Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 38

"Because I said so." I say. There's no other explanation needed.

Carson's frown deepens. He looks between Axel and me. He tightens his fist, then moves his arm away slowly.

He stops abruptly.

A light bulb or something goes off in his head. He smiles, moves his arm from my shoulder, but quickly takes my hand, grinning. "I see. This is what you want."

I blush. I pull my hand away. "No. I want my space."

I feel Axel's hand brush my other hand at the same time I say that. He pulls away abruptly.

I look at him.

He looks away, his face red. "S-Sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"No." I put my hands up. "I didn't mean..."

I look at Carson's wide eyes daring me to finish that sentence.

My head spins.

Then Aiden shows up. It doesn't help the situation. He looks between Carson's third coke and Axel's second sprite. He looks down at me and says, "Mountain Dew? Root Beer?"

I don't know how he knows even though I finished those in the kitchen, but he does.

He says it the way you might expect a jury declaring a criminal's sentence. This is just like the time I spilled the beaker on Thursday. This boy won't let me live.

But once again, I don't have to defend myself to him. "They tasted great," I say.

He looks right over me. "Why did you give her soda?" he asks his brothers.

"I got it myself," I say, but he still waits for them to answer. What's his problem now?

They look between each other. "It's a party Aiden."

"So if I poison you right now, it won't affect you because you're at a party?" he asks.

"Excuse me?" Carson booms.

Axel puts a hand up in between his brothers, holding Carson back. "We did consider her health, Aiden. It's not like we gave her anything serious. It was just soda."

"It still affects her differently." The look in his eyes. "If she dies..."

My eyes widen. Dies? From a can of soda? I'm about to say I choose what I drink, it's not like I'm some child being hand fed, but Carson beats me to it.

He steps closer to Aiden, moving around Axel's only line of defense. "It was one drink."

Carson looks me dead in the eyes. "Alright, cut the crap, Mia. I can't take this anymore. Be honest. If you had to pick coke, sprite, or water, you'd pick coke wouldn't you?"

I stare wide-eyed. This is exactly what I was afraid of. I look between the three of them. I look at Axel.

Axel. Of course, it's Axel. I go to take a step towards him, to finally let this be over with, but then I look into Carson's eyes, and I can't. I can't reject him. Not in front of everyone...

No, that's not it.

That's just an excuse. I can't reject Carson because I can't reject Carson, period. I stare into his eyes and I just can't tell him I like either one of his brothers more than him, because I don't. I look at Aiden, and I feel the same for him what I feel for Axel. Maybe differently, but... Despite all three of them looking identical, they're so different to me and it feels like asking if I had to, ironically enough, pick only one drink for the rest of my life. I need water, coke tastes good, and sprite is refreshing.

Oh my God, that's such a cheater's answer! I smack my forehead. What is wrong with me? I back away from all of them and say, "Root beer."

"She said coke," Carson declares.

They break out into war after that. People come flying from different areas to hold them back from each other. Redhead flies to Axel. My other lab partner, the asian guy, goes to Axel too. A few people stand in Carson's way. Three guys go towards Aiden. It's still not enough.

I can hear in the crowd, "They've never been like this before."

"She's gonna tear the pack apart, starting with them."

"Jesus Christ, I said it would happen, didn't I?"

They all glare between me and the outraged brothers. The brothers' eyes don't even look like their eyes anymore. I don't want to see them like this. Guys are crazy. I go to the kitchen to avoid the dirty looks I'm getting. I'll text Michael to come get me. I try not to freak out. I should've just stayed home.