Brother’s Best Friends Are My Mates novel Chapter 39

Lia

Adjusting to college was something that took a little time. But, I was determined to enjoy my newfound freedom on the college campus.

Today was no different. Simone picked me up and together we drove to school. We were in the same major so the two of us were constantly together. I don’t know what motivated Simone to become a teacher, but sometimes I feared she was going along with it simply because I was.

It would break my heart to know she wasn’t as taken with it as I was. But I didn’t ask, not wanting to rock the boat.

Simone and I didn’t have the last class on our schedule together so we split up. I stopped by the library before heading to the car. Alex happened to bump into me as I was leaving, wanting to give me the book I let him borrow.

It was a completely innocent thing, but I knew they were going to read more into it. I could hear it in their voices and actual words!

When I glanced over Alex’s shoulder, I saw the expression on Colby’s face. Even Rain looked annoyed, much to my frustration. It made me angry and annoyed, wanting to shout at them that they had to hurry up and leave.

If they were going to act like this then I was going to go ahead and find my way home! Simone would gladly take me home. Even if she had left, then she’d come back and drive me home. I know it.

“There she is,” Colby said, spotting me as I walked out of the library and towards the car.

I was close enough where I could hear everything that they were saying. My hackles were raised, nerves on edge. My classmate in front of me was none the wiser. He was hard of hearing anyway so Alex wasn’t going to hear what the others were saying. But I could hear it and this was a problem. 1

“Thanks, Alex,” I greeted, smiling at him.

Now I was trying to push their buttons, annoying them on purpose. If they wanted to talk about me as if I couldn’t hear them, then I was going to give them a piece of my mind!

“Who’s the guy with her?” Rain asked, squinting out the passenger-side window.

“Is he handing her something?” Matt muttered from the backseat, leaning forward to get a better view.

“He’s standing too close,” Jesse said, his voice clipped. He opened the car door.

I was going to kill them. It would be hard for one small omega woman to take down four large alphas who also happened to be professional rugby players, but I wouldn’t let that stop me. I’d find a way. Just like I always did.

“Jesse, don’t,” Rain said, grabbing his arm.

“I just want to check,” Jesse replied, shaking him off.

“By ‘check,’ you mean start something?” Colby asked, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

Great, now Jesse was going to get involved. He was the type of man who was silent but deadly. I wished I could do or say something before it got too serious. Once Jesse was angry, it was hard to stop him.

“No one’s starting anything,” Jesse said, stepping out.

I noticed them immediately and sighed, quickening my pace. “Seriously?” I called out as I approached. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re here to pick you up,” Colby said casually, leaning back in his seat.

“And to make sure you’re okay,” Rain added, folding his arms as he leaned out the window.

“I’m fine. What I’m not fine with is you acting like… like this!” I waved a hand toward the car and Jesse, who was standing in front of me.

“Who was he?” Jesse asked, ignoring my frustration.

“A guy from my study group,” I said, glaring at him. “What is your problem?”

“What did he want?” Matt asked from the back seat.

“To give me back a book I lent him.”

“Did he say anything else?” Rain asked.

I rolled my eyes, not even bothering to hide my frustration. These four were exhausting! Here I was realizing that I was falling in love with them and they were annoying me to no end. It wasn’t going to change the fact that I loved them but it certainly didn’t help anything. 1

“Yes, Rain, we exchanged words. That’s what happens in conversations.”

He huffed. “Oh come on, do you have to be sarcastic?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Okay, fair enough.” Rain murmured, sounding a bit like a wounded puppy. “Sorry.”

I sighed softly. “It’s fine, Rain.”

“Do you want to keep testing me, Colby?”

“Noted,” he said, raising his hands in surrender.

Matt leaned back against the seat. “We’ll cool it.”

Rain muttered, “We weren’t trying to hover. We were just worried.”

“Yeah? Well, worry less,” I snapped. “You’re my mates, not my bodyguards.”

Jesse didn’t say anything but gave a curt nod, his expression unreadable.

“Good,” I said, slumping back in my seat. “Now let’s go. And if you think about following me around campus again, we’re going to have another conversation. And you’re not going to like it.”

“Understood,” Colby said, starting the car.

The air was tense in the car. I hadn’t meant to shout at them and make them so upset, but to be fair they had gotten me upset in the first place! Why hadn’t they understood that nothing bad was going to happen to me and nor was I going to leave them for some alpha?

These men are my mates and that’s all I care about right now.

“We’re sorry,” Rain blurted out halfway back home. I looked around at all of them, deciding it was worth forgiving them. Even Jesse looked like he was sorry with the faintest hint of guilt in his eyes.

He must’ve been sorry if he was looking visibly guilty. I gave every one of them a look, refusing to let any of them off the hook. They were going to pay for what they had done and… I was making them pay. By forcing them to feel guilt.

“It’s all right,” I assured Rain as gently as I could. “I forgive you guys but don’t do it again, okay?”

“We’ll probably do it again,” Matt told me, glancing through the rearview mirror. “Not to throw a wrench into your apology but that’s just likely how it’s going to be.”

“I know and then I’ll chew all of you out again,” I pointed out, glaring at every one of them.

Once again, things were looking to be bumpy, but why was I shocked that things were going this way? It was just how life was.