Love Times Four My Stepbrothers Are My Mates (Alayah) novel Chapter 135

**When Broken Stars Drift Across Empty Midnight Skies**
**by Troy Mason Venn**
**Chapter 135: The Lycan Alpha**

**Hunter’s P.O.V.**

“Come straight home from school, Hunter,” my mother insisted, her voice carrying a weight that I couldn’t ignore. I understood her urgency all too well. The tension simmering between our neighbors to the west and south of our territory had escalated into something volatile.

The school, situated perilously close to both borders, had become a source of worry for her. The conflict had been brewing for weeks, and the uncertainty of its resolution loomed like a storm cloud over our lives.

Our Alpha had chosen a path of neutrality, but two weeks prior, the fighting had spilled over into our territory. Thankfully, there were no fatalities, but two Warriors had sustained injuries, enough to prompt our Alpha to reach out to the Council for guidance.

Tomorrow, the Alpha of the largest Lycan Pack would arrive, and we all held onto the hope that he could quell the discord between the Packs.

“Mom, I’m home!” I called out, swinging the door of our cozy cottage open. The familiar sounds of clattering pots and sizzling pans greeted me from the kitchen, and a smile crept onto my face. That meant one thing—Mom was busy preparing dinner.

“Hello, Pumpkin! How was school today?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder with a warm smile. I made my way to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, and planted a kiss on her cheek before settling down at the kitchen island.

I shared the highlights of my day, and in return, I was eager to hear about hers. Being the Pack-Doctor kept her on her toes, but I cherished every moment we had together. She recounted the arrival of new Pack members that our Alpha had welcomed about a month ago, one of whom was also a Doctor.

The prospect of her having more time to spend with me filled me with hope. Maybe, just maybe, it would lead to some adventures together. I wished for her to find her Mate; she deserved happiness, and I had faith that her Mate would cherish her.

I had never known my father. He passed away before I was born, and the tales I’d heard painted him as a villain. Mom had met him when she was just eighteen, and he had deceived her completely.

She had never encountered a Lycan before him and had believed every charming word that fell from his lips. He had spun a tale, claiming that she wouldn’t experience the bond as Werewolves do because of his Lycan nature.

He had assured her that his Lycan knew she was his Mate and that she would feel a gentle tingling, but not the magnetic pull that defined Werewolf bonds. What she didn’t realize was that he had drugged her drink, and those tingles were nothing more than a cruel trick.

When she awoke the next morning, they were mated and marked, and that was when the truth shattered her world. The Council had been hunting my father; he was not a first-time offender.

Her Alpha had banished her from the Pack, her parents disowned her, and the Council had found a new Pack willing to take her in. Just weeks after the Council executed my father, she discovered she was pregnant with me.

She never regretted having me, and I felt the depth of her love for me in every heartbeat. We both hoped that if she ever found her Mate, he would understand her past.

“Mom, everything will be okay,” I reassured her, sensing her unease about facing a Lycan again. I rose from my seat, crossed the kitchen, and wrapped my arms around her in a comforting embrace.

As we sat down for dinner, our conversation flowed effortlessly from travel plans to my education and the concept of Mates. We laughed and shared stories, and before we knew it, the clock was inching toward midnight. Thankfully, tomorrow was Saturday; otherwise, Mom would have been in a frenzy.

**Aspen’s P.O.V.**

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