Her Mates

4

I didn't go downstairs that evening—just on principle.

Everything about this situation was too suspicious. Five complete strangers claiming to know me, acting as if I belonged to them? It wasn't just unsettling—it was terrifying. Meeting Damon at the store had already been weird enough. The way he had looked at me, like he had been waiting for me, had sent shivers down my spine. And then, only minutes later, I was nearly crushed under the weight of some massive guy named Juri, who had the audacity to call me his.

It was unnatural. Creepy. Wrong.

And what disturbed me even more? My sister seemed fine with it. Not just fine—supportive. She was actually willing to let these people, these strangers, into my life like it was the most normal thing in the world. The entire situation made my skin crawl.

I had spent the last few days avoiding them as best as I could. My sister, Phil, and especially those five strange men and women. Tried to, at least. But this house wasn't big enough for that. I kept running into my sister and Phil at every turn, and avoiding the others outside wasn't exactly easy either. Just yesterday, when I walked out of school, I spotted one of them leaning against Phil's car, watching me with an intensity that should have been intimidating.

But it wasn't.

It should have scared me. Instead, I felt something completely different—something warm, something I hadn't felt in a long time. Safe. As if I had finally found shelter from a storm I didn't even realize I had been standing in.

But I wasn't about to admit that. Not to them. Not to myself.

I shook the thought away as I successfully slipped out of the house. I had a real life to focus on—a normal one. Tonight, I had plans. A party at the forest house with some friends from school. The place was basically a youth center, always full of people, day and night. And honestly? I had been spending more time there lately than at my sister's house.

Casey didn't know about my little night outings. Phil did, but he let me have my freedom. Occasionally, he even covered for me with white lies—not that I asked him to. He just... never said anything.

Only after I had put some distance between myself and the house did I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Another successful escape.

My backpack was slung over my shoulders, packed with snacks and drinks—just in case. The fridge and mini-bar at the forest house were usually stocked, but you could never be too sure. I glanced at my phone to check the group chat, but there were no new messages. Shrugging, I looked ahead and spotted two familiar figures waiting for me near the corner.

Benjamin and Claire. The twins.

The moment Claire saw me, she started bouncing up and down, waving her arms dramatically as if I could ever miss her.

"Maevy, hunny! I missed you so damn much!" she shouted, throwing her arms in the air.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. It's not like we hadn't seen each other earlier today.

As always, I walked the rest of the way with the twins at my side. It had become our thing. Claire was playful and hyperactive, but when it mattered, she could be more mature than most adults I knew. Benjamin, on the other hand, was the quieter one, always watching out for me like an older brother.

In a way, he filled a void my own biological siblings had left behind. They had their own families now, their own lives. We had drifted apart, not by choice, but simply because that's how life worked.

"Have you talked to your sister yet? About, y'know... everything?" Claire asked carefully.

I scoffed. "Do I look like I'm about to start that conversation?"

Benjamin let out a low chuckle, and I could hear him trying to stifle his laughter. Claire, however, didn't seem as amused. She jabbed her elbow into my ribs, effectively cutting off my laughter. Benjamin straightened up as well when she shot him a warning glare.

"It's not funny," she said firmly. "But seriously, Maevy, you need to talk to her eventually. You can't just ignore the situation forever."

I sighed. "I'm just... glad I don't have to talk to anyone right now. It's all too much."

She gave me an encouraging look, and somehow, that made me feel a little lighter.

By the time we reached the forest house, I could already hear the music thumping from inside, mixed with the sounds of laughter and conversation. The place technically belonged to the twins' family—either their uncle or cousin, I wasn't really sure anymore. All I knew was that it had been turned into a youth center, and I was grateful for that.

As we stepped inside, we were greeted with excited cheers. The twins were practically local celebrities, and by association, that status had extended to me as well. I didn't mind. I had never cared much for popularity, but I wasn't going to fight it either.

Within minutes, someone handed me a drink. Alcoholic, of course. Benjamin had one too. Meanwhile, Claire had already been swept away by her boyfriend, Tom, who held her close like she was the most precious thing in the world.

Benjamin leaned in. "Do you wanna join the crowd, or are you in the mood to just chill?"

I didn't even hesitate. With my free hand, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the sofa corner where some of our friends were gathered.

Jill, Morty, Jonah, Michael, Alana, and Mitch were sprawled across the couches, laughing and chatting. After the usual greetings, I settled in next to Benjamin, sipping my drink in silence while the conversation flowed around me.

It wasn't until Jill and Alana started gossiping that I actually started paying attention.

"I heard the twins' uncle isn't doing too well," Jill said in a hushed tone. "Something about—"

"Jill, shut up."

Jonah's voice cut through the air, sharp and filled with anger.

I had never seen him like this before. He was always the calm one, the level-headed one. But now, his entire posture was tense, his fists clenched. The entire room seemed to shift with his mood.

"You know very well that you shouldn't be talking about that," he snapped. "It's none of your business. Not now, not ever. Just focus on your own damn life."

The tension in the room was suffocating. Even the usually shy Mitch threw Jill an angry look. Alana shrank beside her, looking like she wanted to disappear.

Beside me, Benjamin let out a low growl.

A growl.

I froze.

His whole body was trembling with barely restrained anger, his usual composed demeanor nowhere to be seen.

"Benjy," I said softly, trying to snap him out of it.

His darkened eyes flicked toward mine, and for a moment, something flickered—something I couldn't quite place. But then, as if my voice had pulled him back, his tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

I forced a small smile. He mirrored it almost instantly.

Slowly, the tension in the room lifted. Jill and Alana quickly excused themselves, dragging their boyfriends with them.

That left just me, Benjamin, Jonah, and the couple next to us.

And even though things seemed to have calmed down... something still felt off.