My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
Chapter 32

Lydia

I can’t believe this. Can I never have a normal moment in this freaking werewolf community?

For the second time in my life, I’m being kidnapped. KIDNAPPED! The first time was a failure, but Kade might actually succeed this time. The portal he seems to be aiming for isn’t far away! I can hear the zapping sounds from it, and I’m guessing that is where the humongous creature is taking me.

I trash on his shoulder to show my disdain. But since I’m not winning any battle against the humongous white-colored lycan, I shape-shift back into a human.

Kade doesn’t even notice.

He is over ten feet tall and basically made of rock-hard muscles. Mom, John, and Jinora are chasing him in wolf form, but I doubt there is much they can do against the lycan prince. The man is his own army. Built to hold his own in a fight.

I snarl. “Put me down!”

Kade ignores me.

I slap his muscular back. “RELEASE ME!”

Still no response.

“Kade, could we talk this through? How cliché isn’t it that you’re k********g me? Like, in every mafia romance story or werewolf novel, there is always a kidnapping.”

The lycan twists its head, glaring at me, who is spread like butter over its boulder-like shoulder. Yet I’m not frightened. I’m beyond irritated, mostly because I really need to puke.

“And I’m sorry, but—”

I don’t even get the chance to finish my sentence before I royally throw up once Kade runs over a field of small rocks. I’ve been feeling terrible this entire morning, and being manhandled like this isn’t helping my headache.

“I’m so sorry…” I grimace. “My breakfast sandwich is all over your beautiful white fur.”

Kade rolls his purple eyes at me. It almost makes me laugh to see him show attitude. Almost.

We are right by the portal to his dimension. The thing is snapping in the background, but a white-haired vampire blocks our path.

This surprises Kade, who stops running to stare down at the woman. Her scent is that of roses—one familiar to Avery’s, but hers lacks the essence of the forest. If I were to guess, I would say this must be Avery’s mother in the flesh standing before us.

She is gorgeous and carries some resemblance to her son: high cheekbones and a perfect jawline. Both of them also have thick eyebrows over their big, glistening eyes.

“Hello, Kade,” she says and smiles our way. It hurts my neck to face her, yet I replace myself unable to turn away. Especially when her doe-eyes glow like the most precious of rubies. “You must be Lydia. The girl who has been hanging out with my son.”

A shudder sweeps down my spine, and I am surprised when Kade holds me tighter. I get the sense he doesn’t trust this vampire woman either, and I realize there are nuances of evil: Avery’s mother is playing on another team than Kade.

So they are enemies?

Interesting.

I w.et my l!ps. “That would be me. And you… You are Victoria, the vampire queen, am I correct?”

“Indeed,” her expression turns predatory. Those eyes of hers seem more interested after I’ve spoken. “And you have the heart of Chang’e inside of you. How exciting. I wonder if I need to kill you to get it out?”

“K-kill me?” I ask, and I’m unsure if it’s my imagination, but even Kade seems to turn tense upon hearing those words.

“That’s right,” Victoria keeps smiling prettily at me and bats her long eyelashes. She is gorgeous for a villain. “I need to get it out of you somehow, right? So prepare to die, werewolf!”

Right when it looks like the vampire might jump me, my fellow pack members growl and snap before they throw themselves at the vampire queen. But it seems a few oversized wolves stand no match against possibly one of the most powerful original vampires on this entire planet.

Victoria laughs in response and dances to avoid their attacks. If one were to judge the situation from only her face, she looks like she might be playing with dogs rather than dodging deadly bites.

It’s weirdly fascinating to watch. Victoria is skilled on the field, and for a moment, I forget we are under attack. I’m too taken by her fluid movements. She is… gorgeous. Her white hair is dancing around her head like flames, and her eyes are weirdly calculating, as if she is reading her enemies’ movements before they happen.

A loud cry from a wolf brings me back to reality. Jinora is screaming, and John lunches off the ground to bite Victoria’s arm, ready to protect her. But the vampire queen flicks him off like a bug.

