Transcription
She thought living with her new millionaire step-brother would be the hardest part. She had no idea he was hiding something that would destroy their family forever.
Before we dive into this mess of forbidden love and family destruction, drop a comment and tell me, have you ever fallen for someone you were supposed to call family? Because Nissa Wolf Spain was about to learn that some secrets are worth losing everything for.
Chapter 2.
Nissa Wolf Spain had exactly three things going for her. A 4.0 GPA, an encyclopedic knowledge of obscure sci-fi novels, and the ability to become invisible in any social situation. What she didn't have was a stable living situation, which is how she ended up standing in front of a massive house in Beacon Hills' most expensive neighborhood in Los Angeles, clutching her beat-up backpack like a security blanket.
"This is it, sweetheart," her mom said, squeezing Nissa's shoulder. "Our fresh start."
Nissa adjusted her thick, crimped glasses and stared at the house. It looked like something out of a home and garden magazine. All modern lines and floor-to-ceiling windows. Nothing like their tiny apartment across town where the neighbor's TV bled through paper-thin walls and the refrigerator made dying whale sounds.
"Richard's really okay with me moving in?" Nissa asked for the hundredth time.
"Of course, you're going to love it here and you'll finally get to know Fenrik properly." Fenrik, her soon-to-be stepbrother. The guy whose Instagram was basically a shrine to his abs, his motorcycle, and the rotating cast of cheerleaders who hung off his arm. Nissa had done her research, a habit that served her well in academics, but made her a creepy stalker when it came to social situations. Fenrik Cross, captain of the lacrosse team, drove a motorcycle that was at least $200,000, had been suspended twice for fighting, but somehow maintained grades good enough to keep him in sports. The kind of guy who looked right through girls like Nissa.
"I still can't believe you're marrying a guy with a kid my age," Nissa muttered.
"He's 6 months older than you, and Richard is a good man, Nissa. This is going to be good for us."
The front door swung open before they could knock. Richard Cross stood there, all silver hair and expensive polo shirt like he'd stepped out of a country club catalog. "Ladies, welcome home."
Behind him lurked Fenrik. Holy Instagram had not prepared her. The camera had somehow failed to capture the way he filled a door frame. All broad shoulders and dangerous smile. His dark hair looked like he just rolled out of bed, and his green eyes held the kind of trouble that made smart girls do stupid things. He looked at Nissa like she was a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out.
"You must be Nissa," he said, and his voice was rough honey that made her stomach do weird flippy things. "I'm Fenrik."
"I know," she blurted, then immediately wanted to disappear into her oversized hoodie. "I mean, hi. Obviously, you're Fenrik. You live here."
His mouth twitched up at the corner. "Obviously." God, she was already making an idiot of herself, and she hadn't even crossed the threshold.
Chapter 3.
The house tour was torture. Every room was pristine and expensive, the kind of place where Nissa was afraid to touch anything. Her mom and Richard walked ahead, discussing paint, colors, and furniture arrangements like they were planning their dream life. Nissa trailed behind with Fenrik, hyper-aware of his presence beside her. He smelled like leather and something woodsy that made her want to lean closer and take a deeper breath, which was completely inappropriate considering he was about to become her stepbrother.
"So," he said as they climbed the stairs to the second floor. "Sci-fi nerd, right?"
Nissa stumbled. "What?"
"Your backpack. Star Wars pins. Doctor Who keychain. That little TARDIS hanging off the zipper. Elementary deduction."
She clutched the backpack straps tighter. "You watch Doctor Who?"
"I'm not completely brain dead, despite what my reputation suggests."
They reached the landing and he stopped in front of a door with a bronze nameplate that read Nissa. Her name already on the door like she belonged here. "This is you," he said, pushing the door open. The room was perfect. Big windows overlooking the backyard, a desk positioned to catch the morning light, built-in bookshelves just waiting to be filled. It was three times the size of her old bedroom.
"It's—" she started, then her voice cracked. "It's really nice."
"You okay?"
She nodded quickly, blinking back tears. "Just a lot of change, you know."
Fenrik leaned against the door frame, studying her with those unsettling green eyes. "Change can be good sometimes."
"Is that what you tell all the girls who move into your house?" Words were out before she could stop them. Fenrik's eyebrows shot up and for a second Nissa was sure she'd just blown any chance of him tolerating her existence. Then he laughed. Actually laughed, throwing his head back like she'd genuinely surprised him. "You're going to be interesting to have around, aren't you, Steppsis?"
The way he said it, "stepsis," made her cheeks burn. "I try to keep things entertaining."
"Good. I hate being bored."
There was something in his tone that made her look at him more carefully. Something that suggested Fenrik Cross was a lot more complicated than his bad boy reputation suggested.
Dinner was an exercise in awkward family bonding. Richard had ordered pizza to celebrate, and they sat around the massive dining table that could probably seat 12, making small talk while trying to pretend this wasn't the weirdest situation ever.
"So, Nissa," Richard said, "Fenrik tells me you're in several of his classes."
"AP biology, AP literature, and calculus," Nissa confirmed. "Though I doubt he's noticed, I tend to blend into the furniture."
"She sits three rows behind me in bio," Fenrik said without looking up from his pizza. "Always has her hand up first when Peterson asks a question. Wears different Doctor Who t-shirts on a rotating schedule. Monday is usually 10:00. Tuesday is 11. Wednesday is 12."
"You noticed my shirt schedule?" Nissa interrupted.
Fenrik shrugged. "I notice things."
"That's creepy or impressive. I can't decide."
"Why not both?"
Her mom and Richard exchanged one of those knowing looks that adults used when they thought teenagers were being cute. Nissa wanted to crawl under the table.
"I think it's wonderful that you two are getting to know each other," her mom said. "Maybe Fenrik can show you around school, help you meet some new people."
"Oh, no," Nissa said quickly. "I'm good. I don't really do the whole social thing."
"She's got a point," Fenrik agreed. "My crowd isn't exactly her type."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Nissa bristled.
"Nothing bad, just that cheerleaders and party kids probably aren't your scene."
"Because I'm a nerd. Because you're smart enough to know better." There it was again, that hint that Fenrik was more observant than he let on. He was looking at her now, really looking, and Nissa felt exposed under his gaze.
"Maybe your scene isn't as fun as you think it is," she said.
"Maybe not," he agreed. "But it's definitely more fun than sitting alone reading in the library."
"Hey, reading is fun. Books don't judge you or spread rumors or break your heart."
"They also don't surprise you. I like predictable."
"That's the saddest thing I've ever heard. And that's the most pretentious thing I've ever heard coming from someone whose biggest life challenge is choosing which girl to take to prom." Fenrik leaned back in his chair, grinning. "You've really thought about this, haven't you?"
"I observe things, too."
"Tashe stepsis." There was that word again, making her stomach flutter in completely inappropriate ways.
Chapter 4.
Three days into living in the Cross house, Nissa had established a routine. Wake up early, use the bathroom while Fenrik was still asleep, grab coffee and toast, and get to school before the parking lot filled with his fan club. It was a good plan. It had been working perfectly until Tuesday morning when she stumbled into the kitchen at 6:00 a.m. and found Fenrik already there, shirtless, making what looked like a protein shake. All that Instagram stalking had not prepared her for the reality of Fenrik Cross's chest or his back or the way his pajama pants hung low on his hips.
"Morning, stepsis," he said without turning around.
