Mated to my Brother?

Chapter 1

Diana wasn’t sure if she had slipped or if someone had deliberately pushed her into the gymnasium's swimming pool. A natural swimmer since birth, she should have been able to glide through the water with ease, but at sixteen, still awaiting her wolf, she wasn’t as strong as she should be. Panic surged through her veins as a sudden cramp seized her left shin, rendering her legs useless.

The icy grip of fear paralyzed her further, and she realized with dread that she couldn't mind-link her brother. He was probably engrossed in basketball with Logan and Matthew, completely oblivious to her peril. Desperate to escape, Diana forced herself to stay calm. Focusing on her arms, she discovered they were still functional despite the searing pain in her leg.

With painstaking effort, Diana began to propel herself toward the pool's edge, each stroke more desperate than the last. When she finally reached the tiles, she clung to them, trying to haul herself out. But just as she thought she was safe, a vicious hand grabbed her hair, yanking her back into the water. The force of it drove the air from her lungs, and she choked as the bitter pool water flooded her throat.

Diana’s world blurred as water filled her lungs, her senses reeling from the physical agony and the growing panic. She clawed desperately at the pool’s edge, her breath coming in ragged, painful gasps.

Then, cutting through the chaos, she heard it—cold, glass-shattering laughter, a sound all too familiar. Ashley. The recognition was instant, but the realization that followed froze Diana to her core. Her best friend had pushed her into the pool. The shock of it reverberated through her, leaving her numb with disbelief. Ashley? Her Ashley? The girl who had been her confidante, her protector, the one who had always shielded her from the cruelty of others—could she really be the one who had tried to drown her?

Panic gave way to an icy resolve. Diana knew she had to fight. There was no other option. With every ounce of strength left in her aching body, she struggled to pull herself up, but her cramping leg protested violently. She couldn’t afford to give in. Not now. She had to get out of the water, had to confront Ashley, to make her understand—this had to be a mistake. There was no way her best friend, the girl who had stood by her side through every taunt and tease, could suddenly become her tormentor.

But as Diana fought to the surface, her vision clearing enough to make out the figure standing above her, the truth became undeniable. Ashley’s face, usually bright with a smile, was twisted with a sneer of disgust. The betrayal in her eyes was so deep, so visceral, that it felt like a physical blow to Diana’s chest.

"b***h! Keep your incestuous hands off my boyfriend!" Ashley’s voice rang out, sharp and cold. The words sliced through Diana like a knife, the venom in them palpable. Ashley’s eyes blazed with a hatred that was terrifying in its intensity, and for a moment, Diana wondered if she was staring at a stranger. How could her best friend look at her with such loathing?

"What are you doing, Ashley?" Diana's voice trembled, fear and confusion mingling in her words. "I’m your best friend. What are you talking about?" Diana continued to free herself from Ashley’s hands.

But Ashley wasn’t listening. Her face twisted further, the anger and hurt twisting her features into something unrecognizable. "Stop acting like the naive little w***e of Dominic Gavinski!" she screamed, her voice trembling with emotion. "You’re nothing but a slut, ready to spread your legs for any man!"

Diana recoiled, the accusation hitting her like a physical slap. She couldn’t comprehend the words coming out of Ashley’s mouth. This was her best friend, the girl who had always been her rock, who had defended her when others tried to tear her down. How could she believe something so vile, so utterly untrue?

"Ashley, stop!" Diana cried, her voice cracking under the weight of her distress. "Dominic is my brother! How could you even think—"

But Ashley’s face was a mask of fury, her eyes hollow with betrayal. "I’m stating facts, b***h! I feel sick just thinking about it." Her voice wavered, and for a moment, the anger in her eyes was replaced by something else—something almost like heartbreak. "I would give you anything, Diana. Anything! But not him. Dominic is mine!"

Diana’s heart twisted painfully in her chest. Ashley’s words were filled with such raw emotion, such desperate possessiveness, that for a moment, Diana was speechless. She had always known about Ashley’s crush on Dominic—how could she not? But she had never taken it seriously. Dominic was mate-less, his destined partner still out there somewhere, waiting to be found. How could Ashley think she could just claim him?

"You’re not making any sense," Diana retorted, her voice sharp despite the tremor in it. "Everyone knows Dominic is mate-less. He’s even said his mate isn’t from this pack. You can’t just claim him, Ashley!"

The words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Ashley seemed to waver. But then her expression hardened, and the anger returned, fiercer than ever. "Consider this your first and final warning, Diana," she spat, her voice low and dangerous.

"You’re nobody to warn me," Diana shot back, anger flaring in her own chest. "Dominic is my brother! And you will stay the hell away from him."

Ashley’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t respond. Instead, she stared at Diana with a look of such cold fury that it sent a shiver down her spine. Diana couldn’t understand what had gotten into her friend. Yes, she knew Ashley had a thing for Dominic, but this... this was something else entirely. It was as if the girl she had known all her life had been replaced by a stranger, someone filled jealousy, bitterness, and rage.

Diana took a step back, her legs still aching from the cramp, her body trembling from the effort of keeping herself upright. She needed to get away, to clear her head, to figure out what the hell just happened. Without another word, she turned and walked towards the showers, her mind reeling. She had to get clean, had to wash off the salt water, the lingering sensation of the betrayal. But even as she walked away, she couldn't shake the image of Ashley's eyes, hollow, with the betrayal, staring back at her.