My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
Chapter 147

Alex

How do you stop hating yourself?

I stare at the wall. It’s in the middle of the night, and I can’t sleep inside my prison cell. Josie offered to let me into one of the rooms upstairs instead, but I told her I didn’t want to move from the dungeons, even if it’s cold. This is where I belong.

I’m a monster, and at least Misha agrees with me. He has seen inside my head. My Alpha knows about the troubling demon within me and has sworn to replace a cure for me. I will forever be in his debt if he can do that for me, and until then, I shall remain in the dungeons. I don’t mind. I will rather be locked up than free, where I might hurt people.

I sigh at that thought and close my eyes. Sleep won’t come easy, but I should at least try. I lean my head against the wall, relaxing until I hear a loud thump outside the door leading into the pack dungeons.

Are they going to feed me in the middle of the night?

My eyes travel to the hatch, and I listen as it opens and someone climbs down the ladder. It doesn’t look like Josie. She is taller than this person—whoever has come to visit me is tiny and wearing a hoodie. I sniff the air to identify them, freezing when I realize it’s my mate.

“Tarryn?!” I whisper-yell in disbelief. “What are you doing here?!”

My mate removes the hood hiding her head, and uses her cell phone to cast light on my face. I close my eyes in response. “Oh, sorry,” she dims the light and walks forward until she is standing on the other side of the metal bars. “I didn’t realize how bright the light was. s**t. I didn’t permanently blind you or something, did I?”

“No, and it’s no problem,” I squint at her, but I still can’t see much. My eyes aren’t used to bright lights anymore. I’ve spent more than a week in the dungeons. “What are you doing here? Did Josie let you come and see me?”

“Josie was the one who let me inside. She is a good friend, but I’m not here to see you, Alex—I’m here to free you.”

My throat goes dry. “Wait, what?”

Did I mishear her?

“You heard me,” Tarryn fishes up a key from her pocket, sticking it into the keyhole with a determined expression. “I don’t know how long it will take Misha to replace a cure for you. The chances are that it will take years, so our best bet is to leave the pack behind—Josie and my family agree with me. They know you will keep me safe, so we are leaving.”

Does she seriously wish to leave with me?

I let out a huff of laughter, not knowing what to say. I’m too shocked to replace words. I should probably tell Tarryn that her idea is crazy and that she should leave me, but… I’m happy. No one has ever put me first. I’m overjoyed that Tarryn is willing to leave her beautiful family, her best friend, and the entire pack for my sake.

She is amazing.

But… At the same time, I can’t let her sacrifice all of that just to be with me. I care about her too much to let her throw away her entire life.

“Tarryn…” I give her a pained smile from where I sit on the floor. “I can’t let you leave your family and everyone you love just to be with me. It’s not fair. You shouldn’t have to give one thing up to have another.”

“Don’t worry, Alex. Our absence from the pack will be temporary. We will come back,” Tarryn says, all determined. “I’m confident that with the right training, you and your demon can make peace and learn to accept each other. It will take time, but it will happen.”

I sigh. “Tarryn… if this is about me killing my dad, I didn’t do it because my demon told me to—I did it because the old bastard had it coming for him.”

“Oh, I fully agree with that,” Tarryn unlocks the door and opens it with a smile. “But I know that you’re struggling with your inner demon. Misha told Josie, and Josie told me—I’m aware of the inner conflict taking place in your head.”

I stare up at her. “And yet you’re here and not afraid of me?”

“Of course,” her lips curve higher up her face. “You’re my mate, Alex, and we have been through a lot—I know you wouldn’t hurt me. You’re way too nice and possessive for that. I feel safer with you than I do without you.”

My heart swells hearing that. “Do you mean those words?”

“Yes,” Tarryn squats by my side and talks while removing my handcuffs. “It’s been lonely sleeping without you,” she meets my eyes and sighs. “I still can’t fall asleep without you by my side. I must wait until I’m so tired that I just pass out. I miss you, Alex.”

I can’t hold back anymore. As soon as I’m no longer stuck to the wall, I stand up to my full height and pull Tarryn into me. I’m naked since I haven’t accepted any of the clothes Josie has offered, and I’m grateful for that now when Tarryn’s hands stroke my sides, even going as far as to cop a feel as if she can’t help herself.

It makes me smile wider and bury my nose in her hair. “I’ve missed you too, shortie.”

She snorts but doesn’t say anything. I understand why. We have spent so many days apart that our bodies are healing right now. Her touch is magical, and I inhale deeply to get rid of the pain I’ve felt from being separated from my mate.

Tarryn sobs. “Why didn’t you let me come and visit you?”

I stroke her back, ashamed of my answer before it even comes out. “I was afraid I would change my mind about being locked up in here if I saw you. It would make me miss you even more and I would give up on punishing myself for the crime I’ve done.”

“That’s stupid…”

I smile and breathe a laugh. “I know.”

“Never do that again. I’m not a violent person, Alex. But if you ever leave me again, I will kick your stupid a*s.”

I don’t doubt she will. My mate is tiny, but there is this fierceness in her—I believe pissing off Tarryn would be a scarier sight than pissing off our Luna, which is good. I like that Tarryn has something of a lion caged inside of her.

“Make those words a promise,” I lean down to brush my lips against her cheek. She shudders in response, and I whisper. “Because if I’m ever stupid enough to leave you again, then I deserve to have my a*s kicked.”

Tarryn giggles. “Deal.”