My Stepbrother’s My Mate

Chapter 3

SAGE

The journey was long, but I managed to fall asleep.

The driver woke me up when we were five minutes away.

As you came onto the land and a small town, there were rows of houses on one side with children playing nearby. I looked through the window and was in awe of the pack grounds. They were not what I ever imagined for a pack of warriors.

I could feel eyes on the cab as we drove in, but I ignored them. It was up to my mother to announce who I was, not me.

I looked through the windscreen and saw a massive building, which had to be the pack house.

I knew it would be massive, but it looked like a castle.

The cab pulled up outside, and I looked up the steps to have a better look as I looked up. I spotted the front door open and out walked my mother with Alpha Bradley.

I sighed.

Here goes nothing.

I knew I would have to pull my big girl pants up and be the bigger person, but this would be weird whatever happened.

I opened the door and climbed out.

I moved toward the steps but stopped when I saw my mother come down. She smiled.

"Sage," she said as she came before me and hugged me.

I didn't hug her back; her arms were wrapped tightly around me and trapped me from doing anything.

Nyx stirred in my head. I knew she had been asleep the whole ride here. Right on cue, she growled when she realized my mother was hugging me.

"Get her off," she mumbled.

I ignored her.

I had to.

I miss my mum. Well, this version of her, at least.

My mum pulled back, and Alpha Bradley came into view. He smiled.

"Sage," he said as my mother moved aside. Alpha Bradley held out his hand, and I took it. "It is so nice to see you. Shall we take this inside?"

I knew why he said that.

I could feel eyes on me in every direction, and some weren't friendly. I could sense hostility and curiosity.

Many pack members hate change, and a new person coming into their pack would be a big deal to them.

I nodded at Alpha Bradley.

Alpha Bradley turned to the cab driver and paid for my cab fare, which was nice of him.

A man came toward him and grabbed my bags. He took them up the steps and away, which was worrying; what if I wanted to run for it? I won't get too far with the clothes on my back and no wallet; it was all in one of my suitcases.

Alpha Bradley turned and walked up the steps with my mother following him.

I followed behind them, but I stopped when I got to the top. I felt someone staring, but I couldn't figure out if it was outside or someone staring out the window.

I sighed and continued to follow them inside.

This was going to be weird.

"I agree," mumbled Nyx, feeling what I was feeling.

I walked into the pack house and looked around. I could feel Nyx move in my head to look, and we both were amazed at what it looked like. It reminded me of a castle not far from our pack, but this wasn't a run-down one; it was all done out and fitted to be lived in and for many people.

I looked at Alpha Bradley and Mum, who were smiling at me.

"Sage," Alpha Bradley said, "I want you to meet my youngest son, Thomas."

I looked down; next to Alpha Bradley was a young boy who looked no more than six, holding his father's hand with the most cheesy grin I have ever seen.

I grinned.

"Hi, Thomas," I said. "I am Sage."

Thomas's smile grew wider.

"You've got bright red hair," he said, looking up at his father. "It looks so cool."

I laughed.

"Thanks," I said. "I like to change it now and then. Last month, I was bright pink, and four months before that, I was purple."

Thomas's eyes grew wider.

"Wow," he said. "I wish I could color my hair. Dad, when can I do that?"

I glanced at Alpha Bradley, who let out a loud laugh.

"When you are older," he said, "Maybe when you are sixteen."

"Brad," my mum warned, which made me look at her. "Don't encourage it."

I stared at her.

Is this the same woman who left me when I was eleven?

"Sorry, hunny," said Alpha Bradley, who smiled back at her. "We will have to discuss it when you are older, okay, Thomas?"

I looked at Thomas, who was now wearing a frown.

"Fine," he said, "But mum, I will have colored hair like Sage; I want it to be a rainbow of colors or something."

I stopped listening after the word I heard Thomas call my mum-Mum. I didn't think she would let him call her that, but she said she was here when he was a baby, so what was he supposed to call her?

I looked at my mum, who was staring back at Thomas.

She looked happy, but why not when I was…

"Stop that," Nyx growled. "She was heartbroken after your Dad. You both needed to be away from each other."

I stared back at her, confused.

"You are sticking…," I started to say, but she shook her head. "Nope," she said. "I still don't believe she did the right thing toward you, but she had some good reasons, even though she acted like a b***h toward you."

I looked back to find everyone staring at me.

I had to think of something on the spot, but I glanced around and noticed that I didn't mention anything about the pack house.

"My wolf was talking to me," I said. "She likes the pack house."

I felt my mum's eyes on me as I looked at Alpha Bradley.

I couldn't look at her. I have a lot of mixed emotions about her, even now.

"Ah," said Alpha Bradley, "Tell her thank you."

I nodded.

"We will have to see what she can do in training," he said. "It would be nice to meet your wolf too."

I tensed slightly.

I was okay with people seeing Nyx, but we were in a different pack, which would make it awkward. Only a handful of people know what she looks like, and my mum doesn't.

"Maybe," I said, but I heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

I looked up and was met with the brightest blue eyes, but they were intense.

I couldn't help but stare.

The person came into view, and I felt my mouth water at the sight.

Who the hell was that?

