Rivals to Lovers by Patricia Galindez (have you read this book TXT) 📕

like him?"

Both my hands were clenched into fists and my temper was rising. "You can not talk about him like that! He is your son too, so you should show equal amount of care towards him like you do to me! He doesn't deserve to be treated like he is! You even got everyone to look down upon him because you do, and you don't even do anything about it! And you know what?! I'm tired of the way you've been treating him all these years!" I stomped away out of the office enraged.

~~~<3~~~

Later in the night, I decided to look for Indy. I wanted to apologize to him about how reacted. Reaching to the door to his room, I knocked lightly in case he was asleep. No answer. I knocked again. Still no answer. He must be sleeping right now. I gently opened his door to see that he wasn't in here. Where would he be at this time at night?

I ran outside and shifted into my brown wolf. I carried my clothes in my mouth and sniffed him out. the scent led me towards the river, though it didn't stop there; it continued across the river. Oh no.

I can't cross the river, it's already going to sentence me to death. But, Indy's over there. I out my fears aside and crossed. I followed his scent for a few minutes until it stopped at a huge tree. There was a white glow at the entrance of the tree, so I walked closer to investigate.

When I got close enough, I heard a moan. A girl's moan. I peeked in the tree to see Indy on top of a girl with midnight black hair on a bed making out. I shifted back, and dressed before I looked back inside.

The girl pushed Indy slightly away, both breathing heavily.

"Indy?" spoke the girl.

"Yes?" he replied while kissing her neck.

"I feel a presence. Like we're being watched." I thought it would be my time to make myself known.

"Conner?" he said when he saw me.

"Uh-hu."

He sat up straight. "What are you doing here?"

"I could be asking you the same thing."

"I snuck out to see my mate. Got a problem with that.?" he glared.

"Yes, I do have a problem with that. Are you trying to put yourself in danger? Your lucky I came to find you before that happens."

"I don't think I'm going back, Conner. Why would I when my own brother ratted me out and now I'm probably a rouge now?"

"And where would you go, Indy? You can't stay here, her

people will kill you." I don't know why I said that when I know he never got kicked out of the pack.

"I'm not letting that happen to him," said the girl.

I looked at her. "And you would be?"

"She's my mate, Nova," answered Indy.

I sighed. "Indy. I was about to tell father about you and your mate. But, I just couldn't. Your my little brother and I love you. I have to look out for you no matter what. I wanted to apologize about how I reacted when you told me. And I accept it."

He smile widely at me. "I love you too, Conner. Your the best brother I ever had."

I smiled back, and looked towards him mate, Nova. "Well, why don't we start over shall we?" I suggested. "I'm Conner, Indy's brother." I took her hand and kissed it.

She giggled. "I'm Nova, Indy's mate."

"So how did you two meet?" I asked curiously.

Indy wrapped an arm securely around Nova's waist. "We actually met a few days ago. I was on my run on that day, and I smelt her scent somewhere nearby. I followed it, and I saw the most beautiful and breath taking girl I've ever seen," he said while looking lovingly at Nova. "I told her about us being mates, and then accepted it the next day. We promised each other to meet here every night. Oh, and another thing, this is where I went to the day I went patrolling," he said sheepishly.

"That would have been good to mention when I was worried sick about you."

"Sorry," he murmured.

"Don't worry about it," I said.

For a while, all three of us were talking and I got to know Nova little more. She's really great for Indy. She's sweet, kind, caring, beautiful, and funny. I really liked her.

She fell asleep on Indy's shoulder after an hour.

"We should probably go. Seems like she sometimes sleeps here. You can just lay her down on the bed," I suggested.

He looked hesitant. "Um, I think I'll stay here with her tonight."

"But, you can be found out in the morning. They might know she is here when they don't realize she's not home," I said slightly panicked.

"They won't. They don't know she's here. It's kind of her secret place that know one knows about."

"Well, okay then. Just be careful," I cautioned.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just make sure to cover for me until I get back."

"Will do."

I hope he'll be okay. I don't know what I'd do if he wasn't.

Our Love

