Page 6 of Unknowingly Being his Brat

I might as well stay here forever.

Slam!

No one would even notice it.

Slam!

No one would even care.

Slam!

Darius could find another to mate with.

Slam!

He would be grateful if I left.

Slam!

I could leave… I was Milo, the one no one cared about. Not even Dad.

Shaking with exhaustion, I eyed the ruined kitchen, my tears falling freely as I felt all the anger leave me. I was nothing but broken pieces now. I wasnothing.

After a warm shower to rid me of a scent that did not, and would never, belong to me, I decided to heat up some soup and eat it in the backyard while the weather was still warm enough for it.

The warm potato and leek soup seemed to warm up my heart as well as the rest of me. I’d sprinkled bacon on top and hadsome bread to dunk into it. Even if I felt more alone than ever as I sat there, watching the beautiful red and orange trees, I was still feeling better after letting my emotions out on my cabinets.

It was sort of…freeingaccepting the fact that Darius would never truly want me. Even if we were fated. I could go on with my life alone. Maybe adopt a dog. Us wolves loved dogs. It could help keep me company as I secluded myself from the pack, however hurtful that would be. Dad had wanted me to act as second and our pack needed a second. We hadn’t had one for over ten years since Dad’s second retired. But I couldn’t face Jeremy. Couldn’t face any of them. I knew now I never really had a place in the pack.

Eyeing my phone where it laid on the rusty old garden table I sat at, I contemplated calling Nathalia. Maybe I could join her pack and find a purpose there? I could, I don’t know, act differently? Be less…me? Maybe then I would be accepted.

No, I thought to myself. If I left this pack behind, I would lose myself, too. I could get used to being around my pack less. Others did the same as they aged and spent less time in their wolf forms. I could just be the odd one out. I snorted at that. I wasalreadythe odd one.

Placing the now forgotten bowl of soup on the wiggly table, I shed my clothes and shifted to my wolf. Like my hair my wolf was pure brown. Another thing about me that was boring. Not like Jeremy, who was red, a rare color for a wolf and the only red one in the pack. I hated that I always found ways to compareus, but we’d been compared our whole lives so it was hard not to continue doing it. Dad had made us do these annoying challenges as he made us ready for the alpha role. It created the hope in my heart that I even had a chance of becoming alpha. Now I knew it was just to placate me. He’d never seen me as good enough. Today was proof of that. Not one visit, text, or call from him. Nothing. I knew I hadn’t reached out to him either, but still.

Letting my wolf loose, I ran and ran, chasing scents and catching leaves with my mouth as I continued to bounce between the trees, making up my own games as I went, enjoying the fall air as my wolf and I thrived on our own. As we had funon our own… I could get used to this, right? The loneliness felt less oppressing if I just ran around.

I didn’t like lying to myself, but needs must and all of that, so of course I could get by on my own. I didn’t need anyone. Like no one needed me.

A whimper escaped my wolf, but I ignored it and continued to chase shadows.

Chapter Four

Darius

The packhouse was slowly filling up with packmates who wanted some warm breakfast and it helped my broken heart seeing them smile and share a cup of coffee as they sat by the tables. Shifters needed each other, even just for a conversation. It was part of who we were, and I was basking in their company, even if I just tended to the breakfast and watched from a distance.

“Did you hear?” Oric asked, stacking the pancakes. He was around his mid-twenties like me, and one of my closest friends.

“Hear what?” I asked, manning the bacon with perfection.

“Jeremy found his fated,” he whispered just loud enough for me to hear. My heartbeat picked up with hope. Maybe this would mean Jeremy and I would be good. Maybe I could even talk to him about Milo? I needed some advice on what to do because every part of my body ached for Milo. This whole waiting around thing wasn’t something my instincts understood.

“Really?” I whispered back, unable to stop a smile from forming.

“Yes!” Oric grinned. “And get this, he’shuman.”

“Human?” I stupidly repeated. That was unusual.