My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
Chapter 79

Josie

I rouse from my sleep and g***n when I feel a slight pain in my body. Holy s**t. What is this headache even? The throbbing makes me curl up like a cheese doodle.

“You okay?”

The deep voice from above prompts my eyes to shoot up and take in my surroundings.

My lips are dangerously close to a large, pink n****e, and an incredibly veiny, muscular arm is around my shoulders. Also, I’m curled up against Misha’s huge naked body. He might be wearing boxers, but his broad chest? Entirely naked!

I feel my heart struggling not to hammer against my ribcage.

After my duel with Misha, I should be mad at him for using magic when he promised he wouldn’t—he almost murdered me in our battle! But how can I be angry when he lies next to me, looking like a goddamn Calvin Klein model?!

“M-Misha…” I say his name slowly, yet it doesn’t remove the nervous tone from my voice. “W-what are you doing in my bed?”

“I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t suffer any frostbite injuries,” Misha practically purrs, which must be some weird vampire trait. Werewolves don’t purr, but I don’t hate it?

I am, however, pissed at him. “You’re brave for being in my bed after that stunt you pulled!”

I sit up and kick the blanket off my legs. It’s meant to be a display of frustration, but I’m met with a sight that leaves me with instant regret: Misha’s body is gorgeous. He is sprawled out on my bed with smooth skin draped over insanely huge muscles. Total snacc. His “innocent” smile tells me he is perfectly aware of his attractiveness.

What a bastard…

I inhale deeply, ashamed to admit my eyes are betraying me by being immediately drawn to his boxers. And hoo boy. The guy is packing! I keep staring, and Misha clears his throat above me.

“Wow…” he feigns shock. “My eyes are up here, Josie!”

I jerk in surprise and lift my eyes. Misha is smirking at me, and my cheeks turn hot. I wish I could blame looking at his massive baseball bat on some sort of morning dizziness but nope. That was all me…

“Umm…” I have no clue what to say. “Good morning?”

He seems to stifle a laugh. “Sleep well?”

“Kind of…” I’m hyperaware of the fact I’m between his arm and chest. I have no clue where to look. Everywhere I turn, there is just so much of… Misha. Muscles. Beautiful eyes—

Wait.

“Your eyes…” I mumble. “They are odd-colored now… one red, one blue… like the ones belonging to your dad.”

“Mhm…” his lips curl. “My wolf accepted me,” he murmurs and brushes back my hair with gentle fingers. “But I’m not at my full strength yet. I need human b***d, and I need to be mated too.”

He looks at me expectantly.

Oh boy.

I’m tempted to growl at him. “Misha… you used your magic against me and almost killed me, and now you expect me to take you into my bed with open arms? And wait, do you also want my b***d now?!”

“I do,” Misha admits, a worried look on his handsome face. When I snarl at him, his expression softens. “Oh, come on, Josie… don’t be like that,” he rubs his nose against me. “Don’t hate me… you can still become my luna and rule by my side.”

I get it now. Misha is a genius because we aren’t anywhere close to being this intimate with each other. But this alpha right here? He is using the mate bond against me. I’m craving his touch without wanting it, and it’s melting my anger.

Also, why does he have to be a walking daydream? He is just so yummy, and it’s not fair! I hate that I don’t hate him!

“Misha,” I say gently. This is difficult. I’m mad at him, but my ovaries are tingling around him. “I would advise you to leave my bed quickly before I get real mad at you… I need time to cool down.”

“Oh…” Misha grimaces and sighs deeply. “But I don’t want to leave. I made it to the tournament’s second stage and won’t be battling anyone until tomorrow…”

“Misha…” I warn.

He seems to get the hint and sits up, and my eyes land on his a*s—totally against my will! I swear it wasn’t on purpose! I mean… it’s a lovely and shapely butt, and goddamn, those glutes are just a chef’s k**s, but checking him out wasn’t my intention!

And while I should look away, my eyes stay glued to the Greek s*x god even as he stands up to stretch his arms.

“Just so you know…” he cracks his shoulders. “I’m not mad at you at all for what happened.”

I lift an eyebrow. “You have something to be mad about?”

“You have magic, too,” he points out flatly. “And you never told me about that.”

“It was tactical.”

“Yes, but… can you blame me for using magic when you used magic as well? That seems a bit unfair and hypocritical.”

“Oh… I guess that’s true…”

“Mmm, but I’m not mad.”

