Chapter Five

Logan leaned against the door frame with his usual smirk, looking far too pleased with himself. I rubbed my eyes and gave him an annoying look.

“What do you want, Logan?” I asked, not bothering to hide my irritation.

He walked into the room like he owned the place, hands in his pockets. “Audrey, when are you going to stop treating me like this?”

I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrow. “Treat you like what?”

“Like I’m some kind of nuisance,” he said.

I sighed. “I’m not ignoring you. I just think it’s better if we keep our distance—especially at school. It’s less complicated that way.”

Logan chuckled and sat on the edge of my desk. “Less complicated for you, maybe. But come on, don’t you think it’s fun? You and me, pretending we don’t know each other?”

I shook my head, not finding it the least bit amusing. “Fun? No. I think it’s a disaster waiting to happen. People already talk enough.”

Logan shrugged. “Let them talk. Who cares?”

"I care," I said, standing up to face him. "I don't want to deal with the drama."

He tilted his head, studying me for a moment. "You're always so worried about what other people think. Why don't you just... relax for once?"

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my cool.

"Because I don't want my life to become a spectacle, Logan. We're not really siblings.

We don't have to act like we're close."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "Is that what this is about? You don't want people thinking we're family?"

I hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, that's part of it. It's just... easier if we keep things separate."

For a moment, Logan looked like he might actually listen. But then the smirk returned.

"Alright, fine. We'll pretend we don't know each other. But don't get mad when I start having fun with it."I sighed, realizing I might have just made things worse.

I narrowed my eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He grinned. "You'll see."

Before I could respond, Logan pushed off the desk and headed for the door. "Just remember, Audrey," he said over his shoulder, "you can try to avoid me, but we're stuck with each other. Might as well make it interesting."

And with that, he left, leaving me more frustrated than ever.

I flopped back onto my bed, groaning.

Dealing with Logan was going to be a lot harder than I thought.

Not even five minutes had passed after Logan left when I heard another knock on my door. I groaned, thinking Logan had come back to mess with me again.

“Logan, I swear—“ I started as I pulled open the door, but stopped when I saw it wasn’t him.

It was his father.

“Mr Castlefield,” I stammered, feeling a little off guard.

He stood there, his expression calm but unreadable. He had the same presence as Logan-confident, maybe a little too much—but unlike his son, he didn’t have that smug smile plastered on his face.

“Mind if I come in for a moment, Audrey?” His voice was polite, but there was something behind it that made me feel like saying no wasn’t an option.

I stepped outside, letting him into the room. “Sure, is something wrong?”

He glanced around, taking in the messy state of my room with an almost amused look before turning back at me. “Nothing’s wrong, but I wanted to have a quick word with you about Logan.”

I raised an eyebrow, folding my arms. “What about him?”

Mr Castlefield smiled slightly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I know he can be…..handful. He pushes people’s buttons and enjoys getting under their skin. It’s just his way.”

I sighed, dropping onto the edge of my bed. “Yeah, I’ve noticed. He likes to make everything a game.”

Mr. Castlefield gave a knowing nod, then leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

"Look, I know this whole situation is new to you. It's not easy, blending two lives together like this. But the truth is, we're family now, Audrey."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Family. Right, because pretending to be one big happy unit magically fixes everything. I was tired of hearing about this so-called family bond that was supposed to make everything okay. It wasn't that simple.

Mr. Castlefield noticed my reaction but continued anyway. "Logan may act like he doesn't care, but he does. And whether you want to admit it or not, you two are connected now. You live in the same house and share the same space. Like it or not, that makes you family."

I sighed, resisting the urge to argue. I knew he was trying to make a point, but all this

"family" talk was exhausting. I'd heard it from Logan, from him, even from my mom. But what they didn't get was that it didn't feel real. We weren't a real family. We were just people living under the same roof, pretending like everything was fine.

"I get it, Mr. Castlefield," I said, forcing myself to sound polite. "But it's not that simple."

He raised an eyebrow. "What's not simple about it?"

"Everything," | replied, standing up from my bed and pacing the room. "Logan and I are not siblings. We didn't grow up together, we don't share anything in common, and we barely tolerate each other. You can't just expect us to act like we're family overnight."

Mr. Castlefield watched me carefully, letting me vent. After a moment, he spoke, his voice softer this time. "I'm not asking you to pretend, Audrey. I'm asking you to give it a chance. Logan may be difficult, but he's not a bad kid. He needs someone willing to meet him halfway."

I stopped pacing and looked at him. "Why does that someone have to be me?"

He smiled faintly. "Because, whether you like it or not, you're in his life now. And I think you could be good for him, just like he could be good for you."

I stared at him for a moment, his words hovering in the air. I wanted to respond, to say something that would ease the tension, but the only thought running through my mind was how much I couldn't wait for him to leave.

I sighed, forcing a tight smile. "Honestly, Mr.

Castlefield, I can't wait for you to leave."

There. I said it. Maybe it wasn't the most polite thing to say, but it was the truth. The constant pressure to make everything seem like a happy little family was suffocating.

Mr. Castlefield blinked, clearly taken aback.

"I... wasn't expecting that." His voice was calm, but there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

"Well, it's the truth," I said, not bothering to soften the blow. "All this talk about family and how I'm supposed to get along with Logan... it's exhausting. And honestly, I don't think either of us wants this."

He sighed, standing a little straighter. "I know it's not what you wanted, Audrey, but things aren't always easy. Sometimes you have to make the best out of a tough situation."

I let out a frustrated laugh. "You know what would make this situation easier? If people would stop pretending that everything is fine and just accept that it's not."

Mr. Castlefield didn't respond right away. He simply looked at me, his expression softening a little. "I'm not asking for perfection, Audrey. Just patience."

"Well, I'm running out of that," I muttered.

He gave me a long, thoughtful look before nodding. "Alright. I'll leave you to rest, then.

Just... think about what I said, okay?"

I didn't answer, just stared at the floor as he turned to go. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Finally, some peace.

If only that peace could last.

Later that night, I felt trapped in the house. I needed fresh air, so I grabbed a jacket and went outside. The moon was bright, lighting my path.

As I walked, I tried to clear my mind, but I kept thinking about Logan and what Mr. Castlefield said about family. Just when I thought I could relax, I heard a strange sound—a howl that made me shiver.

I followed the noise, feeling a mix of curiosity and fear. The howls grew louder as I got closer, and my heart raced.

When I reached a small clearing, I stopped. Logan stood there, his back to me, looking strange. He seemed to be shaking, and I took a cautious step forward.

Then something unbelievable happened. Logan’s body started to change. I watched in shock as fur grew and his face shifted. My mind raced with questions—what was going on? What had I just seen?

As I stepped back, trying to process it, I caught a glimpse of his eyes—glowing in the moonlight. Everything spun, and I barely had time to think before darkness took over, and I fainted.

What was happening to Logan? What had I just witnessed?