AVYANNA ERRYN ROOSEVELT'S POV
"Miss Avyanna Roosevelt, right?" I heard the deep manly voice from beside me, making me take a deep calming breath and turn my head to look at my brother before I involuntarily took a step back when I saw how close he was.
Damn! Even his voice is so deep, manly, and -
‘Sexy? Worth moaning over?’ My wolf suggested, and I bit my lips before sighing helplessly.
‘Annoying would be the best term to define both you and him. Now can you shut up? Or if you have better plans, then why don’t you come out and talk to him in my place?’ I said, and it was enough for her to shut up.
Turning around to my left, I noticed Alex was nowhere in sight, leaving me and the alpha, aka, my stepbrother alone.
"That's right. Hello, stepbrother," I said, smiling at him, and he smiled back at me before nodding his head as if amused before shaking his head.
"You are an interesting one," He said as if it had some hidden meaning before turning around, making me squint my brows.
Wait. What was that even supposed to mean? Was it a compliment? Or some kind of insinuation?
"What is that even supposed to mean, alpha brother?" I asked, deliberately using the title to have the status and relationship clear in my head, and he chuckled, his chuckle making me feel a bit fuzzy, which I know wasn't a good thing.
He is definitely off-zone trouble that I can't provoke. According to the rumors, apart from being the strongest alpha at the moment, he is also a devil, and having him disclose me and my personality will be the last thing I would ever want, not to mention when this guy is now my mom's new son and probably wouldn't wait and hesitate to snitch on me to my mother.
"You can call me Evander, Evan, or Maximus if my title and our relationship make you uncomfortable. And I was talking about your wolf. You haven’t shifted yet, right? You are a lantern," He said more than asked, and I widened my eyes at his words.
Woah. The way he is so confident about it was indeed worth praising. And how was he able to make it out so soon? Do I give off lantern vibes?
"It's not like calling you by a different name will change our relationship. However, if you want me to call you by another name, how about I call you lavender?" I asked, ignoring his words, bumping my head into his back when he stopped abruptly.
Closing my eyes slightly as his scent wafted through my nostrils, I enjoyed it for a few seconds before taking a deep breath to get over it. If my wolf saw me inhaling his intoxicating scent, I am sure she is going to start her nonsense again.
"Seriously? Lavender? What am I to you? Your elder sister?" He asked, ignoring the matter altogether that I was happy for before scoffing as the pain in my nose kicked in. His body is definitely made of steel.
"You could've warned, you know," I said while massaging my nose as I looked up at him, taking his facial features.
His light-brows eyes have a depth that makes you uncomfortable and wants to drown in them altogether. He has a jawline as sharp as I have never seen, jet black hair styled nicely, his Adam's apple that looked like just a perfect arc waiting for a touch -
"Are you checking me out?" He asked, bringing me out of my thoughts, and I looked at him before scoffing.
"You wish I was. I am just trying to remember your face and checking if it's something I will be glad to look at for the rest of the year. Aren't you going to be my teacher?" I asked before stepping close to him.
"Besides, if I was checking you out, your face won't be the thing I would be interested in," I said, poking his biceps and his slightly raised eyes, which made me smile as I entered the house with my backpack.
I know I shouldn't have said those words to my stepbrother, who can use every single opportunity to bully me and make me regret things, but it's not like three years of habit will die in a few hours.
I can control whatever weird powers I have, or that’s what my wolf calls them, but it doesn't mean I can control my sarcastic mouth. Besides, I can always leave if we don't get together, no? I am sure a devil, who is used to peace, won't like keeping a troublesome girl like me around him.
"So, where is the woman who gave birth to me?" I asked, and I heard a loud drawn-out sigh from behind me.
"You could've just asked where your mom is," he said, and I smiled at him.
"Mom? She was never my mom. Mother? Yes. Mom? Never. That's a talk I wouldn't want to have with a person I barely know and doesn't have an intention of knowing either. Besides, I won't be living here. I heard my so-called ‘mom’ arranged for my education in the human school. I am sure there are plenty of dorms nearby that I can accommodate," I said, and he looked at me as if judging me.
"What are you looking at?" I asked as I sat on the couch, more like plopped on it in an unladylike manner.
"You are kind of cute when you try to act all tough and rude about your mother," He said with a smile, and I couldn't help but raise my eyes as I coughed to digest what he said.
Seriously? Is this what he has to say after I am being like this? How does this man's brain even work? Shouldn't he be thinking about how bitchy I am rather than praising my cuteness? Or is that the demons have a weird sense of cute things?
"I.. uhh… thanks? Anyway, coming back to the topic, since my mom isn't here, and she couldn't just wait for me even after knowing her daughter was coming today and went out to enjoy instead, I don't see why I should be staying here waiting for her. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Sterling," I said before standing and was about to turn to the door to leave when he held my hand to stop me, making me look at him shocked as I felt weird shocks in my body.
Woah. What was that all about? I thought.
