Love Times Four My Stepbrothers Are My Mates (Alayah) novel Chapter 56

**When Broken Stars Drift Across Empty Midnight Skies by Troy Mason Venn**

**Chapter 56: Dress**

**Noah’s p.o.v.**

As I sit here among my friends and family, my thoughts are a chaotic storm, swirling around the captivating female who has unknowingly captured my heart. It’s strange, really; I can’t pinpoint the exact moment it happened, but this morning, I awoke with an undeniable certainty: she holds my heart in her delicate hands. Yet, in true male fashion, I managed to complicate things. My response to Mara’s question wasn’t as articulate as I’d hoped. If you were to look at it in black and white, the essence remains the same, but I fear my words may have misled her. I never intended to suggest that our bond could be anything less than genuine; it’s just that my answer could be interpreted in more than one way.

The atmosphere shifts as Alayah steps through the doorway, and my heart skips a beat. I want to urge her to retreat and change into something more appropriate, but Mara’s sharp elbow nudging Dad keeps me silent. “Did you enjoy your nap?” Dad inquires, his voice warm and inviting.

“I had a rather pleasant nap,” Alayah replies, a teasing lilt in her tone. “But I still can’t comprehend why I keep waking up in different beds. It’s rather vexing to have questions without answers. I did discover something new, but it’s not exactly a topic for a father-daughter chat.”

Mara bursts into laughter, nearly doubling over, while Dad’s expression morphs into one of sheer discomfort. The thought of Alayah discussing her personal life with him is almost comical, and I can’t help but chuckle internally at the scene unfolding before me.

“Why do you think Nikolay took a shower?” Eiji’s voice cuts through my thoughts, and I nearly choke on the sip of coffee I was savoring.

“Perhaps he had a dream about her while she was sleeping in his bed. Could that explain the dreams we’ve been having?” I venture, my gaze still fixated on our Angel, who is blissfully unaware of the turmoil in my heart.

Once Alayah finishes her coffee, I set my mug down with a soft thud. “Alayah,” I begin, trying to find the right words, “when Mara asked me why we didn’t share the truth about our connection, I gave the best answer I could muster. At that moment, we were convinced it was merely a sibling bond. After all, no one has ever been able to distinguish us, and suddenly, there you were, able to tell us apart.”

“We always thought only Dad and Grandpa could see the differences between us, and we believed that one day our Mate would recognize us too. So, when you could differentiate us, we thought you were our Mate. But then, hearing Crystal call out the right brother after years of confusion left me bewildered. I realized that time alone would reveal the true nature of our bond with you.”

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