Nissa made a strangled noise that might have been a greeting and fumbled toward the coffee maker, keeping her eyes fixed on the floor.
"There's coffee already made," he said. "I was up early."
"Thanks," she managed, reaching for a mug. Her hands were shaking slightly. This was ridiculous. She was 18 years old, not some swooning Victorian maiden. She could handle seeing a shirtless guy, except when she turned around, mug in hand, Fenrik was right behind her, close enough that she could smell his shower gel and see the small scar on his collarbone.
"You okay?" he asked, frowning slightly. "You look flushed."
"I'm fine," she squeaked. "Just tired."
He stepped closer and she caught a whiff of something else underneath the shower gel. Something wild and earthy that made her pulse spike.
"Are you sure? Your heart is racing."
How could you possibly know that? For a second, something flickered across his face. Something almost panicked. Then it was gone, replaced by his usual cocky grin. "Lucky guess. You seem nervous."
"I'm not nervous. You're just very close."
"Does that bother you?"
"Yes. No. Maybe." She couldn't think straight with him, looking at her like that, like she was something worth studying. "I should get ready for school."
"You have 45 minutes before we need to leave. We—I'm driving you. Dad's orders."
"I can take the bus."
"Not happening. Besides, someone might think we don't get along."
"We barely know each other."
"Then I guess we should fix that." He reached past her to put his empty glass in the sink, and Nissa caught another whiff of that strange, wild scent. It made something deep in her stomach clench with an unfamiliar hunger.
"Fenrik."
"Yeah?"
"Are you wearing cologne?"
He went very still. "Why?"
"You smell. Different. Like the woods after rain."
When he turned back to her, his green eyes were darker than usual. "It's just soap." But something in his tone suggested it was anything but.
Chapter 5.
The ride to school in Fenrik's truck was 45 minutes of torture. He drove with one hand on the wheel, the other arm draped along the back of the seat, fingers occasionally brushing her shoulder when he turned corners. The radio played some alternative rock station, and Fenrik hummed along under his breath.
"You don't have to keep driving me," Nissa said as they pulled into the school parking lot. "People are going to think it's weird."
"Let them think whatever they want."
"Easy for you to say. You're not the weird new girl living with the most popular guy in school."
Fenrik cut the engine and turned to look at her. "Is that what you think I am? Popular?"
"Aren't you?"
"I'm notorious. There's a difference." Before she could ask what he meant, he was out of the truck and around to her side, opening her door like some old-fashioned gentleman, which was confusing because everything she'd heard about Fenrik Cross suggested he was anything but that.
"Thanks," she said, climbing down. The truck was ridiculously high off the ground.
"Nissa," she turned back to him, and for a moment they just looked at each other. The morning sun caught the gold flecks in his green eyes, and there was something almost vulnerable in his expression. "If anyone gives you trouble about living with me, you tell them to back off."
"Okay, I can handle myself."
"I know, but still." There was something protective in his tone that made her chest tight.
"Why do you care?"
"Because we're family now." Family, right? That's what they were supposed to be. So why did it feel like something else entirely?
Living with Fenrik was like being dropped into an alternate universe where all her old rules stopped applying. At home, he wasn't the cocky player from school. He helped her mom with groceries. He actually listened when Richard talked about work. He left coffee made in the mornings and never hogged the bathroom. And he was smart. Really smart. Nissa discovered this on Thursday night when she was struggling with calculus homework at the kitchen table. She'd been staring at the same problem for 20 minutes, getting more frustrated by the minute.
"Need help?" Fenrik asked, appearing beside her with a glass of water.
"I'm fine."
"You've been muttering curse words under your breath for 10 minutes. Pretty sure you're not fine." He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down, leaning over to look at her textbook.
"Derivatives? I hate math," Nissa muttered.
"No, you don't. You hate not understanding things immediately." He was right, which was annoying. Nissa prided herself on being smart, on grasping concepts quickly. Math was her nemesis because it required patience and practice, two things her perfectionist brain struggled with.
"Here," Fenrik said, taking her pencil. "Think of it like a story problem. You're trying to find the rate of change, right? So, what's changing?"
His explanation was clear and simple, breaking down the complex equation into manageable pieces. Within minutes, Nissa could see the pattern.
"How are you good at this?" she asked.
"I pay attention in class."
"But you're always—" she stopped herself. "Always what?"
"Nothing."
"Come on. What were you going to say?"
Nissa sighed. "You're always with Madison Pierce and her friends. I figured you didn't care about academics."
"Madison's in my calc class. We're study partners."
"Study partners?" Nissa repeated, trying not to sound as skeptical as she felt.
Fenrik's mouth twitched. "Sometimes we actually study, and the other times are none of your business, stepsis." But he was smiling when he said it, taking the sting out of the words. And when he helped her with the next three problems, he was patient and encouraging, nothing like the arrogant player she'd expected.
"Thank you," she said when they finished.
"Anytime." As he started to leave, Nissa found herself calling after him. "Fenrik."
"Yeah?"
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
He paused in the doorway, hand on the frame. "Maybe I'm not as much of an ass as everyone thinks."
"Or maybe you are and you're just good at hiding it."
"Maybe. Guess you'll have to stick around and find out."
After he left, Nissa sat at the kitchen table, staring at her completed homework and wondering when exactly Fenrik Cross had become the most interesting person in her world.
Chapter 6.
The breakthrough came on a Friday night when Nissa couldn't sleep. She'd been lying in bed for hours, listening to the unfamiliar sounds of the big house settling around her. Around midnight, she gave up and padded downstairs to make tea. She found Fenrik on the back deck, sitting on the steps and staring up at the full moon. He was wearing a henley and jeans, and there was something almost melancholy about the way he held himself.
"Can't sleep either?" she asked softly.
He turned, unsurprised to see her. "Hey, yeah, sometimes I get restless on full moons."
Nissa settled beside him on the step, leaving space between them, but close enough to smell that woodsy scent that seemed to cling to his skin. "It's beautiful out here," she said, looking up at the sky. Away from the city lights, the stars were brilliant and clear.
"It is." But when she glanced over, he was looking at her instead of the sky.
"Tell me something," she said impulsively.
"What kind of something?"
"I don't know. Something not everyone knows about Fenrik Cross."
He was quiet for so long that Nissa thought he wasn't going to answer. Then he said, "I hate parties."
"What?"
"All those parties I go to, all that social stuff. I hate it. It's loud and fake and everyone's performing some version of themselves that isn't real."
"Then why do you go?"
"Because it's expected. Because if I don't, people ask questions."
"What kind of questions?"
Another long pause. "The kind I can't answer." There was something heavy in his tone. Something that suggested layers of secrets she couldn't even guess at. Nissa wanted to push, wanted to understand what made Fenrik Cross tick, but something told her to wait.
"What about you?" he asked. "Tell me something real."
"I'm scared," she said without thinking.
"Of what?"
"Everything. Moving here, starting over, trying to fit into your life. I'm scared I'll never belong anywhere."
"You belong here."
"Do I? Because sometimes I feel like I'm just visiting someone else's life."
Fenrik turned to face her fully, his green eyes serious. "You belong here, Nissa. With us? With me?" The way he said it made her chest tight. "Even though I'm weird and antisocial and prefer books to people, especially because of that."
"Why?"
"Because you're real. In a world full of people pretending to be something they're not, you're completely authentically yourself. Do you know how rare that is?"
Nissa felt heat climb her cheeks. "You're just saying that."
