My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
Chapter 44

Lydia

I barely slept tonight.

Despite being pregnant, Avery wants me to train with the other werewolves every morning. It’s annoying waking up, but I understand his explanation for why I need to learn how to fight.

No one is safe with Victoria and her vampire clan wracking havoc. Everyone in the pack needs to get stronger, and that’s why I’m standing on a football field at six in the morning.

Avery, my gorgeous mate, is standing shirtless underneath the blazing sun. Thanks to being a hybrid, the sunlight doesn’t seem to bother him that much, but he is still squinting.

Such a beautiful man. Like every red-blooded female, I watch him with a dreamy smile and wish we could have stayed in bed.

Avery, however, doesn’t even notice the looks I throw at him. He is answering questions from new recruits and discussing different fighting techniques when you can’t shape-shift.

“Am I late to the party?”

I glance to my side and notice Jinora. Unlike her usual cheeriness, her cheeks are flushed, and there is still a glow around her. Something has changed, and I arch an eyebrow.

“Did you get laid?”

Her eyes grow round and wide, and her l!ps twitch. “I didn’t get laid… Or I was eaten out if that counts? But the guy had left me in the morning. It was a hit and run… Which is rather embarrassing because I was excited to wake up beside him. Once I noticed he wasn’t there, I felt so disappointed…”

“I’m sorry, Jinora,” I mean it and sigh heavily. “Some guys really are a.ssh0les, huh?”

She breathes a laugh. “I knew the guy was an a.ssh0le, but I chose to sleep with him anyway, so the joke is on me.”

“Might I ask who it was? Was it a pack member? I might know him.”

“Oh, you definitely know him, but let’s talk about this after the training session, okay? It’s a lot to dissolve.”

I hand her an easy smile. “Alright.”

The training continues, and I have a lot of fun with Jinora.

She is good at fighting in her wolf form and has to go easy on me, but I’m a quick learner. It seems I’m stronger than I thought, and during one sparring, I knocked Jinora on her back.

Her eyes widened, and then we shifted back into humans, laughing because I shocked us both with my raw strength.

I’m still rather proud of that moment, and now when I’m sitting on a blanket and eating breakfast, I can feel Avery’s heated gaze travel over me in admiration.

Jinora munches on her sandwich. “Our alpha definitely saw you beat me, and he is impressed,” she whistles lowly. “You’re going to get some of that a.ss tonight.”

My cheeks burn. “You think so?”

“I know so.”

I look at Avery and watch him spar with Owen. His n.aked upper body is sweaty from facing the other werewolf in his human form, yet he is easily holding his own. Probably due to his vampire genes.

I’m all smiles and admiration until I hear a few werewolf girls whispering on their breakfast blankets further away.

“I can’t believe Avery is mated to our omega.”

“Yes, it’s completely unfair.”

“Why her?”

“I know, right. Lydia isn’t even pretty.”

“Well, soon she will be fat too since she is pregnant, and maybe Avery will leave her then?”

My heart stops as I let their words sink in, and then I look down at my stomach, which already looks rounder. Not that I care. I might be getting fat, but I love the little pup growing inside me.

“Don’t listen to them,” Jinora interrupts my train of thought and pats my shoulder until I face her. She then smiles at me. “You’re absolutely glowing. This pregnancy will only make you more beautiful.”

Her words of encouragement go straight to my heart. “Thank you, Jinora. That is very kind of you to say.”

I keep eating breakfast until I notice Avery is surrounded by at least ten werewolves that aren’t from the newbies. They all shape-shift to snarling, snapping werewolves, and I freeze.

“What is happening?” I ask.

“Avery is looking for a new beta,” Jinora explains. “He said whoever beats him in his human form will get to take that position. And he is letting all werewolves fight him at the same time.”

“That doesn’t seem fair…”

Jinora laughs. “Don’t you believe in your mate?”

“I do,” I grin at her. “I think it’s unfair that there are ONLY ten werewolves against my bada.ss warrior of a mate.”

‘How flattering,’ I hear Avery chuckle inside my head. ‘Should I play nice with them? Make them think they stand a chance?’

Amusement grows within me as I study Avery’s broad, n.aked back under the blazing sun. His hands are balled into fists, and I see his eyes darting around as he scans his opponents.

I laugh. ‘Don’t go easy on the werewolves. Put on a show—I’m bored.’

Another chuckle. ‘Roger.’

Right then, the werewolves snap and charge at Avery. They are eager to attack him, but Avery moves out of the way to avoid every attack thanks to his mind-reading abilities.

It a pure bliss to watch him. He moves like a gracious dancer, and my body grows uncomfortably hot. I’m so w.et between my legs that I don’t know what to do with myself.

Avery throws a werewolf onto the ground, then kicks another away with the speed of lightning.

His muscles are bulging, and sweat glistens over his skin. It’s sexy knowing he is strong enough to hurt me as easily as these wolves, yet he always controls himself. Even when he is hungry for my b***d.

