Chapter Four: My brother's keeper, an attack on the west side

                                    

                                          
One week had passed. Owen was wrestling with the uncomfortable idea that Kurumu now considered him her "destined one." It unsettled him. Tsukune and Kurumu had history together, and despite Kurumu's assurances that her relationship with Tsukune was over, Owen couldn't shake the feeling he was treading on someone else's territory. Not that Kurumu was property—just that this situation felt wrong to him.
Carter, however, was furious. This whole ordeal only proved his worst fears about monsters and humans coexisting. He saw it as manipulation—monsters bending whatever rules they could to prove their point or get what they wanted. His time at Yokai Academy had been anything but ordinary, and his patience was running thin. Every fiber of his being wanted to fight, to destroy, but his loyalty to Owen held him back. The only reason he remained at this godforsaken school was because Owen still believed in the fragile hope that monsters and humans could coexist peacefully. But Carter knew better. Aliens and humans were one thing, but monsters? That was an entirely different, more dangerous, game.
Now, Owen was stuck in this relationship—whether he liked it or not.
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In the hallway, Carter and Owen were putting their books away at their lockers.
Carter, voice low but firm: "Listen, I know you had no idea about Tsukune's plan. I'm not mad at you. So stop beating yourself up. You're my brother, not my enemy."
Owen, sighing, glancing at his brother: "I know, it's just... it all happened so fast. And the whole thing with Succubi law? It's real. Which means even if I wanted to end things with Kurumu, I can't. There's nobody stronger than me to challenge her. So now... I've got no choice but to be in this relationship."
Carter, snarling quietly: "There's one way out of this..."
Owen, shooting Carter a warning look: "Don't even think about it, Carter. Killing her is just going to make things worse."
Carter, shrugging nonchalantly but with a dangerous glint in his eye: "Yeah, yeah... just a thought."
Owen, rolling his eyes with a dull expression: "That's exactly how it starts."
Before Carter could reply, Kurumu came bounding out of class, spotting Owen. Her face lit up.
Kurumu, practically shouting: "OWEN!" She ran to him, arms wide, before scooping him up and twirling him around effortlessly. "I missed you so much! I couldn't stop thinking about you during class!"
Owen, awkwardly: "Really? Golly, you're really into making this work, huh?"
Kurumu, beaming: "I do. Even though your grumpy older brother over there isn't thrilled about it." She shot Carter a smug look.
Carter, crossing his arms, his voice dripping with sarcasm: "Oh, believe me, I've got opinions. If Owen wasn't here, you wouldn't even glance his way. You'd still be drooling over your so-called 'harem king', trying—and failing—to get his attention."
Kurumu, snarling in response, her playful demeanor shifting: "Say what you want, but I've moved on from Tsukune. Owen is my destined one now. At least I don't have to beg for his affection."
Carter, stepping closer, his tone sharp: "What did you really think was going to happen with Tsukune? That he'd suddenly notice you? Please. You were a side act at best. That's why he pawned you off on my little brother—"
Kurumu, voice rising, defensive: "It was my idea! I want to learn to love Owen! What do you know about love anyway?"
There was a moment of silence as Carter's eyes darkened, his expression dangerous.