“I have to help them!” I shout and kick myself off Kade’s shoulder to shape-shift into a wolf.

Kade tilts his head, staring at me, but he doesn’t stop me from joining the fight. Neither does he help, but I didn’t expect as much. I’m only glad that I can finally aid my pack members. I snarl at the vampire, who whips around in surprise to eye me.

“Oh, you’re coming to play, Lydia?” Victoria lifts her chin and laughs in amusement. Her white-blonde hair spills around her shoulders as she avoids yet another attack from her ex-husband.

My stepfather snarls viciously, angry he didn’t catch her. Victoria, however, doesn’t seem phased. This is all but a game for her, and she smirks at the former alpha werewolf.

“You’re slower than ever before, John. Is your age finally catching up with you? Are your limbs hurting, old man? Do you need a nap? For the first time in history, I’m glad I don’t age! I could keep this up all day!”

The grey and white wolf belonging to John snaps at Victoria. My mom, brown with luscious fur, attacks her too.

But Victoria is tired of our games and kicks my mom away with incredible force. She crashes into a tree, back first, and then Victoria gets rid of Jinora. My friend whimpers when she is thrown away, and soon it’s me, and John left fighting the original vampire.

Kade is standing in the background, unsure who to help. I’m not paying him attention, but I cry in pain when Victoria grabs my scruff with lightning speed.

Her claws dig into my skin, and the vampire laughs. John tries to help me, but he is sent away with telekinesis. His back hits a tree, leaving me alone with Victoria.

“It’s only you and I now, pup,” Victoria smirks. “Avery is tracking a false trail and is busy protecting the city from the other vampires. He won’t come to your aid, and as for me?”

My eyes bulge out of their sockets when my paws leave the safety of the ground. Victoria’s l!ps curl higher in response. She is lifting me with her magic powers, hand now clasped around my muzzle. It hurts, but my pain only seems to amuse her.

She leans in closer, whispering into my ear. “I want the heart of Chang’e to make me stronger. It will help me conquer, so I’m sorry. Don’t take it personally, but you need to die.”

I whimper when her grip tightens around my neck. I can’t breathe. Her fingers are clamping tighter and tighter. It makes my throat burn. I can’t grasp for air and kick with my legs. I’m choking. For a second, I pass out, though somehow, I replace myself again. I’m fighting and fighting, but I can’t win against the magic.

My eyes are watering.

I want to scream, but there is no sound.

For a moment, I see the light. I even think, “this is it,” but that’s when Kade finally snaps to life. He snarls behind us, which makes Victoria laughs in entertainment. She gets so excited that she releases me. I fall to a heap on the ground, exhausted.

I can’t breathe fast enough to calm my racing heart. Victoria was really trying to kill me. I lift my head when that recognition settles in. Victoria is approaching the giant lycan with interest. s**t. Did Kade just save my life? Why?

Even Victoria seems surprised by this. “Why are you challenging me, Kade? I’m playing on your side. And even if you disagree with what I’m doing, there is nothing you can do. I’m stronger and far more powerful than you, lycan prince.”

Kade doesn’t back down. His claws are out, and his head is slightly lowered. He looks like a pissed off polar bear, only his head is that of a wolf, and his body is far more muscular. Tall. Strong. Massive. He steps forward to protect me and shows his long canine teeth, making Victoria laugh more in amusement.

“You might be larger than me, but I’m an original vampire—you would die in an instant, boy. Stop guarding that girl, and step aside, Kade. It would be in your best interest.”

Kade snorts as if disagreeing. His head moves up and down, calculating Victoria’s next move. I can only see his back, yet I replace him looking tough and fierce. Though, one should never underestimate a pure-blooded vampire. Victoria comes from a pure line and smiles when yet another threatening growl is sent her way.

“Well, if it’s a fight you want, you will get one, but I must warn you: this won’t even be fair!”

Kade and Victoria clash, and I stare at the two in disbelief. Who is Kade even fighting for? Why would he care if Victoria removed the gem from me by force? Nothing of this makes sense!