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Ava turned her head to look at her brother. Stephen was quiet. His friends looked stunned by his reaction.
The three of his friends stood up from the couches they had just sat on and asked,
“Are you for real?” Paul asked with disbelief.
“Stephen, you have changed after getting a family. We understand how eager you were to have one. But you are pushing your old friends,” Cyrus uttered.
Ronald cast a glance at Ava, who was standing at the stairs te turned his attention back to Stephen and said,
“It looks like you are too protective about your sister. But you forgot who had been protecting you all along. He is Ian Dawson, our friend who has never abandoned us and has always protected us, even when we were lost.”
Stephen lowered his head after hearing Ronald. He was right. Ian was the one who rescued them whenever they were in danger. Their lifestyles were part of his decision. If today they could live so carelessly and with some power, it was all because of lan.
When Ava noticed her brother’s silence, she turned and went downstairs.
She walked up to Stephen, who was sitting on the couch and placed her hand on his shoulder.
Stephen raised his head to look at her.
Ava could see his eyes were filled with confusion. His eyes begged her to allow him to be with his friend, even though it would cause problems in the future.
Ronald looked over at Cyrus, and Paul then said,
“Let’s go. We don’t have to come here anymore. He chose to be alone. It’s Ian’s birthday, and he expected us to sit here alone and think about the reason behind the fight? He is no longer our friend.”
Cyrus and Paul looked at Stephen before turning to Ronald, who was already leaving the house. They let out a sigh and left the house.
Ava saw them leaving. She wanted to stop them but prevented herself. She thought she should talk to her brother at first.
So she sat next to him and said,
“Brother.”
Stephen dropped his head and muttered,
“Don’t mind my friends. They are just mad at me.”
Ava was surprised that despite everything his friends had said to him, he was still thinking about her.
She locked her arm with him and rested her head on his shoulder.
Stephen gazed at her and said,
“I know he is a bad boy. But it is only from the outside. He has an inner softness. He has some anger issues, and sometimes he does not like to listen to others so-”
Ava moved her head from his shoulder and looked at Stephen.
“I don’t need to know about him. But how long have you been friends with him?”
1/3
Her question stunned him, but he replied immediately.
More than ten years.”
Ava showed no signs of surprise. It was because she could see how upset Stephen was,
She had also seen lan’s concern for Stephen when he received calls from others that night. Though Ronald was Ian’s best friend, lan tried to give attention to all of them. He valued their friendship. He was not a good mate, but he was a good friend.
“Stephen, don’t fight like kids. Just let it go and release the grudge from your heart. I know you care for me, but 1 have talked to him about us. I do not think he will bother me again. Even if he does, you don’t have to break your friendship for me. I will take care of everything”
As if Stephen only needed her consent, the heaviness in his heart lifted. He immediately hugged her tiefestly.
Ava let out a chuckle. Her smile faded when she realized that she had made her brother’s life difficult because now his own friends were questioning him.
Stephen broke the hug. To lighten his mood, Ava asked,
“So what is your plan for his birthday?”
Stephen was taken aback by her easygoing demeanor. “It is fine if you don’t want to come to the party we are planning for him.”
Ava shook her head and replied,
“Why won’t I come? He is our future Alpha. Of course, I will come and enjoy the party.”
Stephen broke out in a wide smile. After all these days, Ava finally saw that smile. It was as if he was upset over their fight.
Ava stood up and said,
“Then contact your friends and plan for Ian. I am going to sleep now. Good night.”
Stephen grasped her hand. She looked at his hand before shifting her gaze to him.
“Ava, I have something to tell you.”
“Yes?”
He loosened his grip and muttered,
“I have been observing lan. He has become strange. I mean, he has changed. We have never seen him without girls, but now he is completely different. I heard what he told the girls in the cafeteria a few days ago. I think he ”
He paused briefly to look at Ava.
Ava gulped and averted her gaze from him. “Stephen, I-”
“Ava, you know bom very protective of you. Still, I am saying it to you. I think he was right when he said he was feeling regret.”
Ava stepped away from him and said,
“It’s too late, Steph.”
He got up and grabbed her hands. “I am not saying you should give him a chance. But I believe he should properly
5
** Th*** is no need for him to make an apology. He just eds to keep his distance from me, which he is doing ng now, and the fi
did you miss the way he add the by who was foolish ough to touch you? That protectiveness… I had never witnessed him acting toward another in this y
Ava recalled the moments that Stephen reminded her of. Pat she had moved on, and there was no way she wanted to get in touch with tan
“Stephen, I am happy with Luke. He is going to ask me to be his girlfriend soon, maybe in the basketball final. I am willing to accept him: S01 don’t have to think about fannymore.” (7
