My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
Chapter 139

Tarryn

Rainbow eyes swirl with anger as they lock on mine while a warm, familiar yet alien breath hits my skin. And even though it’s wrong, goosebumps prickle over my skin. The mate bond doesn’t understand my life is in grave danger, which is unfortunate.

Because I am.

Alex, my sweet mate and protector, has been replaced with a mindless beast. He inspires fear in my veins and my head pounds with alarm.

I should run, but I can’t.

I’m dangling in front of Alex’s hideous face, unable to grasp the ground as those sharp teeth come closer. Am I about to get eaten by my own fated mate? Is this how it all ends?

That thought makes me stop squirming. Instead, I lift my chin as a last resort and hold Alex’s gaze. He doesn’t look like himself. The horn is still sounding, angering him on some other plane. It’s how Marissa controls her foxes; in a sense, I’m glad.

Alex didn’t choose to hurt me himself.

I won’t blame him for my death. He growls at me again, but I’m not afraid of him. No, I’m sad, sad that our story ends here.

A small smile curls my lips. “Alex… I’m sorry. I never got to tell you that no matter what, I love you. Even if you’re a monster and no longer a werewolf, I still love you.”

He bares his teeth at me, hissing loudly. I smile in response, which seems to both confuse and anger him. An unhappy sound leaves his jaws, and the winds pick up. I’m assuming it’s Alex controlling them.

“You’re stronger now,” I smile at him. “With all your tails, I bet there is a lot of magic coursing in your veins.”

“That’s the thought.”

I turn around at the sound of the new voice and notice an elderly werewolf standing between two trees. She isn’t facing me but stroking the muzzle of another fox experiment.

Marissa?

I study her in silence. She is wearing a black trenchcoat, and her greying hair flows around her wrinkly face. Age is visible on her skin, but this werewolf is still gorgeous, like a fallen angel.

She scratches underneath the skin of her monstrous beast, not even bothering me a glance. “As you may have guessed, I’m the Luna of the Howler pack. The mother of Blaze, who your pack heartlessly murdered in that Alpha tournament.”

My eyes narrow. “It was a duel to the death—he died fair and square. Misha isn’t to blame for his death. Blaze knew the rules before accepting to participate in the tournament.”

Marissa finally regards me. Her eyes are cold, her face a mask of ice, and her lips pull into a scowl. “Enough,” she says and looks up at Alex with a fake smile touching her mouth. “End her.”

I freeze into a block of ice and slowly lift my chin to face Alex. His teeth are still showing, and his expression hasn’t changed. My mate still wishes to end me, which is… disappointing.

I had hoped to build a life together with him.

“For all it’s worth, I won’t blame you for my death, Alex,” I say in a low tone and exhale. I’m perfectly calm. “Marissa is the murderer and not you; remember that when I’m gone.”

I let my lips form a smile, which, to my surprise, affects Alex. His mouth slowly closes, and we are just staring at each other for a moment. I have no clue what is happening inside his big head or why he won’t blink, but Marissa is growing impatient.

“Why isn’t she dead yet?!” Marissa hisses. “End her!”

Alex doesn’t listen to Marissa. He lifts his other hand, and those gnarly fingers, half-human, half-fox, stretch out. They are each equipped with a sharp claw, and Alex uses the one belonging to his pointer finger to briefly touch my lips while he is entirely silent.

It’s weird.

My eyes are bugging out of my head. I’m unsure where Alex’s fascination with my mouth comes from. Still, I’m not complaining. I rather have him touch my lips than be dead.

“Alex!” Marissa hisses.

Alex continues to ignore the woman and… smiles? What in the world is going on here?

“You… have… a pretty… smile…” Alex says in his deep, guttural voice that is too demonic to be considered normal.

And yet, I have freaking butterflies swooping down into my belly from the compliment he gave me. Holy s**t. Does this mean Alex is back in control of his mind and body?

I stare at him, and Alex carefully sets me down on the ground without looking away from my face. Our gazes are locked, and Marissa snarls behind us, frustrated.

“Alex, what are you doing?! You’re supposed to be killing—”

Alex reaches out his hand and grabs Marissa. She lets out a sound that reminds me of a squeaky toy being picked up too violently. Her legs are kicking in the air too, but Alex isn’t bothered.

“You…” Marissa is forcing out words while struggling to breathe. Her face is rapidly turning purple. “You… won’t solve… anything… by killing me… I have clones… I’m not the… original…”

“Alex doesn’t care,” Alex says, and then he closes his fist around the woman and kills her like nothing. Her fox companion snarls, but Alex finishes it off with his other hand around its throat.

He is seriously fast.

And strong.

He snaps its neck like it’s a mere toy.

Ugh, I think I’m going to be sick.

There is b***d everywhere. I’m forced to look away. My mate might be this brutal demon that can kill without flinching, but I don’t share that quality. Even now, I’m fighting the urge to barf, but, in the end, I can’t hold it in and end up puking over my shoes.

“Great…” I comment. “These tennies shoes were new.”

In front of me, Alex is changing back to his human form, and immediately, his lips pull into a sad smile. “I’m sorry about your shoes. I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to end Marissa while I had the chance, even if she was a clone… if that part was true, that is.”

“It probably was,” it wouldn’t honestly surprise me. “Marissa is crazy and probably has a lot of more illegal experiments in her basement.”

“Yes…” Alex scratches the back of his head, burying his fingers in his wispy, black hair. “Speaking of Marissa’s experiments, we might want to replace Misha and help him defeat the fox experiments.”

“Right,” I beam at him. “But please stay in your human form. I’ve… had enough of foxes for this entire year.”

Alex laughs at that. “Roger… should we go then?”

“Yes, but first…” I close the distance between us and place my hands on his broad chest. He lifts an eyebrow at me as I stand on my tip toes, and I’m forced to stifle a laugh. “I’m trying to k**s you, Alex…”

“Oh…” he grins. “Why?”

“Because you’re back as yourself? Because you didn’t kill me? Because you’re my mate? Geez, Alex. Do I need a reason?”

He laughs again. “I suppose not…” his eyes suddenly grow serious. “By the way… did you mean that thing about being in love with me regardless of what I am?”

“Of course I did… why?”

His face grows emotional, and before I know it, my feet leave solid ground as he lifts me up for a hug. “Because it was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me… thank you, Tarryn. For existing and being my mate.”

I blush. “It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“It was,” Alex wraps his muscular arms around me. “And stop trying to downplay it. You saved me from madness by speaking that sentence. You’re my hero, Tarryn.”

My face heats up even more, and my heart kicks up speed when Alex k****s me hard on the lips.

“You’re my favorite person, Tarryn. My mate. My lover. My hero, and hopefully my future wife. I love you too.”