Filed to story: Claimed by My Ex’s Alpha Brother
No!
“I’m proposing to Ella after graduation.”
My entire body tensed like I was bracing myself to be hit head-on by a semi.
This had to be a dream that turned into a nightmare, right? This couldn’t be happening. I was about to wake up in my bed and realize this was all just some sick joke my subconscious was playing on me. My brother couldn’t be proposing to the only girl I’d ever loved.
Was it childish if I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming?
Noah opened the lid and revealed a modest diamond with a gold band. “I know it isn’t much, but it’s all I can afford with my job right now. Do you think Ella will like it?”
“Of course,” I lied.
One time, before Ella and Noah started dating, she told us that she preferred silver jewelry over gold. How could Noah not remember that?
If he can’t remember such a simple detail about her, he shouldn’t be proposing to her!
I smoothed my hands down my jeans, trying to stay present in the moment. I was having a strange out-of-body experience, like I was floating above my body and staring down at myself.
Noah still had the ring out, and I wished he would just put it back in his pocket. I couldn’t look away from the damn thing.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” he asked, closing the box with a snap. “Do you think Ella and I are too young to get married? Do you think her parents will be against it? Just say something, dude, please.”
Now that the ring was gone, I could think straight.
“Oh, no…that’s not it. I’m just surprised,” I said. “It’s just, um…quick.”
Well, at least that was the truth.
“Yeah, I know we’re young, but I love her. I’m pretty sure I do.”
My head whipped to the side.
“You’re pretty sure? Noah, asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you is a huge deal. You have to be certain that you love her before you ask her,” I warned him.
“Chill out, Dad,” he joked, grabbed his red backpack, and swung open his door. “I do love her. Why else would I buy a ring?”
I grabbed my own backpack and rushed after him. A couple of people greeted me, and I nodded back at them. Ella was already finished with her finals, so she wouldn’t be at school today.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked when I caught up to him. “Graduation is in a month. You still have a little while to think about proposing to her. I’m just looking out for you, man. I want to make sure you aren’t rushing things for both yours and Ella’s sake.”
There was also a selfish third reason that I was trying to talk him out of proposing to Ella, but I would never say it out loud.
“I promise to think about whether this is what I truly want. I’ll take a month and really consider it,” Noah promised me.
I studied his expression, trying to see if he was just trying to placate me.
“That’s all I ask, man. I swear that if you decide to ask her, I’ll be happy for you,” I said, hoping I sounded believable.
“Thanks, dude.” He patted my shoulder. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”
And just like that, the subject was dropped.
We walked through the busy courtyard in silence. My head was so full of thoughts that I didn’t know which one to concentrate on first.
“Oh, hey, I never asked you how the meeting went with the Alpha King and his daughter,” Noah said while he adjusted the strap of his backpack.
“Not well,” I admitted, glad to be talking about something that didn’t have to do with the ring in Noah’s pocket.
Quickly, I told him about how the four of us couldn’t agree on the terms of the arranged marriage while also revealing my fears of the Alpha King being corrupt in some way.
Noah’s eyes flashed with an emotion I couldn’t read, and then he shrugged.
“Well, I looked Olivia up online, and at least she’s hot. If your dad can cough up the cash, at least you’ll be married to a blonde bombshell. And you’ll be Alpha,” Noah said with a hint of jealousy in his voice.
What the hell?
My body burned with an anger so intense it felt like someone had lit me on fire.
“I can’t believe you just said that,” I told him through gritted teeth. “Comments like those just show you aren’t ready to be engaged.”
Noah took a step back and raised his hands.
“Woah, calm down. I was just joking.”
You don’t deserve Ella.
Sadly, that wasn’t the first time that the thought had crossed my mind. But was I thinking it because I wanted Ella for myself? Did that mean that I didn’t deserve her either?
“Are you coming to Joshua’s party tonight?” Noah asked after a moment, probably trying to break the tension between us. “His parents are out of town, and he says he’s going to raid their liquor cabinet.”
“Nah,” I answered, still seething about Noah’s disrespect of Ella. “Why is he even having a party tonight? It’s a Tuesday.”
