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.

1/5

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.

because he caught on immediately. "Kasmine," he said softly, his warm brown eyes scanning my face. Is everything

fine. Jake. Sorry. I'm just..." My voice trailed off, lost somewhere between frustration

stirring up in

him in

he

head tilting slightly. "What?" My brows knitted together. "Who

I sincerely couldn't tell where I had heard it, but definitely

brows rising slightly. "Karina. Your stepsister. Or, well, your brother's stepsister, I guess.”

my confusion

idea what you're talking about, Jake. My curiosity piqued, and for some reason, my

my stomach

you don't know, then maybe you should ask your parents.

my reaction. "They'll explain it better." He said, and before I

It was a box.

that

2/5

Chapter 196

aside the dread lingering at the edges of my

as I stared at the small, elegant box in

already on edge from our previous conversation, but now it pounded for an entirely different

I breathed, my eyes flicking between the box and his

gave me a small, nervous smile-one that barely

of his when he was unsure of himself. "I planned to do this on your birthday, make it special, you know? But He exhaled, his shoulders rising

way the world

stunning. A small charm in the shape of

at it, my throat

expressing things with words," he said, his voice lower now, “but this..." He gestured slightly with the box. "This is me saying I want you, Kasmine. Us. No more waiting for

sucked in a

My voice wavered as

could already hear the turmoil in my head. "I know your brother is a problem. I know you're technically supposed

His jaw clenched briefly. "Screw that. I don't care

a secret until then. I'll wait. I'll wait

34

Chapter 196

My heart clenched painfully.

lips. "What if I find my mate

bridge when we get there,"

certainty in his tone-his absolute faith in us-made my throat

this longer. I should be cautious and careful about the decision I was about to make. But the truth was, nothing had

did.

Not Alpha Jaden.

it would never end well. We were stepsiblings. Our