My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
Chapter 7

Lydia

“Avery, wait!” I try my hardest not to slip over any gnarled roots or rocks on the ground as I hurry after the grumpy alpha.

I’m panting when Avery turns around. “Oh, you caught up.”

“I did!” I take a deep breath. “But my short legs weren’t made for this!”

“No one’s legs were made for this,” Avery grumbles and stops in his tracks. It’s so sudden that I almost faceplant into his broad back, but he grabs my arm to steady me. His eyes focus on mine. “Haven’t you noticed that we have walked in circles?”

He lets go of my hand, and I look up at him, tilting my head. “Circles? What do you mean?”

“Yeah, there is magic at play here…”

Avery turns his head toward the house, and we both stand rooted in our spots when a hedge grows to block it. Green and tall enough to block out even the sunlight.

“That’s creepy,” I instinctively step closer to Avery. I’m unsure why, but it feels safe standing beside him.

“Agreed.”

I’m quiet for a while, and when I notice he isn’t moving, I lift my chin to face his thoughtful eyes. He seems to be deep in thought.

“What is it?” I ask.

“I’m just… I can’t use my own magic to get us out of this labyrinth,” he nods around us where bushes and trees are growing to, surprise, surprise, form a labyrinth.

“And why can’t you use your magic?”

“The magic comes from my vampire genes,” Avery mutters. “And he isn’t here exactly—”

“Are you looking for me?”

We both turn around, and charming vampire Avery waves at us both. I smile at him while the grumpy Avery sighs.

“Where did you even come from? And please don’t tell me this labyrinth is created by your magic.”

“It’s not,” the charming Avery says. “But if you accept me, we could easily return to our world.”

“What do you mean our world?” I’m having trouble staying calm right now. The air smells weird, and it’s making my skin crawl. “Isn’t this our world?”

“No, it’s not,” grumpy Avery sighs. “We were somehow sent here, and we got to move before we are found by the creatures living here. My guess would be there are minotaurs. They like to hunt in mazes.”

“Minotaurs?” I blink repeatedly. “But how were we even sent here?”

The grumpy Avery growls. “My guess would be this is the work of my mother… A test, if you may… She has… I’ve heard her voice in my dreams, and this must be some sort of trial.”

“She wants to see what we are capable of doing as a hybrid,” the charming Avery hands me a smile and steps forward to meet the eyes of the other Avery. “And we won’t get out of here unless you combine with me once and for all.”

“I don’t want to!” grumpy Avery snaps. “Do you even realize what that would mean for us?! I don’t want to turn into some never-aging freak! I would have to drink b***d!”

“And what is so wrong about that?! It’s who you are!” the charming Avery is angry now, finally growing back. “Stop fighting what and who you are, and just accept me! We are the same!”

“No!” grumpy Avery shakes his head as if trying to ward off the other version of himself. It pains me to see. “I don’t want to turn into a vampire! I’m fine just being a werewolf!”

I glance between them and notice that grumpy Avery is shaking. His breaths are coming out in cropped chops, and my heart feels for him when he bends forward to breathe.

His ocean eyes appear haunted, and his face is turning pale. He must be in inner pain, which saddens me. I understand that accepting that you’re a hybrid must be challenging, but the charming Avery is right.

Avery can’t keep fighting who he is. It’s not healthy and pretending to be something he is not… Well…

“Listen,” I place my hand on grumpy Avery’s shoulder and offer him a kind smile when he looks at me. “You and I don’t know each other.”

“No shit.”

I try not to laugh when he glares at me.

I’m beginning to understand Avery uses his moodiness as a defense mechanism. But if I try my hardest to push that aside, perhaps we can make progress?

“I was going to say that even though I don’t know you, you should accept your vampire self. You need it to break down whatever magic keeps us here, and don’t you want to grow stronger as an alpha?”

“I don’t need to grow stronger as an alpha,” he mutters. “There is peace in our city.”

“For now,” the charming Avery shrugs. “You and me both know that mama vampire is interested in taking over Lavender City…”

“Is that true?” I ask worriedly. Before the werewolves took over Lavender City, the vampires ruled. But they haven’t been seen for years. “Are the vampires coming back?”

The charming Avery answers the question with another question. “Why else would that mother of ours be testing us?”

“For once, he is right,” the grumpy Avery mutters and straightens himself to his full height. His eyes size me up before she speaks. “Listen… If I accept my vampire self, I will need b***d…”

“You can count on me!” I beam up at him and lift my arm to curl it. My bicep isn’t huge; it’s tiny, yet I make the silly gesture anyway.

Avery’s response is to snort and shake his head at me. Both of them seem amused before they look at each other.

“Should we?” the charming Avery asks.

The grumpy one sighs. “What other choice is there?”

I smile at them when they grab each other’s hand, but it falters from my lips when the ground shakes. Heavy grunts are coming from behind one of the green walls, and my panic spikes up.

