Claimed By My Alpha Stepbrother.

18.

AZRIEL

"No."

I watched Seraphina's face change from excitement to disbelief in seconds. She'd been giddy when she sat us down in the living room the moment Dad came back from work, excitedly showing us the mail from the school. But now, it was like she'd deflated. And for the first time in my life, I was on my dad's side.

"But Dad—" she started.

"No," Dad repeated, firmer. "Millbrook is a war zone. Three bombings in six months. It's literally a terrorist playground. The university has lost its mind if it thinks sending students there constitutes 'education.'"

"But the school has security protocols," Seraphina cried, and if I wasn't angry she was looking for death, I would have found her expression cute. "They'll ensure our safety. We will even be escorted at all times," she continued. "It's not reckless, it's field experience."

"Field experience," I scoffed, unable to stop myself. "Is that what they're calling suicide missions now?"

She immediately directed her anger at me. "This is none of your business. I heard your opinion clearly at dinner yesterday."

Seraphina turned back to him, her voice pleading. "Dad, please. Millbrook has one of the highest terrorism rates in the country right now. That means data. That means real cases to study. I won't get this opportunity again."

"You don't need this kind of opportunity," he replied. "I'll speak with the dean tomorrow. You'll be reassigned to a safer location with enough cases for you to study without risking your life."

"Dad, please. If you pull strings, everyone will know. They'll think I'm using family influence to dodge difficult assignments. It's going to affect my whole career. No one will dare employ a journalist who's scared of danger."

"And you can't be a journalist if your head is no longer on your neck," Dad snapped.

I guess he'd never raised his voice at her before, because she froze, the shock spreading across her face in an instant.

"What use is a career if your family can't sleep at night knowing you're at a playground for bombs?" Dad continued. "You need to think about your mother, Seraphina."

Celeste clung to Dad's arm, trying to stifle her tears.

I would have laughed at this whole situation if I didn't have worse thoughts in my head. Whether Dad agreed or not, there was no way I was letting her go to that place. It would just save us a lot of stress if I didn't have to take action.

"Mom." Seraphina turned to Celeste. "I'm so sorry. I've spent eight months on this thesis. If I'm reassigned, I'll have to start over. Maybe lose my placement entirely. This is my only shot. Mom. Dad."

She suddenly went on her knees. Dad sat straighter, and Mom gasped. The beast roared inside me. It hated seeing her beg. Hated seeing her so vulnerable.

"Please just let me go. I promise I'll come back in one piece."

Dad looked at her, eyes full of concern, and for a moment, I was jealous. Why couldn't he look at me that way?

"Fine."

Seraphina immediately held onto his hand. "Thank you so much, Dad. Tha—"

"On one condition," Dad cut in.

Seraphina looked up at him. "Anything."

"Azriel goes with you."

The room tilted. What the absolute hell?

"Absolutely not." I blurted out. Me? Go with Seraphina? That was worse than sending her to a war zone. I would have rather gone with my initial plan—tie her up until the project deadline was over. She'd be angry, yes. Angry but alive. What the hell was Dad thinking? He knew exactly how dangerous I was.

Seraphina wasn't that happy about the idea either, and it seemed my sharp rejection only pissed her off more. "I don't want you to come with me either," she hissed, then turned back to face Dad. "There's no need for that, Dad. We can just hire professionals. They'll do a better job than him."

"And you can change your location. Choose one."

"Dad!" both of us chorused at the same time.

He didn't even bother looking at me. "It's up to you, Seraphina."

Celeste also took her hand. "That's the best, Seraphina. That way we can rest easy. We know your brother will protect you with his life."

Yes, I would. That was if she didn't die because of me.

Celeste moved closer to me, then took my hand, placing it on top of Seraphina's. Electric tension shot through me immediately, and I almost withdrew my hand, but that would have been too rude and would have raised suspicion. So I endured, trying to focus on her voice as she begged me to go with Seraphina.

"Please," she whispered. "I know you don't want this. But she's my daughter. My only daughter. And I can't lose her. You're the only one I can trust will put her first."

I closed my eyes, my head ringing as the beast paced in frustration in my head.

"Fine," the beast forced me to say. "I'll go."

Seraphina's head turned to me, her eyes scowling at me. To think she was displeased that I was accepting the offer baffled me. She should literally be on her knees thanking me.

"Thank you so much, Azriel," she replied, patting my hand in appreciation before letting go.

I yanked my hand back almost immediately, the tension still charging through my nerves.

Seraphina kept glaring at me, this time for withdrawing my hand.

Oh no, baby. You don't need to find out how much I crave the contact. You might not survive if you do.

***

"I'm sorry you had to be dragged into this," Seraphina surprisingly said slowly when we walked back to our rooms after the whole fiasco. "I know you were forced into this, so I won't make it hard on you. You don't have to follow me everywhere when we get to Millbrook. The escort prepared by the school will be available, so I'll be fine. This is just to calm Mom and Dad down."

"And if something happens to you while I'm having fun?" I asked. "What should I tell your mom? I wouldn't be able to look her in the eyes."

I stepped closer to her, and she took a step back.

"I might have been forced," I continued, "but I'll make sure I prevent you from getting yourself killed."

***

The next few days were tense. Celeste forced her smile at every meal, and Dad didn't talk through dinner, his jaw set like granite. Seraphina tried to lighten the mood with stories from her research, with offers to help clear the table, with that bright, brittle optimism that made everything feel worse. The whole house felt like a held breath.

Then it was time to leave.

Celeste had packed three suitcases for Seraphina—three—despite the fact that we were only meant to be gone for six weeks. She'd folded every sweater with care, tucked handwritten notes into the side pockets, added a first-aid kit that could have supplied a field hospital.

Dad never said anything to me after he asked me to go with her, but I saw the way he looked at me. He was forcing himself to trust me. It was obvious he was scared—leaving his lovely stepdaughter in the hands of his monster son. How horrifying that must have been.

The drive to the airport was quiet, and when it was time to board the plane, Celeste broke into tears, hugging Seraphina tight, tears streaming down her face. Seraphina tried to comfort her.

"It's only six weeks, Mom. I'll be back in no time."

But Celeste would hear none of it. "You have to call me every day," she whispered. "No matter what."

"I will, Mom. I promise," Seraphina replied, wiping at Celeste's tear-stricken eyes.

I couldn't help thinking of my mom. She was also a crybaby, and little me would sometimes wipe the tears off her face the same way. The thought made my heart ache.

Dad hugged her next. Briefly. Asking her to be careful. Then he turned to me, and I thought he might say something. Anything.

He didn't.

He simply nodded and looked away, and for some reason, that hurt more.

By the time the plane finally took off, I was on edge, trying to control myself, while Seraphina was smiling, her leg bouncing in a way that showed me just how excited she was.

Hopefully, I didn’t snap there because flying triggered fragments of memories from Bogotá.