HE’S MINE TO CLAIM: STRANDED WITH MY BESTFRIEND’S UNCLE

MAYA

My jaw dropped and I had to raise my hands to cover my mouth. Exactly what I was thinking in my mind.

Adrenaline flew through my body causing an immediate spark. “What did you just say?” I asked, leaning closer and she chuckled, returning her gaze back to her dad. The blush I was trying to fight evolved into an amused chuckle.

“Mom says she wants to remarry, I'm afraid she will even have time for me.” She burst into tears. I felt pity, hearing such a small girl go through this got me really pissed with the mother.

“I wish we could see the mother, we will make her really hurt.” I vow-whispered into Donovan’s ear.

“Yessss!” He approved, nodding seriously with affirmation.

I took Vikky in my arms and immediately I got to console her, she kept quiet, sniffing. Her dad turned with a puzzled look. He twisted his neck to check her face well, Vikky was actually keeping quiet.

“What a miracle!” Donovan acclaimed, clapping his hand in humor but she strained her hand, tapping on her dad's shoulder.

“Please can you grant me one thing for Christmas please? Only one thing will make me really happy, lest I'll be sad.” Vikky begged with a sad, childish tone.

“If it's me, I'll give her whatever she wants to make her happy.” I whispered quickly into Donovan’s ear.

“Hhmm–” he nodded.

“Say it.” He raised his hand seemingly determined to do it. Suspense filled the air as curiosity rocked my chest. I gave Donovan a secretive look as to what his daughter would want.

“Marry her so she can become my mother and stay with me forever! I don’t know why dad but my instinct says she’s a good and caring person.”

My legs instantly grew weak, I staggered backwards, having to drop her to the ground. The air grew thicker with this question, Donovan stared at me, lips parted, eyes roaming in mini-confusion.

“Will you?” Vikky repeated.

“What are you doing there?”

Suddenly our atmosphere got caught with the onset of a sudden voice. I turned suspecting it to be Donovan’s wife, the one Vikky wanted me to replace.

“Alicia?”

“Maya?”

We stood both puzzled, eyes widened, jaw dropped and hands on waist in shock. Never in my wildest dream was I expecting this.

“Do you know her?” Donovan mumbled, face twisted with disgust.

“My sister.” I responded with a panicky tone. Then I rubbed my eyes, looking again to make sure. I never knew the wife Donovan was talking about would turn out to be my long lost flirty sister who ran away from home with the claim of going to find work abroad.

“She left the house three years ago, telling mom and dad she's going to work abroad and since there no one has heard from her.” I reported to Donovan. “How did you get to marry her?”

My heart pierced with a tough anger. Why did she make us worry too much, not knowing she was chilling here with–

I remembered Vikky’s deal with us.

“I want her over my mom,” Vikky repeated again, so boldly.

I glanced over Donovan and Alicia, I bit my bottom lip in nervousness.

The battle was just set to begin.

“Sis, why did you have to abandon your little daughter to go meet other men?” I asked her, my heart full of rage. I encurved my hand over Vikky’s little body.

“What authority do you have to tell me how I live my life or are you going to report to mom and dad?” She sneered. I swallowed a gulp of saliva. I didn't think of this at first but now she introduced me to it, I was beginning to think of it.

“If need be, I will.” I replied.

Alicia stormed towards me but Donovan slided in between, grabbing her arm. “Dare not touch her!” He scolded, I stood behind, trying to hold my blush. I was proud of him standing up to defend me but when it seemed as though the case was going to escalate because of me, I walked over to his side, placing my hand on his shoulder.

“Just leave her,” I whispered into his ear. He dropped his hand from her.

“Are you his new girlfriend?”

I froze immediately as these words escaped from her mouth because of the hormones which striked deep inside as Donovan turned to look at me. I folded my lips, pretending to wet it.

I grinned, making her jealous. “Yes, she is.” Donovan’s hand pulled me closer, mistakenly, my hands fell on his bulge from his trouser. I pulled up a sharp breath.

“Aren't you?” He looked at me when I was reluctant to respond, I was shivering and goosebumps had appeared all over my body from the ecstasy of feeling Donovan’s body heat.

“Hahaha,” Alicia burst out into a serious laughter. “No need to have all these played before me if you guys are fake.”

“We're fake, how did we get to come together? When did we meet, outside, on the road, and what's our intention, just to play around?” I summoned all the courage in me to ask.

“I'm taking Vikky away from you since you can't take care of her. I'll never leave my daughter to a negligent mom.” With this, Donovan grabbed Vikky from me, Alicia tried to come over to struggle but he pushed her away.

