[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-sister-stole-my-mate-and-i-let-her":3,"chapter-my-sister-stole-my-mate-and-i-let-her-my-sister-stole-my-mate-and-i-let-her-chapter-164":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","My Sister Stole My Mate, And I Let Her",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},764738,1010,"Chapter 164 JUST A GAME","my-sister-stole-my-mate-and-i-let-her-chapter-164",164,"\u003Cp>DANIEL’S POV\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being apart for so long, all I wanted to do was stay by Mom’s side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as we got to the party, I realized I couldn’t do that tonight. Tonight, she wasn’t just my mom; she was a winner. A champion. And I couldn’t be prouder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked so happy—laughing with her friends, her eyes shining in that way that made everything feel brighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood at the snack table, my paper plate forgotten, watching people greet her with hugs, congratulations, and excited questions about the Trials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was so glad to see her this way. Most of my life, at parties like this, she always stayed in a corner, quiet and alone, and I’d always hated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I loved my mom, and even though I wanted to be by her side forever, I was so happy she’d made new friends. Her circle was growing, and people were seeing her for the wonderful person she’d always been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dad, on the other hand, was not having as much fun as Mom was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched him at the bar, his back hunching and his eyebrows scrunched together like they did when he was thinking hard. I could see it in his eyes, a pain I didn’t understand, whenever he looked at Mom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered if he regretted the divorce. Especially since Aunt Celeste seemed like the worst person in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would have liked my parents back together, but if Dad only wanted Mom now that she was popular, I wasn’t sure about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Ethan appeared near the snack table, holding a plate stacked with cupcakes. He smiled widely at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Danny-boy!” he called. “You look like a little Alpha tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grinned, hopping excitedly. “Uncle Ethan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bent and ruffled my hair. Why did adults like doing that so much? “You see your mom over there?” He nodded toward her, his tone softening. “She’s glowing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I puffed up a little, proud. “She always glows.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan laughed. “That she does. You get your charm from her, I think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We shared a grin, and he handed me one of the cupcakes. The frosting was gold, sprinkled with tiny silver flakes that glittered under the lights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we ate, I saw his mate, Aunt Maya, dragging Mom toward the dance floor with Mom’s other friends. Mom was laughing so hard her cheeks had gone pink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d just met Aunt Maya when I first landed a few hours ago. She and Uncle Ethan came to pick me up, and she seemed like a lot of fun. Anyone who was good to my mom was a hero in my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Ethan clapped his hands suddenly. “Come on. This party’s boring. Let’s find something more our speed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I followed him eagerly toward the game area—a section tucked away near the back of the hall with big screens, couches, and consoles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were a few older kids from the families of the partygoers and even some adults already playing, but when they saw Ethan Lockwood, they moved aside instantly. Everyone liked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He winked at me and tossed me a controller as he set up Dragon Blight III: Firestorm Quest. “Ready to lose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gasped dramatically. “You’re going down, Uncle Ethan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The match began—bright flashes, loud music, characters shouting battle cries. My fingers flew over the buttons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d played this game nonstop almost every day and was badass at it, but Uncle Ethan was fast, too fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No fair!” I complained when he won the first round. “You cheated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been playing video games for years,” he teased. “You’ll need backup if you want to beat me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I crossed my arms. “Mom’s busy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then call your old man. He used to be my partner in crime, remember?” Ethan chuckled, clearly trying to sound casual. “You two against me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitated. Lucian had joined Dad at the bar. They looked...tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even from across the room, I could tell something wasn’t right. Their shoulders were stiff, their faces unreadable. They looked like the dragon riders facing off just before the battle started.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They needed a distraction before they started fighting and ruined Mom’s party.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I headed for them. “Dad! Lucian!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They looked surprised to see me, and it felt like I’d caught a glass cup just before it fell and shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Ethan and I are playing video games,” I announced. “You both have to join us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Video games, huh?” Dad chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded. “Yeah! Me, Lucian, Uncle Ethan, and you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I saw the surprise on Lucian’s face. Dad and Uncle Ethan, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t had a chance to hang out with Lucian yet. I knew he liked Mom, and Mom liked him, so I needed to know what kind of person he was before they got any closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure.” He smiled. “Why not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well,” I heard Uncle Ethan murmur as we headed back to the game corner, “this should be interesting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the four of us were seated. Dad took the controller beside Uncle Ethan and sat next to me. Lucian sat on my other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two versus two,” Uncle Ethan said, grinning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I call Daniel,” Lucian said immediately, slinging an arm over the back of my chair. “We’re the champions tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I giggled. “Yeah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dad raised an eyebrow. “That’s not how it works, Lucian. You can’t just—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lucian had already chosen the game mode and handed me the second controller. “Too late.