Discarded by my Mate, Claimed by my Adoptive Brother

KATHERINE “Beach, here we come!” My sister-in-law’s joyous cheer drilled into my ears, followed by a chorus of shouts and festive remarks. I barely managed to muster a smile and a brief comment on how great everything was before resting my head against the icy window, trying to breathe through the nausea and the splitting headache that had been tormenting me since dawn. “You know, I had my doubts about all of this, but they’re gone now!” Nathan, her husband, grinned. “The weather is absolutely beautiful. A dive is definitely a fun way to start the New Year, babe.” Diana played with her hair, clearly proud of herself. “Well, it was my idea, after all.” “Well said!” Lucian beamed. My stomach tightened in irritation. I should’ve been used to it by now. After all, this had been my life for the past two years—being constantly ignored, pushed into a corner, and forgotten whenever Diana and I shared the same room. Still, I wasn't. It hurt, especially because the person who did it the most was my own husband, my mate and because Diana seemed to revel in it. The fact that I had learned that my mate’s world stopped whenever Diana called didn’t mean I was okay with it. Nathan parked the car right in front of the dock where his family’s yacht, the Silver Moon, was anchored. Everyone rushed out of the car and toward the boat. Diana and Lucian being the quickest of the group. I slowly dragged myself out of the car, leaning against its side for a moment to catch my breath. I’d woken up with a fever and the symptoms of the flu at their worst, but even that hadn't managed to pierce my mate’s walls. I’d begged him to cancel the trip or to at least let me stay behind. I was sick. I didn’t have the strength to endure a two-hour drive to the beach, and I had no desire to spend the entire day with Diana, with whom I had never gotten along. “But Diana spent so much time organizing this trip for all of us!” had been Lucian’s reply. “She is so excited to go and for you to come. She said it might be a good chance for the two of you to bond. Come on, can’t you just… push through it? I’m sure we have some medication to help you out, honey.” Those words had stung, and it had been so hard to keep tears of anger, hurt and exhaustion at bay. Lucian, my mate, the man who should’ve protected me above all else, once again was placing Diana before me, giving more consideration to her trip than to my own health. I should’ve listened to my brother. Two years earlier, I’d married Lucian knowing ours was primarily an arranged marriage. Sure, we were mates, but our packs were on the verge of war, and our union had secured the peace. I’d been happy to marry him because I was young and naive, enamored with the idea of the all-encompassing love of a mate… and I’d married him knowing full well that, at the time, he wasn’t quite there yet. “He’s not… he’s not ready for that kind of commitment, KitKat,” Xander’s voice filled my head, the echo of a distant memory. “You shouldn’t move forward with this. Please, he is my friend, I know him. You should wait.” I hadn’t listened. Instead, I’d gotten angry and told him he was just jealous because I had found my mate while he, being older, had not. The fight that followed had been devastating to the point where we hadn't spoken for an entire year. I had turned my back on him and moved forward with my mate, hoping that the magic of the bond would eventually do its thing, and he would finally be mine. Two long years had passed, and nothing had changed. He was a great mate in public—always holding my hand, smiling, pulling out my chair, and opening doors, but in private, I seemed to be the last thing on his mind. Everyone and everything came before me, but the competition was always most bitter with Diana. Whenever she called, he answered. Whatever she needed, he provided. Whatever she wanted to do had to be done. Even at the expense of my health. I was once confused about their relationship, but Lucian said that Diana is his sister-in-law, so it’s only natural that he cares for her. By now, I had stopped hoping Lucian would truly see me. I had resigned myself to being a facade wife. I’d accepted that my side of the bed would always feel cold and empty. That didn’t mean that seeing him favor everyone else over me didn’t hurt. By now, our mating bond felt like a noose around my neck. “You alright?” Nathan asked, shooting a smile at me. I couldn’t help but smile back. Nathan, the Alpha of the Silver Moon pack, had always been kind to me. Ever since things with my brother had gone haywire, I had found in him a sincere friend and the closest thing to the brotherly bond I’d once shared with Xander. “Yeah, I’m… just a little tired,” I confessed, trying my best to hide my actual condition. By now, I was pumped full of medication—because Goddess forbid Diana didn't get what she wanted. “Then some sea air will do you good,” Nathan smiled, offering his hand as he helped me onto the yacht. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Lucian staring at me—at my hand in his brother’s as he pulled me up. My stupid, stupid heart gave a little jump when I noticed the way he was clenching his jaw. Goddess, it was pathetic. Being happy over a minor muscle twitch on my mate’s face caused by the most innocent touch from his brother. Yeah, I’ve hit a new low, I thought. My mate’s attention, however, was short-lived. Diana chose that moment to walk out of the cabin, wrapped in a tight diving suit that showed off every curve I didn't have, practically jumping with excitement. “It’s going to be so much fun!” she grinned. “Come on!” I looked down at the sea. The sky looked clear, but the waves… they didn’t look right to me. “I don’t know,” I muttered. “Something about this feels wrong, guys.” “Oh, come on!” Diana huffed, rolling her eyes. “There she goes, souring the mood again.” Nathan shot her a questioning look, to which she simply shrugged. But the blow came, as always, from Lucian. “Come on, baby,” he said, placing a hand on the small of my back. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. The weather’s fine.” Humiliation burned deep in my chest, but I refused to let it reach my cheeks. I wouldn’t give Diana the satisfaction. Ever since I’d joined the Farrow family, she’d enjoyed putting me on the spot with snide comments and backhanded compliments. Over time, I had learned not to show how much they got to me. And Lucian always took her side. He always had an excuse for her. The worst part was that he didn't do it with malice. He sincerely believed she was sweet and just "didn't know how to communicate well". I sighed and forced a smile. “Yeah, maybe I’m just being paranoid.” It quickly became obvious that I was not, in fact, being paranoid or a buzzkill. As soon as we moved away from the coast into the open sea, the perfect blue sky turned a bruised gray. Dark, swollen clouds rushed in, but all my attempts to convince the others to turn back fell on deaf ears. Diana wanted her fun. Nathan, as her mate, would do anything to give it to her, and the same went for Lucian, her doormat. “This isn’t safe!” I yelled again, trying to make myself heard over the rising wind. “We need to head back!” “Oh, will you shut up!” Diana hissed. “I don’t know, guys,” Nathan commented. “I think she’s right. The weather…” Disaster hit faster than a heartbeat. A rogue wave—a dark, imposing wall of water slammed into the side of the Silver Moon. The yacht lurched violently to the left, and suddenly, the solid hardwood boards were no longer beneath my feet. The sleek teak railing offered no grip. My scream was swallowed by the wind. “Lucian!” The impact with the water was agonizing—cold and violent, it knocked the air right out of my lungs. Panic surged as I struggled to keep my head above the surface, but it felt impossible. The waves were coming from every direction, each one angrier and heavier than the last. A scream ripped through the air, and through eyes blurred by saltwater and tears, I saw two figures dive into the water. Finally! Finally, someone was coming to save me… But that hope was instantly crushed when I realized that neither of them—not Nathan, and not Lucian—was swimming toward me. They were both swimming toward a blonde figure flailing in the distance. They were both rushing to rescue Diana. That was the moment the last sliver of hope—the hope that my mate would ever truly care for me—died for good.