Forbidden Mate- A Step-brother Romance - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

~APOLLO~
The music is blasting as I take yet another drink. I have lost count of the number of beers I've chugged since the night started.
I was trying to drown my need for Lana with every drink.
I had to find another woman tonight to get my mind off her. I've been doing it since I found out that she was my mate. I was searching for anyone to help me forget about her. However, so far, no one could do the trick. The more I tried to drown my fucking needs, the more I wanted Lana.
These feelings were all wrong. It was too much to deal with right now.
I have fought against my feelings for her ever since the first day I saw her. My life came with too much baggage; I never wanted to drag her into it with me. I still didn't want to do that to her. However, it was getting harder to ignore her.
"Alpha!" My Beta roars above the music as he throws me another drink. "Drink up!"
A few of my pack members were here tonight and having a much-deserved good time. After defeating the white wolves clan and getting some of their best fighters on our side, things were better than ever for my pack.
We were the strongest pack in this territory and possibly stronger than a few other territories. However, I wouldn't know for sure since I've never been in a battle with all of them.
I never started a war unless my territory was threatened. The white wolves thought that they were better than us, but their leader made the mistake of actually believing those false statements. His pack suffered because of his poor choices. At least now, some of his members were in a better pack. We actually took care of our members and didn't make foolish decisions based on pride.
"Scored any more girls for the night?" He asks with a grin.
Jake was constantly happy at these parties as long as girls were around. I always let him take home as many as he pleased. He was good at his job and deserved to be rewarded in whatever way he pleased. The women were more than happy to please him as long as it meant I acknowledged them.
"I've seen a couple," I tell him. "But I'm too tired tonight. Maybe in a few hours, I will take one home."
I wasn't tired. It was a lie. I didn't feel like fucking any of these women knowing that Lana was now aware that I was her mate. It was much easier back when she didn't know the entire truth.
"Only one?" he grins. “We know one is never enough for you. One is too low of a number. Be honest. How many do you plan on leaving with once you stop feeling tired?"
One was never enough because none of them was the woman I desired. And since I could never have her, I had to settle for whichever woman threw herself my way.
"Yeah, I'm good tonight," I answer him. "You can have them all. Go crazy."
"What about me?" Adrian asks. "All these women always want the great Alpha Apollo Moon. When will they desire the rest of us?"
I chuckle, "Maybe when you stop whining so much. Women like to feel protected; if you stop acting like a child, you will attract a few."
Adrian was the group's researcher. He kept us up to date on all threats. He knew all of the nearby packs, their strengths and weaknesses. Just like Jake, he was good at his job.
Each of my pack members has their good qualities and were chosen because of their strong points. Of course, there were still weaknesses in each of them but I chose to ignore it since the good outweighed the bad.
"Something seems to be bothering you lately," Jake says, noticing my dull mood. "By now, you would be surrounded by at least five women. Two in your arms, two on both legs, and one behind you, kissing on your neck."
It was the truth. I always had women around me, even though they never got a certain woman out of my head. I was not ready to let my pack know about my mate. This secret was one I could never afford to get out.
"I have a lot on my mind lately," I admit.
Jake frowns. " Is it that thing with your mother again?" he asks me. “Is she using the divorce to guilt trip you like she always does?"
I glare at him, which immediately stops that conversation.
While I knew my mother was overwhelming at times, I didn't like anyone disrespecting her. Jake knew this much because he had been around me the most. As my Beta, we spend much time together trying to keep the pack in order.
"I get it, " he says, putting a finger over his mouth. “I won't comment on your mother again."
"What do you think about that redhead?" Adrian asks us, trying to lighten the mood and switch the direction of our earlier conversation. "I think she might be good in bed."
Jake grins, "Let's see who can win her over."
Adrian sighs, "Why bother? Her interest will only be on our Alpha the second we go over there. I don't know why I even bother trying."
"Once he leaves, you will have the opportunity," Jake says as he pats him on the back.
I didn't plan on leaving anytime soon. I needed to keep myself distracted for as long as possible. The second I had nothing to do, I would rush home to keep my eyes on Lana.
Fuck.
Even her name brought unwanted feelings my way.
I was letting her get into my head. Damn it. There must be something I could do to get over these insane feelings.
"What do you think about the blond?" Jake asks as they continue to look for their next target.
I ignore them.
None of these women interested me.
I had to find a way to get over Lana and quickly. I could not allow her to take over my mind; I should be fucking stronger than this. All my life, I have been able to put certain feelings behind me.
So then, why was ignoring Lana so fucking hard for me? Why was she the only person to have such a substantial impact on my life? She may think she meant nothing to me based on how I've treated her the past few years, but she knew nothing about my real feelings.
No one knew anything about my true feelings for her. I've done a good job at hiding it all this time, even though it's been fucking hard for me.
"Tell me you see what I'm seeing," Adrian says, his tongue practically out of his mouth.
"She's perfect," Jake says. "I think we have our winner for the night."
Whoever had their attention seemed to have both men excited next to me.
They were acting as though they'd never seen a woman before.
"Something is seriously wrong with the both of you," I say in a dry tone.
Adrian snorts, "You can speak that way because you never have any trouble getting laid. You are lucky that you have that aura to drive women insane."
I take another gulp of the drink in my hand. I'm unsure what the ladies saw in me or why they threw themselves my way.
"You haven't looked at her once," Jake notes. "Maybe you will change your mind if you see who we are looking at. This one might interest you. The second your eyes fall on her, believe me, you will want this one."
I didn't want to waste my time looking at some random woman who had caught their attention. However, I become alert when I feel a familiar tug.
I freeze.
Mate.
Fuck no.
I usually only felt this way when Lana was near.
That didn't make sense. She had never attended parties like this one, and she was not invited.
So why the fuck was I feeling this way?
"Apollo?" Jake calls me once more. "Look at her."
I was about to ignore him and search the crowd for my mate when I noticed the woman he was pointing at.
Time stops at that moment.
At the entrance stood my step-sister Isabella, and right next to her was none other than my mate.
I could feel my blood begin to boil with rage. All this time, they were speaking about her. Those fucking assholes were dead.
I grab them both by their collar. "She's fucking off-limits. Do not even look in her direction."
They frown in both surprise and fear at my reaction.
"I thought you didn't even want to look at her!" Adrian says as he begins to panic.
"She's my step-sister!" I growl. "Are the both of you fucking blind? They're both my step-sisters, and Isabella is too young even to be at a party like this!"
I can see them both begin worrying as my words sink in.
"Your step-sister?" Jake gasps as he spits out the drink he was just drinking. "Fuck, I had no idea. She looks nothing like that—"
His eyes widen when he sees my deadly glare. "I just mean she usually dresses differently. I'm sorry, Alpha. I did not realize that it was her."
They both turn around and immediately change the conversation.
I watch with rage as other men start to notice my mate as well.
How could they not notice her? She was the most attractive woman in the room. A man would have to be blind to not desire her.
My hand tightens into a fist when one of them dares to walk up to her.
I've never felt this much anger in my entire life.
Was this what real jealousy felt like? I wanted to drag him outside for a fight.
The anger kept fueling when I realize that he wasn't the only one trying to walk up to my mate.
These fucking idiots.
I had to get her out of here!