He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her cheek. "You have no idea how extraordinary you are, do you?" The touch sent shivers through her entire body. This was dangerous territory. They were supposed to be family, supposed to be siblings. But the way he was looking at her didn't feel brotherly at all.
"Fenrik," she whispered.
"I know," he said quietly. "This is complicated."
"That's an understatement. But I can't stop thinking about you, about this." His thumb brushed across her cheekbone. "About us?"
"There is no us. There can't be."
"Why not?"
"Because our parents just got married. Because you're my step-brother. Because this is insane."
"Is it? Or is it just inconvenient timing?" Before she could answer, he leaned closer and Nissa's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. She wanted him to kiss her, which was probably the most terrifying realization of her life. Then a cloud passed over the moon, and Fenrik pulled back like he'd been burned.
"I should let you get some sleep," he said, standing abruptly.
"Fenrik, wait." But he was already gone, leaving Nissa alone on the steps with her racing heart and a head full of questions she wasn't sure she wanted answered.
Chapter 7.
Everything fell apart on a Tuesday. Nissa was walking to her locker after lunch when she heard them. Madison Pierce and her crew gathered around Madison's locker like a pack of perfectly groomed wolves.
"I heard she's living with him now," Madison was saying. Her voice carrying that fake sweet tone that meant someone was about to get eviscerated. "How convenient."
"Living with who?" asked Becca, Madison's second-in-command.
"Fenrik. The weird girl Nissa. Her mom married his dad."
Nissa froze, knowing she should keep walking, but unable to make her feet move.
"Oh my god," Becca gasped. "That's so gross. She's probably like obsessed with him, right? I mean, we all know she stares at him in class. And now she gets to live in the same house. Talk about pathetic. Do you think she like planned this? Her mom seducing his dad so she could get close to him?"
Madison's laugh was sharp and cruel. "Probably. I mean, look at her. It's not like she has any other way to get his attention. She's probably in love with him."
"Another girl added. "God, that's so embarrassing."
"Don't worry," Madison said with confidence. "Fenrik would never be interested in someone like that. He has standards."
Nissa felt each word land on her like someone had just shoved her hard in the chest. Not enough to knock her over, but enough to leave her breathless. She stood frozen in the hallway, feeling exposed and humiliated, as if they'd somehow read her most private thoughts and put them on display for everyone to judge. Because the worst part was they were right. She was living with him. She did stare at him in class. And God help her, she was developing feelings that were completely inappropriate and impossible.
"Are you okay?"
Nissa spun around to find Jake Morrison, a guy from her AP Lit class, looking at her with concern. "I'm fine," she said quickly, but her voice came out shaky.
"You don't look fine. You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Just tired. I should get to class." But as she hurried away, she could still hear Madison's voice echoing in her head. "Fenrik would never be interested in someone like that."
It felt like the whole day slipped past in one long, messy smear she couldn't untangle. Just a mix of red cheeks, tight smiles, and that sinking heaviness in her chest that wouldn't let up. Every conversation felt too loud, every glance felt like it carried a question she didn't want to answer. And no matter where she turned, the embarrassment clung to her like a stubborn stain. Every time someone looked at her, Nissa was convinced they were thinking the same things Madison had said.
By the time she got to her last class, AP Bio, where she usually sat three rows behind Fenrik, she was ready to disappear entirely. She chose a seat in the back corner instead, as far from Fenrik as possible. When he turned around to look for her, she kept her eyes fixed on her textbook and pretended not to notice.
After class, she bolted for the door, but Fenrik caught up with her in the hallway. "Hey," he said, falling into step beside her. "You okay? You seemed weird in bio."
"I'm fine, Nissa."
He caught her arm, gently pulling her to a stop. "What's wrong?"
She looked up at him, at his perfect face and concerned green eyes, and felt her heart crack a little more. Madison was right. Fenrik Cross could have anyone. Why would he ever look twice at the weird girl who lived in his house?
"Nothing's wrong," she said. "I just think we should keep some distance at school."
"Distance? Why?"
"Because people are talking. They think I'm some pathetic girl who's obsessed with her stepbrother."
Fenrik's jaw tightened. "What people?"
"It doesn't matter. They're not wrong."
"They are wrong. And it does matter. Who said something to you?"
"Just forget it, Fenrik. Let's just— Let's just be what we're supposed to be. Family, nothing more." She pulled away from him and walked toward the parking lot, knowing he was following, but not daring to look back. When they reached his truck, the ride home was silent and tense. That night, Nissa stayed in her room, claiming she had homework. She heard Fenrik knock once, but she didn't answer. Eventually, his footsteps retreated down the hall. She was doing the right thing, the smart thing. So, why did it feel like the biggest mistake of her life?
Chapter 8.
For the next week, Nissa perfected the art of avoidance. She got up early, left for school before Fenrik was awake, and spent lunch in the library. She was polite at dinner, but distant, treating him exactly like what he was supposed to be, her stepbrother, and nothing more. Fenrik, for his part, seemed to respect her boundaries. He stopped offering rides, stopped helping with homework, stopped seeking her out for late-night conversations on the deck. Madison Pierce was back to hanging off his arm between classes, and everything returned to the way it was supposed to be. Nissa told herself she was fine with it. This was better, safer.
She was lying in bed Thursday night trying to convince herself she'd made the right choice when she heard voices outside. Angry voices. Curiosity overrode caution and she crept to her window. Below, Fenrik stood in the driveway with three guys she recognized from school: Derek Hale, Scott McCall, and Isaac Lahey. They were huddled together, speaking in low, urgent tones.
"It's getting harder to control," Fenrik was saying, "especially with the full moon coming."
"You need to tell her," Scott replied. "She's living in your house. She has a right to know."
"Know what? That I'm a monster? That being around her makes me want to—" Fenrik broke off, running his hands through his hair. "She already thinks I'm some player who doesn't care about anything real."
"She doesn't think that," Derek said. "Trust me."
"How would you know?"
"Because she looks at you the way Allison looked at Scott before she knew. Like you hung the moon, but she's afraid to reach for it."
Nissa's chest tightened as the air snagged in her throat, like her body had forgotten how to breathe for a moment. What were they talking about? What was Fenrik supposed to tell her?
"It doesn't matter," Fenrik said. "She made it clear she wants distance. I'm giving her what she wants."
"Are you? Or are you just scared?"
"Of course I'm scared." Fenrik's voice rose, then dropped back to a whisper. "She's everything good and pure, and I'm— I could hurt her. Hell, I want to hurt people just for looking at her wrong."
"That's not normal."
"It is for us," Isaac said quietly.
"Us?" What did that mean?
"Look," Derek said, "you can't keep pretending this isn't happening. The bond is there whether you acknowledge it or not. And if you don't tell her soon, she's going to figure it out on her own."
"What bond?" Fenrik asked. But there was something in his voice that suggested he already knew.
"You know what bond? She's your mate, Fenrik."
"She's my stepsister."
"She's your mate who happens to live in the same house. The universe doesn't care about human conventions."
"The universe can go to hell."
Derek laughed, but it wasn't a happy sound. "Good luck with that. Let me know how it works out for you."
