Mated To My Supposed Brother

Her Mate

Chapter Two

The place was packed. Blood moon was one of the biggest events on the calendar, and even members from other packs attended because of how well-known and popular her pack was.

Liam tagged along behind her like a loyal bodyguard, and Aria knew exactly why.

Liam didn’t trust anyone, and he hated it when Aria was being bullied.

Once, he had beaten a guy for grabbing her butt and nearly killed another for calling her a coward.

She didn’t want him to get into another fight tonight, but sometimes trouble always found them.

Speaking of trouble. Aria sighed as she spotted Cassie and her gang of girls heading their way.

Cassie already had a mate, and they were set to marry next year. As the daughter of the Beta, she made sure to rub her title in Aria’s face, especially since Aria’s parents and Liam’s were ordinary pack members, now long gone.

"Hello, handsome," Cassie purred the moment she reached them.

Cassie had always been vocal about wanting to know how it felt to sleep with Liam (Aria knew because Cassie made it a point to tell her every chance she got).

Aria had a strong suspicion that Liam was the only male in the pack Cassie hadn’t slept with.

Even now, with a mate, Cassie couldn’t resist flirting with Liam, and it irritated Aria to no end. The way she looked at Liam made her... jealous.

"Got any plans tonight?" Cassie asked in a sultry voice, but Liam ignored her completely. Aria quickly took his hand.

“Let’s get out of here, Liam,” she urged, her nerves fraying. Cassie was starting to get under her skin, and Aria desperately wanted to avoid any fights tonight. But, of course, Cassie wasn’t going to let them go that easily. She stepped in their path.

"Who said you could leave, loser?" Cassie sneered, and Aria closed her eyes for a moment, bracing herself. It was only a matter of time before Liam went into full "Tom Cruise mode," and that was exactly what she wanted to avoid.

"Get out of her way, Cassie," Liam said, his voice sharp and commanding.

Cassie opened her mouth to retaliate, then hesitated. Liam’s last fight had made headlines in the pack, and since then, no one dared mess with him.

Cassie glanced at her lackeys, signaling them to follow her as she melted into the crowd.

Aria let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding and glanced at Liam, thanking him silently. Just then, she felt her wolf stir inside her. It was subtle, but there. She grinned.

The moon wasn’t up yet, but this was a sign. A sign that she was going to find her mate tonight. When a wolf stirred on the night of the Blood moon, it only meant one thing: her mate was nearby, and her wolf could sense it.

Liam shifted uncomfortably beside her. She noticed that he seemed on edge, like his wolf was stirring too. Shifting had never come easy to him as a child, and he hated the experience even now.

Liam grabbed a drink from a nearby table and downed it in one gulp.

"You look happy," he noted, his voice quiet.

“I felt my wolf stir, which means..." She trailed off with a wide grin, unable to contain her excitement.

"She sensed your mate is around," Liam finished for her, but he didn’t sound pleased. His mood dampened hers, and she sighed.

“You don’t have to force yourself to find a mate if you don’t want to, Liam,” she said gently. His blue eyes flashed, intense and sharp, making her heart skip a beat.

"Oh, I want to," he said, his voice low. "And I know exactly who I want."

Aria stared at him, momentarily speechless. The way he was looking at her made her lose her words, like the air had been sucked out of her lungs.

“I don’t know, Liam. You’ve never told me this before. How about we dance instead?” she offered, hoping to lighten the mood. He shook his head.

"You know I hate dancing," he replied.

"Please?" she begged, her voice soft. “For me?” she added with a smile.

Liam sighed but gave in, just like she knew he would. His hands found her waist as they swayed to the slow music, and Aria placed a hand on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat.

It soothed her, just like it had when they were kids. Whenever she had been anxious, she would rest her hand on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. It calmed her every time.

And just like then, Liam was looking at her as if she was the only person that mattered. In truth, she probably was.

He rarely talked to anyone but her, even when their parents had been alive. She had always been his best friend, his constant. Through his tantrums, through the rough patches of growing up, she had always been there for him.

But now, as they swayed to the music, something about the way he looked at her felt different. Intense.

Her eyes drifted over the familiar mole under his chin, the way his dark hair fell to his temples, the depth of his sapphire eyes. It was like seeing him anew, and for a fleeting moment, she wondered why she hadn’t noticed it before.

Stop it, Aria, she chided herself. He’s your brother—for Lycan’s sake.

Liam’s hands tightened slightly around her waist, pulling her closer, and she didn’t resist, even when his fingers drifted lower, resting on her hips. She let him.

When the music finally stopped, it was like a fog lifted from her mind. She stepped away from him quickly, her pulse racing. “I need to get something,” she muttered, needing an excuse to distance herself.

Liam didn’t respond and turned, walking away. Aria sighed, feeling torn.

She hadn’t meant to upset him, but she couldn’t stand being that close to him any longer. It felt... dangerous. Wrong. He was her step-brother, after all. What had she been thinking?

Her wolf stirred again, pulling her from her thoughts. Aria grinned. Finally.

“Atta girl,” her wolf said. “I can’t see your mate, but I can smell him.”

Aria smiled, excitement and nerves clashing inside her. Around her, people were finding their mates, claiming them under the Blood moon.

But where was hers? She followed the direction her wolf pointed her in, growing more anxious with each passing moment.

Where was Liam? She missed his comforting presence, and guilt twisted in her stomach. She hadn’t meant to push him away like that.

“Dammit,” Aria muttered as she spotted Cassie again, quickly ducking to avoid her.

Why was the moon goddess picking on her tonight? Everyone else seemed to be finding their mates, but she still couldn’t find hers.

Then she crashed into someone, stumbling back, but strong hands caught her before she could fall. Aria looked up and sighed in relief.

"Liam!" she exclaimed. “I can’t find my—” But the moment her hand touched his arm, her wolf’s voice boomed in her head.

“Mate!”

Her eyes widened, and her legs trembled. Liam's blue eyes were unreadable.

"Mate," he said softly.