Fated To Mate Her Step-Brother?

I need you to scream out loud, little Sage…  You’re mine. 

________

Sage couldn’t understand why her brother had been so eager to leave home for university. But then again—it was university. Freedom came with it, of course. Not that their parents were strict or anything. 

Still, a year later, Jaxon applied to another university—this time, in a whole different country. He only came home twice a year after that. Just for a few days. And even then, he’d start complaining about how much he missed his freedom. 

“Mom, why doesn’t brother want to come back home?” she asked softly, her voice almost a whisper. 

She lay across her mother’s lap on the couch, her long hair being gently stroked in rhythmic motions that made her feel like a child again. 

Her mother paused her crooning.  “Baby, once you go to university and taste freedom, maybe you’ll understand too,” she said, then resumed running her fingers through Sage’s hair. 

Sage shifted slightly, adjusting her head more comfortably against the familiar warmth of her mother’s lap. 

But still—she didn’t understand. 

She couldn’t understand why Jaxon had chosen to stay so far away from her. They had grown up so close. Like twins, even though they were three years apart. They’d done everything together. 

Her brows furrowed as the thought surfaced again—  He’s been ignoring your messages. Your calls.  True. 

At first, she’d convinced herself that university was harder than high school. That maybe he was just overwhelmed with assignments and would get back to her later. But it had been a whole month now. 

She’d even confided in her best friend, Emily. Though Emily had a not-so-subtle crush on Jaxon, she tried to keep it hidden. Still, Sage noticed. And so did Jaxon—he’d started acting weird around her, like he saw through it. 

Sage prepared for school, her final year of high school nearly over. She was ready to graduate. Ready to enroll in Jaxon’s university—just to be near him again. 

She missed him terribly. 

It had been two years since she’d last seen him. And months since they had spoken in any real way. Jaxon was busy. Too busy for his family. And what bothered her most was how calm and understanding her parents were about it. 

It exasperated her. 

She brushed her long, straight brown hair into a high ponytail, leaving two curly strands to fall loose along her face. Then she applied a swipe of pink gloss to her plump lips—no makeup otherwise. 

Her uniform lay neatly on the bed: a short-sleeved white shirt, a dusty gray skirt, and a thin tie. Simple. Proper. She flicked her long, natural lashes in the mirror, gave herself one final look, then stepped out of the room. 

She walked slowly—knowing Emily would be trotting behind her. And she was. 

“You’re always late,” Sage said, rolling her eyes with a teasing lilt. “Remember, the Moon Goddess grants early mates to those who are early.” 

“There’s no such—” Emily lifted her face to the sun, letting it kiss her skin. It gave her a golden hue. Her skin was like that of a goddess—smooth light brown, thick and luminous, with a short curly haircut framing her V-shaped jaw. 

Sage gave her a sidelong look and giggled. “I can’t wait to turn eighteen and follow my brother.” 

“No one exists in your world but your brother,” Emily said, without missing a beat. 

She wasn’t wrong. 

“You too,” Sage replied, popping a green grape into her mouth. 

“Just because I walk you to school?” 

“Oh my, I didn’t know that’s how you felt… I’m sorry, princess,” Sage laughed and nearly choked on the grape. 

“Serves you right—trying to be a comedian,” Emily said flatly. “Maybe your brother found his mate. You should consider that. You know how mating works.” 

Something slow and dull hit Sage in the gut. 

She fell silent.  “I don’t know. I don’t have a mate yet,” she muttered. 

Was she jealous? 

Jealous that her favorite person in the world had found someone else? Someone who came before her in his heart? That seemed like the only logical explanation for why Jaxon hadn’t come back. 

She quickened her pace, suddenly done with the conversation. 

Once they got to school, Sage couldn’t stop huffing and sighing. Emily kept warning her that she was being obvious—that the whole class could see her brooding—but Sage didn’t care. She was the Mafia Princess, after all. No one would dare speak to her with disrespect. 

Even though she never once used her power. 

Her family—Mr. and Mrs. Rover—were foreigners in the city. After Mr. Rover lost his job in his home country, he searched desperately for a new path. That was when he was introduced to the dark world by the most feared man in their circles: Uncle Thump. 

The only way not to get caught? Open a nightclub.  Use it for laundering money. 

“Stop it already,” Emily said, clearly annoyed. 

“I can’t wait to turn eighteen,” Sage murmured, the words like a broken record in her head. 

“Me too,” Emily sighed beside her, her voice soft now. They both exhaled—like little girls waiting for life to start. 