The three guys left, and Fenrik stood alone in the driveway for several minutes, staring up at the moon. When he finally went inside, Nissa was still at the window, her mind reeling. Mate, monster. The words echoed in her head along with fragments of their conversation that didn't make sense. What did Derek mean about bonds and anchors? What was happening with the full moon and why did Fenrik smell like the forest after rain? Pieces of a puzzle she didn't understand began clicking together in her mind. Fenrik's strange schedule, the way he seemed to know things he shouldn't, the wild scent that clung to his skin, his restlessness during full moons—it was impossible, crazy. The stuff of books and movies, not real life. But as Nissa lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling and remembering every strange moment since she'd moved in, one word kept echoing in her head.
Werewolf.
Chapter 9.
Friday morning. Nissa was waiting in the kitchen when Fenrik came downstairs. He looked surprised to see her. They'd barely spoken all week.
"Morning," he said cautiously.
"We need to talk."
"Okay." He poured coffee into a travel mug, not meeting her eyes. "About what?"
"About what? You're not telling me."
Fenrik went very still. "I don't know what you mean."
"I heard you last night talking to Derek and Scott."
The coffee mug slipped from Fenrik's hand, shattering against the kitchen floor. Coffee spread across the tiles like a dark stain. "Shit," he muttered, reaching for paper towels.
"Fenrik, it's nothing, Nissa, just guy stuff."
"Guy stuff about mates and monsters and full moons?"
Fenrik froze, crouched on the floor with paper towels in his hand. When he looked up at her, his green eyes held something between panic and resignation. "How much did you hear?"
"Enough." She sat down at the kitchen table, trying to look calmer than she felt. "Are you going to tell me the truth, or am I going to have to figure it out on my own?"
For a long moment, they stared at each other. Nissa could hear her heartbeat in her ears, and she wondered if Fenrik could hear it, too. The thought should have been ridiculous, but nothing felt ridiculous anymore.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said finally.
"Try me."
Fenrik finished cleaning up the coffee, then sat across from her at the table. He looked young suddenly, younger than his 18 years, and scared in a way she'd never seen before.
"Do you remember when we were kids?" he said. "How we used to watch all those monster movies? Vampires, werewolves, all that stuff."
"Of course. What if I told you some of those movies weren't as fictional as we thought?"
Nissa's mouth went dry. "I'd say you were trying to scare me."
"I'm not." His eyes met hers. Steady and serious. "Nissa, there are things in this world that most people don't know about. Things that go bump in the night, and I'm one of them."
"You're trying to tell me you're a werewolf."
"I'm trying to tell you I'm a beta in a pack of werewolves, and you living in this house is the most dangerous and wonderful thing that's ever happened to me."
The words hung between them like a bridge. Nissa wasn't sure she was ready to cross.
"Prove it," she whispered.
Fenrik's eyes flashed gold. Literally flashed like there was light behind them. His canine teeth elongated slightly, and when he smiled, it was all sharp edges and predatory grace. Nissa's chair scraped against the floor as she stood up abruptly.
"Oh my god, Nissa, you're actually—"
She backed toward the door, her scientific mind warring with what she'd just seen. "This is impossible."
"I know it's a lot to process."
"A lot to process? My stepbrother just told me he's a werewolf. That's not processing. That's complete mental breakdown territory."
Fenrik stood slowly, hands raised like he was approaching a spooked animal. "I know you're scared."
"I'm not scared," Nissa said, then immediately contradicted herself. "Okay, I'm terrified, but not of you. Never of you." That seemed to surprise him. "No, no, I'm scared because this changes everything. I'm scared because now I understand why you smell like the forest and why you know when my heart is racing and why you get restless during full moons. I'm scared because it all makes sense and it should be impossible."
"Does it really make sense to you?"
Nissa took a shaky breath. "You're a werewolf. Derek, Scott, and Isaac are werewolves, too. That's why you were talking about controlling it and bonds." And she stopped. "What did Derek mean about me being your mate?"
Fenrik's expression became guarded. "That's complicated."
"Uncomplicated. In our world, sometimes wolves have mates. A person who completes them, who makes them stronger and more stable. An anchor. And Derek thinks I'm yours."
"Derek thinks a lot of things."
"That's not an answer." Fenrik was quiet for a long moment, studying her face like he was memorizing it. "Do you want the truth?"
"I want the truth."
"From the moment you walked into this house, you've been all I can think about. You make me calmer and crazier at the same time. When you're upset, I want to tear apart whatever caused it. When you smile, I feel like I can breathe properly for the first time all day. And when you started avoiding me this week, it felt like someone was slowly suffocating me."
Nissa's heart hammered against her ribs. "That could just be attraction."
"It could be, but it's not." He stepped closer and she caught that wild, woodsy scent again. "You're mine, Nissa, and I'm yours. I've been yours since the day we met. We're supposed to be family."
"We are family, just not the kind our parents think."
The kitchen felt smaller suddenly, the air charged with tension and possibility. Nissa should run. She'd put distance between them like she'd tried to do all week. Instead, she found herself stepping closer.
"This is insane," she whispered.
"Completely insane," he agreed. "Our parents will kill us probably."
"I don't care."
"Good," Fenrik said, and then his mouth was on hers.
Nissa hadn't just thought about kissing Fenrik. She'd built whole daydreams around it, replayed stolen glances in her head, wondered how he'd taste, how he'd hold her. But when it finally happened, it wasn't like anything she'd pictured. It wasn't slow and sweet, the way she'd sometimes imagined on lonely nights, and it wasn't reckless and wild like in the fantasies she'd tried not to admit to herself. It was all of it. His lips pressed against hers with this strange mix of care and urgency, like he didn't want to scare her, but also couldn't stop himself. There was a tremble in the way he breathed her in, like every second apart had been gnawing at him, and now he was trying to make up for all of it in one impossible kiss. It felt like a confession without words. Weeks of restraint cracking open, spilling over, and leaving her dizzy. She could feel the hunger in him. But it wasn't just about wanting her. It was about needing her, as if kissing her was the only way he could breathe. She melted into him, her hands fisting in his shirt. And for a moment, the world narrowed to just this: his lips on hers, his arms around her, the rightness of finally giving in.
When they broke apart, both breathing hard, Fenrik rested his forehead against hers. "No more avoiding each other," he said.
"No more avoiding each other," she agreed. "And no more pretending we're just family."
"What are we then?"
"I don't know, but we'll figure it out together." Nissa smiled, feeling lighter than she had all week. Together. Outside, storm clouds were gathering, and somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled. But inside the kitchen, wrapped in Fenrik's arms, Nissa finally felt like she was home.
Chapter 10.
The next few weeks slipped by almost without them noticing, like they'd been folded up and tucked away in someone else's pocket. Every day was this mix of quiet, stolen minutes and conversations they couldn't risk having out in the open. It was smiles across crowded rooms, fingertips brushing for half a second before they both pulled away, and the kind of late-night messages that made sleep feel like a waste of time. They lived in the strange space between what they wanted and what they could show. And even though it was exhausting, she didn't want it to stop.
Fenrik would text her between classes, little messages that made her smile despite herself. They found excuses to study together, their homework sessions inevitably dissolving into conversations about everything and nothing. At night, they'd meet on the back deck, talking under the stars until their parents' bedroom lights went out. It was perfect and terrifying and completely unsustainable.
"We can't keep sneaking around forever," Nissa said. One Thursday evening, they were sitting on Fenrik's bed, supposedly working on a joint project for AP Bio, but really just enjoying being close to each other.
"Why not? I'm good at sneaking."
"Because it's exhausting and because I'm a terrible liar. Your dad asked me yesterday if I was feeling okay because I seemed overly cheerful."
