Chapter One
L E V I
“Ryder! Regal! Levi! Come downstairs!” Dad called out from downstairs. “Your mother and I are leaving!”
I lifted my head from my pillow upon hearing Dad’s voice, I quickly jumped out of bed, and raced downstairs, eager to say my farewells. My parents are heading to their second wedding anniversary, and they’ll be abroad for two whole weeks. I wanted them to enjoy themselves, but it was slightly saddening that they wouldn’t be here for my eighteenth birthday.
“Sarah! Dad!” I shouted out, racing towards them and throwing my arms around the closest parent. “Remember to get me a birthday present!”
Dad chuckled, hugging me back, saying, “Why am I not surprised that’s your priority? You’re not even going to wish us a safe trip.”
I grinned, “have a safe trip, but don’t return without a present.”
Sarah laughed, she pulled me into her arms, she ruffled my hair and unfortunately, she was taller than me, in fact, she was taller than Dad. She hugged me tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of my head, saying, “Happy early birthday, Levi. We’re sorry we’re missing it, but we’re definitely going to make it up once we get back.”
“You better,” I said, right before I turned my head, hearing trampling coming down the stairs.
It was my two older brothers, they weren’t exactly twins, but they’re the same age. My family dynamic is confusing for most people to understand but to dumb it down, Sarah isn’t my biological Mum, but she’s been in my life since I was fifteen and since I’ve never really had a motherly figure before, we just got on really well. She’s more like a best friend if I had to be honest and for that reason, it’s just easier calling her by her given name, not that she minds. She, however, is Ryder’s biological mother; Ryder’s my stepbrother, he’s three years older than me with jet-black hair and dangerously sharp eyes.
Sarah adopted Regal when he was a newborn baby because she didn’t want Ryder to grow up alone. It’s safe to say that she succeeded in her mission, those two are thick as thieves, they’re best friends, and that’s why we all call them the twins. Obviously, they’re not really twins, they’re not even blood-related but everyone refers to them as ‘the twins;’ they’re only three weeks apart, Ryder being the older of the two, and they became my stepbrothers when they were nineteen and I was fifteen.
I will admit, they’re incredibly kind to me, they don’t treat me like an outsider, and I’d even say, we’re closer than some biological siblings are- most of the time.
“What have you boys been up to?” Dad asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Just playing video games,” Regal answered with a smile.
“Don’t be playing too many video games,” Sarah said, shooting them a warning look. “Your father and I are leaving for two weeks, you two are in charge of your little brother and the Pack. Everything better be intact when we return.”
“Everything will be fine,” Ryder said firmly, glancing down at me with a weird smirk. “We have our Beta to assist in managing things.”
“Don’t call us, unless this place is on fire.”
“Right,” Regal chuckled. “Because you’ll be off doing romantic things with Michael. We wouldn’t want to interrupt that.”
Sarah dismissed that, saying, “Levi has school, make sure to drive him there and pick him up at the correct time.”
“I can drive myself,” I whined instantly.
Ryder dropped a hand on my shoulder, effectively silencing me while Dad said, “The last time we let you drive yourself to school, you ended up in Mcdonalds' the entire day with Gael.”
“That was an accident!” I defended myself with a pout. “Come on, I’m almost an adult. You guys can trust me!”
Sarah snorted, “I’d like to see you acting like an adult before we can give you adult responsibilities.” She then looked over at the twins, saying, “Look after Levi, you two, and if you need help with anything, just call Beta Jeffry.”
“We’ll be fine,” Ryder stated.
“Bye Mum, Michael, enjoy yourself, but not too much!” Regal teased, waving his hand as our parents glanced at us one last time before stepping out of the house with their suitcases in tow.
The moment they were gone, I jumped up and down, cheering, “Finally! Let’s throw a party!”
“Absolutely not,” Ryder stated firmly, staring at me with those dark intense eyes. “Nobody is throwing any parties here, in fact, there are some rules-”
“Rules?” I exclaimed, horrified. “What rules? You can’t give me rules? I finally have two weeks without Dad and Sarah constantly on my ass about something and now I have to deal with you!”
Regal laughed, leaning against the wall, enjoying the show that we were putting on. That motherfucker didn’t even bother defending me as Ryder took a step forward and spoke, “While I’m in charge, there will be rules and I expect you to follow them or else you’ll be punished.”
“What the hell?”
“Rule number one, you are not to leave the house without informing me or Regal first, and only if we agree to it, you can leave. Rule two-”
“Hold up! Hold up! Hold up!” I said, putting my hands out to stop him. “I didn’t have these rules with Dad and Sarah in charge! Where are you getting these stupid rules from?”
“I’m in charge, Levi, I’m the Alpha of this Pack and I can’t have you wandering around the place, setting a bad example for everyone.”
“I’m good!”
“Then prove it to me,” he said simply. “Rule two, you are to come home straight after school, unless you have permission otherwise. You’ll do your homework first and then the rest of the day is free for you to decide how to spend. Rule three, we’ll have meal time as a family, breakfast and dinner, I won’t negotiate on that.”
“Is that it?” I asked, crossing my arms against my chest, sulking at all my freedom which had gone under the drain in a matter of seconds.
“For now, but I will add rules if I see fit, and of course, there will be punishments if you break the rules.”
“Whatever, it’s my birthday in seven days. I’m spending the entire day with my friends and I don’t care if it’s a school day. Nothing is ruining my eighteenth.”
“You’ll be able to find your mates once you turn eighteen,” Regal noted, eyeing me with this weird glint in his eyes. “How do you feel about that?”
“What is this? Twenty-one questions?”
“Answer the question, Levi,” Ryder sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Are you excited to find your mates?”
“I don’t know, maybe,” I shrugged. “It’s not that big of a deal if I don’t find my mates at eighteen. You guys are twenty-one and you still haven’t found your mate.”
Regal grinned, “Right, but say, if you did find your mates, would you be excited?”
“Obviously, what kind of dumb question is that?”
Ryder rolled his eyes, muttering, “We’re really going to have to work on your attitude.”
“What’s wrong with my attitude?” I questioned, crossing my arms against my chest, challengingly. “I’ll have you know, people love my personality.”
“Your mates might not.”
“Why do you keep saying mates? It’s mate, as in one!”
Ryder and Regal glanced at each other, it was clear they were doing that weird ‘twin’ telepathy thing that I hated. I rolled his eyes, shoved past my oldest brother and stalked back into my room to continue my nap time.
I love naps.