Their teachers came and went. 

During lunch, they slipped away from the cafeteria to eat on the secret rooftop—just the two of them. Emily’s family was well-off. Her father was a doctor. Her mother owned a successful clothing boutique. And since the school was close to their homes, they didn’t need cars to get there. 

“Okay, tell me,” Emily said, turning to Sage with a smirk, dimples flashing under the corner of her lips. “What do you think your mate will look like?” 

Sage paused for effect.  “You know… tall, broad, a bit of a hunk. Abs of steel. Shiny eyes. A bright smile. Maybe even dimples.” 

She was smiling just saying it. 

“Wow. Mine would be tall, buff, with a beard and tattoos,” Emily sighed, resting her chin in her palm. 

“Too dangerous, my friend.” 

“Mmmh. I like it dangerous… and hard.” 

“You sly girl,” Sage giggled.  Dang.  Lunch was over. 

Being under eighteen was hard. 

When Sage got home from school that day, she was surprised to find her father already there. He usually came back late. Her mother, who had stopped working a few months ago, ran a small bakery—and had hired someone to help manage it. 

She walked into the mansion, her steps pausing when she heard whispers from the kitchen. 

Her parents’ voices. 

She couldn’t catch the words, but she knew something was wrong. She heard her mother sniffle. 

She dropped her backpack and jogged toward the kitchen. 

“Mom, are you okay?” she asked, breathless. 

Her mother looked pale. Even more than usual. She was already fair-skinned, with long, voluminous blonde hair. Her father stood beside her—tall, dark, and broad. A stark contrast. 

Her mom looked so weak. 

Sage felt her eyes sting. 

“No, baby…” her father said, wrapping his arms around her. He gently wiped the tears from her face. “Don’t worry, princess. Everything’s going to be alright.” 

But Sage wasn’t convinced. Her eyes darted to her mother’s trembling hand, then to her father’s tight mouth. All she could think was—something happened to Jaxon. 

D*mn it.  Her birthday was coming soon. And she wanted Jaxon to be there. 

She cursed under her breath to the Moon Goddess.  Let the tears fall.  Then whispered, “What happened to Jaxon?” 

Her father stilled.  They hadn’t told her. 

They had kept everything from her. 

The truth wasn’t about Jaxon at all. It was her mother. 

Years ago, not long after she married Mr. Rover, Sage’s mother began having stomach pain—pain so intense it made her cry through the night. That’s why, back when Sage was in junior school, she’d asked why their bedroom was soundproofed. The answer had been simple and dismissive: 

“It’s just for decoration, baby.”  And she believed them. 

Her mother had once beaten the illness. Fought hard. Thought she was cancer-free. But it came back. 

And now—now, as Sage stood trembling between them—it was time to tell their little girl the truth. 

“Baby,” her father said softly, pulling back from the hug. His eyes—clever and fox-like, with freckles dotting his pale skin—met hers. 

“Mmmh?” she blinked through her tears. 

“Don’t be scared, alright? Whatever we tell you…” 

She nodded, even though frustration bubbled inside her. She wasn’t a child. 

“Your mother’s cancer came back.” 

Sage froze. 

Her mind whirled.  She’d read somewhere that werewolf DNA could reject cancer.  So… why her mom? 

But right now, she wasn’t thinking about biology. She was thinking about Jaxon. How he would take the news. If he would come back. 

She moved to her mother’s side and hugged her tightly, her arms wrapping around the frail frame as she whispered into her hair, “You’ll be okay.” 

Then she kissed her mother’s cheek—  —and ran to her room.  She had to try Jaxon again. 

After the wrenching news yesterday, Sage woke with a pounding headache. Her skull throbbed, a dull ache radiating behind her eyes. She had cried herself hoarse, tears soaking her pillow until her father came in, time after time, trying to comfort her. 

But eventually, he stopped coming. Her mother had suffered a seizure and was rushed to the hospital. 

Sage had been left alone. 

She tried contacting Jaxon, over and over—but nothing. No response. No read receipt. Nothing. 

She couldn’t understand why her brother had become so cruel. So distant. 

Memories of their childhood flickered in her head like an old, familiar film. 

“I will catch you,” Jaxon would call out, laughing as he searched for her during hide and seek. And Sage, unable to hold in her giggles, would always give herself away. 

She missed him. 

Missed the way he used to place kisses on her cheeks and forehead. Missed sharing snacks, taking lazy strolls in the park. Missed fa