Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Chapter 196

Chapter 196

I blinked rapidly. "What?" I asked with a breathy scoff.

Mum didn't even flinch. "Yes, Kasmine. It was signed and agreed upon when his father helped your father seven years ago. He got us through a major crisis, and in return, a marriage alliance was secured. It is beneficial to us all in the long run."

Her voice was calm and steady as if she were simply reading out a bedtime story. Her words weren't making any sense. None of this was.

"Wait. I was payment? Gratitude? Appreciation?" I counted the words.

I turned to face her fully now, standing close, right in her face. I wanted her to look me in the eye and tell me it was okay to trade my life and future for the pack's 'beneficial

future.

"Don't see it that way, baby." She reached out to touch my arm, but I stepped back. “If this wasn't necessary, it wouldn't have happened."

There wasn't an ounce of regret in her voice. Not a single hint of remorse.

"This isn't happening." I shook my head, the words spilling out before I could even think.

"Kester will never let this happen. He won't. You'll see,

"Kester knows, baby." She said, and I froze. "He was there when it was all agreed upon."

The air in my lungs vanished.

Blood turned to ice.

The world tilted just slightly.

"What?"

***

The perfect day I had been looking forward to crumbled before my eyes, slipping through.

my fingers like sand. And there was nothing I could do to save it.

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Chapter 196

1 sat with Jake in our usual garden, the secluded spot on the school grounds where we

always snuck to. The place where, for a little while, the world didn't exist.

I wanted to be happy to see him. I really did. But my mind was too clouded, and my heart

too heavy.

it because he caught on immediately. "Kasmine," he

forcing a smile that I knew didn't reach my eyes. "I'm fine. Jake. Sorry. I'm just..." My voice

stirring up in the pack?"

at him

he talking

"What?" My brows knitted together. "Who is

but I sincerely couldn't tell where I

brows rising slightly. "Karina. Your stepsister. Or, well, your brother's stepsister, I guess.” His tone was the kind

confusion only

Jake. My curiosity piqued,

stomach while dread curled

you should

studying my reaction. "They'll explain it better." He said, and before I could. protest, he had brought

It was a box.

of thing that

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Chapter 196

curiosity spiking, pushing aside the dread lingering at the

twitching slightly as I stared at the small, elegant box in Jake's

our previous conversation, but now it pounded for an

flicking between the box and his

small, nervous smile-one that barely masked the anticipation

do this

through me at the way the world

Simple, yet stunning. A small

stared at it, my

“but this..." He gestured slightly with the box. "This is me

sucked in a

wavered as emotion surged inside

my head. "I know your brother is

His jaw clenched briefly. "Screw that.

then. I'll wait. I'll

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Chapter 196

My heart clenched painfully.

if..." I hesitated, licking my lips. "What

we'll cross that bridge when we get there," he

in his tone-his absolute faith in

know I should have thought about this longer. I should be cautious and careful about the decision I was about to make. But the truth was,

did.

Not Alpha Jaden.

Kester. No matter what I thought I might be feeling for Kester, it would never end well. We were stepsiblings. Our little forbidden