~~~Nova~~~

I woke up to feel very comfortable on top of my warm pillow. The scent of it was of rain and nature, making me feel like I'm in heaven. But, the strange thing is that I heard a steady heart beat against my ear, and it was rising up and down slowly. I opened my eyes a bit then blinked a few times. I started to raise my head to see Indy sleeping so soundly with me on top of him. He was shirtless, and despite the cold outside, he was still very warm. His face was so angelic that it would be a shame to wake him up. I removed a strand of hair covering his face, and then traced every facial feature he has with my fingers. I gently traced his closed eyes to his smooth cheek bones, up to his nose. Lastly, I traced his pale pink lips, savoring the feeling of them. My hands continued from his face all the way down to his chest. It was smooth and toned, but also slightly bruised. I wondered where they came from. My fingers then went to his stomach, tracing every line of his abs he had. Everything about him was simply beautiful.
I felt him moving, signaling that he's awakening. He opened his sparkling emerald green eyes, and shifted them towards me. He smiled lovingly at me, and I returned it.
"Morning," I said.
"Morning," he said back.
"How did you sleep?"
"Wonderful. Especially with a stunning beauty sleeping beside me." I giggled, and a thought just occurred to me.
"What are you still doing here? I thought you went back home."
"Well, I was, but I didn't want to leave you here by yourself."
I smiled even more, and pecked him on the lips. "That's sweet of you."
I laid my head back on his chest enjoying this peaceful moment with him.
"Nova?"
"Yes?"
"I was thinking, what if we got away from all this? We can be free to see and be together. Wouldn't that be great."
"It be amazing, but what about my family? I just can't leave my mother and Annabelle. And what about your family; your brother? They'll miss you."
He sighed. "No they won't. No one would care except Conner."
I frowned. "Why would you say that, Indy?"
He looked at me in the eye. "You noticed how my wolf is black and white?" I nodded. "Well, everyone sees me as different. If you had a dark color wolf when you're a male it's normal cause it represents leadership and courage. But if you are a male with a light colored wolf, it means you're weak. My pack has no light colored male, but I'm considered the first. I may have some black on me, but as long as I also have white, I'm considered the weak male. Because of that, no one respects me as their future leader of the pack, even though Conner is first in line to be Alpha. I always have everyone sending me dirty looks, teasing, pushing me around, or plain out ignoring me. Father never did anything to stop it; he was the reason everyone acts like that towards me. Whatever he feels towards me, everyone does the same. Sometimes he would hit me to toughen me up."
I looked down sadly at the bruises on his chest. "Is that why you have these?" I asked as I ran my finger gently over the light purple bruise.
He nodded. "Yes. I got them last week."
My eyes were still glued to the bruises on his chest. How can anyone do this to their son? These bruises are something that shouldn't belong on his perfect body. If only they would just go away. But, maybe I can make them. I got up from the bed to my small black rusted caldron.
"What are you doing?"
"A potion. I might have a way to make those bruises go away," I said as I started to add the basic ingredients. When I put in the final touch to the potion, it turned into a bright white color. I put the potion in a flask, and made my way towards Indy.
"Now, I need you to lay down and stay still." He nodded. I let a drop of the healing potion fall to the bruises on his chest, and happily watched as they absorbed into his skin and made the bruises fade away.
"Wow," he whispered. I giggled. He looked so cute as he stared with his wide eyes on his pale chest.
"I might really need one of those just incase," he chuckled.
"Here then," I said as I gave it to him. "Use it wisely. Incase of injuries, you put a drop on the wound, and I will heal instantly."
"Hm, we werewolves usually heal fast, but does it also work with sickness?" I nodded. "Same thing, except you drink one drop and you're healed."
"Alright." He looked outside. "I think its pretty late in the morning, I should be getting back before anyone notices my absence." He grabbed his shirt from the floor and put it on. As he got off the bed he turned to me. "I'll