THE PLAY BOY IN MY HOUSE

The rain started on the day my life changed. I stood in front of the massive Blackwood mansion, gripping the handle of my single suitcase. The place looked more like a luxury hotel than a home—towering pillars, endless glass windows, and a driveway long enough to get lost in. My mother stood beside me, smiling nervously as if she could force this new life to feel normal. “This is our new start, Aurora,” she whispered, though her voice trembled. A new start. A new husband. A new house. And a new family that wasn’t mine. Before I could reply, the mansion door opened and a tall man in a suit stepped out. Alpha Richard Blackwood. He hugged my mother warmly before turning to me. “Welcome home, Aurora.” Home. The word felt heavy on my tongue. Then I heard footsteps—slow, confident, careless. A boy appeared at the top of the marble staircase. His shirt hung half-buttoned, dark hair messy like he had rolled out of a girl’s bed, jaw sharp, blue eyes cold enough to freeze fire. He didn’t smile. He didn’t greet me. He just stared like I was a problem placed on his doorstep. That was my first time seeing Liam Blackwood—the boy every girl in town whispered about. The playboy. The troublemaker. The heartbreaker no one ever learned from. My new stepbrother. He leaned on the railing, eyes dragging from my face to my suitcase and back. Slowly. Intently. Almost like he was scenting the air. His jaw tightened. His pupils stretched. Mom nudged me. “Aurora, say hello.” “H-Hi,” I managed. Liam didn’t reply. He muttered something under his breath and walked away. Alpha Richard cleared his throat. “Don’t mind him. Liam… has moods.” Moods? That boy looked like he breathed moods. Inside, the mansion was even bigger than it looked—grand hallways, glossy floors, chandeliers older than me. My mother went off with Alpha Richard to sign documents while a maid guided me upstairs. We had barely turned a corner when voices drifted down the hall. “…Liam is home?” “If he ignores me again, I swear—” “He’s so hot when he’s irritated.” Three girls stood outside a door—beautiful, dressed like they were heading to a party. One of them scanned me slowly. “Who are you?” “I… live here now.” They burst into laughter. “Sweetheart,” the tallest said, “nobody lives here. We just come for Liam.” My stomach dropped. Before I could speak, the door behind them opened. Liam stepped out—hair wet, towel around his neck. Irritation flashed across his face at the sight of them. “Out,” he said sharply. They giggled and brushed past him. But when he turned back, his eyes collided with mine. And everything froze. His nostrils flared. His fingers tightened on the door. His posture shifted—alert, tense, like something primal woke up inside him. He took one step toward me. Then another. Then another, until he stood right in front of me. I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin. My heartbeat stumbled. “Aurora…” he murmured, my name sounding dangerous in his mouth. He tilted his head slightly and inhaled. His blue eyes flickered—turning silver. I gasped. Liam’s voice dropped into a soft growl. “Mate.” My whole body froze. I stumbled back, but his hand caught my wrist—hot, firm, possessive. “Let go,” I whispered. He didn’t. He pulled me closer, eyes burning. “You don’t understand,” he breathed. “The moment you stepped into this house… something snapped inside me.” His jaw tightened. “My wolf wants you.” My throat closed. “We’re… step-siblings.” His eyes darkened. “My wolf doesn’t care.” Suddenly, he let go—like my skin had scalded him. He dragged a hand through his hair, frustration written all over him. “This is bad,” he muttered. “This is really bad.” Before I could ask anything, footsteps echoed from the stairs. “Aurora?” Mom called. Liam stiffened. His expression shuttered back to coldness. Without another word, he turned and walked away—fast. But just before disappearing into his room, he glanced back. His eyes glowed silver again. “Stay away from me, Aurora.” The words were sharp… but his voice trembled. I stood alone, wrist tingling where he’d touched me. I didn’t know if it was fear or something else, something warm and terrifying, twisting in my stomach. I was still trying to steady my breathing when Mom appeared. “There you are,” she said gently. “Dinner is almost ready. Alpha Richard wants us all to eat together tonight.” Eat… with him? My stomach knotted. But I forced a smile and followed her downstairs. The dining room looked like something from a magazine—long table, gold candles, expensive plates that looked too delicate to use. I sat beside Mom, trying to melt into the chair. Liam arrived last. He walked in wearing a plain black T-shirt, hair slightly damp. Even without trying, he looked like trouble made beautiful. His eyes flicked to me. Just once. Just enough to stop my breathing. Then he looked away, though tension clung to him like a shadow. He sat across from me, hands hidden under the table. Mom and Alpha Richard talked about the wedding, the move, the school I’d be starting next week—Liam’s school. His jaw clenched at the mention, but he didn’t look my way. I wished the floor would open up. “Are you alright, Aurora?” Mom asked gently. “I’m just… tired,” I said quickly. Across the table, Liam tapped his fingers—slow, rhythmic, restless. Each tap made my heart jump. Dinner eventually ended. Mom and Alpha Richard stayed behind to talk with the staff. I escaped to the hallway, finally breathing again. I had barely taken five steps when footsteps followed me. Slow. Heavy. Unmistakable. I turned. Liam stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, eyes unreadable. He stared at my neck—the same spot his hand had touched earlier. “Why are you following me?” I whispered. “I’m not,” he said quietly. “Your room is this way. Mine is the other.” “Oh.” Silence thickened between us. He stepped closer—just one step, but it felt like a warning. “You don’t understand what a mate bond is,” he said. “You don’t know what it does to us.” “I didn’t ask for it,” I whispered. His expression softened for the briefest moment. “I didn’t either.” A crash sounded downstairs—shattering glass. I jumped. Liam didn’t. He just looked at me with a strange mixture of fear and longing. “Stay away from me,” he said again—this time gently, wounded. He turned and disappeared into the darkness of the hall. I stood alone, heart racing. New house. New school. New family. And a stepbrother whose wolf claimed me as his mate. Something told me my life would never be normal again.