My Mate Is My Brother.

Hello, readers! Thank you so much for opening this chapter. If you'd like to continue reading this story, please start with Book One, "My Brother Is My Mate," for a better understanding of the plot and a smoother reading experience. Thank you very much, and happy reading! A place that was once filled with light because of your presence has become nothing more than a cold, dark cave since you left. I can't return home if you aren't there. I can't go back to the realms either because there's no one there I can truly talk to or connect with anymore. Now I'm with my mate, Star, and I enjoy my life with him. He became the shining armor that pulled me out of the darkness I had fallen into. He comforted me and gave me the strength to keep going. I've managed to survive all this time because of him. But... you abandoned the people who cared about you the most. Why? Why did you leave without saying a single word to me? Wasn't I ever your best friend? Did I never mean enough to you for you to think twice before casting me aside without a second thought? You can be so cruel, Gerard. Our home fell apart after Gerard disappeared. The place we once shared became as quiet as a graveyard. I got drunk one day and ended up getting Jessie, Oceana's best friend, pregnant. I panicked so badly that I almost told Gerard what had happened, only to remember that he was gone. Damn... I had simply grown so accustomed to having him in my life. I nearly lost Star because he believed I had cheated on him. It took me months to earn Star's trust again and finally reject Jessie, but Star insisted that I accept my child and never neglect them because he loved children too. In the end, we both agreed. Even so, I never wanted anything to do with Jessie ever again. I speak only to her daughter, but never to Jessie herself. Still, the person I worry about the most is Oceana. Ever since she married Garold, she had become so thin. I know she must have seen Gerard with her own eyes, but I refused to believe her because I didn't want to raise my hopes unless I saw him myself. But if it's true that she really saw Gerard... I don't know what I'll do. I fell into depression after he disappeared, and I don't ever want to go through that again. I feel so sorry for Oceana. She's carried this burden alone for years. I can't help but wonder how Gerard will react when he discovers that Oceana has children by him, especially since he hates children. I opened the door and let the young boy step into the room while I carried his boxes inside. "This is your room, Nolan." I guided him into the room before quietly closing the door behind me. "This room is incredible, Carmine." His eyes wandered around the luxurious bedroom, admiring its expensive decorations. The furniture was made of silver, while the walls were painted in elegant shades of silver and white. His bed was as large as a king-sized bed. "Yes. Do you like it?" He turned toward me with a serious expression. "I didn't ask for a room fit for a king." "I know." I walked over and gently placed my hands on his shoulders. "But you need to stay here with me, Nolan. I'm preparing you for what's to come, and I'm willing to protect you from the cruelty waiting outside." "So... am I supposed to live here like a prisoner, just like I did at the orphanage?" "No, Nolan." I walked over to his bed and sat down. "I want you to feel at home here. There's a reason I'm keeping you with me, and it's because I don't want you to die." "Then tell me why you're keeping me here. That's what I want to understand. We're not related in any way, yet you treat me as though you've known me all your life. I want to know who you really are, Alpha Carmine. Why are you so interested in me? Why do I have this strange feeling that you're somehow connected to me... like family?" "Nolan..." I let out a quiet sigh. "You're right. We are related. I know you far better than you know yourself. That's exactly why I adopted you. The rogues are hunting you as well, and I refuse to let them hurt you. They came because of you, and I'm keeping you safe. Please trust me. In time, everything will become clear. I'll tell you everything you need to know and reveal who you truly are." "Will knowing the truth help me survive, Alpha Carmine?" He looked at me with genuine curiosity. This child was exceptionally intelligent for someone his age. "Yes... Alpha Nolan." "You don't have to speak to me so formally. I'm only almost eight years old, and you're the elder Alpha. You're my father now." "Even so... you're still an Alpha." I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah... I don't even know whether I'm really an Alpha anymore or why you adopted me in the first place. Everything is so confusing. Honestly, I think you're foolish for adopting me. You and your Omega are going to become my parents. That's a lot to process." "Doesn't having two fathers make you uncomfortable?" He shook his head. "I don't care whether you two are mates or whether you're both men. That's none of my business, Alpha Carmine. If you have your reasons for protecting me, then I'll gladly listen to you and patiently wait until you're ready to tell me everything. Besides... my instincts keep telling me that you're the person who's going to keep me safe." "Nolan..." I sighed once more. He truly was a gifted one. "But don't expect me to be perfect. I've been sick my entire life. I'm a weak and pathetic Alpha. My bones are too fragile for ordinary work. I have nightmares every single night, so I barely sleep. I keep dreaming about unfamiliar faces, and it's terrifying. My body constantly ends up covered in wounds and aching with pain, even though I haven't done anything to injure myself. Sometimes I hear a girl's laughter... and other times, I hear her crying. I don't even know who she is." Instead of responding to what he had just said, I changed the subject. I wanted him to feel comfortable in his new home and avoid thinking about the orphanage. "Have you ever wanted to meet your parents someday?" Back then, when this boy explained all of this to me, I couldn't fully understand what he was trying to tell me. "Hell no! I never want to meet them. If I ever do... I hope I'll be able to use my claws to kill them. I'll tear them apart limb by limb and throw their bodies into a ditch. They never deserved a child like me. They're nothing but bastards." "Nolan..."