I didn't recognize. "My band is playing tonight. You should come."

I looked at the flyer. "Your band…?”

"I play music and sing a little. We're not bad, I swear." He paused. “I have an objective view of this because Rhett told me once and Rhett doesn't say things he doesn't mean."

I pause for a beat to read the flyer again. Maddox and his bandmates were featured on the flier and if I didn’t know any better, it looked like Harry Styles were performing. They looked kind of similar. Dark hair, greenish blue eyes, boyish smile, and tattoos everywhere.

The club’s located in Hearthstone territory, so it should be safe to go… right?

“I don’t know if I should go.” I answered finally. “I’m not much of a party person, and the last time I tried to go out, things didn’t turn out so well…”

By not well, I mean I was attacked by a maniac and chased out of my own pack’s territory. I didn’t say all that, but Maddox smiled knowingly.

“But that was then, and this is now. Nothing bad’s gonna happen here.” He argued. "Besides, it's the perfect night before a new school. You should come, have fun, meet some people. A lot of Hearthstone Prep kids go to our shows. You'll know faces on Monday instead of walking in cold." He tilted his head. “And plus, my brothers will be there too."

His brothers. So, Rhett and Logan…?

As if he could read my mind, he reiterated, “Logan will be there.”

I tried to shrug it off. “And that matters why?”

“Because I think you have a crush on him.”

“I do not!” I flare up instantly. My cheeks were a stupid dead giveaway.

Maddox seemed to find it funny and laughed. “Relax, your secret’s safe with me, princess.”

“That is not a secret, and that is so not… true!” I tried to argue, but he simply laughed away.

“It’s fine, it’s not a big deal, everyone has a crush on Logan.”

Everyone…?

I guess that would be the case, seeing as he’s the future Alpha heir of Hearthstone, the captain of the football team, and it doesn’t help that he looks like a cross between Jacob Elordi and a Greek god.

“I really don’t have a crush on him.” I reiterated. I really don’t want Maddox to start getting ideas.

“Hm. Then you might be the only girl in Hearthstone that don’t.” He must be joking when he said it, though it sounded half serious.

“I’m sure that’s not true.” I said. “I’m sure you have a fair share of groupies, with you being in a band and whatnot.”

He scoffed out a laugh. “Groupies?”

“Oh yeah.” I doubled down. “I can already imagine it. The girls are crying, screaming for you on stage. Throw their shirts and bras and everything but the kitchen sink at you. And then they’ll faint if you do so much as look at them.”

Maddox broke out in a laugh, a real laugh. I didn’t think I can make anyone laugh like that, and he probably didn’t too, but he seemed mighty pleased about it.

“You have quite the imagination, princess.” He said in between laughs.

I couldn’t help but notice the dimples popping in his cheeks when he laughed. Which was high-key kinda cute.

Maddox might’ve noticed me noticing him, so I quickly changed the subject.

“So what kind of songs do you guys play, anyway?”

Phew. Good safe, Summer.

“It varies a bit, but mostly rock, alternative, and a bit of folk. Actually, quite a lot of folk nowadays since I listen to a lot of Noah Kahan.”

“Oh I love Noah Kahan!” I couldn’t help it. He was one of my favorite artists. Maddox beamed in excitement too.

“Yeah he’s great, I love his stuff. Inspired my songwriting quite a bit. Him and The Lumineers and Mt. Joy---”

“Mt. Joy? That’s one of my favorite bands, like, ever!”

I really couldn’t contain my excitement. Not too many people know about Mt. Joy and I was obsessed with that band for quite some time. The Lumineers were also high in my list and I was surprised to find someone with such similar taste as me.

“No s**t. Then you really should come out.” Maddox said with that boyish grin. “You’ll like our music.”

Okay. That got me. Now I’m really, really interested.

A part of me thinks that this could actually be fun. I’m curious to see Maddox play and to hear his music. And I’m curious to meet some new people at Hearthstone. All of that seems great, but still, the other part of me thinks that maybe I should just stay home. Lay low. Ruffle no feathers. Hide in the shadows where it’s safe.

“So?” Maddox raised his eyebrows expectantly. “You’ll come then?”

I bit my lip in uncertainty.

“I don’t know, I guess… I’ll think about it?”

Maddox stifled a laugh. Like he couldn’t believe what he heard. I guess it’s not often that someone says no to him.

“Wow, you’re a tough sell.” He tilted his head to the side. “What’s really holding you back, huh?”

Hmmm. I don’t know. People are just… scary? Kids are mean. It’s hard to make friends when I’m just a wolfless girl that everyone thinks is just a waste of space.

I could’ve said all that, but I didn’t. I just bit my lip. But as if he could read me, his gaze softened.

“Hey,” He spoke again. “I promise it’ll be fun. It’s my party and I have a reputation to uphold.”

“What reputation?”

“That everyone is gonna have a damn good time as long as they’re with me.” He said it like it’s a guarantee. “Besides, going out tonight will be much better than sitting at home, worrying.” He bumped my shoulder lightly with his.

“Worrying?”

He sighed. “New place, new people, new start. You might as well begin it doing something fun instead of lying awake thinking about Monday."

I stared at him. How did he know all that? Am I that easy to read?

"I'm perceptive," he said, without apology. "It's a blessing and a curse."

He wasn't wrong. I'd already mapped out exactly how the ceiling of my beautiful east-facing room would look at two in the morning when I couldn't sleep again.

"What time is it?" I said finally.

His grin broke wide open. "Eight o'clock. I'll drive us."

"I didn't say yes."

"You said what time," he pointed out. "Which is functionally yes."

I looked out the window so he wouldn't see the corner of my mouth doing what it was doing. The trees were thinning, the stone gates of Hearthstone visible at the end of the road, the estate beyond them catching the midday light.

"I'm not taking no for an answer, by the way," Maddox added cheerfully. "Just so we're clear."

"That's not how asking works."

"Good thing I wasn't asking." He tucked the harmonica into his jacket pocket and settled back with the easy satisfaction of someone who considers the matter closed. "Eight o'clock. Be ready."

I couldn’t help but smile. What is it with Alphas being so bossy?

With Finn it was horrendous.

With Maddox though, it was… functionally fun.

- - - To be continued - - -