Fenrik laughed, pulling her closer. "Overly cheerful. Apparently, I smile too much now."
"I like your smile."
"My point is people are going to figure it out. And when they do, when they do, we'll deal with it." Fenrik's voice was confident. But Nissa caught the bit of uncertainty in his eyes.
"Will we? Because I've been thinking about this and there's no scenario where our parents react well to finding out we're together."
"They'll adjust."
"Will they? Your dad married my mom to give us a stable family environment. How stable is it going to feel when he finds out his son is in love with his stepdaughter?" The words were out before Nissa could stop them. Love. She'd said love and now it was hanging between them like a question mark.
Fenrik went very still. "Is that what this is?"
Nissa's cheeks burned. "I don't know. Maybe."
"Is that okay?"
"It's better than okay." He cupped her face in his hands, thumbs brushing across her cheekbones. "I love you too, Nissa Wolf Spain. Completely and probably inappropriately, but I love you."
The relief that flooded through her was overwhelming. "Really?"
"Really. Which is why we're going to figure this out. All of it. The family thing, the pack thing, everything."
"The pack thing." Fenrik's expression grew more serious. "Derek wants to meet you officially."
"Why?"
"Because you know about us now. And because—" he hesitated, "—because if we're really doing this, if we're really together, then you're part of the pack whether you want to be or not. Mates of pack members are family."
The idea should have been overwhelming. A month ago, Nissa's biggest concern was fitting in at a new school. Now, she was apparently joining a supernatural family she didn't understand.
"What does that mean exactly?"
"Being part of the pack, it means you're protected. It means you're never alone. It means you have a family that will fight for you no matter what."
"And the downside?"
Fenrik's smile was roguish. "It means you're dating a werewolf, which comes with its own set of complications such as territorial instincts, overprotectiveness, the occasional urge to growl at people who look at you wrong."
"You've never growled at anyone."
"Haven't I?" Fenrik's eyes flashed gold briefly. "Ask Tyler Posey why he changed seats in chemistry last week."
"Fenrik, he was staring at your legs."
"He was not okay. Maybe he was, but that doesn't mean you can intimidate him."
"I didn't intimidate him. I just made my feelings clear by growling, by existing in his general vicinity while thinking violent thoughts." Nissa shook her head, but she was smiling. "You're insane about you completely."
He kissed her again, slow and sweet, and Nissa felt that familiar flutter in her stomach. Everything about this was complicated and messy and potentially catastrophic, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Not when Fenrik looked at her like she hung the moon.
"So," she said when they broke apart, "when do I meet the pack?"
Chapter 11.
Derek Hale's loft was exactly what Nissa expected from someone named Derek Hale. Industrial, minimalist, and slightly intimidating. Exposed brick walls, enormous windows, and furniture that looked like it belonged in a book about modern masculinity.
"Relax," Fenrik murmured as they climbed the stairs. "They're going to love you."
"How do you know?"
"Because I love you." And because Scott's basically a golden retriever in human form and Isaac's afraid of his own shadow most of the time. What about Derek?"
"Derek's Derek. But he likes smart people. And you're the smartest person I know."
The loft door was already open when they reached the top of the stairs. Inside, three guys sat around a massive table that looked like it had been carved from a single piece of wood.
"Nissa," Scott said, standing with a warm smile. "It's good to finally meet you properly." Up close, he was even more wholesome than Nissa remembered from school. All dark hair and kind eyes like someone who helped old ladies cross the street in his spare time.
"You, too," she managed.
Isaac waved from his seat, and Derek simply studied her with those pale eyes that seemed to see too much.
"So," Derek said after a moment, "you know about us." It wasn't a question.
"I know you're werewolves," Nissa said, proud that her voice stayed steady. "I'm still working on what that means exactly."
"It means we're family now," Scott said.
"If you want to be."
"Do I have a choice?"
Derek's mouth twitched up at the corner. "There's always a choice. But Fenrik made his, and that makes you pack whether you're human or not."
"What if I can't handle it? What if I freak out and run away?"
"Then we'll deal with that, too," Derek said simply. "But I don't think you're the running type."
"How do you know?"
"Because you're still here. Most humans would have packed up and left town the moment they found out their boyfriend was a werewolf."
"He's not my boyfriend," Nissa said automatically, then immediately regretted it when Fenrik's face fell slightly. "I mean, we haven't really talked about labels."
"What would you call it then?" Derek asked, and there was something almost amused in his tone. Nissa glanced at Fenrik, who was watching her with those green eyes that made her stomach flutter.
"I don't know. It's complicated."
"Is it?" Isaac spoke up for the first time. "Because you smell like each other."
"We—"
"What?"
"Your scents," Scott explained gently. "They're mixed together. It happens when people are close."
"How close?"
"Close enough that anyone with decent senses would know you belong to each other," Derek said.
"Belong to each other." The word sent a shiver through Nissa that wasn't entirely unpleasant.
"The point is," Derek continued, "if you're in, you're all the way in. No halfway measures. Pack means family, and family means forever. And if I'm not in, then you're still in because Fenrik's not going anywhere without you." Derek's gaze shifted to Fenrik. "Are you?"
"No," Fenrik said without hesitation. "Where she goes, I go." The certainty in his voice made Nissa's chest tight. She'd never had anyone choose her so completely before.
"Okay," she said quietly. "I'm in."
"Welcome to the pack, Nissa."
There were hunters and alphas, territories and treaties. A whole world existing alongside the human one she'd always known. It was overwhelming and fascinating and completely terrifying.
"You okay?" Fenrik asked as they drove home later.
"I think so. It's a lot to process."
"We don't have to dive into all of it at once. You can take as much time as you need."
"What if I'm not strong enough for this world?"
Fenrik reached over and took her hand. "You're the strongest person I know, Nissa. You just don't see it yet."
"I don't feel strong. I feel like I'm in way over my head."
"That's normal. I felt the same way when I was bitten."
"When did that happen?"
"Three years ago. Scott's freshman year. My sophomore year. It's been a wild ride ever since."
Nissa squeezed his hand. "Are you sorry that it happened?"
"Sometimes, when pack business puts people I care about in danger." His thumb brushed across her knuckles. "But mostly no, because it brought me to this pack and this pack brought me to you."
"That's very philosophical for a guy who used to get suspended for fighting."
"I contain multitudes."
"Did you just quote Walt Whitman?"
"Maybe."
"God, I love your brain."
"Just my brain?" Nissa smiled. Some of the anxiety from the evening faded, among other things.
When they got home, the house was quiet. Richard and her mom had gone to bed early, leaving the first floor empty. Fenrik walked Nissa to her bedroom door like a gentleman, even though they both knew he was planning to sneak back later.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"For what?"
"For sharing this with me. For letting me in. I know it wasn't easy."
"Easiest thing I've ever done," he said and kissed her forehead gently. "Sleep well, mate."
The word sent warmth flooding through her entire body. "Mate." She was Fenrik Cross's mate and he was hers. It should have been terrifying. Instead, it felt like coming home.
Chapter 12.
Two weeks later. Everything exploded in the worst way possible. Nissa was pulling books from her locker when Madison Pierce appeared beside her. All fake smiles and predatory energy. But this time, she wasn't alone. She had her entire crew. And worse, she had her phone out already recording.
"Nissa," Madison said sweetly, her voice projecting to the growing crowd. "We need to talk, do we? Oh, yes. About you and Fenrik." Madison's smile sharpened as more students gathered, phones appearing like magic. "Did you really think no one would notice?"
