Chapter 9 9

Alpha Duncan

I couldn't just stand there and let her keep going. Mindy threw her arms around my neck, pressing her body tight against mine. Her lips found my neck first-soft, warm kisses trailing up to my jaw, then my cheek, then the corner of my mouth. Each one sent sparks through me, making my knees weak. My wolf howled inside, begging me to give in, to wrap my arms around her and never let go.

She whispered against my skin, "I love you, Duncan. Not like a sister. Like your mate. Like your Luna. Please... just feel it."

Those words hit me harder than any punch ever could. They were everything I'd dreamed of hearing from the one person who owned my soul. But they came from my little sister. My baby sister. The girl I'd raised, protected, loved in the only way I was supposed to.

This was wrong. So fucking wrong.

If Mom and Dad were still alive, they'd be horrified. They'd scream at us, disown us, maybe even banish us from the pack. The shame would destroy everything they'd built for us.

I grabbed her wrists and pushed her back-gently at first, then harder when she tried to lean in again.

"Get off me, Mindy!" I yelled, voice cracking. "What the hell are you thinking? What are you doing?"

She stumbled back a step, eyes wide and glistening. I couldn't look at her. If I did, she'd see it-the love, the hunger, the guilt all tangled up in my eyes. I turned my head away, staring at the wall like it could save me.

"I'm your older brother," I said, quieter now, almost pleading. "This isn't... we can't..."

My heart was slamming against my ribs so loud I was sure she could hear it. My hands were shaking. A cold sweat broke out on my neck. What if she smelled my fear? My regret? The way my body still wanted her even as my mind screamed no?

"Are you drunk?" I snapped, trying to sound angry instead of terrified. "Did that idiot Derek give you something? Is that why you're acting like this?"

She shook her head fast, tears spilling over. Her voice came out small and broken. "No... I'm not drunk. I'm telling the truth. I love you as my mate. As my everything. Why can't you feel how much it hurts me to watch you with her? Why can't you see it in my eyes? The bond is real, Duncan. It's killing me to pretend it isn't."

She stepped closer again, grabbing my collar with both hands. She yanked me down until our faces were inches apart. Her eyes were red, swollen, shining with tears that wouldn't stop.

"Look at me," she begged. "Just look. Tell me you don't feel it too."

I tried to breathe steady. In. Out. Act like the Alpha I was supposed to be. Strong. In control.

"This is wrong, Mindy," I said, forcing the words out. "You're my little sister. My responsibility. My family. Do you even understand what you're saying? What could happen if anyone found out? The pack would turn on us. We'd lose everything."

She didn't back down. Her fingers tightened on my shirt. "I don't care about the pack right now. I care about us. About you. I've felt this pull since my first shift. Every time you're near me, it's like my heart finally remembers how to beat. Don't tell me you don't feel it too. I know you do."

I wanted to scream that she was right. That every night I lay awake fighting the urge to go to her room. That her scent drove me insane. That the mate bond had been screaming at me for years.

But I couldn't say it.

I couldn't ruin her.

I pulled her hands off my collar and stepped back. "I have to go. The guests. Emma. They're waiting. People will start talking if I'm gone too long."

She grabbed my jacket sleeve. "Duncan, please. Don't walk away. Listen to your heart. If you leave me like this... I'll die without you. There's no one else. There never will be."

Her voice cracked on the last word. It nearly broke me.

I yanked my arm free-harder than I meant to-and stormed to the door. My throat felt like it was closing up. Tears burned behind my eyes, but I blinked them back. I couldn't fall apart. Not now.

I flung the door open and stepped into the hallway. The sounds of the party drifted up-laughter, music, clinking glasses. Normal life. Fake life.

I sucked in a deep breath, forced a smile that felt like glass on my face, and headed downstairs.

Emma found me near the pool almost immediately. She looked worried, scanning my face like she could read every secret there.

"Where's Mindy?" she asked softly, touching my arm.

I snorted, trying to sound annoyed instead of wrecked. "Locked her in her room. Can you believe she actually wanted to mate with that jerk Derek? The guy's a walking red flag."

Emma tilted her head, studying me. Then she smiled gently and cupped my cheeks with both hands. "Baby... if she really loves him, maybe you should give them a chance. It's her life. She gets to choose who she dates. Who she mates."

"That's not her life!" I snapped, louder than I meant. "I'm her older brother. I'm the one who raised her. I'm the one who protects her. She doesn't get to just throw herself at some random guy because she's throwing a tantrum!"

Emma's smile faded a little. She shook her head slowly. "Duncan... don't you think you're being a little too overprotective? She's not a pup anymore. She's a grown woman. Beautiful. Smart. She has every right to choose her own path. And honestly... she's been acting kind of strange lately."

My stomach dropped. "What do you mean, 'strange'?"

Emma's fingers brushed my lips lightly, almost teasing. "She's way too jealous of me. The way she looks at you... talks to you... it's not like a sister. It's like she's your mate or something."

I choked on air. Coughed hard. "What the fuck are you talking about, Emma?"

She startled a little at my tone, stepping back half a step. "I'm just saying what I've noticed. The glares. The way she interrupts us. The way she gets so upset when you're close to me. It's... intense."

I forced a laugh that sounded strangled. "You're imagining things. She's just being a brat. Overdramatic. Like always."

Emma didn't look convinced. "Maybe. But you two are closer than most siblings. Sometimes it feels like... I don't know. Like there's more there."

I stared at her, heart racing again. "There's nothing more. She's my sister. End of story."

Emma sighed and squeezed my hand. "Okay. If you say so. But maybe talk to her when she calms down. Really talk. She's hurting, Duncan. And so are you-I can see it."

I pulled my hand away. "I'm fine."

But I wasn't.

Not even close.

Every word Emma said echoed what I'd been running from. Mindy wasn't the only one drowning in this bond.

I was too.

And the deeper I sank, the harder it got to pretend I could swim away.