'Is this what we call electric shocks of love and pleasure?' My wolf asked me, and I rolled my eyes.
'You seriously can't wait for me to claim a mate soon, no? You are one desperate wolf. I am not eighteen yet, remember?' I said before sighing.
I am sure those are tingles of fear that any normal wolf will feel in front of a demon-like him.
"Where will you go? You know nothing around here," He said, his eyes squinted, making him look a bit cute, and I smiled genuinely this time.
I guess strangers are more worried about me than blood. Even the demon is concerned about me more than my mom.
"Thanks for showing me the concern that my mother doesn't, but living alone has made me learn a thing or two. I will survive just fine. If she is back and asks you if I was here, don't tell her I came here and waited for her. Just tell her I called and informed you I was already here," I told him, and he looked at me for quite a few seconds, not saying anything, unnerving me in the process.
"Why would you lie to your mother? What if she gets worried?" He asked, looking genuinely confused, making me sigh as I found him a bit too cute than I should.
I think the change of place is playing with my head. How can a demon be cute?
"Mr. Evan, I think you are mature enough to know things aren't well between me and my mom. I don't know how much she shared with you guys, but there isn't exactly a mother-daughter bond between us. There was never this thing called love between us," I said and was about to turn to leave when I heard the front door of the house opening and then closing.
"Honey, I told you we will go to that island this time and -" A man walked inside before pausing as he looked at me wide-eyed.
"Honey, look. Our daughter Avyanna finally decided to come live with us," he exclaimed, making me look at Evan, who had a mischievous smile on his face, making me realize he must've told his father about me being here beforehand.
"You!" I murmured under my breath, and he shrugged his shoulders before walking ahead.
Looking in the front, I looked at my so-called mom, who didn't have any expression on her face, and then at my new father, who was beaming with happiness.
Rushing towards me, he hugged me tightly, making me almost choke on my breath as I looked at Evan for help.
"Dad, you will crush her bones," Evan said after a few seconds, making my new father release me before he looked at me with an unadulterated gaze of pure affection, something I wasn't used to.
"Avy, I never had a daughter and always wondered how great it would be if I had one. Looking at you standing here just fulfilled my wish. Wait. When did you come? I am sure you must be feeling tired. Have you picked a room already? We have 10 rooms in our house apart from the ones taken, which one would you like to take?" He asked me with hope and expectancy in his eyes, and I looked at him before gulping, not knowing what to do.
When I had imagined the former alpha of the strongest pack and my stepbrother, I had never imagined I would meet an immensely loving father and a genuinely caring being like my brother, who is otherwise called a demon.
I wasn't used to being cared for or being concerned for, and standing here while this man looked at me with so much fatherly affection, was making me nervous as I didn't know how to react anymore.
I had honestly thought I would just live outside the house, mind my business and leave after I turned eighteen was an easy job.
However, now that I look at them with this guy looking at me like this, how am I supposed to say anything to him?
"Actually, I was hoping if I could -"
"She wants the one with the large windows. She told me this a few minutes ago when I asked her the same question," Evan cut me off, making me look at him with shock.
'Hey! Why would you do that! You just ruined my plans!' These were the things I wanted to shout at him, but the smirk on his face as if he knew I won't be able to refute just made me grit my teeth instead.
"Well, the room with the largest windows is Evans and the one beside him. Why don't you take that one? I am sure Evan would love to have someone besides him since we are out of town most of the time and he is left alone in the house," Alpha said, and I looked at Evans awkwardly, who now had a casual smirk on his face, a smirk that was way too sexy but annoying at the same time.
Am I supposed to say yes? How can I? I wasn't even planning to stay here, let alone in the room beside him. He isn't planning to torture me for the rest of the year, right?
"I actually -" I started again.
"I think you are right, dad. She would love it. I will make sure she is not short of anything either," Evans said, and I looked at him with a sigh before nodding my head.
It wasn't like I had a choice now. If I deny him here, I am sure he will try to make my school life hell, which is the last thing I want. All I want is to complete this last year in peace so that I can move far away from my mother.
"That's decided then, Avy sweetheart. I would've loved to stay here and spend some quality time with you, but your mom and I had booked tickets to go to this island," He said with a sad look, and I looked at my mom, who was looking at me with no expression.
Yes, still the same indifference.
"That's okay, Alpha Cole. My mom has suffered all her life, bearing with my responsibilities alone. I am sure she can enjoy her new life now," I said, genuinely meaning every word.
"Wait. What did you call me? Alpha Cole? I am not Alpha Cole for you, sweetheart. You can call me Dad just like Evans do," He said, and I nodded my head.
"Father," I said, and he sighed before nodding his head.
I didn't mean to offend him or turn him down, but that's the most I can do to accept this relationship.
"I think I should have some rest now," I said.
"Let me show you the way, " Evans said, and I rolled my eyes internally before starting to walk behind him.
It’s all his fault that I am stuck here! I will make sure to become a pain in his ass so that he sends me out himself. I thought before smiling at my new plan.