"Notice what?"
"That you're sleeping with your stepbrother?" It was the kind of accusation that didn't just land and fade. It lingered, heavy and choking, like someone had just cracked open a bottle of something toxic in the room. Every word seemed to crawl into her lungs, sit there, and burn. Around them, students had started filming, sensing something viral in the making.
"That's not—" Nissa started.
"Oh, please. It's so obvious. The way he drives you to school now, how he gets all territorial when guys look at you. Those little secret smiles you share." Madison stepped closer, performing for the cameras. "Now everyone knows, Nissa. The whole school is talking about the desperate stepsister who seduced her way into Fenrik Cross's bed."
More phones came out. Nissa could see the recording lights. Knew this was being broadcast live on Instagram. Tick-tock, everywhere.
"That's not true."
"Isn't it? Tell me. Does Fenrik know how pathetic you were before? How you used to sit alone at lunch writing in that little journal of yours? How you'd stare at him in class like some lovesick puppy?" Each word was calculated, designed to hurt and humiliate. The hallway was packed now, a semicircle of students with phones raised.
"I bet he felt sorry for you," Madison continued, her voice carrying to every corner of the hall. "Poor little stepsister. All alone and desperate. He's probably just being nice because your parents expect it. I mean, come on," she gestured to Nissa's plain clothes, her glasses. "What would Fenrik Cross want with someone like you?"
"Stop," Nissa whispered. But her voice was lost in the crowd.
"The truth hurts, doesn't it? Deep down, you know I'm right. You know, a guy like him could never really love someone like—"
"Shut up, bitch."
Fenrik's roar echoed through the hallway like thunder. But it wasn't just his voice that made everyone freeze. It was the way his eyes blazed gold. The way his canine teeth had elongated into fangs, the way his fingernails had extended into claws that were now digging into the metal of a nearby locker, leaving gouges. The hallway went dead silent, except for the sound of phone cameras clicking and recording.
"You want to know the truth?" Fenrik snarled, his voice carrying an inhuman growl that made several students step back in fear. "The truth is that I'm completely, desperately, obsessively in love with her. She's not my stepsister. She's my mate, my anchor, the only thing that keeps me human."
His eyes were fully gold now, blazing with supernatural light as he stalked toward Madison, who was backing away in terror. "You think she manipulated me? She's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I'd burn this whole school down before I let you hurt her again."
"Fenrik," Nissa whispered in horror, but he was beyond hearing. "You want to call her desperate? Pathetic?" His voice rose to another inhuman snarl. "She's worth more than everyone in this hallway combined. And if any of you have a problem with that, you can deal with me."
It was impossible to ignore now. The change rolled over him like a storm breaking, muscles swelling beneath his skin, every line of his body tightening as if he'd been carved out of something wild and dangerous. His face shifted, too, angles sharpening until he didn't look like the man they knew. Not entirely. And no matter how they tried to tell themselves otherwise, nothing about him belonged to the human world anymore. Then suddenly, the
The spell broke. Fenrich saw the phones, saw the fear in everyone's eyes, saw Niss's pale, horrified face. The gold faded from his eyes. His fangs retracted. His claws became fingernails again. But it was too late.
"Holy shit," someone whispered. "Did you guys get that? I got it all on video. Upload it to Tik Tok. Send it to me first."
Within seconds, phones were buzzing throughout the hallway as the video began to spread. Fenrik and Nissa stood frozen in the center of it all, watching their world collapse in real time. Madison, who had been cowering against the wall, slowly straightened up, a vicious smile spreading across her face. "Well," she said loudly. "I guess now we know what kind of freak show the Cross family really is."
Chapter 13.
By the time they got to Fenrik's truck, Niss's phone was buzzing non-stop. "Don't look at it," Fenrik said, his voice hollow, but she was already opening Tik Tok. The video was everywhere. "Werewolf boy" was trending. "Steps scandal" was right behind it. Someone had already made a slowed-down version highlighting the exact moment his eyes turned gold. Another video broke down his transformation frame by frame. The comments were brutal. "Ro really really said she's my mate unironically." "This has to be fake. Right. Right." "The way his eg though incest werewolf family in LA laughing out loud." "Someone call animal control. Both these kids need therapy ASAP."
"Fenrich," Nissa whispered, scrolling through video after video. Someone had already found their parents' social media accounts. Richard's law firm was tagged in dozens of posts. Her mother's workplace was getting review-bombed.
"I know," he said quietly. "Derek's already calling. The whole pack is going into damage control mode."
"How do you control something like this?"
"I don't know. I don't think anyone knows."
By that evening, the video had been picked up by gossip blogs. "Rich LA family's dark secret," screamed one headline. "Werewolf stepbrother romance exposed," read another. The story was spreading beyond high school drama into something much bigger and more destructive.
When they got home, Richard and her mother were waiting in the living room, laptops open, faces pale. "Sit down," Richard said quietly. "Both of you."
The video was paused on her mother's screen, frozen on the moment Fenrik's eyes blazed gold. "Is this real?" her mother asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Neither Nissa nor Fenrich answered. "The the relationship part or the—" Richard gestured helplessly at the screen.
"The other thing," both, Fenrich said finally. "Both are real."
The silence that followed was deafening.
"I've been getting calls all day," Richard said finally. "The partners at my firm want to meet tomorrow. Apparently, having a son who thinks he's a werewolf and is involved with his stepdaughter isn't good for the company image."
"Richard," Niss's mother started. "And your hospital called. Elina. Apparently, several videos have been posted showing our address, our cars, identifying where we work. They're concerned about the negative attention affecting their reputation."
The weight of what they'd done began to settle over Nissa like a suffocating blanket. "This wasn't just about them anymore. We never meant for this to happen," she whispered.
"But it did happen," Elina said, and her voice was colder than Nissa had ever heard it. "You've been lying to us, both of you, living under our roof, pretending to be siblings while you were—"
"They are siblings," Richard said firmly, but his voice cracked. "They're supposed to be siblings."
"Dad," Fenrik started.
"Don't." Richard stood up abruptly. "Just don't. I need to think. We both need to think."
Over the next week, everything fell apart in slow motion. Richard's law firm put him on administrative leave, pending a review of how the scandal might affect their clients. Elina was restructured out of her position at the hospital. Not fired. They were careful to clarify just that her role was no longer needed. The house became a prison. Reporters camped outside. Their neighbors stopped making eye contact. Someone threw eggs at their cars.
Nissa and Fenrich barely spoke. It was like there was this invisible wall between them built out of everything their parents had lost because of them. The arguments, the sleepless nights, the way love had turned into something heavy and bitter. They could still feel it pressing in, a reminder that their being together had come at a price their families had never stopped paying.
"I can't do this anymore," Elina said one night at dinner, pushing food around her plate. "I can't live like this."
"It'll blow over," Richard said, but he didn't sound convinced.
"Will it? Because someone made a Tik Tok today showing our grocery receipts. They're tracking everything we buy. Richard, they know what cereal we eat."
"We'll move. Start over somewhere else."
"With what money? I don't have a job anymore. You don't have a job anymore."
"I have money. We'll figure it out."
"Will we?" Elena's voice broke. "Because I'm starting to think this was a mistake. All of it."