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dad raised an eyebrow, and that pained look was in his eyes again. Did he not like me hanging out with Lucian?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, if he hadn’t divorced Mom, she wouldn’t have met him, and we wouldn’t be here, now would we?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Ethan burst out laughing. “Guess we’re teammates again, Kieran. Just like old times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dad sighed, but a small smile tugged at his mouth. “Let’s make it quick.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first round began, and I immediately realized why Uncle Ethan was so confident. He and Dad moved in perfect rhythm—like they could read each other’s minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time I thought I’d landed a hit, Ethan blocked it while Dad attacked from the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unfair!” I yelled, laughing so hard I could barely see the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian leaned closer. “Don’t worry, champ. Let them think they’ve got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was calm, steady. Like a teacher explaining something to his student. Then he showed me how to time my strikes better, when to dodge, how to spot an opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch this,” he murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched as he baited Uncle Ethan into a trap, then launched a combo that sent both their dragon riders flying off the cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I jumped up, throwing my hands in the air. “Yes! We did it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian laughed, holding up his palm for a high five. I smacked it with a grin. “Told you we’d win!” he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dad watching us. Not angry, not even upset—just quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mouth twitched in what looked like half a smile, but his eyes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, I didn’t understand the look in them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Ethan nudged him. “Hey, don’t look so serious. It’s just a game.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dad’s shoulders relaxed only a little. “Yeah. Just a game.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We kept playing after that. The matches turned fierce—each side trading wins and losses. Everyone laughed, even Dad, eventually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At one point, I caught sight of Mom across the room. She’d turned around just as Lucian and I high-fived again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression was soft, her eyes warm, as if she was seeing something that made her happy in a quiet, secret way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that’s all I ever wanted—for Mom to be happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was super sleepy by the time I curled into bed next to Mom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew I still had my room right across the hall, and I was too grown to be sleeping with my mommy. But I didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d missed her too much, and I just wanted her arms around me for as long as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She curled around me, her arms tight like she was scared someone would pull me away from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I held her just as tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you tired, Mom?” I asked softly. “You’ve had quite a day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even her smile was tired. “You could say that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I yawned. “You did amazing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lips curved tenderly. “You think so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know so.” I looked up at her. “I’ve always known so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She laughed quietly and kissed my hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I loved it when she did that. It made me feel precious. I hoped she knew how precious she was to me, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you have fun tonight?” she asked softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mhm.” My eyes were already half-closed. “We played games. Me and Lucian beat Dad and Uncle Ethan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brows lifted slightly, but she smiled. “Did you now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s really good. He taught me how to dodge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She brushed her thumb over my cheek. “Sounds like you two made a good team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does that make you happy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everything you do makes me happy, baby,” she answered immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She always said cheesy things like that, but I loved it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last months living on Dad’s island with Grandma and Grandpa hadn’t been awful. But it had felt like a part of me wasn’t on that island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But here, now, in Mom’s arms—my home—I finally felt whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when I sensed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint shimmer of energy brushed the air around us. It wasn’t loud or flashy, just... warm. Nice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d smelled it earlier today, faint and almost impossible to notice—something new in her scent. But also weirdly...familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled drowsily, nestling closer. “Congratulations, Mom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, baby. You don’t know how much it means to me that you were there to celebrate with me today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not about your win,” I said, pulling back to look at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Congratulations on finally getting your wolf.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1640,"2026-06-03T02:27:49.404Z",1,"novelbin.me","cbe4fd7373a6d32a532359134826e2cc0e29c805a1ca1192882de2439004c75f","my-sister-stole-my-mate-and-i-let-her-chapter-165","my-sister-stole-my-mate-and-i-let-her-chapter-163",488,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-sister-stole-my-mate-and-i-let-her-cover.jpg"]