MATED TO OUR STEPSISTER

CHAPTER ONE

Avery’s POV

“Whore.”

“Fat pig.”

“Nah, a pig is probably cleaner than her and her harlot mother! Hope you can hear me, Avery, because I'm talking to you.”

“Do you think you can act like you can't hear us forever, little witch?”

The fluorescent lights of the hallway buzzed overhead, casting a glow on the green lockers slamming shut around me. Each clang echoed like a hammer blow to my racing heart. I clutched my bag tighter, the strap digging into my sweaty palm. Every muscle in my body felt coiled, ready to spring if I dared react to the taunts that sliced through the air.

I could hear them. In fact, I was certain that the entire school could hear them as I marched to my locker.

Tristan, Julian, and Nolan were identical brothers who were revered as the gods of our high school. To me, they were the scourge of the earth and the reason I woke up every day and wanted to end it all because I knew that we were sharing the same air.

I remembered the day my life turned upside down. My mother who'd been secretly seeing somebody for the last couple of months had decided to make it official. I was so happy that after all these years since my father passed, she had decided to give love a try again, but that excitement quickly turned sour when she informed me that the man who was going to become my stepfather was none other than Alpha King Arnold, Alpha of our pack; The Regent Pack.

I'd genuinely thought she was pulling my legs but it wasn't a prank. No, it was worse, because marrying into the Alpha’s family not only meant that I had a new step-father but new step-siblings who were none other than the bratty triplet brothers who had decided to make my life unbearable because they didn't want the union.

Before this, I'd done everything to remain invisible at school, and now, I was a plaything for the brothers, who had become committed to making my life hell.

I was almost at my locker when something hit my head, the force of the object which I later discovered was a tennis ball sending me stumbling forward.

Tears pricked at the back of my eyelids, blurring my vision. All I wanted was to cuss them out and then disappear, to melt into the floor and escape the suffocating feeling of being made a mockery of. But the metallic tang of fear in my mouth kept me rooted to the spot.

Don't turn around, Avery. Just keep walking.

And so I didn't, even though the urge to retort, to tear them down with a witty comeback that would leave them speechless begged me to turn. Every muscle in my face screamed defiance, but instead, I hurried towards my locker, punching in the code as fast as I could. As I shoved my books inside, a large hand slammed the door shut almost immediately, nearly taking my fingers with it, and the familiar scent of manly cologne hit me before I registered the face behind it- Tristan, his usual sneer plastered on a face that I might have called handsome if I didn't already hate his guts.

“What do you want?” I spat, each word a tiny act of rebellion, even though my voice trembled like a leaf in water.

Julian materialized beside me, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down my spine. “What? Did you not hear us talking to you, brat?” Instinct screamed at me to run, but I was trapped, my back pressed into the cold metal of my locker.

“I did, so what do you want?” I choked out, trying to act nonchalant even though my throat had started to close up in terror. Part of me knew arguing would only anger them further, but the desperate need to assert some control, however small, was overwhelming.

“You're coming with us," Nolan drawled, picking up the tennis ball that I'd suspected was what had hit my head from the floor. His casualness was somehow more terrifying than his brothers' aggression. Going with them? Anywhere with those three sadistic monsters was a terrifying prospect. The memory of their last "prank" sent a fresh wave of nausea washing over me.

"No," the word came out barely a whisper, but to my surprise, my voice remained steady. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Being difficult won't help you, little witch," Tristan snarled, his grip tightening on my arm. Pain shot up my arm, and I sucked in a breath. Tears welled in my eyes, stinging behind my eyelids, but I refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

"Then do it," I muttered, my voice laced with a desperation that surprised even me. "Beat me, curse me, insult me. Just get it over with."

Gripping my other arm tightly, Julian forcefully guided me towards the exit doors, flanked by Tristan whose grip on my arm only grew stronger, while Nolan led the way ahead.

"Don't worry, slut. After today, you won't have to worry about us coming close to you ever again," Julian sneered, a wicked smile twisting his features.

Despite my struggles, I was shoved into the car with Julian settling into the back seat, Tristan taking the front passenger seat, and Nolan assuming the driver's position.

"Where are we going?" I demanded, trying to mask my rising dread.

"Somewhere where you can showcase your skills in bed, like the slut you are. We need to uncover how your mother ensnared our father. It means you too might have 'talents' that are quite persuasive, right, guys?"

Julian chuckled, joined by Tristan while Nolan maintained a grim silence, his eyes on the road.

"Please, where are you taking me?" I begged, the terror in my voice leaking out.

Nolan glanced back at me and there was a flicker of something in his eyes before he looked away, "Our father planned a small birthday celebration for us at our lake house in the woods,"

“But…” Nolan veered off the main road, heading deeper into the woods along a narrower path, the sharp turn throwing me sideways, and the question I'd planned to voice evaporated, replaced by a cold dread that twisted my stomach.

I knew without a doubt that the Alpha wouldn't hold a party here, in these woods. He'd specifically mentioned the palace gardens, so where were we going?

“You're taking a wrong turn,” I announced, about to reach for the door handle when Julian's low growl cut the air.

It was a primal sound, a predator silencing its prey. I flinched, trying to put some distance between us. "Shut up or I'll shut you up," he snarled.

All I could do was stare out the window, the desperation in my eyes mirrored by the locked car door, the one thing separating me from freedom.

Arriving at a cabin in the thick forest, the car skidded to a halt and when Julian yanked me out, the world tilted as he threw me over his shoulder.

“Take me home!" I sobbed, kicking and clawing at his unyielding grip, "This isn't the party! Please!", but I already knew how this was going to play out.

The smell of hay assaulted my nose as Julian threw me into a rickety barn, and before I could even attempt to regain my bearings, they bound my wrists to a post, the wood rough against my skin.

A choked sob escaped my lips. "Please," I rasped, my voice thick with anguish. "The Alpha wouldn't want this. I'm sorry for whatever I've done! Just please..." My voice trailed off, a whimper the only sound that dared escape me now because it seemed all my pleas would once again fall on deaf ears.

“That's right, our father, not yours, dumb b***h. And don't talk to us about what he wants, because what we want is for you and your mother to get out of our lives.” Tristan replied, securing the knot and bumping fists with Julian who shoved my head.

Realizing that I was barking up the wrong tree, I looked to where Nolan stood several feet away, just watching his brothers. He'd always been the most quiet of the trio.

Forcing a shaky breath, I lifted my gaze to meet Nolan’s eyes. My voice, barely a rasp, managed to form a question. "Nolan, please," I whispered. "You know you can't leave me here. Don't you care what your Dad will say?"

It was a pathetic plea, I knew. But it was all I had in that moment. A flicker of something, maybe doubt, crossed Nolan’s face and when he walked to squat in front of me, I thought I'd been able to get through to him and I tried to force a smile even though I was certain that I looked crazy with my tear-streaked face.

Staring at me for what felt like an eternity, his face finally hardened into a sneer.

“Whore.” he whispered, rising to his feet and took several steps back to where his brothers were standing watching us.

“So, here’s the thing, little witch. If your mother does what is necessary and leaves our house tonight, then maybe we will come back for you,” Tristan stated casually, his lips lifting in a mischievous smile.

“But if we don't come back,” Julian continued “Then it means even your mother has chosen to abandon you, and you'll die here. Alone and unwanted. So pray to the moon goddess, Avery, pray for her to save you even though I'm certain that she won't because whores don't get their prayers answered.”