It was like someone had pulled the ground out from under Nissa. The words didn't just sting. They tore straight through her. Her own mother thought their family shouldn't have even happened. That she was part of some kind of mistake. It wasn't just what her mom had said. It was the fact that she'd meant it.
"Elina, don't say that," Richard pleaded.
"Why not? Look at what's happened to us, Richard. Look at what they've done to our lives. Their kids. They're confused kids. Who? Who have been lying to us for months? Who have been— God, I can't even say it."
The fight started that night and didn't stop. Nissa would lie in bed listening to her mother and Richard argue in sharp, angry whispers that still came through the walls. Fenrich stopped coming home some nights, crashing at Derek's loft instead.
3 weeks after the video went viral, Elina started packing.
Chapter 14.
"I'm taking Nissa back to Portland," Elina announced at breakfast, her voice flat and final. "We're staying with my sister until I can figure out what comes next."
"Elina, please," Richard started, but she held up a hand. "This isn't a discussion, Richard. I need space to think, and Nissa needs to get away from all this." She gestured vaguely toward the window where they could see another news van parked across the street.
"What about us?" Richard asked quietly. "I don't know. I honestly don't know if there is an us anymore."
Nissa stared down at her untouched cereal, feeling like she was watching her family disintegrate in real time. Across the table, Fenrich looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.
"How long?" Nissa whispered.
"I don't know. Maybe permanently."
Permanently. Their family was breaking apart permanently, and it was all their fault.
"Mom, don't." Elena's voice was sharp. "Just don't. Pack your things. We leave this afternoon."
The goodbye was agony. Fenrich stood in the driveway, hands shoved deep in his pockets, watching as Alina loaded their suitcases into her car. "This isn't forever," he said quietly when Nissa approached him.
"Isn't it?"
"No. I'll find a way to fix this. I'll make it right."
"How? How do you unviral a video? How do you give our parents their jobs back? How do you put our family back together?"
Fenrich had no answer.
"I'm sorry," Nissa whispered. "I'm so sorry this happened."
"It's not your fault."
"It is. We both know it is. We both know all of this is because I couldn't just be your stepsister. I had to want more."
"Nissa, I have to go." She leaned in like she was afraid she'd lose her courage if she waited another second, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that was trembling and too quick, but full of everything she didn't have the guts to say out loud. It tasted like tears she was trying to swallow, like the kind of goodbye you don't come back from. Then she pulled away, turned without letting herself meet his eyes, and slid into the car, shutting the door before he could say a word.
As they drove away, Nissa watched the house, their house, disappear in the rear-view mirror. She didn't know she'd never see it again.
Chapter 15.
4 months later, Nissa was working at a coffee shop in Portland when she saw him. She'd been trying to rebuild, taking community college classes and working part-time to help her mom pay rent on their tiny one-bedroom apartment. Elina was working retail, a far cry from her hospital position, and the stress lines around her eyes had deepened into permanent fixtures. They never talked about Richard. They never talked about Fenrich. They never talked about the life they'd left behind in Los Angeles. But Nissa thought about them every day. Which is why when she looked up from steaming milk and saw a familiar figure hunched at a table by the window, her heart stopped.
Fenrich looked like a ghost of himself. His clothes were too big, hanging off a frame that had lost at least 20 lb. His hair was longer, unkempt, and there were dark circles under his eyes that spoke of sleepless nights and something deeper than exhaustion. He was staring out the window, nursing a cup of black coffee that had probably gone cold hours ago.
"Excuse me," Nissa told her coworker, untying her apron with shaking hands. She approached his table slowly, like he was a wild animal that might bolt at any sudden movement. "Fenrich!"
He looked up, and the pain in his green eyes nearly knocked her over. They were still beautiful, still that impossible shade that made her stomach flutter, but they were hollow now. Empty.
"Hey," he said quietly, like running into her was the most normal thing in the world. "What are you doing here?"
"Derek tracked you down. Said you were working here." He gestured weakly at the coffee shop. "Figured I'd see if it was true. How did you— you look?" She struggled for words that wouldn't hurt him further. "Are you okay?"
Fenrich laughed, but it was a broken sound. "Define 'okay.' Where are you staying around?"
"Derek lets me crash at the loft sometimes. Scott's couch when Derek gets tired of me. Sometimes I just drive."
"Fenrik. Dad kicked me out." He said it matter-of-factly. "Well, not kicked out exactly. More like strongly suggested I find somewhere else to live until the heat dies down. Apparently, having a werewolf son living at home isn't great for his new job search."
Nissa sank into the chair across from him, her legs suddenly weak. "He kicked you out?"
"3 weeks ago. It's fine. I get it. I ruined his life. We both did."
"No." His voice was firm despite its weakness. "I did. I lost control. I exposed what I was, exposed us, destroyed everything. You didn't do anything wrong."
"I fell in love with my step-brother. I'd say that's something wrong."
"Is it?" He looked at her directly for the first time, and she saw a little of the old Fenrich beneath the exhaustion. "Because I've had 4 months to think about this, and I still can't figure out how loving someone could be wrong. Look what it cost us. Look what it cost everyone."
"I know what it cost." His voice dropped so low it was almost lost to the air. "Trust me, I know exactly what it cost."
For a long moment, neither of them moved. She didn't answer because what could she possibly say to that? Her throat felt tight, like the wrong word might shatter whatever fragile understanding had just formed between them.
"I missed you," Nissa finally said.
"I missed you, too. Every day, every minute." He reached across the table and touched her hand briefly before pulling back. "How's your mom?"
"Angry, sad, working at Target and pretending she doesn't hate her life. And you?"
"Same, minus the Target part."
"Nissa." He started to say something then stopped. "Are you happy here?"
The question caught her off guard. "What?"
"Are you happy in Portland with your new life?"
She wanted to lie, wanted to tell him she was thriving, that leaving had been the right choice, that she was better off without all the complications he brought. Instead, she said, "No, I'm miserable. I miss home. I miss our family. I miss you so much. It feels like I can't breathe sometimes."
"Then come back."
"What?"
"Come back to LA. Come back to me."
"Fenrik, we can't. Nothing's changed. The video is still out there. Our parents still—"
"Our parents were wrong," he said. And there was steel in his voice now. Strength she hadn't heard in months. "They were scared and embarrassed, and they lashed out at us. But they were wrong."
"Were they? Because it seems like you're my mate, Nissa. You're the other half of my soul. I don't care what anyone thinks about that. I don't care if it's unconventional or inappropriate or inconvenient. You're mine and I'm yours and I'm done apologizing for it."
"It's not that simple."
"Why not? Because love isn't enough. We tried that already. Remember? Look how it worked out."
"Love is enough," he said quietly. "Love is the only thing that's enough. Everything else, the jobs, the gossip, the judgment, that's all just noise. But love, love is real."
He stood up and she could see him swaying slightly, like he was running on pure determination and nothing else. "I'm driving back to LA tonight," he said. "I'm going to find a way to fix this. I'm going to get Dad to listen. Get your mom to come home. I'm going to put our family back together. And if you can't, then I'll keep trying until I can." He looked down at her, and for a moment she saw the Fenrich she'd fallen in love with, determined, passionate, willing to fight for what mattered. "Come with me, Fenrich."
"Come with me, Nissa. Let's go home."
Chapter 16.
The drive back to Los Angeles took 12 hours. 12 hours of Nissa stealing glances at Fenrich as he drove, wondering if they were making the biggest mistake of their lives or the bravest decision.
"You sure about this?" she asked for the hundredth time as they crossed into California.
