Who were these people? And what were they doing in my room? The four pair of eyes staring intently at me were making me uncomfortable. A quick glance told me that Melissa was nowhere to be found.
"W.. who a.. are you g.. guys?"
I stuttered. Suddenly feeling naked before them. Though their eyes held no lust nor decadent desires, I was not used to boys finding me fresh out of shower, clad in nothing but a towel.
"She looks harmless guy." One of them said. He smiled at me and stretched out a hand. "Welcome, stepsister. I'm Lucas."
"Uhm."
Suddenly I wanted the ground to open and swallow me. I did not do well in situations like this and I was especially shy amongst guys.
"You don't want a handshake?"
The one who introduced himself as Lucas asked, the cheerful smile still on his face. He looked very young. They were all young but he looked younger.
Awkwardly, I accepted his handshake. "Hi."
"What is your name?"
"Katherina."
"Katherina."
He repeated, testing the name on his lips.
"Guys, say hi to Katherina. Be polite and welcoming, she's our new sibling."
Another one had on a smirk on his face.
"Your legs are hot."
"Hey. Don't be creepy Zach."
Lucas hit the one who had made me heat flood my cheeks.
"Don't hit me dude, I'm your older brother."
"Act like one, you creep."
"Uhm. Can you guys please go? I want to…"
I stopped halfway, hoping they'd get the gist and leave.
"Oh, I'm sorry. We'll let you be now."
Lucas stood and tried to usher his brothers out.
"What if I don't want to go?"
The one Lucas had called Zach winked at me. Oh my goodness! Could this guy be any more perverted? Alpha David never told me anything about having four boys. Four stepbrothers! I used to think being an only child was a lonely way to live but I was beginning to realize it was a blessing I never appreciated.
One of them had this cold, aloof expression. He was also looking at me, as though I was some specimen he was trying to figure out what was interesting about me.
Another seemed calm but still had his gaze intensely on me.
The first night here and I was already in this position. I sighed, ignoring them. If they would not leave the room, I would leave it for them. I went to the closet, avoiding contact with them. Thankfully, the room was big enough and had sufficient space, and my closet was at the other side. I went, rummaged through the neatly arranged article of clothing. I picked a simple knee-length dress and some underwear, I wrapped the gown around my underwear and hurried out of the room and locked the bathroom as soon as I was in.
I dressed up in the bathroom and dried my hair with a hand dryer I had not noticed in the bathroom before. There were beauty products arranged on the shelf of the vanity mirror hanging on the wall. I just read through them chose the common body lotion, applying that on my body, ignoring the others. Found a hair band and in a matter of seconds, I had my dark brown tresses in a ponytail.
"Be yourself, Katherina. This is not Moon Rock where you are a nobody. This is not your previous pack where people insult you. This is…"
Wait, what was the name of this pack? I was yet to know the name. Well, I'd know later. I squared my shoulders and continued my self lecture.
"This is your new home. You are a somebody here. Shockingly, the stepdaughter of the Alpha. Don't be proud. Keep to yourself. Be nice to everybody even if they pretend to be nice to you. And for your stepbrothers, well…"
I didn't know what to say about them or honestly how to deal with them. They were a handful and all were of different personalities. Lucas seemed like the bubbly, funny, exuberant one. Zach, well Zach was the crazy, harmless pervert. The other two - one was cold and rigid, the other was calm. And they were my stepbrothers and it was important that I got along with them.
Story of my life. I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror one last time before walking out of the bathroom.
"Are you done?"
Lucas questioned as soon as he saw me. He was at the moment making himself comfortable on my bed
"You're still here."
"Yes. We never left."
"Katherina who?"
"What?"
The calm one had spoken to me.
"Katherina who?"
He repeated.
"Oh. May. Katherina May."
"How old are you, Katherina?"
For some reason, I liked the way my name rolled off his tongue.
"Twenty one."
"Your former pack?"
"Moon Rock."
"Dad hates the Alpha of that pack."
Zachary put in.
"Why?"
I quietly asked. I was curious, but still not wanting to overstep my bounds with them. I wanted to make a good impression on them. Lucas seem to like me already. Zachary, though had talked to me, there was still this wariness about him. The one currently asking me questions was being polite not friendly to me. The last one was still a no-go. He was as aloof and blank as they come. He was going to be the toughest nut to crack open.
"We don't know."
Lucas replied.
Where had Melissa gone to? Why would be abandon me with four boys? Even if she did not like me, I preferred her here. She was just one person I could deal with.
"So dad said your mother is his mate."
Lucas looked at me like he was expecting additional information on that from me.
"So did my mother tell me."
I gave a small shrug and twiddled the hem of my gown.
"It's cool. I have no problem having a sister. Except she acts mean and crazy."
That brought a small laugh from me.
"You're not mean and crazy, are you?"
He narrowed his eyes at me.
"You won't be lying on my bed if I was."
"Fair point."
He agreed.
"Why did you guys come?"
"You don't want us here?"
Zach raised a brow.
"No. That was not how I meant for it to come out. I'm just wondering, you know…"
"We were curious about the stepsister dad told us about, and we thought to come check her out."
Lucas was the one who replied.
"What is your name?"
I pointed to the one who'd asked me my name.
"Aaron."
I warily eyed the aloof one.
"He's Trenton. Don't pay attention to his demeanor, he's usually that way. He likes you."
Lucas introduced.
"No, I don't."
Trenton deadpanned. And his voice matched his expression - cold.
"He'll come around."
Lucas assured.
"So anybody want to tell her about Stone Shadow academy?"