Claimed by my mate, wanted by his brother.

Chapter 1— The Feeling I Couldn't Ignore Kayla's P.O.V I had tried everything. I tried sleeping, but every time I closed my eyes, my mind refused to rest. I tried taking a long shower, hoping the warmth would calm my nerves. I even went for a run earlier, pushing my body until my muscles burned and my lungs begged for a break. Usually, running helped. It was the one place where Kylie and I were always in sync. The wind against my skin, the freedom of moving through the forest, the quiet conversations between my wolf and me. But today was different. The uneasiness followed me everywhere. No matter how far I ran, I couldn't escape the strange feeling sitting heavily in my chest. It wasn't fear exactly. It was something deeper. Something I couldn't explain. And Kylie wasn't helping. My wolf had been restless since morning. She was constantly on edge, her senses alert as if she was waiting for something to happen. Something is wrong, Kylie kept saying. I had asked her what she meant, but she couldn't explain it either. That was the most frustrating part. Kylie was usually confident. She was stubborn, protective, and sometimes annoyingly dramatic, but she was rarely uncertain. Today, she was afraid. "Hey, baby, are you done?" I looked up from where I was standing in front of the mirror and saw Xavier leaning against the doorframe. For a moment, despite the strange feeling inside me, I smiled. Xavier had always been unfairly handsome. It almost seemed impossible that someone could look so perfect without even trying. His dark hair was slightly messy, his blue eyes were bright, and his suit fit him perfectly. He looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine. "I'm almost done," I replied, adjusting the earrings I had chosen earlier. His smile faded slightly as he studied me. "Baby, are you okay?" I turned around. "What do you mean?" "You've been looking worried all day." I forced a small laugh. "Am I that obvious?" "To me? Yes." That was one thing about Xavier. He noticed everything. A small change in my expression. A different tone in my voice. The smallest details that most people ignored. "Is it because I didn't tell you my dad is an alpha?" My smile disappeared. I wished that was the reason. I wished I could tell him that I was nervous because I was meeting his family for the first time. I wished I could blame it on his father's reputation or the pressure of entering an alpha's territory. But deep down, I knew that wasn't it. Something was wrong, and I had no idea what. "No," I said softly. "It's not that." He walked closer. "Kayla..." "I'm okay, Xavier. I swear." He looked at me for a few seconds before sighing. "Baby, I already apologized for not telling you earlier." He took my hands gently. "I just didn't want you to avoid me after finding out. A lot of people do that when they hear about my family." I frowned. "Why would I avoid you?" "Because of my brother." The way his expression changed told me everything. Even Xavier, who was confident enough to challenge anyone, seemed different when he talked about his brother. "People know his reputation," he continued. "They hear his name and immediately think the worst." I stayed quiet. Everyone knew about Xavier's brother. The strongest alpha in America. Cold. Ruthless. Unforgiving. A man who had built his reputation through fear and power. But I wasn't afraid of him. At least, I didn't think I was. "It's not that," I repeated. Xavier lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. "Then what is it?" I looked away. "I guess I'm just nervous about meeting your family." His expression softened. "They'll love you." "You don't know that." "I do." He smiled. "My parents have always wanted a daughter. And after meeting you, they'll understand why I couldn't stay away." I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop my smile. "You always know what to say." "Because it's true." He pulled me closer. "I love you." I looked into his glittering blue eyes. "I love you too." His smile grew before he leaned down and kissed me. For a moment, everything else disappeared. The anxiety. The strange feeling. The worry. It was just Xavier and me. His hands rested gently on my waist, and I melted into him like I always did. "Hmm..." he murmured between kisses. "You look beautiful." I smiled. "But?" "But I don't think I want the dress on you anymore." I immediately laughed. "Xavier." "What?" "We're running late." "I know." "And I don't want your family thinking badly of me because I didn't show up after accepting their invitation." He smiled against my