I felt Nyx move, but she didn't do anything.

"Ah, there you are," said Alpha Bradley, "Austin. I want you to meet Sage."

Austin?

Austin cleared his throat, which made me look at him again.

"Sage, this is Austin, my oldest and your stepbrother," he said.

Austin is his son. Oh, goddess, I was checking out my stepbrother.

Nyx giggled.

I stuck my hand out for him to shake, but Austin looked at it but didn't take it. His face hardened.

What the hell?

What an ass?

I moved my hand back as he looked at his father. "It was nice to meet you," he said, but it wasn't directed at me. "I have to get to training."

"So soon," said my mum. She was clearly trying to make something out of nothing, and it was clear that my older stepbrother didn't like me, the way he looked at me.

"I'm sorry," was all he had said as he walked away with someone following behind him.

Whoever the other person was, he stared at me and smiled. He gave me a nod and followed behind Austin.

"Sorry about that," said Alpha Bradley, who sounded pissed. I looked at him; his face was hard, but his gaze softened when he realized I was looking.

"Austin is taking his alpha role seriously these days," he muttered.

I nodded.

Alpha Bradley looked at me and smiled.

"How about I show you around the pack house?" he asked, but my mother cleared her throat, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry," she said, glancing at me and then at Alpha Bradley. "Hunny, you have that meeting this afternoon."

Alpha Bradley looked at her, but the realization came, and he groaned.

"Oh, how could I forget that?" he said; he looked at my mother and smiled. "How about you and Sage take a look around? You both may want to…" but she shook her head again, "I can't do it," she said, "I have to be at the school. They asked me to go and speak to some of the children there."

Oh, how things never changed.

Nyx growled in my head.

"Susan…" Alpha Bradley started to say, but I didn't want to be a burden or someone they had to entertain while I was here.

"Actually," I said, "If it's okay with both of you, I would like to get unpacked and rest. It was a long drive."

Alpha Bradley and mum looked like they were mind-linking, but when I spoke, they both listened, and my mum smiled.

"See, she's tired," she said.

I felt a pang of hurt ripple through me at how she was, but I shouldn't have thought anything different; this was mild to what she was like when we lived back in our old pack house.

Alpha Bradley looked at me, but he didn't say anything.

"I can show her to her room, Dad," said Thomas, bringing his father's focus to him.

Thank you, kid.

"You sure," Alpha Bradley said, "Do you have any homework?"

"NO," he lied.

Alpha Bradley frowned.

"Are you lying to me, Thomas?" he asked.

I had better help the kid.

"Actually," I said, stepping closer to Thomas. "If Thomas doesn't mind showing me to my room, I can ensure he has done his homework before leaving."

Thomas's eyes widened.

Alpha Bradley smiled.

"You would do that," he asked.

I nodded.

Alpha Bradley smiled.

"Thank you, Sage," he said. He looked at my mother, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.

Alpha Bradley sighed.

"Sage," he said, he turned to face me. "We will have a family meal later this evening, around six. Thomas can bring you down and show you where we have our food."

I nodded.

Thomas grabbed my hand and pulled me to the stairs, "Come on," he said, "This way."

I laughed.

I looked over my shoulder at Alpha Bradley and my mum, they seemed to be having words, but I was too far away to hear them.

Nyx sighed.

"Alpha wanted our mum to be with us," she mumbled, "he wanted us to spend time together."

I gathered that when he mentioned her to show me around.

"She needs a kick up the ass," she growled.

I didn't say anything, but I knew she was right.

Thomas took me up three flights of stairs and showed me which room was mine.

"This one is mine," he said, pointing to the door opposite.

I smiled.

"So," I said. "You sleep there; where do your Dad and my mum sleep?"

Thomas pointed up, which meant the next floor.

"That's their home," he said. "And that is where we have to go for food later."

I looked down the corridor and noticed another door.

Thomas must have seen where I was looking.

"That door is to Austin's room," he said, which made me look at him. He smiled.

"So all of us children are on the same floor," I said.

Thomas nodded.

I opened my door and walked inside, only to be amazed again. The room was massive, more significant than the one I got at my uncle's house.

There was a big massive bed in the middle with two bedside tables.

I wondered in, with Thomas following me.

I looked around and realized there was a walk-in closet and a huge bathroom.

"That bathroom is for you," said Thomas, which made me look at him with wide eyes. I had to share a bathroom with my uncle, which was no fun.

I looked at Thomas once he had given me a tour of my room.

"Okay, buddy," I said. "You go and get your homework. You can do it here, and I can help while I unpack my things."

Thomas stared at me and frowned.

"I'm a teacher," I said, which made his eyes pop slightly. "I can help, and not only that, I can make sure it is alright before school."

Thomas stared at me and smiled.

"Okay," he said. "I will be back."

I smiled, watching him head to his room to get his homework.

I looked at my bags and thought about unpacking, but I couldn't do it.

I would help Thomas with his homework and, afterward, have a shower to freshen up for this meal, which I wasn't looking forward to in the slightest.

Nyx mumbled something in my head, but I didn't catch it as Thomas ran back before I could ask what she said.

I smiled as Thomas set himself up at the table.

I could do something useful; what else was I going to do?