"I've never been more sure of anything."
But when they pulled up to the house, their house, doubt crept back in. The lawn was overgrown. Several windows were dark. It looked abandoned, forgotten.
"Maybe we should call first," Nissa said. "Maybe we should just knock."
Richard answered the door in his pajamas, even though it was 3:00 in the afternoon. He looked older, grayer, like the past 4 months had aged him years.
"Fenrich." He stared like he was seeing a ghost. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here," Fenrich said simply.
"Son, we talked about this."
"No, you talked. I listened. There's a difference." Fenrik stepped forward and Nissa could see him gathering strength from somewhere deep inside. "And I'm done listening to everyone tell me who I'm allowed to love."
Richard's eyes found Nissa standing behind Fenrik. "Elina's not here. She's in Portland."
"I know. I drove her back."
"You what?"
"He found me," Nissa said softly. "And he asked me to come home."
"This isn't your home anymore, Nissa. You made that choice when you left."
"No." Fenrik's voice carried that supernatural edge again, but controlled this time. "She made that choice when you forced her to choose between her family and her happiness. And that was wrong."
"Wrong?" Richard's voice rose. "You two destroyed this family. You cost Alina her job, cost me my career."
"We fell in love," Fenrich shouted back. "That's all we did. We fell in love and everyone around us lost their minds because it wasn't convenient."
"She's your sister."
"She's my mate."
"I don't know what that means," Richard said quietly.
"It means she's the other half of me," Fenrik replied, his voice softer now. "It means I would rather die than live without her. It means that everything good about me comes from loving her. But the scandal, the videos are just noise. Dad, look at me. Really, look at me."
Richard did. And Nissa saw the moment he registered how thin Fenrich had become, how hollow his eyes were.
"I've spent four months trying to prove that everyone else was right, that loving her was wrong, that I could be the son you wanted if I just forgot about her." Fenrich's voice cracked and it nearly killed me. Literally, Scott had to pull me back from doing things, dark things. Because without her, I'm not human anymore. I'm just a monster."
"You're not a monster."
"Without her, I am."
They stood there in the doorway, father and son, both of them broken in different ways.
"I can't promise it'll be easy," Richard said finally. "The gossip, the stares."
"I don't care about the gossip."
"Your mother might not come back."
"That's her choice to make."
"People will never understand."
"Some will, the ones that matter." Richard looked at Nissa. "And you? Are you sure this is what you want? This life with him, knowing what it costs."
Nissa thought about the past four months, the loneliness, the guilt, the feeling like she was living someone else's life. Then she looked at Fenrich, really looked at him, and saw her future.
"I'm sure," she said.
Richard stepped back, opening the door wider. "Then come home."
Epilogue.
Two years later, "You know what I love most about this place?" Nissa said, lying on a blanket in the backyard of their new apartment.
"What's that?" Fenrich asked, not looking up from the book he was reading.
"No one here knows about the video."
It was true. Moving to UC Davis for college had been like stepping into an alternate universe where they were just Nissa and Fenrich, a couple who happened to live together. Their classmates knew they'd grown up in the same house. It was hard to hide when they had the same last name on their mail, but the supernatural drama of their high school days felt like a lifetime ago.
"Derek says Scott and Allison are thinking about getting married," Fenrich said, closing his book and rolling over to look at her.
"Good for them."
"He also says the pack misses us."
"We visit every month. Not the same as being there." Nissa studied his face, looking for signs of the homesickness she sometimes caught him trying to hide. "Do you want to go back to LA someday?"
"Not yet." He reached over and took her hand, threading their fingers together. "Right now, I'm exactly where I want to be. Even though it's complicated, especially because it's complicated."
It had taken Alina 8 months to come home. Eight months of family therapy, of Richard driving to Portland every other weekend, of slowly rebuilding trust. When she finally walked through the front door, she didn't say anything about forgiveness or acceptance. She just hugged them both and said, "I missed my family."
The gossip had eventually died down, replaced by newer scandals and fresh drama. The video was still out there. It would always be out there, but it had faded into internet history. Another weird moment that people shared for a day or two before moving on to the next viral thing. Richard had found a new job at a smaller firm that cared more about his legal skills than his family drama. Elina had gone back to school, training to be a nurse practitioner. They were different than they'd been before. More careful, more aware of how fragile happiness could be. But they were together.
"I got a letter from USC today," Nissa said casually.
Fenrich sat up immediately. "And full scholarship, supernatural studies program, just like Derek predicted."
"That's amazing. When do we leave?"
"We? You think I'm letting you go to LA without me? I have connections there. Pack connections. Very dangerous connections."
Nissa laughed, the sound carrying across the empty backyard. "Is that a threat, Mr. Cross?"
"It's a promise. Soon to be Mrs. Cross." The engagement ring on her finger caught the afternoon sunlight. It wasn't traditional. Nothing about their relationship was traditional, but it was theirs.
"You know what I was thinking about earlier?" she said.
"What?"
"That first night when I couldn't sleep? When you were sitting on the back steps looking at the moon?"
"What about it?"
"I was so scared to talk to you. I thought you'd think I was weird for being up so late."
"I thought you were brave for coming outside. And now, now I think you're the bravest person I know. Brave enough to love a werewolf. Brave enough to fight for us. Brave enough to build a life that makes no sense to anyone but us."
Nissa propped herself up on her elbow, studying his face. The hollowness was gone, replaced by something solid and sure. "Do you ever regret it? Any of it."
"Regret falling in love with my mate? Never. Even when it's impossible, especially when it's impossible. The best things always are." He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The same gesture he'd made that first night on the deck. But now she didn't have to wonder what it meant or whether it was appropriate. Now she could lean into the touch and smile when his thumb brushed across her cheek.
"I love you," she said simply.
"I love you, too, stepsis."
"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?"
"Probably not. It drives you crazy."
"It does not drive me crazy."
"Your heart rate just spiked."
"That's not because you called me stepsis."
"No, no, it's because you're looking at me like you want to kiss me."
"I always want to kiss you."
"Good," Nissa said and leaned down to meet him halfway.
When they broke apart, Nissa rested her forehead against his and smiled. "So, what happens now?" she asked.
"Now we go back to LA. We finish school. We drive Derek crazy with our happiness. And then, and then we keep doing what we've always done. We love each other, and we don't apologize for it."
Above them, the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of gold and pink. Soon they'd have to go inside, back to their real life of college classes and part-time jobs and planning for a future that still felt too good to be true. But for now, they had this. The backyard, the blanket, and the certainty that whatever came next, they'd face it together.
"Hey, Fenrik."
"Yeah."
"Thanks for not giving up on us."
"Thanks for coming home."
"Thanks for seeing me before I knew how to see myself."
"Thanks for loving all of me, even the impossible parts."
Nissa smiled and kissed him again, tasting forever on his lips. In the distance, she could hear the sound of their neighbors coming home from work, the ordinary sounds of people living ordinary lives. But their life wasn't ordinary, and she was grateful for that. Some love stories were simple. Theirs was beautiful because it was impossible, because it required fighting for, because it changed them both in ways they never could have imagined. It cost them everything and gave them everything. And in the end, that was exactly what love was supposed to do. It was, Nissa thought, as Fenrich helped her up from the blanket, exactly the kind of love story worth writing.
If you enjoyed this in the slightest, don't forget to give it a like. Maybe I might just tell you where exactly Nissa and Fenrik live.