Forbidden apples

Chapter 1

I was just five years old when my world didn't just turn upside down—it imploded. My parents, two wolves who never found their fated mates, did the next logical thing: they married and had me and my little brother. But, cue the cruelest twist of fate, shortly after my brother was born, Dad met his fated mate.

My mom, who had spent her life yearning for her own true connection, saw the battle in his eyes—the primal call of the mate bond warring with his chosen family. With the immense grace and selflessness only she possessed, she set him free. They went to the elders and, with heavy hearts, decided on a painful split: one child each. My tiny, puppy-eyed brother went with Dad to start their new life, and I stayed with Mom.

The heartbreak was sharp and real. But my parents were determined to soften the blow. We agreed that since we’d celebrate all holidays together, they’d suck it up and keep co-parenting until those reunion days. Still, overnight, my baby brother was ripped away, and I was left alone with Mom. I don't hold any resentment—how could I resent a love as powerful as a true mate bond? But God, I wish things had gone differently. It would’ve been perfect if Dad had just stayed nearby, not continents away where a quick weekend visit wasn't even an option.

It was hard, a deep ache of loss, but Mom’s devotion was my perfect cure. For the next ten years, she was just... mine. She was too busy being the most present, loving mother in the world to bother with anything serious. She had casual flings, yes, but her focus was always fiercely on me, making up for the family we’d lost.

I turned fifteen under her absolute care, and time flew. Everything was as close to perfect as it could be, until one morning, she dropped the "Dating a Human" bomb. Not just dating, but considering marriage! I was ecstatic. She deserved this profound happiness after being alone for so long, so when she asked me to meet her boyfriend, Eryx, and his son, Theon—who was two years my senior—I was all in. I even prepared gifts, genuinely wanting to make them feel truly welcome.

The moment I met them, I was flabbergasted. Eryx and Theon were straight out of a fantasy. Ethereal, hauntingly beautiful, and radiating an undeniable alpha air despite being human. My excitement wasn't a strange, teenage infatuation; it was the joy of instantly clicking with these two magnetic people.

Eryx, clever and kind, didn't try to force himself into the traditional father role; he became a friend instead. It was my choice to start calling him "Dad," and I made that decision quickly. Within a year, Theon was my "brother," and we were a blissfully happy, integrated family.

By seventeen, I was a quiet yet social nerd, infamous for always having the answer. Intelligence was both my greatest pride and my greatest, most treacherous desire. I thrived on learning, on seeing things from a new angle. I had this nagging, desperate need—a curiosity that ran deeper than just academics—and I was about to find out what it was.

It happened during a perfectly normal afternoon. Mom was out running with the pack. Dad and Theon were deep in a business discussion in the living room. I was neck-deep in a book, yet my wolf-enhanced ears were laser-focused on their conversation.

"I suspect the share market is about to crash," Dad stated, his voice a low, analytical rumble.

It was a professional, everyday comment, but the way Eryx discussed the complexity of a market crash—with such innate expertise and confident ease—did something primal to me. My heart didn't just race; it galloped against my ribs. The quiet, casual knowledge in his tone was the sexiest sound I had ever registered.

My throat went bone-dry. My whole body tightened. The next thing I knew, my panties were pooling. It was a sudden, staggering realization that hit me with the force of a tidal wave: I have a kink for smart people, for intellect in its purest, dominant form. And in that same, blinding, terrifying moment, I knew I had a catastrophic, newly found crush on Dad.

The realization was a punch to the gut, but I tried to rationalize it. It's just a teenage crush, right? Hormones. It'll fade in a few days. It never did. The more I stayed around Eryx, the more this infuriating, sinful desire to mate with him intensified. It became so overwhelming, so terrifyingly real, that when it was time for college, I chose a university countries away from home.

I was running. Terrified that my burning need, that forbidden, sinful desire, would make me give in. I couldn't afford to ruin my mother's perfect happiness, not after she had given up her own mate for my sake. I ran as far away as possible.

For eight years, I didn't go home. Not once. Not even for holidays. I stayed away in fear, using work and "exploring the world" as plausible excuses. Dad even offered me a job with his business just to keep me close, but I always declined, always citing my need to "broaden my horizons." He let me be, but he, Mom, and Theon made sure I knew they missed me and wanted me back. The guilt was a constant companion.

And now, after eight long years of emotional exile, I finally agreed to return.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Loren asked, his fingers gently tracing the still-damp warmth between my legs. His worry, a reflection of my own unspoken fear, made me give a soft, slightly superior chuckle.

I wrapped my hand around his neck and assured him, "Relax. I'm over that stupid crush. It was just teenage hormones running wild."

Loren nodded, but still teased, "You know you're in deep s**t if you still feel anything when you see him."

I laughed with him, entirely convinced of my own control, completely unaware that I wasn't just heading back into deep s**t, but into a double deep, deliciously forbidden mess—one that involved both my step-father and, increasingly, my step-brother. My hormones had grown up, and my kink had only intensified with maturity.

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