Gabriel’s POV
Goddess, I had never been more nervous than right now.
What if she ran from me?
What if she didn’t believe it?
What if she refused to accept, I was her brother?
What the hell would I do if she reacted badly?
I knew this would be a huge shock for her. I knew it would be hard for her to accept everything. But I couldn’t have her rejecting me. I couldn’t have her leaving me.
I couldn’t believe how my life turned around in a matter of days.
Just a few days ago the absolute peak of my day was getting drunk at Louis’s bar. I didn’t care about anything or anyone. I cared about getting drunk and sticking my dick into any girl that was willing.
Now I have a sister. I have a family.
I never thought I would care this much about anyone. But, Goddess, do I care about her? I wanted her safe, always protected, and by my side. I wanted her close. I needed her close. Since I found her, I feel whole. Like something had been missing my entire life and it came back once she walked into my life. I guess it was a twin thing. She really was my other half, and I didn’t want her to leave me. Ever again.
“Gabriel sweetie, are you okay?” Mrs. Black’s voice pulled me back from my thoughts.
“I am sorry, Mrs. Black,” I said and smiled at her. “I got lost in my thoughts.”
“That’s okay,” She smiled at me. “But you should eat. Your pancakes are getting cold.”
I smiled and picked up a fork. I saw that Nick, Annie, and Aria had already finished eating their breakfast. I started eating fast.
I needed to talk to her. I needed to tell her. I needed her to know.
“Gabe, man, slow down,” Nick said with a smirk.
I frowned at him and grabbed a big bite of my pancake.
“Gabriel and Aria need to talk about something, Mom,” Nick said. “Would you mind keeping Anne company?”
“Of course,” Mrs. Black said with a big smile on her face. “We will have so much fun, Ann.”
I loved Mrs. Black. She was an amazing woman. She was always in a good mood and willing to help. I was glad I had her in my life.
“Oh, Linda, you don’t have to,” Annie said. “I don’t want to bother you. I will be fine on my own.”
“Nonsense, Annie,” Mrs. Black smiled and grabbed Annie’s hand, pulling her up. “We will start making lunch and have a lot of girl talk. You are not bothering me.”
Annie smiled and nodded, letting Mrs. Black pull her out of the kitchen and toward Nick’s house.
After they left, I turned to look at Aria.
“We should go back to study,” I said nervously. “I need to show you a video.”
She nodded and got up.
She walked to the study, Nick and I following behind her.
Nick placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly. I looked at him and he gave me a small smile.
We walked inside the study and I closed the door before walking over to my desk.
I sat down and turned my laptop on. I opened the drawer where I put the USB stick. I plugged it into the laptop and opened the video file. My grandma’s smiling face popped up on the screen.
I looked at Aria. She was sitting on a sofa across the table. Nick was standing behind her with a nervous look in his eyes.
“I need you to watch this video,” I said to Aria.
She nodded and wiggled in her chair. I could tell she was nervous as well.
“What is it about?” she asked me.
“You will see,” I said. “Just remember that I am here for you, okay? Nick is here for you.”
She looked up at Nick and he smiled down at her, placing his hands on her shoulders.
“You are freaking me out,” she said, looking back at me.
I smiled and turned the laptop toward her.
She looked at the screen and then back at me.
“Who is that?” she asked me.
“My grandma,” I smiled. “Hit play when you are ready.”
She took a deep breath and hit play.
My heart started beating painfully fast. This was it.
I focused to keep my breathing even. I needed to be calm for her. She will not reject me. She will not run. She loved me. She was comfortable around me. She felt safe around me. I couldn’t let myself think otherwise or I would freak out.
I watched her go from nervous to confused until a complete and utter shock was written all over her beautiful face.
She gasped loudly when she heard our grandma say her name. When she listened to our grandma talk about her, tears started rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes were wide and glued to the laptop screen.
Nick was standing behind her with arms crossed over his chest. He was looking down at her with a worried expression on his face.
The video ended and the room went silent.
Nick and I were looking at Aria, waiting for her to move or say something. Her eyes were still on the laptop screen. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, but she didn’t move a muscle.
After a few minutes of maddening silence, I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted her to say something. I wanted to hug her. I wanted to tell her I love her.
“Aria?” I called her name quietly.
She winced and looked up at me. Her eyes were wide and filled with confusion, sadness, and pain.
My heart was breaking in my chest.
“I love you,” I told her, looking into her eyes, wanting to soothe her pain.
She let out a breath, a quiet sob escaping her.
“Please talk to us, love,” Nick said and placed his hands back on her shoulders.
She moved away from him, her eyes not leaving mine.
I didn’t need to look up at Nick to know how hurt he was when she moved away.
“I know this is a huge shock,” I said quietly. “I know you will need time to process everything. But don’t push us away, please. Don’t push your mate away. Don’t push me away. I am your brother. I am your family. I need you.”
She broke eye contact with me, looking down at her hands and closing her eyes. She took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around her body.
“My whole life has been a lie,” she said quietly.