“I'm taking my daughter away from you so you can have all the time in the world to link up with men as much as you want.” Donovan said, it was a clear mockery. My lips twisted, I was behind him trying to hold my blush.

Seeing that Donovan was forcefully taking Vikky away from her, she launched at me. I pushed at her. “I didn't expect you to be so foolish, sis. Why are you fighting me?”

“I never thought that the one who would snatch my husband from me would be you, my sister. You came here to study, what are you doing with a man?”

Her fists were balled and she was ready to strike, she did but I dodged. “You came here to work, what are you doing with a man and a kid.” I chuckled. “I really have no time for you.”

“If Donovan really loved you, he wouldn't let you fight for him.”

From behind, I heard a voice clearing his throat. I turned sharply, Donovan with Vikky in his arms was looking at us. He heard what Alicia just said. My eyes flickered.

Was I fighting him? No, I wasn't.

“I'm not fighting him, I was just–” My voice sailed off as I battled to come up with what to say, nervousness sipping through me. “I was fighting you, yeah. You fought me, so I was fighting you.”

Turning around, I left Alicia's side. Donovan took Vikky into the car, entering the car, he zoomed off. “We are heading back to Cheryl's estate, right?” I looked at him attentively, admiring his face.

“No,” he shook his face.

“Where to then?”

“You will see when we get there, I'll be leaving her at my house, I mean my estate.”

“Who will take care of her? I was thinking you're going to leave her to me since we really like each other?” I lifted my face, glaring with longing eyes. His face was stern, he was determined. He wasn't going to give in.

I pulled in a deep breath as I looked ahead of the road, pulling Vikky closer to me. At least, we could further the bond for the little time I have with her here in the car.

When he told me he's a lecturer, I thought he's like other professors, with no much possessions but a single home, always living in the college staff estate. I was all wrong. Driving into this modern, luxury penthouse which expanded on a large hectare of land, fenced round like a castle got my mind going afar in thoughts.

As we drove closer, the magnificent three storeys glass house stood before us screaming luxury, it was sure to cost millions of dollars, an amount he wouldn’t get in years even if he were to save his entire salary. Then I remembered what he told me. Being an Alpha by rank.

He must be from a wealthy family.

The door of the car opened and a middle-aged woman ran towards the car, smiling. Vikky sprang out running to her.

I turned to Donovan, eyes filled with surprise. “Does she know her?”

“Have you been here before?”

My questions met with silence, so I slowly came out of the car, bowing in courtesy to the woman. “Ohh, welcome ma’am.” She bowed even lower than I did to her. By now Donovan was already out.

“Are you his new–”

“Lana, take Vikky inside the house.” He said, stopping her halfway.

“Right away, Alpha.” She bowed and left with Vikky. With the way she looked at me, I supposed that even the little girl was hiding something about his father's identity.

“Come, let's go in!” Donovan grabbed my wrist. What's he holding me as?

I put on my greatest self-control at this point, if not I'll end up embarrassing myself.

“When did you build this?”

“Five years ago.” He snapped, not looking at me.

“Woww and with whose money? I'm sorry to ask.” I pleaded with my quacking voice. I was quite interested in him and felt it was normal knowing who I wanted to love me but he just turned to look at me and didn't say anything. I took this for him not wanting to share his personal details so I went mute as we headed inside of the apartment.

“When are we going back to Cheryl's house?”

“Later in the evening,” he answered.

Getting inside, the massive mansion was decorated with Christmas lights, the spirit was full of Christmas setting, trees and its colors radiated from different angles but what grabbed my attention most were the lines of maids and servants in uniforms all waiting to welcome him.

“Who are you please?” I was beginning to fear. My heart beat so anxiously. Then I wondered if this was all some kind of show but it looked too real for a show. Then he leaned and whispered into my ears.

“Just pretend to be my new mate. I'll tell you why later.”

I breathed in, nodding. Each time he said this, the tickles in my nerves awakes but I really want to know soon why he's doing all of these.

“Welcome sir.”

“Welcome ma’am.”

They all chorused. I could only nod in response as I was speechless regarding the level of respect they were according us.

We climbed up to the residential rooms where I believed Donovan would be staying. Once again he leaned towards me, my heart stood at attention. He was going to say something mysterious again.

“We will be staying in the same room to make our relationship believable.”

“Urrghhh!”

It was as though my body jerked up and my eyes were wide open. Is this all staged by Donovan to get me without actually coming out openly? I wondered but couldn’t get a response.

Donovan cocked his head, looking at me with surprise.

“What's going on?”

“Well, I don't know how it will go if we stay in the same room.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he taunted. “Have you forgotten I’m your big bro?”

Now, these two-letter words hit harder. Perhaps, it meant something else.