Page 1 of Unknowingly Being his Brat

Chapter One

Milo

2 years ago.

“I’m sorry, Milo,” Denny sighed, looking pained as he continued to avoid my gaze. “I just don’t like you inthatway.”

My heart was pounding, my face heating with embarrassment. He didn’t want me. I’d foolishly thought my one true friend—the only one who didn’t seem to like me just because of my big brother Jeremy—would somehow return my feelings.Stupid, stupid, stupid!Why did I ever even think someone like Denny would be into me? I was thin and lean, not muscular like the other wolf shifters in our pack. Not like Jeremy.

“Can we still be friends?” I stupidly asked, hoping I wouldn’t lose the only friend I had.

Denny shrugged where he stood under the huge tree, the only thing shading us from the rest of the pack. “If you don’t mind beingonlyfriends, then yeah,” he agreed.

I winced. Why, oh,why, had I tried to kiss him?!

“I don’t mind,” I lied. It would be brutal, but at least I wouldn’t be alone. I was so over being alone all the time.

“Cool,” he grinned. “Guess I’ll see you later then.”

I nodded, even if he never saw as he turned his back on me and walked away, leaving me alone with the trees. Alone once again.

Maybe I would be better off with no friends.

A year ago.

“Do you really have to go?” I asked Nathalia, begging with all that I was that my best friend wouldn’t leave me.

“I have to,” she shrugged. “I really want to meet my half-brother. Besides, I can’t very well chase my dreams in this small town, now can I?”

“I guess not,” I conceded, staring at her back as she continued to pack everything her bright pink suitcase could fit.

I didn’t have the luxury of just moving away if I wanted to. Being the Alpha’s son meant I could be chosen as well. I turned eighteen next year, and Dad had already told Jeremy and I thathe would announce which of us would be the next Alpha shortly after my birthday.

Being alpha was my biggest dream. It would mean I mattered for once. I’d daydreamed about being accepted like that. Respected.Fuck, how I wanted it.

Denny and I had grown apart, or rather, he’d avoided me until I stopped bothering him. The fact he clearly didn’t want to remain my friend after I tried to kiss him was obvious, as was the fact that he’d lusted after Jeremy. It was only mildly satisfying when Jeremy had rejected him. What had Denny even been thinking? Trying to flirt with my big brother who was seven years older than us.

“You’ll be okay, Milo,” she smiled, her hand a gentle touch on my shoulder. “You just need to let others close enough to see the real you.”

I wanted to scoff, to joke, anything to hide the way my eyes started to tear up. I had been the forgotten brother my whole life. Every time I met someone and wanted to befriend them, they only seemed to be interested because of Jeremy. How did I know that? Because they only wanted to be atourhouse, and never in my room but in the living room or garden, and when Jeremy showed up, they sought him out. I couldn’t even recall the number of times someone had been gaming with me, only to use the bathroom and never return. They ended up in Jeremy’s room instead, and then I was one friend down. And their faces when I refused to invite them over again? Priceless. Like whatdid they think was going to happen? Abandoning me for my brother got them locked out of my life for good.

Then there was Elias… fuck. That had only been three months ago but still! Elias was this handsome redhead with the sexiest freckles. You’d think I’d learned my lesson with trying to kiss people who didn’t want me, but no. I’d tried kissing Elias, knowing he was older than me but not caring one bit. He’d nervously chuckled before blurting that he’d already kissed my brother and that I was too young for him.

Why was it that Jeremy seemed to glide through life effortlessly while I struggled? What did he do to make all of these people swoon and gravitate towards him? The only reason I could think of, as to why Nathalia hadn’t been pulled in his direction, was because she preferred girls over boys. It made her the perfect friend for me, even if she was leaving town for good.

While I was having a pity party for myself, she’d continued to pack and somehow managed to fit almost all of her belongings into one suitcase.

“How?” I asked, looking at the zipped-up suitcase like it was made of magic.

She quirked a brow before pointing to the ground where two identical suitcases were placed.

“Oh.” I hadn’t seen them from my place on her bed, but it did make more sense than a magical suitcase.

“You okay?” Nathalia asked, sitting next to me on her bed. “This isn’t just about me leaving, is it? Because I know plenty of the others want to spend time with you, too.”

I smiled at that. It was a lie, but it felt nice being lied to when it was for my benefit.

“I’m just going to miss seeing you every day,” I admitted. Yes, I could try to get closer to the others in the pack, but my heart struggled to let anyone in. Nathalia was the one person I could be myself with without overthinking every word I said. I could just beme. It was selfish of me to want her to stay when her heart was pulling her in another direction, but I needed her here.