Part C: Chapter 52

Everything was still frozen in my head. I was sure I hadn’t heard her correctly because there was no way she was being serious with what she had just said.

“You are joking right?” I asked, still trying to wrap my head around her statement. “Tell me this is all some twisted joke you decided to plan on me today for whatever reason you found.”

Shelly sighed as she said back down, crossing her left foot over her right. “Just think about it, we aren’t technically brother and sister because we aren’t blood and I talked to father about it and he thinks it’s a great idea,” she said, sounding so excited as if she had just been told she had won the lottery. “You can still keep the company and you will also have my shares as well as still remain Alpha because your people will respect you much more. You also won’t have to go crazy because you will have your Luna by your side.”

I shook my head not believing I was hearing these words come from her. “Have you lost your mind?” I yelled. “What kind of twisted joke is this?”

“It’s not a joke but a solution,” she answered as she sat back in the chair.

I pushed my chair back and it toppled as I rounded the desk and stood in front of her. “That isn’t a solution and I never want you to ever say such things to me. Do you hear me? Because I want it to sink into your head that what you are talking about is immoral and against everything I stand for.”

“Just because you don’t agree with it doesn’t mean it’s the truth.” Shelly was being stubborn. “Think about it.” She got up but I grabbed her arm forcefully and made her look at me.

“We aren’t done. you will only leave once I say so,” I growled and then let go of her arm. “If you think that I will marry you and make you my mate and Luna, then you and Gerald truly are crazy and beyond saving.”

She narrowed her eyes on me. “You can fight it however much you want, the facts will always remain facts. You need a mate and I highly doubt you will find her in time for the ceremony even if you devoted all your time to it.” She spat, looking at me with disgust. “And if you think your threats scare me away, then you truly don’t know how persistent I can become when I want something as badly as I want you.”

“For crying out loud Shelly, you are my sister and just because we aren’t blood doesn’t mean we aren’t.” I tossed my hands up in exasperation. “You have to stop listening to Gerald and the nonsense he says. He doesn’t know what’s good for you and neither do I but all I know is that this little obsession you have will wear out with time.

She didn’t want for me to finish what I was saying because she was leaning in. Thankfully, I saw it coming and I grabbed her shoulders, keeping her away from me. “One day, I will know what it's like to feel those lips on mine. No one will ever be good for you. I’m the only one for you,” she licked her lips and then pushed herself away from me and left. Leaving me with a mix of confusion and anger.

*****
I called Carter up for lunch and filled him in on everything that had happened in the morning.

“You mean to tell me that Shel, the girl we both grew up with and someone who is a sister to you tried to kiss you after she told you she was your perfect match?” Carter asked, his face was scrunched up trying to digest exactly what I had told him. “There is no way she would do that. She knows Jemila is your mate and that bond is unbreakable unless under special circumstances.”

I sighed as I picked the glass of water that was next to me. “But she did and she sounded so convinced by it. You should have seen her man, it freaked me out too,” I said. “I never thought she could ever have feelings for me like that that went beyond that between a brother and sister because that is the only way that I see her.”

“And you told her all this yet she still threw herself at you. Damn man, what did you do to her?” Carter picked up his burger and took a bite. “Obviously, she has had them for a long time and she had to watch you go out with all those other girls and women and then finally Jemila,”

He looked at me, the burger still in his hands. “You know, I think it was always obvious that she had feelings for you because whenever you mentioned going on a date or when a girl from any of your classes; college or high-school, she would always get upset and storm off.”

“What? That’s absurd, she used to act like that because she wanted attention and nothing else.”

“Are you sure? Because that looked like a cry for your attention and no one else. I would try to comfort her but she would still be bitter until you came and brought her something. You should have seen how she went from being all Cruella to all smiles and crap. I used to wonder why that was but now it all makes sense.” He continued eating while I just sat there with my water.

It was hard to believe. How could it have gotten this far out of hand and I didn’t know about it?

“Don’t blame yourself because neither of us knew what was truly going on in her head,” Carter said as he picked up a chip from my still untouched plate. “Blaming yourself will only make you lose track of what’s important and that is finding Jemila at all costs.”

I picked up a chip from my plate and dipped it in the sauce. “I guess you have a point. But how do I deal with her?” I asked, picking up my burger and took a bit while Carter finished his meal.

He gestured for the waiter to come over and ordered another plate. Once the waiter had left, he then turned to me. “Just keep telling her you aren’t interested every time she makes any pass at you,” he said, leaning forward. “And from now on, I suggest you don’t eat or drink anything that she gives you. Just a precaution.” He sat up straight when the waiter brought his second order and cleaned out the first plate.

“Won’t that make me seem like the true bad guy in her story?” I asked, watching as he dived into his second burger. “How can you eat so much in one sitting?”

Carter smiled at me through a mouthful of burger. “That’s how I deal with my stress especially when I can’t drink,” he answered. “And so what? She will learn to get over it. There is no way you will mate with your own sister. That’s both disturbing and disgusting all mixed into one.”

“Not to mention it’s all Gerald’s idea.”

“Exactly why you shouldn’t pay much attention to it and them. For the fact that they know Jemila has been kidnapped, that’s another cause of worry but I’ll have to have a talk with Ivan when we get back because he’s the only one I know who is hopelessly in love with her and she can’t see it.”

“Wait, what?”

But Carter just laughed as he continued eating.