Tasting 34

34–Everyone Loves My Stepbrothers

Nora:

We both squared up to greet the queen bee.

“Hey! Look, the Luna is sitting here,” April quipped, using the title because I was an Alpha’s

Daughter, but for a moment, it just sent shivers down my spine.

“I can’t believe Ryker showed up just to make sure everyone is nice to you,” She completely ignored

Natalya and pulled a chair closer to me. She was sporting a white dress with a pink sweater, and

her makeup was always spot–on.

“Yeah, dad put him up to it,” I joked, and she burst into laughter as if it was the funniest thing she’d

ever heard. I was skeptical of her. She was deliberately sticking herself with me, and I wasn’t foolish

enough to not see why she was doing it.

“She’s the funniest, isn’t she?” she giggled, glancing around for her friend when Natalya spoke up.

“She truly is the best,” now her comment sounded more sincere and sweet. However, it didn’t sit

well with April as she turned to look at Natalya dramatically and rolled her eyes.

“So why are you sticking with her a*s now?” the fact that April had the nerve to question Natalya

when I could clearly see why she was sucking my nonexistent dick now.

“I’m her —,” I noticed Natalya’s energy dropping as she responded to April. I understood. The latter

had this mean aura that made everyone

34–Everyone Loves My Stepbrothers

take her words to heart. And she made sure of it.

“She’s my friend,” I intervened. Natalya was sitting with me, and April was in our faces because I

had caught her attention. There was no way Natalya deserved to be humiliated or made

uncomfortable because of

1. me.

April wrinkled her nose at my words and dramatically turned her face to glance at Natalya. After

shooting her a few daggers, April turned back to me and put on a smile again.

“So what are you up to this weekend?” she asked, shrugging her shoulders and trying to act nice. I

knew why she was suddenly so interested in me. She was scared of my stepbrothers and

stepfather having a word with her father about her behavior towards me.

But all she needed to do was leave me alone. Why try so hard to be involved with me?

“Nothing much, I’ll be—” I paused when I caught Natalya’s expression, “I’ll be with Natalya. We’ve

got some plans.” The way Natalya smiled after hearing me talk about wanting to spend time with

her was just mesmerizing. But obviously, someone was not happy.

April’s smile vanished momentarily before she put on a show and gave me a closed–lip smile.

“Honey! I’m throwing a party this weekend. I was hoping you would come,” she cooed, trying to bat

her eyelashes and pouting to look cute.

“Oh, I wish. But I kinda already made plans with Natalya,” I excused with the same phony smile. I

had no interest in mingling with the pack members or the people of the school, which sadly also

consisted of the Alphas and betas of the neighboring packs. I just wanted to be left alone with my

new family.

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34 Everyone Loves My Stepbrothers

“But if you invite us both,” Natalya intervened, oblivious to April’s dislike for her.

April turned to her friends, then after some silent communication, she turned to Natalya. “Sure! If

you promise to bring her along.” April’s tone changed with Natalya for the first time, and it was so

obvious she was faking it. But I didn’t understand why Natalya would want to go to the party where

everyone would bully her.

“Natalya, are you sure?” I whispered, but unfortunately, we were sitting right with April.

“Yes! She made her decision, and now you have to come too,” April quickly interjected herself into

our conversation and demanded that I play the cards in her favor.

These were the cringiest invitation cards I’ve ever seen. They had her picture on them with booze

and some secret candies that we weren’t allowed to take openly. She looked so cheesy on the card,

but I bet she thought it was cool to have her face printed on an invitation card for a regular party.

Natalya grabbed the cards out of her hands and started checking them out.

“So, who’s gonna be your ride for the night? I heard your family is very protective of you? Why don’t

you ask Ryker to tag along?” There it was, she brought him up again like many times before. It was

like she couldn’t just have a conversation with me without mentioning Ryker.

“That would be great if he could come,” she added dreamily and then giggled to herself.

“I don’t think he can come. He’s usually busy,” I hushed up when I remembered the rules. I doubted

I’d be allowed to go to any party without a stepbrother accompanying me. So I wondered if Lord

Atwood would allow me, and if he did, which one of the brothers

34–Everyone Loves My Stepbrothers

would be asked to accompany me.

“But somebody will give you pick and drop service,” April was no longer smiling. She had this weird

look on her face as if she was demanding I bring someone along. Someone whose name is Ryker.

“Yeah, maybe then it will be Ryker,” at this point, I just wanted her off my back so that I could speak

to Natalya and ask her why she got us into this mess.

“Okay then great, I’ll see you around,” April giggled to herself and left with her minions while I was

now staring at Natalya in disbelief.

“I thought you wanted to do a sleepover,” I sighed, leaning back in my chair and pressing my lips

together to form a straight line.

“I’m truly sorry. It’s just that I’ve always wished to go to one of these fancy parties. I’ve never been

invited anywhere. I’m so sorry if I disappointed you,” she seemed genuinely upset, so she smiled

again and added, “it’s fine. We can skip it and do a sleepover instead. I’ll be more than happy to

stay at the mansion,” the shine in her eyes broke my heart. There was this sadness and emptiness

in her eyes that shattered me. The longing to belong somewhere just like I had prior to getting

accepted by Lord Atwood into his home.

“You know what? It’s fine. We’re going to this party,” I gave her a smile, and the smile that she lost a

second ago revived. Now I was just worried about which one of those jerks would accompany me.