My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
Chapter 83

Josie

I’ve agreed to start dating Misha, but I told him that romance comes before any mating, and I mean it. The last thing I want is to feel as if I’m used solely for the purpose of him getting stronger, so here we are, bonding by the lake. It’s a little bit awkward. I replace him attractive, but I don’t feel like I know him that well anymore.

He just looks so different… older… bigger… and his muscles make me dumb, okay?

“Beautiful weather, isn’t it?” Misha asks.

“Yeah…”

An awkward silence falls, and I grow more uncomfortable by the minute. What do I do? I need to think of a topic because the last thing I want is for my mate to replace me boring!

“The battle you won today, was it… um… a hard challenge?” I ask even though I know the answer. Misha beat that other werewolf easily, but… I guess I don’t know what else to talk about.

“No, it wasn’t…” Misha squints his eyes at me, and a soft smile crosses his lips.

Since I don’t know how to continue the conversation, I take my time to absorb the sight of him.

He is lying shirtless on his back in the sand, basking in the sunlight. Drool. Would he mind if I took a picture? The view is honestly to die for. Misha’s thick arms are folded underneath his head, which does magical things to his biceps. They are bulging proudly and look almost bronze in the sunset light.

Why does he have to be so handsome?

Looking at Misha makes me self-conscious, and I pull my legs to my body, hugging them to my chest. He said those things about my breasts, and sure we all say stupid s**t, but… did he mean it?

I swallow thickly. “Can I ask you something weird?”

Misha glances at me. “Shoot.”

“Do you wish I had larger breasts?”

There isn’t an immediate answer. For many moments, Misha just blankly stares at me. It’s as if my question shocked him so much that it rendered him speechless. The picture of his face is hilarious, and I breathe a laugh.

“You going to answer today, or what?” I ask, amused by his widening eyes and gaping mouth. He looks like a goldfish…

“Oh, right… sorry… I just…” he nervously laughs, which is odd. Is this the first time I see him blush? He gazes deeply into my eyes with an apologetic expression. “Look, if this is about what I said about your breasts, then I’m sorry… I was nervous and just rambled random stuff without thinking…”

I grin at him. “Oh, so the mighty Misha actually gets nervous sometimes?”

He snorts. “Of course I do! Doesn’t everyone?” there are dimples on either side of his face. “Especially around pretty girls.”

I freeze, then pick up some grass and throw it in his face.

“Hey!” he exclaims. “What did you did you do that for?!”

Misha snorts and tries to blow the grass away from his face while laughing, probably bewildered as to why I would throw it in his face, but why wouldn’t I? It’s embarrassing to have him flirt with me! My heart is pounding, and s**t, and I’m not used to that!

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what got over me…” I do know, though. I’m crushing on my own mate, and I don’t know how to take his compliments without breaking out…

Also, since I’m a virgin and we are dating each other now, it won’t be long before I eventually will… s**t.

I look back at Misha, who smiles radiantly at me with some of the grass gathered under his nose. “What do you think about my new green mustache?” he wriggles his eyebrows. “Pretty sexy, eh?”

Oh my god.

I’m mated to an i***t!

When Misha wrinkles his nose and then looks sad about the grass falling into his chest, I c***k up.

“Some fearful future alpha you are…” I can’t fight the tears crawling out of my eyes as I laugh. “The other werewolves in the tournament think you are ice-cold—your fan club thinks you are cool, but in reality… you’re an i***t! The proud face you made with that grass mustache was priceless! I wish I had taken a picture!”

As I laugh, I notice that Misha looks at me almost fondly, and then he smiles softly. “I’ve missed your goofy laugh.”

I gasp. “I don’t have a goofy laugh!”

“You do! You snort and s**t, and it’s really cute!” Misha grins at me with a wicked gleam in his eye. “I’m going to start to call you little piggy.”

I pluck more grass from the ground. “Watch it! I’m loaded with more grass, and I’m not afraid to use it!”

He actually looks excited. “Yes, give me a new mustache!” When he sees the stupefaction in my eyes, he clears his throat. “I mean, no! Not the grass! Anything but the grass! Spare me!”

“You’re so silly…” I shake my head at him, but I can’t fight the smile growing on my lips.

Misha is an i***t, but I replace it endearing. I haven’t seen magic stronger than his ice magic, and all the pack members respect him. But when he is with me? The man is as sweet and harmless as a kitten.

“Oh, before I forget… I’m sorry for calling you selfish, by the way, and all those other stuff…” Misha sighs heavily and sits up. His eyes are focused on the sunset. “I was hurt because it seemed like you weren’t taking my feelings into consideration… only your own. But I don’t mean that you’re selfish all the time…”

“Want to start over?” I smile at him and hold out my hand. There is some distance between us even though we are both sitting on the hill.

Misha studies me, then nods. “Sure…” he takes my hand, and it sends a spark of lightning up my spine. I’m sure he feels it, too, because he pauses briefly, then smiles wider. “Looks like we got the moon goddesses’ blessing.”

“Yeah…” I gaze at the water and an evil idea forms in my head. One of the best ways to get your mate to show the goods without having s*x is by taking them to the beach. “Do you want to go for a swim?”

Misha arches an eyebrow. “I brought nothing with me to swim in…”

“Well, we are shifters, so… does it matter if we are naked?”

I can’t believe what I’m suggesting. I almost don’t dare to look at Misha. He might see through my plan and laugh, but… he seems interested. Those eyes of his look me up and down.

“I’m down… the question is: are you?” Misha asks. “You don’t seem like the type to go skinny dipping on the first date.”

He knows me well—I’m not the type to get naked on the first date. Honestly, I have a stick up my butt. I’m uptight and a bit of a prude, but I want to change.

I will start by saying, “Oh, I’m down, alright.” And then I try to pretend I’m not blushing right now because, damn, I’m about to see Misha entirely naked again.