“Guys…” I mumble and sniff the air to confirm my concerns—there is some bull or cow creature on the other side of the hedge. The air reeks of their stank, and I lower my voice. “I think we got company…”

After I’ve said those words, a loud warcry fills the air, and a giant angry creature swings an axe to destroy the hedge. It’s standing on two legs like a human but resembles a cow.

I stare at it and shrink back.

The creature must be ten feet tall!

I can’t peel my eyes away from the monstrosity. Its fur is dark brown, and its eyes are entirely black. It has a bull’s face, and the only human part on its body are two massive hands holding its weapon.

“Intruders shall die!” the creature expresses through a demonic voice and locks its eyes on me. “Time for you to die!”

I shriek when the axe is thrown in my direction. I barely dodge it in time and fly to the left when the minotaur rushes in to fight. It’s panting and growling, and I shape-shift into a wolf to better avoid its attacks.

Glistening, beautiful obsidian-colored fur grows over my skin. There is a purple sheen to the hairs on my back, and my claws bury in the ground. It hurts. My limbs c***k and rebuild while my clothes are torn to shreds.

It’s been a long time since I shape-shifted, and the transformation stretches my skin. I’m not used to this. I seldom shape-shift, but it’s necessary.

I’m faster like this, but I’m not the best fighter as the omega.

“A werewolf!” the minotaur is now laughing. “You will be turned into a beautiful pelt!”

A pelt?

No, I don’t want that!

Somehow, I got to defeat this minotaur, but I can’t do it alone! What is Avery doing?!

I glance at my alpha and widen my eyes when I notice there is only one of him now. He is looking down at his palm, and his eyes are odd-colored when he lifts his chin. One is ocean blue and the other red—he must have finally accepted his vampire side!

“Oh, this feels great…” Avery cracks his massive shoulders before smirking at the minotaur. “Hello there.”

The greeting makes the minotaur narrows its eyes. “I didn’t even notice there were two of you,” it comments and sniffs the air. “Looks like I will have two werewolf pelts!”

The colossal creature picks up its axe from the grass and charges at Avery, who stands deathly still. What is he doing?! I expect him to move out of the way, but Avery stands entirely still before lifting his arm.

With ease, he pinches the sharp blade of the axe between his thumb and forefinger without seeming to break a sweat. The minotaur, however, growls and desperately tries to push and pull.

“How the f**k are you so strong?!” the minotaur growls. “My axe… My axe won’t move! Who are you? And what are you?!”

“A hybrid,” Avery smiles darkly. “And I’m sorry, but… I’m getting tired of this game. See you in hell, love.”

With that, Avery flings away the axe, and I freeze, shocked when the head of the minotaur is chopped off in the process. That was some insanely powerful throw.

I stare at Avery and turn back into a human. My clothes are destroyed, and I stand naked, eyeing my alpha. His aura is darker than before. Power comes off him in waves.

I cannot peel my eyes off him and freeze when Avery looks at me with a hard-to-read expression. That face appears emotionless, and a shudder slips down my spine when he approaches me.

s**t.

So much larger than me and without giving me a hint of what he is thinking—it’s nothing short of frightening. I tremble slightly, something which doesn’t go unnoticed.

Avery picks up on that but says nothing.

He keeps moving until he is looming above me, only inches away. I have to crane my neck to meet his eyes. He is such a beautiful man, but he is radiating power now.

I can’t stop shaking as I stand in front of him, and Avery places his mammoth hands on my shoulders once I do.

I meet his eyes and feel a calm wash over me. It’s a distraction, I realize. A compulsion to make me forget he is dangerous, but I don’t want to be brainwashed.

“Don’t…” I whisper.

Avery widens his eyes in surprise, whispering. “How else am I supposed to drink from you? You’re afraid of me.”

“How could I not be? No offense, but… I just saw you throw an axe twice my height with only your fingertips.”

“Okay,” Avery appears amused, yet keeps on whispering in a soothing voice. “The next time we are in danger, I will remember to pretend I’m weaker.”

I breathe a laugh. Avery is messing with me.

“Even though I’m shaking… I want this to be real,” I swallow thickly and give him a faint smile. I can’t keep the tremble from my voice, but I’m trying. “I don’t want you to control how I feel… Just let me be afraid. I will let you drink from me… Just don’t hurt me.”

“I would never hurt you,” he vows in a heartfelt whisper and brushes a finger over my chin while coming closer. My heart races as Avery opens his mouth to reveal sharp canine teeth. “But this might sting a little. Is that alright with you?”

“Just do it. Bite me.”

His lips twitch. “Alright.”

I hold my breath, whimpering when Avery bites my neck. His teeth sink into my skin, and I buckle forward. I’m too weak to stand, but he holds me in place and allows me to collapse against his broad chest.

He smells like wild roses and the forest—vampire and werewolf mixed together. It brings a smile to my lips even as I feel myself growing dizzy from the b***d loss.

Avery finally accepted himself.