lips. "They won't." I wanted to believe him. I really did. But Kylie suddenly growled inside my head. Stop. I froze. Not because of Xavier. Because of her. "Kylie?" Something is wrong. I pulled away slightly. My wolf had always disliked Xavier. At first, I thought it was because she believed in the mate bond. Most wolves dreamed of finding their destined mate. They believed the bond was sacred, something stronger than ordinary love. But I had never cared about that. I didn't want a stranger deciding my future. I wanted to choose who I loved. And I chose Xavier. We met during my internship after college. The moment we sensed each other as werewolves, we became friends. He never treated me like a possession. He never acted like he owned me. He respected me. We would go on runs together, talk about everything, and slowly, friendship became something deeper. When he finally asked me out, I said yes because being with him felt natural. With Xavier, I could be myself. He was caring, patient, and attentive. He remembered the little things. The way I liked my coffee. The songs I listened to when I was stressed. The food I hated. The things that made me happy. He wasn't just handsome. He was good. And that mattered more. But Kylie had never accepted him. She tolerated him because I loved him. Nothing more. "Come on, baby," Xavier said, pulling me back to reality. "Let's go." I grabbed my purse. "Alright, alright. Let's go." The drive to Xavier's family's territory was peaceful. At least, it looked peaceful. I stared out the window, watching the scenery change as we left the city behind. Xavier reached over and held my hand. "You know, you still haven't told me what you got me." I smiled. "That's because it's a surprise." "It's my birthday." "Exactly." He laughed. When we arrived at the highway leading toward his family's estate, I finally handed him the small gift box. "I wanted to give you this after the party, but I changed my mind." He looked surprised. "Kayla..." "Happy birthday, baby." He opened the box carefully. Inside was a silver wristwatch. "It's a wristwatch," I explained. He picked it up, examining it with a bright smile. "It's beautiful." "I'm glad you like it." He looked at me. "I love it." Then his expression softened. "But you know you didn't have to get me anything, right?" "It's your birthday. I'm supposed to give you something." He shook his head. "You already gave me the best gift when you said yes to me." I smiled. "Oh please. I would've asked you to marry me if you didn't ask me first." He laughed. "Really?" "Of course." I crossed my arms. "I wouldn't let any she-wolf take you away from me." I narrowed my eyes dramatically. "I'd rip their throat out first." Xavier burst into laughter. "As much as I would love to see you defend my honor, I don't want my brother punishing you for killing in his territory." I rolled my eyes. "Forget your brother. He might be the big bad alpha, but I can take him down too." I squeezed my right fist into my left palm. Xavier laughed harder. "Okay. I believe you." "You should." A few minutes passed before he became serious again. "Are you sure you want to stay at my parents' house?" I looked at him. "We can get a hotel in town if you want. Drive back after the party." I shook my head. "I want to stay with your family." He looked unsure. "Okay, if you say so. But don't say I didn't warn you when my parents become clingy and refuse to let you return to California." I laughed. "How do you know they'll like me?" "Because apart from the fact that you're the most beautiful woman in America..." I raised an eyebrow. "Flattery?" "I'm serious." He smiled. "You're smart. You're kind. You're strong. My parents will see that." Then his smile faded slightly. "And my brother..." There it was again. That hesitation. "What about him?" Xavier focused on the road. "My brother is... complicated." "That's not exactly reassuring." He sighed. "Just stay out of his way, and you'll be fine." I looked away. Everyone knew about Xavier's brother. The stories. The rumors. The fear. People said he was the kind of alpha who didn't need to raise his voice to make people obey. The kind of man who could destroy someone without feeling anything. But why did asking about him make Kylie nervous? My wolf was quiet now. Too quiet. And somehow, that worried me more. I placed my hand against my chest. For the first time in my life, I wondered if maybe Kylie wasn't reacting because she disliked Xavier. Maybe she was reacting because she knew something I didn't. And whatever waited for us at Xavier's family estate... I had a feeling it would change everything.