Sobs started wrecking her body and my heart broke.
I jumped up from my chair and walked to her.
Aria’s POV
I felt two strong arms wrap around me. He pulled me into his chest, and he rubbed my back soothingly.
“I am so sorry, Aria,” he said. “I wish I could take your pain away. I am so sorry.”
This can’t be happening. It can’t be true. It has to be a different Aria. They were mistaken. It was not me. It can’t be me. My grandma was not a murderer. She was not a kidnapper. They were wrong. They had the wrong Aria.
I started shaking my head and I tried to pull out of Gabriel’s arms.
His grip only tightened around me.
“You have the wrong girl,” I said into Gabriel’s chest. “I am not that Aria. Your sister is out there somewhere. It is not me.”
I felt him tense and tighten his grip.
“It is you. You are my sister,” he growled. “I know what this means. I know how hard it is for you to accept that. But you are my sister.”
I sobbed into his chest.
It meant I had to accept that the woman who raised me was a murderer and a kidnapper. She killed my parents and my grandfather before taking me away. She brought immense pain to my real grandmother, and she separated me from my twin.
How the hell should I accept that?
It couldn’t be true. I refuse to accept that it was true. I would find the real Aria and prove to Gabriel that I was not his sister.
I was not powerful. I didn’t have any special powers. That was proof that I was not the Aria from the video.
“I am not powerful,” I said, trying to convince him again. “I don’t have any special skills. I am a normal witch. That is the proof, Gabriel. I am not her.”
He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me off his chest, not letting go of me.
“You are powerful,” he said sternly. “I can feel your power. The only reason you don’t know that is because Grace never trained you. She never wanted you to discover your power.”
I couldn’t help but notice the hate coming from him when he said my grandma’s name.
I kept looking at him, not knowing what to say.
What can I say to convince him?
“I know you don’t want to accept this,” he said, softly. “But, Goddess, I am so happy you finally know. I am so happy I can hold you and tell you that I love you.”
I was looking him in the eyes, still not knowing what to say.
His eyes were the same as mine.
How hadn’t I noticed that before?
I looked up and saw his hair was the same color as mine.
I looked back down at his face.
His face was sharper, but we had the same nose and cheekbones.
How the hell didn’t I notice that before?
We looked so much alike.
He really was my brother, wasn’t he?
That whole story was true, wasn’t it?
I really was kidnapped.
She really did kill my parents.
Gabriel noticed my eyes roaming up and down his face and he gave me a small smile.
“We look alike, don’t we?” he said.
I nodded but kept silent.
Then I remembered something he said earlier.
He was happy I finally found out.
How long had he known?!
I tensed up in his arms.
“How long have you known?” I asked him sternly.
“A while,” he sighed. “Since I asked you to move in here.”
I gasped. He had known this whole time?!
“Let me explain,” he said, gripping me tighter. “I wanted to tell you after I helped you discover your power. I wanted to protect you from the pain and from Victor. I wanted you to discover your power so it can help you deal with everything. But then I found out Victor has already found you. And I needed to tell you. Honestly, even if Victor hadn’t already found you, I would have cracked and told you soon. I couldn’t stand you not knowing much longer.”
I stared at him, not knowing how to respond.
I guess I can understand why he didn’t tell me. He knew it would hurt me and he wanted me to be the strongest version of myself before facing the truth.
But that didn’t mean I was not mad at him for not telling me sooner.
“Who else knows?” I asked him.
He looked up at Nick.
I was so focused on my conversation with Gabriel that I forgot Nick was in the room with us. He was quiet the whole time, letting Gabriel explain everything.
“Nick, Annie, and Nick’s parents,” Gabriel said.
So, everybody.
Annie knew and didn’t tell me?
I sighed and looked down at my hands.
Gabriel let go of my shoulders and took my hands in his.
“Please talk to me,” he said. “Ask me anything you want.”
“I need to be alone for a while,” I said quietly.
“No, Aria, please, don’t run away,” he said, cupping my face.
“I am not running away,” I said calmly. “But I need some time, Gabriel. I need to be alone and think. I need to come to terms with the fact that the woman who raised me killed my parents and took me away from my family. I just found out that my whole life has been a lie. I can’t ask you anything right now. I don’t want to ask you anything right now. I can’t handle finding out more. I need to work through this first. And I need to do it alone.”
He rubbed his thumb on my cheek and I couldn’t help but notice how it soothed me.
We really did have a connection. He really was my brother.
He nodded and stood up.
“Take as much time as you need,” he said, smiling down at me. “When you are ready, come back downstairs so we can talk about the trip to your old village.”
My heart started beating faster and a warm feeling spread through me. I would finally see Cassie and Jake.
“Thank you, Gabriel,” I said and stood up.
He wrapped me in a hug and kissed the top of my head before letting me go.
I turned toward the door and saw Nick standing behind me.
He smiled at me, and I immediately felt better.
“I will be in here with Gabriel, love,” he said, pulling me to him. “Call me if you need me, okay?”
I nodded and gave him a small smile before walking out of the door.