A whimper leaves my l!ps, and I widen my eyes. Horrified—and utterly aroused—I peel my eyes off my mate. f*uck. f*uck. f*uck! I’m burning even hotter, and I’m more than tempted to tackle Avery to the ground, straddle him, and grind down on his big thighs until I come.

s**t, where is all this l.ust coming from?

I’m uncomfortable with my own arousal and jerk in startlement when I hear Jinora laugh beside me. Seeing her amused face is like a splash of cold water over my face.

“Is someone getting a bit hot and bothered watching her mate fight on the battlefield?” Jinora teases.

I blush and push my legs together. The bad thing about the training session is that almost everyone is n.aked. No one bothers to put clothes on after shifting, and I’m positively w.et.

An exhalation escapes me. “I don’t know what is f*****g wrong with me. I can’t be in heat because I’m pregnant, yet I’m… I’m extremely desperate for my mate.”

Jinora giggles. “The mate bond makes you aroused when you’re not pregnant, but once you’re pregnant, the pregnancy makes you hornier—you can’t win, Lydia.”

Right then, I hear a growl inside my head. ‘Control your arousal, mate, or I will f**k you in front of everyone on that blanket. Your thirst for me is messing with my head, and I almost snapped off the neck of one of the men fighting me because I noticed him looking at your earlier. I’m a mess, Lydia. So please, please try to not think about s*x.’

‘I don’t know if I can…’ I can’t keep the g***n from my voice, even inside my head. ‘Your a.ss looks incredibly sexy in those tight sweatpants. I just want to go down on my knees and bite it.’

Avery makes a choking sound inside his head before he chuckles in absolute amusement. ‘F.uck… The pregnancy really is making you horny, huh? I’m barely keeping it together here…’

‘Welcome to my world.’

‘… I have to punish you later for tempting me.’

‘I love it when you s***k my a.ss.’

Avery snorts. ‘Dirty girl.’

‘Don’t pretend you don’t love it.’

‘Oh, I do… I love my mate very much.’

‘You love me?’

Avery briefly turns around to flash me a smile before focusing on the fight again. He beats the crap out of the werewolves who tried out for the beta position. No one made it. Shocker.

I watch my mate brush off his hands and then lift his chin. “Is there anyone else who would like to try for the position of becoming my beta? This time, I will hold back. I won’t use any of my vampire abilities, but the person needs to get me down on my back. I want a beta capable of fighting a vampire and putting on a good fight.”

The men in the pack exchange glances; some look like they desperately want the beta position. It would make them respected in the pack, and many werewolves secretly wish to be looked up upon. They want to feel appreciated. Strong. Capable.

Yet no one dares to challenge Avery.

My mate almost looks disappointed at that. “So there is really no one else who wishes to try becoming my second in command?”

Avery glances around again. Every werewolf man avoids making eye contact, knowing they would lose quickly. The ones that just fought him are bruised and battered, making Avery sigh.

“I guess I will try to replace someone tomorrow—”

“Wait.”

Everyone turns around when they hear the new voice, and I lift my eyebrows in surprise once I see Kade.

He is holding an apple in his hand and takes a big bite while looking rather bored. Shirtless and swollen with muscle. The man is an absolute snack and looks impressive with his scarred body.

“No one beat you, huh?” He asks.

Avery rakes Kade up and down, looking amused. “No… Have you come here to try for the position of beta? I thought you were the prince and the alpha of your pack.”

“I am, but I want what is best for my people. An alliance would do us good, seeing we have a common enemy: Victoria. She has the heart of Chang’e, which my people want back.”

“She does,” Avery says. “And what is your point?”

Kade grins. “Well, since my people need the heart of Chang’e more than they need me as their leader, how about we make a pact? I will bend the knee to you and swear an oath. I shall continue to be the leader of my people, but you will become my alpha. Your words shall become our law, and the only thing I want in return is the heart of Chang’e.”

Avery’s eyes flash with interest, and then he looks at me. “You tried to kidnap my luna, and I’m unsure if she has forgiven you enough to let your form an alliance with us.”

All heads turn to me, and I realize I’m expected to make a decision. Avery is looking at me too. His eyes are warm and trusting, making me understand that he will stand by me no matter what I choose.

I w.et my l!ps. “Kade, while I have no doubt your pack would help us immensely in the upcoming war against the vampires, I still wish to see your battle capabilities. So if you can put my mate on his back, I will gladly accept forming an alliance with your pack but with our pack being the one in command. You listen to us, not the other way around.”

Kade nods. “Of course,” he then faces Avery with a curious look in his purple, glowing eyes. “I’m not stupid enough to think I stand a chance against a dragon. So if we duel, I don’t want you shape-shifting.”

Avery chuckles. “I won’t shape-shift. In fact, I won’t use any vampiric abilities at all. What do you think about that?”

Kade’s eyes narrow. “I think that you underestimate me.”

“We will see about that, lycan.”