Guilt pierces through my chest when Misha says he isn’t mad at me for keeping my magic a secret, and I stare down at the bedsheets in shame. I’m glad that I’m at least clad in pajamas, or I would feel more naked—

“Wait,” I look up at Misha. “How did my clothes change?”

A look of pride washes over his face. He looks as if he has achieved something great. “I helped you change your clothes after I carried you back here. I struggled with your bra, but I managed.”

“What?!” I shriek, horrified. “But why?!”

“Are you bothered by that?” Misha laughs as if I’m being silly. “Come on. I’ve seen you naked before. We are shifters.”

“Yes, but you touched me—that’s different!”

“Oh…” Misha looks apologetic now. “Are you sensitive about that? Worried or something? Because sure, you might not have the biggest boobs or any boobs at all, but I still think that you are—”

“OH MY GOD!” I throw a pillow at him, insulted by his words. “Are you insane? That’s not what you tell a girl after seeing her naked, you i***t!”

He grabs the pillow. Of course, he does…

I glare at him, and Misha looks confused as heck. “Wait, are you mad at me now?”

“YES!” I growl. “And why are you still standing there? Get out of my room! How did my parents even let you come in here?!”

Misha grins. “Your dad said I fought with elegance and that he was impressed by me. He even took me into the family!”

“WHAT?!” I’m furious now. “MY DAD DID THAT WITHOUT ASKING ME?! AND HE LET YOU INTO MY ROOM?!”

Misha doesn’t even seem to understand I’m mad. He is still smiling like a goddamn fool. “Your mom said something about wanting grandchildren. She said it might be too early for that, though, and to be on the safe side, she gave me these…”

He bends down to pick up his jeans from the floor and fish something from his pocket. My eyes nearly bug out of my skull when he triumphantly holds up a strawberry condom package.

“Tada!”

Tada?

TADA?!

“Get out…” I can barely control my voice at this point. Not only is Misha moving way too fast in whatever this is, but now even my parents are rooting for him… this is pure hell, and I’m shaking. My parents are both traitors.

“I am on my way…” Misha is struggling to get into his jeans. They are a tight fit, and the i***t is trying to pull it over his shapely—oh my god, I need to get a grip!

“And don’t forget to close the door on your way out,” I growl in a bitter voice. I’ve never been this turned on, angry, frustrated, and pissed off all at the same time.

“Oh, I will close it, alright…” Misha mutters and pouts at me. “And just so you know, I don’t think you have any right to be mad at me. I did what needed to be done, and I expect an apology later…”

Misha isn’t wrong, and I’m not really mad at him. It’s just that… my pride has been wounded. I feel weak for losing to him so quickly in the second round, and I’m struggling to accept my defeat.

And yes, my mood isn’t fair to Misha, but if I just had some time to cool off, I would get over it. Instead, my parents sent Misha to my room with a freaking condom! That’s what I’m mad about!

I look at Misha again, only to feel my mouth salivate at the view of his ripped abs. For f**k’s sake… I avert my eyes to the wall. If I look at Misha a second longer, I might jump his bones.

“Are you really mad at me?” Misha suddenly asks in a low tone. “You didn’t congratulate me on my victory. That makes me worried…”

My attention goes back to Misha. “Congratulations…”

“Thanks…” Misha’s lips twitch, and then he gives me a defeated smile with furrowed eyebrows. “But I might not win the tournament.”

This surprises me. “Why?”

“Alpha Blaze is mated to someone. The pack updated me on that, and I won’t reach my full potential unless…”

Misha doesn’t finish that sentence; he doesn’t have to. I know what he is getting at, and I sigh.

“You still have to win a couple of more rounds before you are in the finals, and since you were on the opposite side of the rooster of Blaze, you might face him until then.”

Misha tilts your head. “What is your point?”

A slow blush creeps over my face. “Give me time…”

Misha pauses, and for a long moment, he simply stares at me. I’m about to ask him what is wrong, but then a slow, happy smile curls his lips, blowing me away. He is truly breathtaking…

“Thank you,” an easy grin moves over his lips. “But you still need to apologize to me for being grumpy.”

“What?!” I exclaim. “I offer to think about finishing the mate bond, and now you’re playing hard to get?!”

Misha laughs, but he doesn’t respond. He is already by the door and winks at me over his shoulder. “I’m only one room away.”

With that, he leaves, and I pout like a petulant child.

I won’t replace Misha anytime soon. My pride has been shattered by my embarrassing loss. I can barely face Misha without thinking about it. So finishing the mating ritual is the last thing on my mind, but I don’t want Misha to lose to alpha Blaze.

So what do I do?