Forbidden Mate: My Brother's Obsession

Chapter Two: The Most Popular Boy in School

The knot in Lily's stomach hadn't loosened by the time she got up the next morning. She told herself it was just first day nerves, and technically, it was true, today was the first day she'd be seeing Ridgemont Prep, walking its halls before classes even started, getting a feel for the place before she officially became a student there in a week. Richard had insisted on the early tour, eager to show off the school he'd apparently donated half a science wing to.

What Lily hadn't expected was for Ethan to be standing in the kitchen when she came downstairs, dressed for school, looking like an entirely different person from the cold, clipped stranger she'd met the night before.

"Morning," he said, not looking up from his phone.

Lily blinked. "Morning."

That was it. No apology for last night, no explanation. Just morning, like nothing unusual had happened at all. She grabbed a granola bar from the counter and tried to convince herself she didn't care.

The drive to Ridgemont Prep took fifteen minutes, most of it silent except for the radio playing low. Lily watched the neighborhoods change outside the window, bigger houses, nicer cars, kids walking to bus stops in uniforms that looked more expensive than anything she owned. By the time they pulled into the school parking lot, her nerves had shifted into something closer to dread.

She understood why the moment they stepped out of the car.

Every single person in that parking lot turned to look. Not at her, at Ethan.

"Kai!" someone shouted from across the lot, and a group of guys jogged over, clapping him on the back, laughing at something Lily hadn't even heard. A cluster of girls near the entrance went quiet and then immediately started whispering to each other, eyes tracking Ethan's every movement like he was something rare and precious.

Kai. Not Ethan. Lily filed that away, confused.

"Who's Kai?" she asked under her breath as they walked toward the entrance.

"Me," Ethan said simply, like it was obvious. "Nickname. Everyone here calls me that."

Lily wanted to ask why, but she didn't get the chance, because the moment they crossed into the main hallway, a girl with perfectly curled blond hair and a designer bag practically threw herself into Ethan's path.

"Kai! I heard you're back early from summer training. You have to tell me everything," the girl said, ignoring Lily completely, her eyes locked on Ethan like he was the only person who existed.

"Later, Vivian," Ethan said, brushing past her without slowing down.

Vivian's eyes finally landed on Lily, sharp and assessing, sweeping over her from head to toe in a single dismissive glance. "Who's this?"

"Nobody," Ethan said, before Lily could answer for herself.

The word hit harder than it should have. Lily felt her face heat, humiliation flooding through her chest, and she quickened her pace to catch up with him, her voice low and furious.

"Nobody? Seriously?"

Ethan didn't look at her. "It's easier this way."

"Easier for who?"

He finally glanced at her, and there was something almost apologetic in his eyes, gone as quickly as it appeared. "Trust me. You don't want people knowing you're related to me."

"Why not?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he veered off toward a group of guys waiting by the trophy case, leaving Lily standing alone in the middle of a hallway full of strangers, all of whom seemed to know exactly who Kai Cole was and exactly how little she mattered by comparison.

By the time the tour ended and they were heading back toward the parking lot, Lily had pieced enough together from overheard conversations to understand the full picture. Ethan wasn't just popular, he was practically royalty at Ridgemont Prep. Star athlete. Straight A student who somehow never seemed to study. The guy every girl wanted and every guy wanted to be. And apparently, the great "Kai" didn't associate with family, especially not a stepsister nobody had ever heard of.

Fine, Lily thought bitterly, staring at the back of his head as they walked. If that's how he wants it, that's how it'll be.

She was so caught up in her own irritation that she didn't notice how close Ethan had drifted to her side until his arm brushed hers, and something happened that made her stomach drop.

Heat. Not just warmth from contact, heat, sharp and electric, shooting up her arm like she'd touched a live wire. She gasped and jerked back, staring at her own skin like it had betrayed her.

Ethan froze mid step. His nostrils flared, his eyes darkened, and for one terrifying second, something flickered behind his gaze that looked less human and more animal, pupils blown wide, a low sound rumbling in his throat that was definitely not normal.

"What was that?" Lily whispered, backing away, her heart slamming against her ribs.

Ethan's jaw clenched so hard a muscle ticked in his cheek. He looked at her like he was fighting something, like every instinct in his body was screaming at him to do something he was desperately trying not to do.

"Ethan," she said again, voice shaking now. "What's wrong with you?"

He took one step toward her, then another, backing her against the lockers, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off his skin, close enough that his eyes, gold now instead of dark brown, bore into hers like he was starving and she was the only thing that could feed him.

"Lily," he said, voice low and wrecked, nothing like the cold stranger from the night before. "You need to stay away from me."

"Why?" she breathed.

His hand came up, trembling, and brushed her jaw with a gentleness that contradicted every warning bell going off in her head.

"Because I don't know how much longer I can fight this," he said, and his eyes flashed gold again, brighter this time, undeniable. "You're mine."