My Brother, My Mate

#Chapter 6: Different

Rowena

“You look completely different.”

I blinked at Adrian’s sudden compliment, if I could even call it that. He was standing in front of me with a wine glass in his hand, his eyes slowly scanning over my dress, and something about it made me oddly… uncomfortable.

But I maintained a polite smile. “Thank you,” I said.

Adrian nodded. “You had a makeover, then? You look so much better now.”

Better now. I hated that phrase. I had always dressed ordinarily, usually opting for practical and comfortable outfits rather than tight dresses and mini skirts, and I rarely put too much thought into my hair or makeup. 

On a good day, maybe I would put my hair into a braid and wear a little mascara, but nothing too crazy.

And honestly, I never found that side of myself to be particularly disgraceful; if anything, I was proud of the way I looked, even if I looked like a ‘nerd’.

“Oh, um… it’s just a temporary makeover,” I said with a chuckle. “I’m still me.”

Adrian hummed to himself and shrugged. “You look good, though.”

I paused then, feeling disheartened. Was my appearance really so important? Was my capability in my education and my skills not impressive enough? Or, being wolfless, was my appearance the only aspect through which I could gain recognition?

“I thought you were going to Emma’s party,” I said with a shrug of my own, deciding not to dwell on it right now.

“Oh, I think they relocated here,” Adrian said.

“Here?” I asked incredulously. I didn’t know this.

He nodded, and just as he was about to respond, a group of warriors who had been lingering nearby suddenly spoke up. “Their party is actually about to begin,” one said. “They’ve invited everyone.”

“Everyone?” I blurted out. Surely everyone didn’t include me.

“Yes, everyone,” one of the other warriors chimed in. “We’re actually about to play a game. If you know what I mean.” As she spoke, she winked and jerked her head toward Adrian, causing me to blush and the others to giggle.

I paused, still taken aback. I never got invited to parties, let alone to play games. Once again, it was disheartening. My transformation was striking, yes, but it was only temporary. I wondered if things would go back to the way they were before once I took off the dress and washed my hair, and put my glasses back on.

“What game is it?” I asked.

“A common party game,” one of the warriors announced. “Each person draws a card, and then acts according to the instructions on the card. If you can’t follow the instructions, then…”

“You drink,” Adrian chimed in, holding up his glass of wine.

I found myself blinking again, still awed by my sudden acceptance into the group, but… the idea of playing a game was intriguing.

“Alright,” I said. “I’ll play.”

Then, suddenly, a familiar voice came carelessly from the distance. “Take me with you.”

I looked up to see Eric standing there, and instantly felt my face flush. He was shirtless, holding a pool towel around his waist. 

This was the first time I had seen him shirtless since before he left on his three-year excursion, and his muscles were so much more pronounced now. Before, he had been a lanky teenager with little muscle, but now…

Now he was much wider than I remembered, and his abs were as chiseled as a marble statue.

…

“Pass the card from mouth-to-mouth five times with the person to your right,” I read out loud, my face turning a deep shade of red. “If the card falls, the person who let it fall has to drink a whole bottle of wine.”

I swallowed. I knew the rules of this game for a long time now, but had never actually played it myself; and it was made even worse when I looked to my right and saw none other than Adrian.

“Starting now?” he asked, inching a little closer.

“Now! Now! Now!” the warriors began to chant, pounding their fists on their knees.

With trembling hands, I lifted the card to my lips and suctioned it there. I leaned closer to Adrian, my eyes fluttering shut…

“One!”

Adrian took the card. His lips would have touched mine if it weren’t for the card in the way. There was a flicker of something behind his eyes, and he leaned closer again, passing the card back to me.

I had never been so close to him before. 

“Two!”

We passed the card again. I was close enough to kiss him, and for a moment, I wondered if the card would fall and I did kiss him, how he would react. I closed my eyes as we passed the card a third time. Please, let it fall…

But then, an arm suddenly wrapped around my waist. I was unceremoniously pulled away, the card slipping away from my lips and fluttering to the ground.

I winced at the sudden pain around my waist, looking up to see none other than Eric standing there.

“Eric?” I blurted out. “What the hell?”

“That’s ENOUGH,” Eric boomed. His voice caused a hush to fall over the room where we had been playing, and the other warriors, Adrian included, looked on with confusion on their faces. 

I think they expected Eric to burst out laughing, revealing that he was just playing a brotherly prank. Hell, I expected it, too. But that moment never came. His arm remained firmly looped around my waist, holding me dangerously close, and those bright blue eyes of his were filled with a look of anger that I hadn’t ever expected.

“Eric, what are you—”

“Give me the wine,” he said, reaching out his free arm for the bottle.

“Eric—”

“I made the card fall,” he said. “So give me the wine.”

Adrian, shooting us both a confused look, stiffly reached for the bottle and handed it to my brother. Eric snatched it out of his hand and tilted his head back. I watched as he chugged the bottle all at once. An entire bottle of wine, in just a few gulps.

When he was finished, he lowered the bottle and wiped his red-stained lips with the back of his hand.

“There,” he said, his teeth gritted. “Done. Game over.”

I frowned. It wasn’t like him to be like this. Did he still think I was the same little girl he left behind three years ago? Was he being protective?

“This is just a game, Eric,” Adrian said with a chuckle. “We don’t need to stop. Besides, Rowena was enjoying herself.”

I blushed at Adrian’s words and glanced back up at my brother, but he was looking at me now with an anger in his eyes that I hadn’t expected to be directed at me.

“I didn’t know you would be interested in this sort of game,” he hissed.

“Eric, I—”

He wrapped his arm harder around my waist, causing me to lose my breath as his fingers dug into my ribs. I felt the atmosphere between us grow thin, and could feel his heart pounding so hard in his chest that it resonated against mine.

“You’re hurting me, Eric.”